Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2023 Books - Part 4

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Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2023 Books - Part 4

1lauralkeet
Editado: Abr 27, 2023, 7:02 am



Alys resting her head on my leg | Grand-dog Rizzo demonstrating a "doga" pose

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

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

Books Featured on This Thread
(Go here to see all books read this year)
21. Act of Oblivion
22. Lab Girl
23. The Master Butchers Singing Club
24. Breathing Lessons

2lauralkeet
Editado: Mar 31, 2023, 8:51 pm

Series Progress

Active series as of April 1 (updated quarterly):


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

Series completed/current in 2023:
* Inspector Gamache

Series started in 2023:
* Kurt Wallander (resumed after a long hiatus)

Series abandoned in 2023:
* Lymond Chronicles

3lauralkeet
Editado: Abr 28, 2023, 7:17 am

4lauralkeet
Mar 31, 2023, 8:51 pm

Open for business!

5figsfromthistle
Mar 31, 2023, 8:52 pm

happy new one!

6vancouverdeb
Mar 31, 2023, 9:24 pm

Happy New Thread, Laura! I wish you many good reads ahead.

7quondame
Mar 31, 2023, 9:59 pm

Happy new thread Laura!

8PaulCranswick
Mar 31, 2023, 10:01 pm

Happy new one, Laura.

9MickyFine
Mar 31, 2023, 10:29 pm

Happy new thread, Laura!

10laytonwoman3rd
Mar 31, 2023, 10:32 pm

I'm looking forward to what you think of Act of Oblivion. I'm fairly sure I read Fatherland ages ago, but don't remember whether I liked it or not, and it certainly wouldn't be something I'd choose to read now. But the subject matter of Act of Oblivion sounds intriguing.

11alcottacre
Mar 31, 2023, 11:44 pm

Happy new thread, Laura!

12lauralkeet
Abr 1, 2023, 7:08 am

Hi there Anita, Deb, Susan, Paul, Micky, Linda & Stasia! Thanks for the new-thread welcome.

>10 laytonwoman3rd: Linda, I've not read anything else by Harris and Fatherland is not one I'd choose either. But I do like historical fiction, especially involving English history, so this one is working for me.

>11 alcottacre: Stasia, responding to your message on my previous thread, I hereby welcome you to the Niall Williams Fan Club! 😃

13lauralkeet
Editado: Abr 1, 2023, 7:35 am

Welcome friends, to a new day and a new month. No foolin' !

Yesterday was uneventful, in a good way. I did the grocery shopping and then puttered around the house taking care of this and that. The siding guys finished their work, so the noisy and most disruptive part of the project is done. As they were leaving, they told Chris we should feel free to use the dumpster, so he was able to dispose of a bunch of old fence railing and other materials which would have been expensive to have hauled away, so yay. The siding still needs to be painted, which is being handled by another guy. I hope that will be done next week. We'll see.

Last night's TV was Gardeners World, and then I read for a little while. I hope to do more of that today! But first, I'm going to Barre this morning. I have a few odds & ends to get done around the house too, but hopefully it will be a low-key day. The weather might get nasty though: a high wind warning begins at noon which always makes me a bit anxious.

Wordle 651 4/6

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DRIVE, SCOUR, CARRY, MARCH

Finally, here's something Wordle-related I've been meaning to share: my birthday present from Kate. She does pottery (as a hobby) and made these mugs for me! So fun.

14katiekrug
Abr 1, 2023, 7:46 am

Those mugs are great! My cousin and his family sent The Wayne a Wordle-themed birthday card which was weird because he doesn't play it *shrug*. I wonder if I'll get a computer game-themed one for my birthday? ;-)

I'm with you about high wind warnings. I think we are supposed to get some nasty weather, too, and I'm not looking forward to potentially having to drive in it...

That topper photo of Alys is so sweet. And Rizzo is adorable, too.

15lauralkeet
Abr 1, 2023, 9:39 am

That's funny about the gift mugs, Katie. And let's hope the weather doesn't get too crappy.

Also, I just realized in my topper it looks like Alys is smelling Rizzo's butt. Oh well, that can be our source of amusement for the month!

16RebaRelishesReading
Editado: Abr 1, 2023, 11:26 am

>13 lauralkeet: love them!! -- I mean the mugs but also the dogs. I miss having a dog. The grand-dogs seem to know that because they're all three all over me when we're there. Means I wear as much fur as they do by the end of the day but I do love the cuddles.

17FAMeulstee
Abr 1, 2023, 4:15 pm

Happy new thread, Laura!

18vancouverdeb
Abr 1, 2023, 5:29 pm

I do love your new mugs! So perfect! I really enjoy Wordle each day.

19BLBera
Abr 1, 2023, 7:35 pm

Happy new thread, Laura. Your mugs are great!

20quondame
Abr 1, 2023, 9:03 pm

>15 lauralkeet: You could just switch the order of the pics, but they are more amusing this way!

21lauralkeet
Abr 2, 2023, 7:31 am

Hi everyone, sorry for not responding to messages. Our power has been out since 8pm last night. We had high winds yesterday afternoon & evening. No damage to our property, but power outages are widespread and no estimated restoration time has been published. I expect to be mostly offline until the power is back on.

22Caroline_McElwee
Abr 2, 2023, 8:08 am

>1 lauralkeet: Love the toppers Laura. And your Wordle mugs from Kate. Brilliant.

23Crazymamie
Abr 2, 2023, 9:14 am

Morning, Laura! Happy new one! I love the topper photos, and the mugs that Kate made for you are so fun.

24MickyFine
Abr 2, 2023, 11:31 am

Take care, Laura. I hope the power outage isn't too long.

25lauralkeet
Abr 2, 2023, 1:30 pm

Our power came back on around 1pm. We have a few things to do today so I will wait til tomorrow to post more of an update. Thanks to all for visiting and keeping my thread warm.

26raidergirl3
Abr 2, 2023, 2:41 pm

Glad to hear it was a relatively short power outage. Last fall, after Fiona blew through PEI, our power was out for 15 days. Not fun. Our neighbours had power and we ran an extension cord so didn’t lose our fridge/freezer, but very tiring.

27RebaRelishesReading
Abr 2, 2023, 5:14 pm

Glad to hear your power is back. Hope it wasn't long enough to result in damage to fridge contents or anything else.

28figsfromthistle
Abr 2, 2023, 5:34 pm

Aargh! Power outages are always a pain. We have a water well so every time there is an outage we cannot use water. If it's out too long, I end up having to prime the pump on the water tank.

Glad there was no damage from the wind!

>13 lauralkeet: Ooh those are some neat mugs.

29EBT1002
Abr 2, 2023, 10:01 pm

>13 lauralkeet: I love those mugs!!

Alys and Rizzo ❤️

Glad your power is back on. Oh, and happy new thread!!

30vancouverdeb
Abr 2, 2023, 11:32 pm

Glad your power is back on! Not fun.

31lauralkeet
Abr 3, 2023, 7:30 am

Hey everyone,

Thanks for your sympathy re: the power outage. Elizabeth, I cannot imagine coping with an outage for 15 days. Yikes. I'm glad your neighbors were close enough to run an extension cord. I don't know what we'd do in that situation. Anita, we have well water too, and the associated challenges add considerably to my stress levels during a power outage. I'm so glad life is back to normal today.

I was also glad the power came back when it did because we had tickets to a concert yesterday afternoon and were able to shower and look presentable. Otherwise I'm not sure we would have gone, and then would have missed out on a fabulous performance. The artist was tenor Michael Fabiano, and he was absolutely amazing. I'm not a fan of full-length opera productions, but this recital format included shorter art songs as well as works from operas he has starred in. It was excellent. He is incredibly talented and had a good rapport with the audience.

So, today's agenda will be library in the morning, garden in the afternoon. I've been sowing early vegetables (peas, lettuce, beets and carrots) a bit at a time each week so I need to do this week's bit. The weather is supposed to be warm and sunny so it should be nice to get outside for a while.

Next, a proud mom moment:

Kate's first byline in the New York Times! Here's a link:

Baby's First Social Media Handle

I used NYT's "gift" feature so you can access without a subscription. The story will also run in the Style section of Thursday's print edition. We are very proud of her!

Finally, somewhat anticlimactically:

Wordle 653 4/6

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PRIDE, SCOUR, THORN, FLORA

32katiekrug
Abr 3, 2023, 8:20 am

Happy Monday, Laura!

Thanks for sharing Kate's article. Has she moved to the Times or was this a "freelance" (right word?) thing?

33lauralkeet
Editado: Abr 3, 2023, 8:27 am

It’s freelance, Katie — she pitched the idea and they accepted it. Of course we are hoping it will lead to more opportunities.

34katiekrug
Abr 3, 2023, 8:30 am

>33 lauralkeet: - Very cool.

35Crazymamie
Abr 3, 2023, 9:57 am

Morning, Laura! I agree with Katie - very cool. The article blows my mind, though. I cannot imagine creating a digital footprint for my children before they were old enough to use it. For me, it would feel invasive, but then, I did not grow up with internet and all of the social media platforms. So interesting, so thanks for sharing.

36lauralkeet
Editado: Abr 3, 2023, 4:58 pm

Thanks Katie & Mamie. It's definitely mind-blowing for our generation because we didn't grow up online (Katie, I know you're a million years younger than me but for purposes of this discussion I am including you in the older generation category, you're welcome).

Kate is now 30, and began her online life at 12 (writing Harry Potter fan fiction LOL). For Julia (27) it was Facebook, again at age 12 or 13 (I joined FB at the same time to keep an eye on things). Today's younger adults are "more online," starting even younger. Kate is intrigued by this aspect of internet culture (being online from a very young age) and has been researching and writing about a number of different topics in this space.

37RebaRelishesReading
Abr 3, 2023, 2:15 pm

Fascinating!! It never would have occurred to me that people would do that (but then I'm a million years older than all of you). How great for Kate to have a bi-line on the Times too!!

Also enjoyed your blog today. Those are some serious tools you have and quite some job undertaken there. I will admit to some jealousy that you have a fella who likes gardening. Mine turns green at the idea of doing anything at all in the yard!! Given your joint talents and interest though you have the perfect property and are doing wonders with it.

38johnsimpson
Abr 3, 2023, 4:42 pm

Hi Laura my dear, Happy New Thread dear friend.

39lauralkeet
Abr 3, 2023, 5:02 pm

>37 RebaRelishesReading: Thank you Reba! Very kind words all around, much appreciated. We do have some "serious tools," some of which are necessary because we have acreage. The tractor, for example. But I should clarify that we do not own that 300-lb turf-lifting contraption. Chris got it from one of those equipment rental places.

>38 johnsimpson: Hiya back John, and thanks!

40EBT1002
Abr 3, 2023, 9:35 pm

Congratulations to Kate!

41vancouverdeb
Abr 3, 2023, 9:37 pm

How exciting indeed, Laura, that your daughter Kate has an article in the NYT Times! A very prestigious magazine! Fascinating article. I hope she gets more does get more opportunities for write for the NYT or other publications. Is your daughter Julia also a writer ?

42quondame
Abr 3, 2023, 10:54 pm

>31 lauralkeet: Kate's article is fun. I hope she does sell more!

43lauralkeet
Editado: Abr 4, 2023, 7:21 am

>40 EBT1002:, >41 vancouverdeb:, >42 quondame: Thank you Ellen, Deb, and Susan!
Kate currently has a portfolio of writing opportunities. She co-founded Embedded, a newsletter about internet culture that now has over 17,000 subscribers, and has recently contributed to The Atlantic, Vulture, and the Verge. The NYT editor Kate worked with said she should definitely keep pitching articles so hopefully there will be more. As a freelancer, she has to hustle to create opportunities but for now at least that's working for her. Deb, Julia is an account manager for a digital media company, so she is responsible for bringing in sponsorship through advertising. It's not as high-profile as seeing your work in "print" but she's good at what she does and we are just as proud of her, of course.

44lauralkeet
Abr 4, 2023, 7:33 am

Yesterday's weather was lovely and today promises more of the same: sunny and warm. I managed to get caught up on my gardening yesterday afternoon (I had put off doing a few things during the weekend's wind storm and power outage). Last night we watched University Challenge and I read my book.

This morning I'm going to the gym and then will head over to a Guild member's house to talk about our annual meeting/pot luck in May. She offered to host the meeting outdoors at her place instead of at our usual indoor venue, so we just need to review logistics like where will people sit, where will we put the food, etc. This afternoon I need to review and hopefully sign off on our tax returns. We have them done professionally and reviewing the first version yesterday I realized I had inadvertently failed to provide data on one income source. Fortunately they got on this quickly and revised returns came through last night. Other than that, I have a few admin tasks to take care of, and I should do a bit of cleaning. We'll see.

Wordle 654 3/6

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STARE, PARTY, RATIO
Yay!

45katiekrug
Abr 4, 2023, 7:52 am

Morning, Laura! The weather here has also improved. It's going to be 72 today!

I need to ask TW about our taxes - thanks for the reminder. I know he was working on them (insists on doing them himself even though things have gotten progressively more complicated over the years...).

46lauralkeet
Abr 4, 2023, 5:38 pm

Katie, we went through a period of a few years where our taxes got more complex for a variety of reasons. One of them was living in PA with some income still from DE, and then we had a half-year with PA, DE, and VA. Filing all of those returns was a bit much and I was very happy to have professional help. This year things have settled down but I'm also "training" a new contact at the tax firm because the previous person retired. I think she would have reminded me about the income source I forgot (but honestly there's no reason for me to have forgotten). She also made sure we had a conversation about tax planning for the next year before submitting the current year's return, which had not been forthcoming so I just requested it today. It's like a 5-minute topic but gives some peace of mind regarding withholding, estimated tax payments, etc. Or maybe I just have too much time on my hands ... well, at least I got the vacuuming done today as well!

47katiekrug
Abr 4, 2023, 5:45 pm

>46 lauralkeet: - I'd rather we have a professional do them. I finally "won" the argument about getting professional financial planning/managing assistance, so there's hope yet :)

Oooh, vacuuming FTW!

48TobyHyman
Abr 4, 2023, 5:49 pm

Este usuario ha sido eliminado por spam.

49lauralkeet
Abr 5, 2023, 7:44 am

Good morning everyone!

Yesterday was a gorgeous day, and we decided to enjoy a beverage outdoors before dinner. Then we watched an episode of CB Strike, the second/final "Career of Evil" episode where Robin is fired and gets married. Oh, and a crime is also investigated and solved but in some ways that seems secondary to the Strike-Robin dynamic. I'm pleasantly surprised how much Chris is enjoying this series. He is prone to post-episode critiques but hasn't gone there with this series.

Today should be sunny and very warm, and I have no obligations until Barre at 4:30pm. I have a bunch of small- and medium-sized tasks on my list, from Guild admin work to cleaning the kitchen counters to researching potential service providers for some home projects. Some of these will get done. Some won't, but they'll get done eventually. So, hopefully a low-pressure sort of day with some sense of accomplishment at the end. Just like Wordle ... 😀

Wordle 655 3/6

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SPATE, SHADY, SMASH
Yay!

50katiekrug
Abr 5, 2023, 8:14 am

I took 5 today. It was annoying :)

Good luck with getting things done. Or not!

51karenmarie
Abr 5, 2023, 8:30 am

Hi Laura, and happy newest thread! I missed most of last thread, so apologize for the skippety-skipping to here.

>1 lauralkeet: Sweet pics of the doggos.

>13 lauralkeet: Ooh, gorgeous mugs!

>39 lauralkeet: My husband has finally conceded that he can no longer mow our acreage and we will either be selling our Massey Ferguson tractor/mowing deck/front end loader back to where we bought it or to the landscaping company we’re just going to start to use to take care of the outside for us. Amazingly, it’s still worth around $7500. Don’t remember when we bought it, but it’s been a good 15 years or more.

>46 lauralkeet: We started using a CPA for our taxes when Bill had his business, and even though he doesn’t have the business anymore we still use Lynda. It’s worth the $300/year.

>49 lauralkeet: Mamie gifted me with the first three seasons of C.B. Strike and we’ve just started watching the third one. I love it. Have you read the books? Can’t remember.

Took me 5 on Wordle today.

52scaifea
Abr 5, 2023, 11:47 am

Hi, Laura! Gosh, how proud you must be of those women you've raised. Amazing.

And I love the Wordle mugs!!

53RebaRelishesReading
Abr 5, 2023, 11:59 am

>46 lauralkeet:, >47 katiekrug: Our taxes are fairly simple (and getting more so each year) and Hubby insists on doing them himself with the help of TurboTax. That's all fine with me except he puts it off longer each year -- hasn't even started for this year what with the cruise, etc. My level of discomfort is growing but I'm trying to stay quiet because nagging only makes things worse!! Thanks for listening :)

54laytonwoman3rd
Abr 5, 2023, 12:11 pm

My husband did our taxes for years, and actually enjoyed doing it. But like you, Laura, we had some complexities a few years back that caused us to seek professional preparation. He still spends nearly as much time getting ready for the appointment as he ever spent doing the whole job, but he agrees it's nice to have someone else on board to confirm it's done right. And, of course, in the event of any questions down the line, for back-up.

55lauralkeet
Abr 5, 2023, 6:17 pm

>50 katiekrug: some things were done Katie, and some weren't. Just as I planned LOL.

>51 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Always nice to see you here. I read the first three Cormoran Strike books and stalled out on book 4. There's no doubt JKR can write a good story, they were just getting looooong.

>52 scaifea: Thank you Amber!

>53 RebaRelishesReading: We did our own taxes (or rather, I did them) for years, also using TurboTax. Then there were four years as an expat with company-paid tax prep and, well, there was no turning back after that!

>54 laytonwoman3rd: I agree Linda. Our current tax firm spotted something our previous CPA had done incorrectly in terms of handling Philadelphia city tax, and it was like one of those Monopoly "Bank Error in your Favor" cards, as they filed an amended return for that year and got us a hefty refund. That earned my loyalty for sure.

56BLBera
Abr 5, 2023, 7:25 pm

Congrats to Kate, Laura. The article was fascinating.

57vancouverdeb
Abr 6, 2023, 1:36 am

You must be so proud of both of your daughters, Laura. Nice work on Wordle, it took my 5 tries today! Argh!

58lauralkeet
Abr 6, 2023, 8:38 am

Thank you Beth & Deb, I'm glad you enjoyed the article and yes, we're pretty pleased with how our two turned out. Especially considering their parentage LOL.

59lauralkeet
Abr 6, 2023, 8:50 am

Sweet Thursday to all!

As I mentioned to Katie, some of my "yesterday" tasks were done and some were not. But the weather was gorgeous so we had lunch outside and I spent some time watering the garden, and that was really nice. Our evening was not very interesting. Chris wanted to watch a film called Bloom, which is an adaptation of Ulysses. He's read the book, I haven't and have no desire to do so. He pronounced the film not great, both as an adaptation and details like casting. I pronounced it incomprehensible. Not unlike the book, I guess. Oh well, I took one for the team and I concentrated on my knitting. And then after the movie I finished reading Act of Oblivion, so it's all good.

This morning we took a long walk with Alys, which was a daily thing for us last spring/summer. Our route is about 3 miles and Alys gets to take a dip in a creek. The weather is supposed to turn colder again soon and we're expecting rain later today, so it was nice to sneak this in while we could. Today's schedule is completely clear, so once again I will deal with some of the tasks on my to do list. This includes a bit of financial stuff, some appointment-making, some Guild work, and hopefully a bit of time to start reading my next book, which is Lab Girl.

Wordle 656 2/6

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FAIRY, LEAFY
Imagine my delight! It actually took a bit of time to puzzle this one out based on the yellows & green in my first answer. This was my 15th 2 out of 278 games (earlier stats were wiped out grrr).

60dudes22
Editado: Abr 6, 2023, 9:12 am

>59 lauralkeet: - I didn't have your first letter and so I used LEAKY for my second guess giving me 3 for today. so close ;)

61katiekrug
Abr 6, 2023, 9:25 am

>59 lauralkeet: - Hooray for a 2! I bagged yet another 4.

I remember when Lab Girl was making the rounds here on LT. It never caught my interest, so I'll be interested in your comments on it.

62RebaRelishesReading
Abr 6, 2023, 11:27 am

5 :(

63lauralkeet
Abr 6, 2023, 12:32 pm

>60 dudes22: oh wow, you really were close Betty!

>61 katiekrug:, >62 RebaRelishesReading: Well ... Chris scored 6 today. After 5 turns he phoned the friend across the table (me), and I noticed that he had failed to reuse a yellow letter from his second turn and then completely forgot about it. I think otherwise he might have had it in 3.

64lauralkeet
Abr 6, 2023, 1:15 pm


21. Act of Oblivion ()

After Charles II became King of England in 1660, the government launched a manhunt to track down all of the regicides: the judges and other individuals responsible for 1649 trial and execution of King Charles I. Some were easier to find than others; the most elusive were Edward (Ned) Whalley and his son-in-law, William Goffe, who fled to New England. In Act of Oblivion, Robert Harris recreated the manhunt as a work of fiction. Richard Nayler, one of the only fictional characters in the novel, led the pursuit. As Harris writes in his Author’s Note, “I suspect there must have been such a person – you cannot sustain a manhunt without a man hunter – but whoever he was, his identity is lost to history.”

Nayler is not only doing the government’s bidding but is out to settle some scores, especially with Whalley and Goffe, and convinces the government to fund an expedition to America. The two fugitives settle in a Puritan community and are initially accepted by the locals. They hope to invite their families to join them at a later date. But when Parliament makes it illegal to interfere with the manhunt, Whalley and Goffe are forced to go underground, sometimes literally. They move from one settlement to another to stay one step ahead of their pursuers.

There were a few points that stretched credibility, such as Nayler’s expert navigation of the New England wilderness. And the ending, while satisfying, felt “made for TV”. But it was a rollicking good way to learn about historic events that were unfamiliar to me.

65lauralkeet
Abr 7, 2023, 8:18 am

Happy Friday everyone!

I almost forgot to post here this morning, oops! I'm heading out to the gym soon, and then grocery shopping, so my mind has been on getting ready for those exciting activities. We had two days of gorgeous warm sunny weather which I knew wouldn't last and sure enough today is more typical of April: cooler, possibility of rain, etc.

Yesterday afternoon and evening I made quite a bit of progress with Lab Girl, which is pretty interesting. At the beginning of the year I decided to add more non-fiction to my reading and am so glad I did. It's brought both depth and balance that were lacking last year. I also realized that before this, a lot of my nonfiction was about topics like politics and social justice, which stressed me out or made me mad. This heart I'm choosing books on subjects I enjoy: fiber arts, nature, etc. It's like an epiphany!

Okay, gotta run.

Wordle 657 5/6

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PASTE, SOUND, BONUS, FOCUS, LOCUS

66MickyFine
Abr 7, 2023, 9:52 am

I'm so glad your nonfiction reading is bringing you joy, Laura. ❤️

67lauralkeet
Abr 7, 2023, 12:07 pm

>66 MickyFine: In no small part due to a certain librarian from Alberta. Your recs made me realize there's a lot more nonfiction to explore. Which is stupidly obvious but clearly I needed a nudge in a new direction.

68raidergirl3
Abr 7, 2023, 5:55 pm

I’m sure you aren’t looking for NF recs, but the Ghost Map by Steven Johnson is a great science, mystery, history story of eradicating cholera in London. I also loved Lab Girl and tend to the science, science-y type books.
Have a great Easter weekend!

69katiekrug
Abr 7, 2023, 6:36 pm

>68 raidergirl3: - That one is on my list for this month! It's been on my shelf seemingly forever.

Hi Laura!

70lauralkeet
Abr 8, 2023, 6:54 am

>68 raidergirl3: Oooh thanks for that rec, Elizabeth! I'm always up for more recommendations. The Ghost Map looks really good and my library has it. They have just one copy, it's currently checked out, and there's one hold on it -- awfully popular for a book published in 2006!

>69 katiekrug: What a coincidence, Katie. I eagerly await your comments.

71lauralkeet
Abr 8, 2023, 7:08 am

Good morning everyone!

The weather cooled off considerably yesterday and that's expected to continue through today/tonight. We had a crew here yesterday painting the siding that was recently replaced. They did a nice job but the change is nothing dramatic since it matches the rest of the siding which was newer and did not need replacement.

Since it was too cold for me to do anything outdoors yesterday, I read my book, did some writing, and took care of some other odds and ends including the purchase of this:


Mamie has been singing the praises of King Arthur's ceramic scone pan, and I was coveting it. I succumbed to a King Arthur spring sale email, and then ordered some other items including--of course--scone mixes.

In the evening we watched Gardeners World and finished up a French film we started the night before. Eric Rohmer's tales of the four seasons just came out on Criterion, and we like his work so we watched the spring film.

This morning I'm going to Barre. We need to take stuff from our basement cleanup to the dump but have been putting it off. I just suggested we do that today but am not sure that will happen. This is one of those important-but-not-urgent tasks and one can always find something more interesting or urgent to do ...

Wordle 658 5/6

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STARE, OUNCE, WHINE, BELLE, LEDGE
Whew. This was a challenge!

72dudes22
Abr 8, 2023, 7:58 am

>71 lauralkeet: - I love the KA scone mixes and use them all the time. I even add about 1/4 cup of their jammy bits or lemon bits as appropriate for a little extra flavor. As a matter of fact, I'm doing scones for the Easter Sunrise service tomorrow.

73klobrien2
Abr 8, 2023, 8:34 am

>71 lauralkeet: You said, “I succumbed to a King Arthur spring sale email, and then ordered some other items including--of course--scone mixes.”

And I now say, so did I! Haven’t baked any yet, but the pan is lovely, and the time will come.

Happy weekend!

Karen O

74laytonwoman3rd
Abr 8, 2023, 10:10 am

>71 lauralkeet: Oh, oh, oh! *covets scone baker in a terribly unChristian way*

75qebo
Abr 8, 2023, 12:27 pm

>65 lauralkeet: a lot of my nonfiction was about topics like politics and social justice, which stressed me out or made me mad
I've been reading about evolution recently for this reason... time spans in millions of years for perspective, and everyone is already long dead. (Not ignoring the world altogether! Keeping up with TV and podcasts and blogs.)

76lauralkeet
Abr 8, 2023, 12:53 pm

>72 dudes22:, >73 klobrien2:, >74 laytonwoman3rd: Scones: it all started when my husband gave me a few KA mixes for Christmas a couple years ago. Then Mamie bought that pan and even though I'd been managing perfectly well without it, resistance was futile. And then of course I needed more mixes even though I could also manage perfectly well without them too.

Betty, I like the idea of adding jammy bits or lemony bits and kinda wish I'd thought of that in my quest to get flat-rate shipping!

>75 qebo: I get that, Katherine. I am trying to keep up with the world in a reasonable way but keep it from taking up too much head space and emotional energy. Evolution is another interesting avenue to explore.

77MickyFine
Abr 8, 2023, 5:01 pm

>67 lauralkeet: Aww that's sweet of you to say. There are some cool parts to ordering nonfiction all day for work. 😊

I look forward to descriptions of all your scones, Laura.

78RebaRelishesReading
Abr 8, 2023, 5:50 pm

You tempted me all the way to the King Arthur website but, just before I did the deed, I thought "why am I doing this? I never make scones and prefer them round anyway" and stopped myself. I bet you'll use yours a lot though and I hope it gives you great pleasure.

79quondame
Abr 8, 2023, 6:07 pm

>78 RebaRelishesReading: I'm prone to that sort of contagious temptation myself - and I have my lovely hex multi cutter to get me nice round biscuits or scones - though Becky insists that scones are to gloppy to be cut - she just takes the wedges and halves them, rounding them by hand for the mini scones she bakes.

80lauralkeet
Abr 9, 2023, 8:01 am

>78 RebaRelishesReading: That is hilarious, Reba!
>79 quondame: That cutter sounds like a useful gadget, Susan.

I like my scones round if they are the traditional British kind made with currants and served with clotted cream. I'm sure American scones are viewed as an abomination by purists, what with their funky flavors, and it seems only right to make them a different shape so they casual consumer knows, this is not a proper scone. But of course I would not object to a round American scone if it were offered to me!

I also do not honestly *need* a scone pan. I've found it fairly easy to pat the dough into a circle and then make cuts like a pizza, separating each piece slightly before baking. But I had been waiting for this King Arthur moment to purchase a sheet pan, which I do need. And that was a slippery slope ...

81lauralkeet
Abr 9, 2023, 8:15 am

Happy Easter to all who celebrate!

Yesterday was, for me, another putter-around-indoors kind of day. Chris has been getting stuck into a number of outdoor tasks that involve lifting and moving s**t and he disappeared for hours yesterday to do that. He actually ended up clearing away a large brush pile that was kind of out in the open, and taking it to the far end of our property. This meant we didn't take our stuff to the dump but I was ok with that, because the clearing was step 1 in improving an area that's a bit of an eyesore. For my part, I spent some time in the basement making sure we had all the dump-bound stuff together and ready to go, and then moving boxes of our stuff from the floor to the recently-emptied shelves. It doesn't get any more exciting than that, folks.

Last night's TV was a re-watch of Sense & Sensibility, an absolute favorite of ours. I also read more of Lab Girl. I admire the way Hope Jahrens slowly reveals her personal narrative, dropping breadcrumbs that make you stop and ask, "wait what's this about?" and then keep reading.

Today's agenda is pretty light. We've had a cold snap that is expected to continue through tonight, so I will hold off on planting some veggies until it warms up a bit. That opens up the possibility of reading or knitting or whatever this afternoon.

Wordle 659 4/6

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CHEAT, BRAIN, SPANK, SNAFU

82katiekrug
Abr 9, 2023, 8:53 am

I'm hoping TW will take advantage of the nice weather today to do some outdoor work. He could use some of Chris' initiative!

When I make scones, I just drop globs of the dough on a baking sheet. They are always mis-shapen and funky, but I kind of like it :)

83quondame
Editado: Abr 10, 2023, 12:21 am

>80 lauralkeet: That's so the sort of slope I slip on regularly. You only need to add $35 to your order ($15) for FREE shipping...

84lauralkeet
Abr 10, 2023, 7:36 am

>83 quondame: Yep, there was a bit of that happening with my KA order too, Susan.

Good morning and welcome to a new week ...

Yesterday started out cold but by late morning had warmed up enough to get some things done outside. I added soil to the bed where I'll soon plant potatoes, and then transferred the compost pile from one bin to the next which helps it do its composting thing. Our compost bins are about 4x4x4 feet (made with old fence rails and wood pallets), so there was quite a bit to be shoveled from one to the next.

Dinner was ham with green beans & roasted potatoes, and now we have leftover ham. Lots of it, even though I bought a smaller ham than last time. Most of the leftovers will find their way to the freezer for later use in soup or whatever. The Hambeens soup Reba recommended to me back in January has become quite a favorite around here. I'd better make it soon because we'll likely be less in the mood for it once the weather turns permanently warm.

Last night we watched another of Eric Rohmer's seasonal tales, A Tale of Winter this time. These are good love/relationship stories and I'm really enjoying them. We'll definitely watch the last two which Chris says we've seen but I don't remember.

Today's agenda includes a library shift and then our long-awaited, eagerly anticipated, trip to the dump. And University Challenge tonight. Woo hoo, such is the exciting life I lead!

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POISE, LATER, QUEER, UNDER

85msf59
Abr 10, 2023, 8:14 am

Morning, Laura. It sounds like you had a relaxing weekend. Have you been tending to those feeders? I plan on putting up my hummingbird feeder in about 2 weeks. Glad you are enjoying Lab Girl. I am a big fan of that one.

86katiekrug
Abr 10, 2023, 11:02 am

Re: leftover ham, this recipe just appeared in my FB feed...

https://www.skinnytaste.com/cauliflower-fried-rice-with-leftover-ham/

87RebaRelishesReading
Abr 10, 2023, 12:11 pm

Your Easter sounds a bit like ours. Our "kids" were all traveling or with partner's family so we had a quiet day. I bought a tiny sliced ham and did green beans and mashed sweet potato with it. Bought marionberry pie for desert. The little ham came without bone so I don't have that for future soup (very disappointing) but we will have lots of sandwiches and I can chop the ham in future soups. So glad you like the 15-bean soup :)

88Crazymamie
Abr 10, 2023, 1:02 pm

Hello, Laura! I love that you bought the scone pan!! We had Big Breakfast on Easter instead of doing dinner, and I loved doing it that way.

89Donna828
Abr 10, 2023, 1:47 pm

Hi Laura. It’s good to catch up with you.

>31 lauralkeet: Congratulations to Kate! That is going to look great on a resume…or perhaps the New York Times should just go ahead and hire her.

Reading about filing taxes makes me glad I married a CPA! We have lots of friends this time of year. Haha.

I still haven’t been inspired to start digging in the dirt this year. I have more energy in the morning when it’s too cool for my comfort.

I have fond memories of reading Lab Girl and discussing it with my book group several years ago. I look forward to reading your final comments about it. Like you, I am reading more NF and enjoying it.

90lauralkeet
Abr 10, 2023, 3:55 pm

>85 msf59: Hi Mark! Yep, we've been trying to keep our feeders going although I need to pick up more seed in the next day or two. AND ... I am pretty sure a pair of red-shouldered hawks have a nest in a tree near our house. They have been hanging out there for a while and are now showing some nesting-like behaviors like one bird bringing food to the other. We won't be able to see inside the nest of course, but we'll keep watch anyway.

>86 katiekrug: Thanks Katie! I've never made cauliflower rice ... although I guess I could do something similar with regular rice.

>87 RebaRelishesReading: Hey there Reba-my-soup-buddy! Our Easter mini-ham didn't have a bone either. Not too long ago I made a batch of the Hambeens soup using ham hocks which are readily available in my supermarket. That seemed to achieve a similar effect to using the bone. I tossed in leftover Christmas ham that had been in the freezer to make it more hammy & chunky.

>88 Crazymamie: That's a great idea, Mamie! I'm glad you had a nice Easter.

>89 Donna828: Hey there Donna, it's so nice to see you and find another fan of Lab Girl. We are of course very happy for Kate and while we're not pinning our hopes on it, we would certainly not complain if freelance writing led to a full-time position.

Speaking of Kate ... on Friday she and Tyler adopted two black short-haired kitten siblings (one male, one female). I will share photos once the kitties start coming out of hiding more often ha ha. For the time being, imagine every other short-haired black cat you've ever seen, but smaller. 😃

91katiekrug
Abr 10, 2023, 3:58 pm

>90 lauralkeet: - Yeah, I've never made cauliflower rice, either, and the versions I've had (from the supermarket and TJ's frozen aisles) haven't made me much of a convert. I'd probably just use regular rice, too...

92lauralkeet
Abr 11, 2023, 7:30 am

>91 katiekrug: that's good to know, Katie. I always appreciate advice that validates my own opinion LOL.

93lauralkeet
Abr 11, 2023, 7:39 am

Happy Tuesday!

Yesterday's agenda included the trip to the dump, which took care of about half the stuff we need to get rid (we'll need to make a second trip for the rest), and then some work in the garden. I planted more peas and carrots, and transplanted tomatoes from the seed trays into small pots. Dinner was Oven Roasted Chicken Shawarma (NYT recipe), with a salad of chickpeas, tomatoes, olives, etc. Yum. Then we watched University Challenge, a matchup of two very good teams which turned out to be a bit of a rout, and then an episode of CB Strike.

Today's agenda is a bit busy: I'm heading to the gym soon, so I have time to shower etc. before my 10am Knitting Group. I also have a hair appointment in the afternoon, and hopefully time for garden tasks after that.

In reading news, I finished Lab Girl last night (very good!) and will start The Master Butcher's Singing Club sometime today. Actually based on the previous paragraph it will probably be tonight.

Wordle 661 4/6

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TRADE, SLAIN, LOAMY, QUALM

94katiekrug
Abr 11, 2023, 8:34 am

I'll have to look up that shawarma recipe - we were saying last night that the couscous dish I made would be great as a side with chicken shawarma.

Good luck with the busy day!

95laytonwoman3rd
Abr 11, 2023, 11:01 am

>93 lauralkeet: I started Master Butchers yesterday, and it's going well so far!

96lauralkeet
Abr 11, 2023, 12:00 pm

>94 katiekrug: Ooh yes Katie! It's really easy to make too.

>95 laytonwoman3rd: *twinning* !! I'm looking forward to diving into it.

97RebaRelishesReading
Abr 11, 2023, 12:10 pm

>90 lauralkeet: >91 katiekrug: Raw cauliflower in a salad OK -- otherwise, no thank you and especially don't try to convince me that it makes a decent pizza crust!

I don't often see ham hocks in the market here -- did find a couple in the freezer section once but it's rare. For me "soup season" is nearly over, though, so I won't worry about it until next fall :) I am planning some potato corn chowder with some cut-up left-over ham slices for sometime this week though.

I'm getting a much-needed haircut today too and should be going to the gym but I'm going to work on the taxes instead (I really know how to have fun...right?)

Enjoy your knitting group (know you will)

98MickyFine
Abr 11, 2023, 3:24 pm

Congrats on your new grand-kittens. That's exciting news!

99lauralkeet
Abr 11, 2023, 5:19 pm

>97 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, you make a valid point about soup season. Chris is such a fan of that soup though, that he may insist we make it one more time. Your potato corn chowder with ham sounds pretty amazing too.

>98 MickyFine: Thanks Micky! They are beginning to venture out from beneath the sofa, much to the delight of their humans.

100quondame
Abr 11, 2023, 5:27 pm

>97 RebaRelishesReading: I like cauliflower as cauliflower, but I love it deep fried and served with Lebanese garlic mayo. Just drop flowerettes in the hot oil for 3min and yummy. At least to me. I don't fancy it pretending to be anything else, though TJ's now discontinued cauliflower tabuli was quite good, but that's a salad.

101katiekrug
Abr 11, 2023, 7:39 pm

I eat soup all year round because I love it so...

102vancouverdeb
Editado: Abr 11, 2023, 9:01 pm

I recently discovered a great way to cook cauliflower. You chop up a head of cauliflower and use a mix of olive oil, garam masala , garlic and turmeric etc and bake it at 450 F for about 25 minutes. My husband and I really love it. I'll see if I can find the recipe. I substitute garam masala for the cumin.


https://reluctantentertainer.com/skinnytastes-turmeric-roasted-cauliflower/

103lauralkeet
Abr 12, 2023, 6:28 am

>100 quondame: ooh yum, I've never had cauliflower like that, Susan.

>101 katiekrug: You're such a rebel Katie!

>102 vancouverdeb: Mmmm now you're talking, Deb. Smothering a bland vegetable in delicious spices sounds like a winner. I like the idea of substituting garam masala for cumin too.

104lauralkeet
Abr 12, 2023, 7:18 am

Happy Hump Day to those who celebrate 😂

Yesterday's busy day made for little time in the garden, but we made a trip to Southern States instead for birdseed and grass seed and to check out their plants. Last night we watched Eric Rohmer's A Tale of Summer, and I started reading The Master Butcher's Singing Club, both of which were very enjoyable.

Today Alys has to go in for dental work (cleaning and potentially extractions), which requires anesthesia. I need to drop her off at 8am and pick her up this afternoon. She is not allowed any food or water this morning and is currently staging a vocal protest.

Later this morning I have a Guild board meeting, and then I'll do some gardening, probably planting potatoes. I may or may not go to Barre, depending on Alys' pickup time, how she's doing generally, and how guilty I feel about all of that.

Wordle 662 5/6

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TOWER, ROUND, CORAL, FORAY, BORAX
I always associated this word with a brand, so I didn't use it when it first occurred to me. Oh well!

105katiekrug
Abr 12, 2023, 8:22 am

Ah, poor Alys. I hope she'll be spoiled with treats when she gets home...

106Crazymamie
Abr 12, 2023, 9:02 am

Morning, Laura! Poor Alys, but good dental hygiene is so important. Hoping she doesn't need any extractions.

>101 katiekrug: Me, too!

107MickyFine
Abr 12, 2023, 11:02 am

Sending my best wishes for Alys as well. I'm sure you'll give her plenty of pets and ear scritches anyway, but say a couple are from me. :)

108RebaRelishesReading
Abr 12, 2023, 1:15 pm

>104 lauralkeet: I thought the same thing but then thought "if it isn't a word it won't take it' and I wanted to see more about letter placement so tried it and was totally surprised to find I'd solved the puzzle.

Hope all goes well with Al's and the vet today. Does she get a soft treat when she gets home?

109lauralkeet
Abr 12, 2023, 6:06 pm

I just picked up Alys from the vet. They got a little behind today due to a previous surgery which took longer than expected. Alys' teeth are fine (no extractions) although she'll be on antibiotics for a few days due to gum infection. The staff apparently all fell in love with her and thought she was the sweetest most patient dog ever. Now I'm wondering if I've come home with the wrong dog LOL. We'll spend the evening snuggling our groggy pup.

110quondame
Abr 12, 2023, 7:57 pm

>109 lauralkeet: The level of flattery that vet staff indulge in always impresses me. I know our wee Manny was a little jerk, but they always had nice things to say about him. I'm glad Alys didn't need any extractions and that she enjoys her new healthy mouth.

111lauralkeet
Abr 13, 2023, 7:17 am

>110 quondame: It reminds me a bit of parent-teacher conferences, Susan.

Good morning all ...

Alys is doing fine this morning: a bit quiet, but she ate her breakfast. I'm glad we had it done because of her gingivitis, but our dentist seems to be a big fan of annual dental visits "just like for humans" and I'm not sure I'm on board with that idea just yet.

So, besides fretting about Alys all day yesterday I planted the potatoes and worked on gourds we're turning into birdhouses. I've made 4 of these so far (and wrote about it in our newsletter this week! Read about it here). Here's what they look like:



We have 5 more birdhouse-worthy gourds and I started cleaning them yesterday. Today I might do more of that and I also have some other outdoor chores to take care of. But first we need to drop off one of our cars for annual inspection, and we're going to grab breakfast at the local bagel shop after that.

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GRIPE, ROUND, CARRY, CARAT
I'm pretty happy with the way I puzzled this one out. Starting my day off right!

112klobrien2
Editado: Abr 14, 2023, 8:38 am

>111 lauralkeet: Good job on your Wordling! It was a little tough, wasn’t it?! I resorted to paper and pencil for a bit.

Karen O

113MickyFine
Abr 13, 2023, 12:00 pm

>111 lauralkeet: Glad Alys' vet visit was smooth. I had a vet once tell me I should be regularly brushing my cat's teeth. It did not happen.

114quondame
Abr 13, 2023, 4:14 pm

>111 lauralkeet: You must have been fortunate in your parent conferences. Our wee Becky was not a charmer and often seemed to get crosswise of instructors. 9th graders were required to do a presentation to move on and hers was a complete send up of all her failures during the last two years (couched as aspects of a novel) that had her instructors repressing guffaws and at a loss for anything to add to her impressive and well delivered catalog. I date her ability to put together entertaining and concise presentations to that one because she passed in spite of her deficits in accomplishments.

115karenmarie
Abr 14, 2023, 7:19 am

Hi Laura, and happy Friday to you.

>55 lauralkeet: Rowling’s series do that. I loved how many more pages each HP had, and personally feel the same about the Cormoran Strike series.

>68 raidergirl3: Also on my shelves, but I’m stalling out on nonfiction right now, along with pretty much everything else except for contemporary romance.

>90 lauralkeet: I tried using cauliflower rice for a book club meal 4 or 5 years ago. Most of the women liked it but I didn’t. I use basmati rice almost exclusively, although I have arborio rice if I’m in the mood (and am willing to deal with the sodium of risotto or rice pudding).

Yay for new kitties!

>109 lauralkeet: Glad Alys is fine if a bit groggy from her visit to the vet.

>111 lauralkeet: Jenna had her ups and downs with school, never liking it much. In 5th grade, first year beginner’s band, the band director called me to say that Jenna had to play her instrument if he called on her. In 7th grade she wrote on a desk, the teacher emailed me, I showed it to Jenna with my response – that she would apologize the next day and clean the desk. Stubborn girl.

116lauralkeet
Abr 14, 2023, 7:36 am

>112 klobrien2: That happens sometimes, Karen. I didn't need it yesterday, but I did today.

>113 MickyFine: We've never brushed our pets' teeth either, Micky. During Alys' checkup I asked our vet about alternatives to brushing. We now give Alys a daily dental chew (which she LOVES and insists on having at a certain time each day), and an additive in her water.

>114 quondame: Great story, Karen. In general K&J got along with teachers and did well in their classes, but their school years had their share of challenges which I kind of glossed over in my comment.

>115 karenmarie: Hey Karen! See my comment to above to Susan about kids in school. I am sure we had some incidents but I'm wracking my brain trying to remember one right now. Clearly I need more coffee.

117lauralkeet
Abr 14, 2023, 7:45 am

TGIF! (not that it really matters what day it is but ...)

Yesterday's car inspections were both accomplished without incident, other than a recommendation to replace the battery in our 2017 Nissan Frontier pickup, which was not a surprise. We'll take care of that at some point. I did a bunch of chores outside and finished cleaning the gourds for birdhouses. We made a trip to Lowe's in the late afternoon, which was onerous. Chris needed bits and pieces for some garden irrigation but was figuring it out on the fly and then of course it's nearly impossible to find the right parts on the shelves. Hopefully he has what's needed but I'm hanging onto the receipt just in case.

Last night we watched an episode of the police drama Grace (season 2) and then remembered why we stopped watching it. It's not terrible, but it has some predictable elements. We like John Simm who plays the main character, but not enough to keep going I'm afraid.

Today I need to do the grocery shopping which I usually try to get done in the morning. But I haven't made my list yet and I'm definitely going to the gym first, so we'll see. We have enough food in the house to have lunch, so the shopping will get done even if it's not until afternoon. Tonight's TV will include Gardeners World, and hopefully we'll be able to find Have I Got News for You on YouTube (a new season starts tonight on BBC Two).

The past few days, I have not had as much time for reading as I would like but I'm enjoying The Master Butcher's Singing Club. I still need to write a review of Lab Girl, too. Ack.

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PAUSE, STORE, FETID, THIEF

118msf59
Abr 14, 2023, 7:48 am

Happy Friday, Laura. I LOVE the birdhouse gourds. You will have to let us know, what species takes residence there. Are they difficult to clean out? It doesn't appear easy.

Are you enjoying the Eric Rohmer films? My clear favorite of his is My Night at Mauds but I also really liked Claire's Knee. I would like to revisit some of his other films.

119karenmarie
Abr 14, 2023, 7:49 am

Hi again!

>117 lauralkeet: But I haven't made my list yet I've finally told Bill and Jenna that they need to write down what they want/need from the grocery store since I can't deal anymore with being responsible for it all, at least temporarily. We are using the grocery store's Shop and Go, only paying $1.99 for each order, and since I've learned to always write a note "No Substitutes." (except for a few, rare, cases when it's okay), it's going well.

120lauralkeet
Abr 14, 2023, 11:59 am

>118 msf59: Hey Mark! The gourds are actually really easy to clean out. You have to let them sit and dry out on their own for quite a while. Then you are left with seeds and some other stuff inside, but not much. I used a spoon to get in there and coax it out.

And yes I'm enjoying the Rohmer's films We've seen those two as well. He has a unique talent.

>119 karenmarie: Hi again Karen! What I should have said was, I hadn't done my meal planning yet. I plan the week's meals and use that to create my shopping list, and of course add on other regular items (beverages, snacks, staples, etc.). I procrastinate on meal planning even though I like to cook. Go figure.

I've done a fair amount of grocery delivery and pickup. Every store or service seems to have its nuances, and some are better at handling substitutes than others. I'm glad to be shopping in person again, but also glad to have pickup as an option when needed.

121Caroline_McElwee
Abr 14, 2023, 5:29 pm

>111 lauralkeet: Loving the gourd birdhouses Laura.

Glad all well with Alys.

122lauralkeet
Abr 15, 2023, 7:22 am

>121 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks Caro!

Good morning everyone ...

Of course I managed to get the grocery shopping done yesterday morning, what was I worried about?! LOL. I did some satisfying puttering around in the afternoon, taking care of this and that. Having made our first run to the dump this week I was able to do some reorganizing in one part of our basement, and got a dehumidifier cleaned and working again. Although we still have another major dump trip ahead of us, I think I'm going to adopt the "15 minutes a day" approach to reorganizing and decluttering our basement storage. Just getting a little bit done can be satisfying.

Last night we had Chinese takeout for dinner. TV included Have I Got News for You, Gardener's World, and the last of Rohmer's seasonal tales, Tale of Autumn, which was excellent.

This morning I'm heading to Barre. We might make a trip to Total Wine today to stock up. And there will be other odds and ends I'm sure. I'd really like to fit in some reading time as well. We'll see.

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TRAIN, SNEAK, CANDY, AGONY

123dudes22
Abr 15, 2023, 1:06 pm

A truly awful Wordle for me today. I managed to use up 16 wrong letters in my first 4 tries leaving only 9 letters. (I got fixated on the one letter I had.) YUCK!

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MOUSE, THROW, BLOCK, OVOID, AGONY

124lauralkeet
Abr 15, 2023, 1:22 pm

>123 dudes22: Truly a case of the word describing the solving experience, right Betty? Hope tomorrow is a better day for you.

125lauralkeet
Abr 15, 2023, 1:44 pm


22. Lab Girl ()

Hope Jahren earned a PhD in soil science and has spent her career studying trees, fossil forests, and other natural phenomena. This memoir combines nature writing and personal narrative, with emphasis on her experience as a female scientist as well as relevant aspects of her personal life. Jahren tells a good story, occasionally foreshadowing things to come in a way that kept me turning the pages. Some of the more painful events in her personal history are only alluded to and not fully explained. While I was curious about these references, I respect her decision not to delve into them. This also kept her book focused on the topics of greatest interest to her, rather than becoming overly focused on personal adversity. And yet, Jahren has faced plenty of adversity, specifically related to mental health, which she freely shares with the reader. I can’t begin to understand the technical aspects of her career, but I appreciate the perseverance and commitment required to succeed as she has done.

126BLBera
Abr 15, 2023, 2:41 pm

>124 lauralkeet: I have this one on my shelf, Laura. I'll have to move it to my "read soon" pile. It sounds like one I would enjoy.

I love your birdhouse gourd project. I'm going to share it with my daughter; it sounds like a good project for her and Scout. They have ten acres of woods, so lots of possible places for them.

127Berly
Abr 15, 2023, 3:16 pm

WAAAAY behind here, but love the new gourd birdhouses and congrats on an easy grocery haul. : ) Wishing you happy cooking and reading!

128lauralkeet
Abr 15, 2023, 5:09 pm

>126 BLBera: Beth, I started finishing my remaining gourds this week and thought of you and Scout. I used instructions from another source for the initial cleaning steps. It was much easier than the sanding & bleaching method I described in the newsletter, and more thorough. You soak the gourds in hot soapy water for 15 minutes, then use a table knife or other not-too-sharp scraper to scrape mould off the surface, and finally scrub it with the hot soapy water and some steel wool. It's easier and faster.

>127 Berly: Hi there Kim! Thanks for stopping by!!

129lauralkeet
Editado: Abr 16, 2023, 10:52 am

Welcome to Sunday.

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. Our wine rack is restocked, and I took advantage of a 20% off Total Wine coupon to do that. Cheap wine! Yay! I puttered around and did some chores, and then carved out a block of time to read, which was very satisfying indeed.

Today's weather looks like it will be be pretty nice so I'm going to head outside soon to plant more lettuce & carrots, and maybe get a couple of other veggies started. We need to run over to the nursery for potting soil which will also mean looking around at their inventory to see what's new. I have some indoor tasks to do too, but none of them demand immediate attention.

But first I need to tackle today's Crossword!
Have a good day everybody!

Wordle 666 4/6

⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨
⬜🟨🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
PEONY, RAISE, ELECT, DWELT
It took forever for me to find even one possible fourth word, which thankfully was *the* word.

130vancouverdeb
Abr 16, 2023, 7:07 pm

I'm glad Alys did so well with her dental cleaning. We take Poppy every other year, and our vet seems happy with that, and so far, no problem with her teeth. Like you, I think if my vet recommended once a year cleanings, I'd be hesitant, partly I worry about Poppy under general anesthesia, and it's not inexpensive to have it done.

131lauralkeet
Abr 17, 2023, 7:28 am

>130 vancouverdeb: I'm with you on that, Deb. Alys is 8 years old so she's now in senior dog territory where anesthesia will increasingly be a concern. And yes, it costs a pretty penny to have the cleaning done, let alone any extractions that might be needed.

So, welcome everyone to a new week. Yesterday was a good day in the garden. We also visited the nursery and stopped at a coffee shop for a iced coffee and a cookie. Yum. And I even fit some reading time into the afternoon! I'm about halfway through The Master Butcher's Singing Club and enjoying it. Last night we watched an episode of CB Strike, finishing up the Lethal White season. We've really been enjoying this series.

This morning I'm working a library shift, and my afternoon is pretty fluid at this point. We're having our gutters cleaned (so exciting ha ha), and I might make some lemon poppy muffins using a King Arthur mix from my recent order. University Challenge tonight, plus whatever else strikes our fancy.

Wordle 667 4/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟨⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
STALE, ROUND, ZIPPY, WHIFF
What. the. hell. That was tough.

132dudes22
Abr 17, 2023, 7:35 am

>131 lauralkeet: - I have The Master Butcher's Singing Club somewhere in my TBR pile. I'll be waiting to see what you have to say.

Wordle took me 4 today too although I had a few more letters than you. I think you did well to figure it out with only one letter.

133katiekrug
Abr 17, 2023, 8:00 am

>131 lauralkeet: - We had a remarkably similar result, though different words!

134lauralkeet
Abr 17, 2023, 8:47 am

>132 dudes22: By my fourth turn I had eliminated so many letters, both vowels and consonants. I didn't see too many options, but I've missed obvious solutions before so I was far from confident about it.

>133 katiekrug: I saw that Katie! *cue spooky music*

135scaifea
Abr 17, 2023, 6:18 pm

KAF muffins? I'll be right over...

136RebaRelishesReading
Abr 17, 2023, 6:26 pm

>134 lauralkeet: It took me 6 and it was pretty much dumb luck that I stumbled onto it. My mind doesn't seem to work like the new editor's mind :(

137lauralkeet
Abr 18, 2023, 7:48 am

>135 scaifea: They're pretty tasty, Amber! I just had one with my breakfast.

>136 RebaRelishesReading: Today was even worse for me, Reba. Ugh!

138lauralkeet
Abr 18, 2023, 7:52 am

Hey everyone,

Yesterday afternoon I dabbled around doing very little except making muffins, waiting for the gutter cleaning guys. They gave me a 12-3pm arrival window, I texted at 3pm when they hadn't shown up yet, and they gave me a new ETA of 4pm. Sigh. Well, at least it's done now.

Last night's TV included an excellent University Challenge match in which a team I like won, and then we watched a gardening show. Despite having done nothing all day I was really tired so I didn't even do much knitting.

It looks like today we'll be making that second trip to the dump, so I have that to look forward to LOL. But first I'm going to go to the gym, and I have a Guild-related Zoom meeting at 10am.

Wordle 668 6/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
BEAST, ROUND, FOUND, WOUND, MOUND, HOUND
ARRRRGGGGH! This would have been a fail, but I asked Chris for a hint to help me choose between the two remaining options.

139katiekrug
Abr 18, 2023, 10:10 am

>138 lauralkeet: - At least you didn't get skunked! *sigh*

Have fun at the dump :) When I was growing up in rural NY, we had to take our garbage to the dump, which also had the recycling center. It was such a chore.

And another sigh... I need to get our gutters cleaned, too. Thanks for the reminder.

140Donna828
Abr 18, 2023, 10:51 am

Hi Laura. I’m glad Alys did so well with her trip to the vet. Sometimes I feel like we spend more on health care for Penny than we do on ourselves. Worth every bit, though, to have a healthy dog.

>125 lauralkeet: I felt much the same way about Lab Girl, Laura. It was good to familiarize myself with something I knew little about, but I might have appreciated learning more about the girl than the lab.

I smiled about your trips to the dump. We lost a stand of English Ivy due to the extreme temps this winter. My DH and I spent hours cutting and pulling it out over a week’s time. We had an overflowing pick-up load but I missed out on the trip to the recycling center. Darn. Now we have a lovely rock retaining wall that we haven’t seen in the 23 years we’ve lived in this house, although I do kind of miss the ivy.

141alcottacre
Abr 18, 2023, 11:43 am

>125 lauralkeet: Adding Lab Girl to the BlackHole. Thanks for the recommendation, Laura!

142dudes22
Abr 18, 2023, 3:02 pm

>138 lauralkeet: - I had similar results:

Wordle 668 6/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩⬜
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

RAISE, MOUNT, YOUNG, WOUND, FOUND, HOUND

143RebaRelishesReading
Abr 18, 2023, 4:38 pm

>138 lauralkeet: >137 lauralkeet: And today I didn't get it at all. I had the last four letters on my third try but I can think of 8 words that end in those four letters and not all of the starting letters had been eliminated by the time I ran out of tries :(

144lauralkeet
Abr 18, 2023, 4:49 pm

>139 katiekrug: The dump was a blast, Katie. Not really, but at least it's done. I'm glad the dump exists, because the alternative would be to pay a junk hauler, but it's still not my favorite destination.
We combined this trip with a couple other errands in the same part of town so we felt quite efficient.

>140 Donna828: That sounds like quite a project, Donna!

>141 alcottacre: You're welcome, Stasia.

>142 dudes22: *wordle twins!!*

>143 RebaRelishesReading: Yeah, that was my situation too Reba. Frustrating!

145vancouverdeb
Abr 18, 2023, 10:02 pm

Thanks so much for letting me know the you enjoyed the Spicy Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower recipe, Laura. As far as canine vet care goes, I also think as dogs age they don't need vaccines as often as once a year. I think every 2 - 3 years is sufficient. Poppy is also a senior dog, at 9.5 years old, but she is very active and healthy, so I hope we have a long time yet with her.

146lauralkeet
Abr 19, 2023, 7:40 am

>145 vancouverdeb: You're welcome, Deb! We get so attached to our furry friends, don't we?

147lauralkeet
Abr 19, 2023, 7:52 am

Welcome to Wednesday!

There's not much more to report from yesterday. The rest of the afternoon passed by uneventfully. For dinner, I made a recipe Julia shared with me, Instant Pot Coconut Tandoori-Inspired Chicken using the stovetop cooking directions. I was a bit apprehensive about the large quantity of spices but it turned out just fine. We had it with rice and steamed broccoli, and chutney on the side. TV-watching was a little of this, a little of that, and not very memorable. I did finish knitting the back sections of my cardigan, so now I can block them and assemble the back. Sleeves will be next.

As for today ... whatever shall I do, now that the excitement of going to the dump is behind us? Ha. Today has started out a bit chilly but is supposed to warm up. I have a few chores and other tasks on my list, both around the house and outdoors, so I guess I'll just do what strikes my fancy.

Also ... I finally have a photo to share:



Introducing Partner and Ruby, Kate's 6-month-old kitties!

And today's Wordle was much more satisfying than yesterday:

Wordle 669 3/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟨
🟨⬜🟩🟨🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
FEAST, MOUTH, THUMP

148MickyFine
Abr 19, 2023, 11:06 am

>147 lauralkeet: Aww, the grandkittens are adorable! Also yay for black cats (we have two in our house too).

149RebaRelishesReading
Abr 19, 2023, 1:37 pm

>147 lauralkeet: Good on you!! Took me 5 :(

150lauralkeet
Abr 20, 2023, 7:48 am

>148 MickyFine: They are very sweet, Micky, and coming out of their shells more every day.

>149 RebaRelishesReading: Reba, if there's one thing I've learned about Wordle, it's "win some, lose some" and there's no predictable pattern. Weirdly, that's part of the fun.

151lauralkeet
Abr 20, 2023, 8:03 am

Good morning, how's everyone doing today?

Yesterday was uneventfully productive. I spent some time in the veg garden adding soil to top up the rest of our raised beds, blocked pieces of my cardigan (a precursor to assembling them into something that looks like a garment), did some Guild work and took care of some admin tasks.

Last night's TV-watching was a French film called Hiroshima mon Amour, which was very artsy and I could appreciate what was happening but can't say I enjoyed it. Chris is on a bit of a French new wave cinema kick, where we alternate watching a film with watching a contemporary series like CB Strike. I'm mostly fine with that but ... well, sometimes not.

I have no real agenda today. I'm heading to the gym in a bit, and then I'll do whatever. I always have a short list of things that *should* get done, but again nothing urgent that must be done today.

Wordle 670 2/6

⬜🟨🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
STARE, PLATE
Woo hoo! This is always a thrill because for the most part 2s are pure luck.

152klobrien2
Abr 20, 2023, 8:15 am

>151 lauralkeet: Woo hoo, indeed! I also got a Wordle-in-two today, and it has to do with the first word, I think. Great job!

Karen O

153dudes22
Abr 20, 2023, 8:34 am

>151 lauralkeet: - >152 klobrien2: - I'll join you guys in a two a day. Agree that the first word choice is everything. (As it usually is)

154RebaRelishesReading
Abr 20, 2023, 12:17 pm

>150 lauralkeet: Improving to 4 today. I found out yesterday that my granddaughter does Wordle too so we've started texting results -- she used my starter word today and got it in 3 -- brilliant, beautiful, delightful young woman that she is :) And you a 2!! Wow, congratulations!

155lauralkeet
Abr 21, 2023, 7:49 am

>152 klobrien2:, >153 dudes22:, >154 RebaRelishesReading: Hurray for good Wordle days!
Reba, we have a family Wordle chat too. It's fun to compare scores.

156lauralkeet
Abr 21, 2023, 7:56 am

Happy Friday everyone!

Yesterday's weather was pretty nice -- hot, but very low humidity -- so I tackled some weeding in the garden. I had a short Zoom with a Guild member to work out a technical thing on our website, and we knocked out a couple of household tasks we'd been putting off. In the evening we started the Troubled Blood season of CB Strike. This is last season currently available so we will have to find something new soon. Thank goodness for Justwatch -- I have a list, and I do love me a good list.

This morning I need to do the menu planning/grocery list making, and then run to the supermarket. After that, I once again have a few tasks I could take care of. Or not, heh. Hopefully I will finish reading The Master Butchers Singing Club. Gardening has really cut into my reading time this week! I had about 15 pages left when we were ready to sleep last night. It wouldn't have taken me all that long to finish, but I probably would have been in "hurry up so I can get to bed" mode and that's not how I want to end it.

Wishing everyone a great day ...

Wordle 671 4/6

⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟩⬜
🟨⬜⬜🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
STEAM, POLAR, AVIAN, KAYAK

157katiekrug
Abr 21, 2023, 8:19 am

Wordle took me 5 and it was slow going, so I was pleased in the end!

I'm trying to use JustWatch, but I keep forgetting about it and writing things down on a list in a notebook :-P

158Crazymamie
Abr 21, 2023, 12:09 pm

Happy Friday, Laura! Love the photo of the new grandkitties! Your comments about Chris' French new wave cinema kick made me laugh. Hoping it's just a short lived phase he is going through. *blinks* Craig and I don't watch a lot of shows together because we have completely different tastes, but we are enjoying watching C.B. Strike together. Sometimes we can agree. Heh.

159lauralkeet
Abr 21, 2023, 7:10 pm

>157 katiekrug: I love Justwatch Katie, but then again I didn't have another list, in any format. Hard to believe, I know.

>158 Crazymamie: For some reason Mamie, we've only ever watched TV together. It would feel weird not to, even if it means sometimes watching French new wave cinema. 😃

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Just wanted to mention I'll be late posting on Saturday. We're going on a bird walk! I'll tell you all about it on Saturday afternoon.

160lauralkeet
Abr 22, 2023, 12:46 pm

Hey everybody!

We had an early start today, since the bird walk started at 8am. There are several of these walks each month at different locations, hosted by a local wildlife organization. We've been meaning to do this for some time, and we've also been meaning to visit today's location, the Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship. The walk took us over some wooded trails, and we heard a lot of different species -- far more than we actually saw as a matter of fact. We are not great at identifying birds by their song but this is how you improve, right? Anyway, it was a fun morning and something I'd like to do again at one of the other parks/nature preserves.

Last night I finished reading The Master Butchers Singing Club, so I'll post a review soon. I also started Breathing Lessons and was immediately caught up in it because it starts out with the characters traveling over some very familiar geography from Baltimore into Pennsylvania. At one point there's a reference to a town and a road not far from where we used to live. I love little connections like that.

I expect the rest of today to be pretty low key. Rain is in the forecast so I'm going to take advantage of that to knock out a few home/admin tasks and then hopefully curl up with Breathing Lessons for a bit.

Wordle 672 6/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜⬜⬜⬜🟩
⬜⬜🟩⬜🟩
⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
⬜🟩🟩⬜🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
TEASE, JUICE, WHOLE, DRONE, PROVE, BROKE
This didn't go well. I asked Chris to verify my 6th word before I entered it, which is maybe cheating but so be it.

161katiekrug
Abr 22, 2023, 2:27 pm

Glad you had a nice morning!

I really liked Breathing Lessons when I read it several years ago.

162lauralkeet
Abr 22, 2023, 2:28 pm

>161 katiekrug: Thanks Katie! And the book is off to a very promising start.

163lauralkeet
Abr 22, 2023, 2:28 pm


23. The Master Butchers Singing Club ()

Louise Erdrich is best known for novels that explore her Native American heritage and are set in the Dakotas. In The Master Butchers Singing Club, Erdrich reaches back into her European ancestry with a sprawling saga featuring German and Polish immigrants. Central to the story is Delphine, a young woman who returns to her hometown after a stint performing in a vaudeville act. Delphine befriends Eva, the wife of the town’s German butcher, and she assists Eva in running the shop, and her life becomes increasingly entwined with Eva’s family … and to avoid spoilers, I’ll stop there.

Delphine’s story unfolds over a period of about 20 years. A large number of characters come and go, and family secrets are ever present in the background. Erdrich is an amazing storyteller, able to juggle a complex web of subplots and make it all work out in the end. That said, the last third of the novel was told in less detail, with larger gaps of time between chapters. Some characters were abruptly written out of the story, with insufficient detail and emotion. The last chapter is perhaps the most beautiful part of the novel, almost as if Erdrich wrote this first and then created a novel to showcase it. The journey was worth it.

164laytonwoman3rd
Abr 22, 2023, 3:03 pm

"able to juggle a complex web of subplots and make it all work out in the end" That may be what astonishes me most about reading a masterful novel like this one. I imagine outlines, spreadsheets, whiteboards, sticky notes, strings and pins on maps... There's so much more to writing than pen-and-paper, fingers-on-keys. Is it just me, or does Clarisse deserve a book of her own?

165RebaRelishesReading
Abr 22, 2023, 6:27 pm

>163 lauralkeet: Definite BB there, Laura!

166lauralkeet
Abr 23, 2023, 8:07 am

>164 laytonwoman3rd: Oh definitely, Linda. Clarisse played such a large role for a while and then ... well, it just left me wanting more of her story. And I agree with you about the plotting. I can't imagine a writer keeping all that in their head.

>165 RebaRelishesReading: Oh yay, Reba!!

167lauralkeet
Abr 23, 2023, 8:17 am

We took it easy yesterday after the bird walk (not that it was strenuous, we just didn't feel like doing much else), and watched an episode of CB Strike in the evening. I also read a fair amount of Breathing Lessons, and I am loving it.

Today is sunny and much cooler than it has been (but more normal for April) with expected high around 60. I might do some gardening in the afternoon when it's warmer, but this morning will be spent puttering around taking care of this and that and generally being lazy.

And that's all I've got this morning!

Wordle 673 5/6

⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜
⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜
🟨🟨🟨⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟨🟩⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
BREAD, MOUNT, PUNCH, UNPIN, UNZIP
If only my mind were in the gutter like Katie ... I would have gotten there sooner. 😂

168katiekrug
Abr 23, 2023, 8:59 am

169laytonwoman3rd
Editado: Abr 23, 2023, 11:50 am

>167 lauralkeet: Gutter, what gutter? I was thinking I needed to wash the cat's shelf cover, and BINGO, got it in 4.

170lauralkeet
Abr 23, 2023, 12:02 pm

>169 laytonwoman3rd: Katie used a starting word that could also lead one's thoughts to the solution: PENIS

171laytonwoman3rd
Abr 23, 2023, 12:10 pm

>170 lauralkeet: Yeah, I know about Katie's starting word. It says something about her, I think something we all appreciate, that spine would accomplish the same goal, yet that's not the word she chooses. Love ya, Katie!

172katiekrug
Abr 23, 2023, 12:10 pm

I like to start my mornings with a giggle :)

173tiffin
Abr 23, 2023, 3:17 pm

Caught up! Somehow this thread got lost in the sea of threads despite being starred.

174lauralkeet
Abr 23, 2023, 3:40 pm

>171 laytonwoman3rd:, >172 katiekrug: Ha! This gave me a giggle.

>173 tiffin: Hi Tui! Nice to see you here.

175BLBera
Abr 24, 2023, 7:09 am

>163 lauralkeet: Great comments, Laura. It's been a while since I read this one. I saw it as a play at the Guthrie years ago, and it was fun.

I still like her novels set on the rez the best, though.

176lauralkeet
Abr 24, 2023, 7:58 am

Welcome to a new week ...

I ended up getting a lot of tasks done yesterday, which was satisfying because they'd been lingering on my to do list for a while. It was a pretty low-key day and that was just fine with me. I was especially happy to finish these little plushie rattle toys, a baby gift for our neighbors who are expecting their second daughter in June. They'd been sitting around waiting for faces, which I was a little nervous about but it wasn't as difficult as I feared.





This morning I'm working a library shift, and there's not much on my agenda this afternoon. We need to drop Chris' car off for service tomorrow (new battery, oil change). University Challenge on TV tonight, and I'll probably work a bit on my Christmas Stocking project which has been in hibernation for a month or two. But then again I might read more of Breathing Lessons, depending on our TV choices.

Wordle 674 4/6

⬜⬜🟨⬜⬜
🟨⬜⬜🟨⬜
⬜🟩🟨🟨⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
SPINE, TRAIN, WIDOW, DITTO
This one took me forever because I failed to reuse one of the yellows from my second turn and then forgot about it.

177lauralkeet
Abr 24, 2023, 8:00 am

>175 BLBera: oops, almost missed you there Beth! How lucky to see one of Erdrich's novels as a play. Do you know whether any of her other books have been dramatized?

178katiekrug
Abr 24, 2023, 8:31 am

Those plushies are adorable! Well done.

179klobrien2
Abr 24, 2023, 9:14 am

>176 lauralkeet: Your little plushy toys are just gorgeous!

Have a great day!

Karen O

180RebaRelishesReading
Abr 24, 2023, 12:08 pm

Very cute little cuddly toys and they have perfect faces!! I knit blankets, cocoons for a charity called Babies in Need and I've thought about making some tiny toys. You're encouraging me to get off the dime.

181lauralkeet
Abr 24, 2023, 12:14 pm

Thank you Katie, Karen & Reba! Toys are a new thing for me but they're fun.

182BLBera
Abr 24, 2023, 4:12 pm

Those plushies are cute, Laura.

I don't know that any other novels of Erdrich have been dramatized, but I could be wrong.

183vancouverdeb
Abr 25, 2023, 1:12 am

>176 lauralkeet: Super cute! I wish I knew how to knit. Those are so darling!

184lauralkeet
Abr 25, 2023, 7:39 am

>183 vancouverdeb: Thanks Deb!

And hello everybody ...

Yesterday was pretty uneventful, but I did manage to fit in a decent afternoon reading session. Last night's University Challenge match was a nail-biter and a bit of an upset, but I'm happy with the result. Yesterday I forgot to mention that we started watching the 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. Can you believe we've never watched it? We love the 2005 film but this was long overdue. Last night we watched episodes 2 & 3. It's so good!

This morning I'm going to the gym and have a couple of errands to run after that. This afternoon a contractor is stopping by to look at a potential repair, and Chris' car is in for service so we'll pick it up later in the afternoon.

And ... I'd love to tap into the great minds here on the subject of a graduation gift for my nephew. His degree is in industrial design and he's a bit of a creative sort (photography, etc.). We gave A's older brother B a leather bag/briefcase when he graduated three years ago. Thanks to a summer internship, A had a post-college job lined up as of last fall, but the company just announced they are deferring their new hires and he won't start until March (and it seems that is not guaranteed either). So that's a bummer, and it means we don't want to give him something that he could use at work. Any suggestions for gifts to mark the occasion?

Wordle 675 6/6

⬜⬜⬜🟨🟨
⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩
⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩
⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
STARE, CIDER, LONER, BOXER, POKER, JOKER
Chris, Kate and I all scored 6 today.

185dudes22
Abr 25, 2023, 8:25 am

I had almost the same graph although different words. There were so many choices, I'm glad I didn't bomb.

Wordle 675 6/6

⬜🟨⬜🟨⬜
⬜⬜⬜🟩🟩
⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩
⬜🟩⬜🟩🟩
⬜🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
LEARN, WIDER, BORER, COVER, POKER, JOKER

186katiekrug
Abr 25, 2023, 8:32 am

I got skunked on Wordle today. Glad you're enjoying the 1995 P&P. I like it, but actually like the 2005 version a tad better.

187RebaRelishesReading
Abr 25, 2023, 12:08 pm

I got under the line with 6 today too -- nice to have company there (and you too Katie).

I have no ideas for your nephew's gift but I will follow avidly to see if any ideas you generate will help with our "what do we get grandson for high school graduation" question :)

188raidergirl3
Abr 25, 2023, 2:37 pm

Why is talking about Wordle so much fun? My sister missed it today too, and after reading all the results here, I am feeling very proud of my 3/6. CRANE, MOWER, JOKER

For graduation, my kids quite enjoy cash, lol. Not helpful when you want to give a nice present though.

189quondame
Abr 25, 2023, 3:57 pm

>184 lauralkeet: There are some very spiffy camera bags out there.

190EBT1002
Abr 25, 2023, 9:31 pm

Hi Laura. Great comments about The Master Butcher Singing Club. It is one of my favorite Erdrich works, and that is saying something. She is one of the authors on my post-retirement revisit list.

191MickyFine
Abr 26, 2023, 6:54 am

I'm a little jealous of you experiencing the 1995 P&P for the first time. The back half is So Good.

192lauralkeet
Abr 26, 2023, 7:57 am

>186 katiekrug: Hey Katie, I love the 2005 P&P. It's the first one I saw so it will always have a special place in my heart.

>187 RebaRelishesReading:, >188 raidergirl3:, >189 quondame: Thanks for chiming in on the graduation gift. Both nephews usually request gift cards for Christmas and birthday, but I'd really like to give an actual "thing" for this occasion. Susan, your suggestion is a good one especially since A just shared a photo of a new camera on Instagram. I might also ask my brother and SIL about his need for a bag, or some other photography equipment.

>190 EBT1002: Hi Ellen! I'm sure you'll enjoy revisiting Erdrich's novels. She's amazing.

>191 MickyFine: We've enjoyed the first half, Micky. I've enjoyed comparing the way certain characters or plot elements are dealt with in this vs the (shorter) 2005 version. The interplay between Mr & Mrs Bennett is just as much fun. Mr Collins is portrayed a bit differently but is equally hilarious, and there's more between Mr Collins and Charlotte, so the path to their marriage isn't quite as "out of the blue" as it is in the film. There's also much more Wickham content in this one, including Lizzie's interest in him, which was not part of the film. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the iconic lake scene. 😆

193lauralkeet
Abr 26, 2023, 8:06 am

Good morning y'all!

Not much more to report from yesterday. I spent a bit of time ogling yarn, thinking about colors for a sweater project. I'm nowhere near ready to start this sweater, but I have a Brooklyn Tweed gift card burning a hole in my pocket. The evening was spent with a bit of reading, and an episode of CB Strike. We have only one left. 😞 But I suppose the latest book will be dramatized one of these days.

Our monthly Guild membership meeting is this morning. I have Barre in the late afternoon, and will take care of a few odds & ends in between.

Would anyone like to see a photo of two snuggling kittens? Of course you would.


Ruby on the left claws outstretched; Partner on the right

Wordle 676 3/6

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PAUSE, MITER, METRO

194karenmarie
Abr 26, 2023, 8:28 am

Hi Laura! Happy Wednesday to you.

>147 lauralkeet: Ah, kitties and books. Two indispensable things. Congrats to Kate.

>176 lauralkeet: Adorable. You’re so talented.

>192 lauralkeet: Jenna and I are 1995-version fans all the way, and the lake scene is scrumptious.

195lauralkeet
Editado: Abr 27, 2023, 7:08 am

>194 karenmarie: Hi Karen! Thanks for stopping by to admire kitties & knitting LOL.

And a good morning to everyone else as well!

Yesterday's Guild meeting went well. I was actively involved in presenting the program this time, which always adds a bit of stress. But it was fine. In the afternoon we took Alys on a long walk down the gravel road. We saw 3 turkeys, 2 hawks, 3+ crows, a teal (on a pond), and a kingfisher (near a stream). Not bad!

Last night I made more progress on my Christmas Stocking project during our TV-watching, which was 1995 P&P, ep 4. It just gets better and better! In reading news, I finished Breathing Lessons and really enjoyed it. Next up is 2022 Booker Prize winner The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, which is completely different in style, theme, and everything else. I need to clear my head a bit before I can get into it.

This morning I'm heading to the gym, and a bit later some friends are stopping by to pick up some plants for their garden. They are also bringing chocolate croissants which we will enjoy with coffee and a chat. There's nothing else pressing on my agenda today, but as always odds and ends to take care of.

Wordle 677 4/6

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YEAST, ROUND, COLIC, LOGIC
I like that starter word; it uses two common letters and can confirm or eliminate a lot of vowels. I like to start with a different word each day, but I need to keep this one in mind.

196japaul22
Editado: Abr 27, 2023, 7:37 am

My most common started word for Wordle is LEAST and it works really well.

197SandyAMcPherson
Editado: Abr 27, 2023, 9:59 am

Hi Laura, thanks for the visit to my thread (awhile ago now).
>193 lauralkeet: Very cute snuggling kitties.

As you may have gathered, I had a "little" bout of covid in March (I thought it was the 'flu) and then a case of benign (not so, but that's what it is called) vertigo. Couldn't read, couldn't walk straight and the computer screen was awful!

End of April and my books-finished count is 2!
I only recently learned that Louise Erdrich was of American Indigenous heritage. I haven't read anything by her but see lots of admiration for her writing. Lori reviewed one of Erdrich's books and it sounded very appealing, though maybe a bit too dramatic for me. I still seem to have pandemic brain for certain types of reading I would normally really enjoy.

198ffortsa
Abr 27, 2023, 12:57 pm

Whew. Skimmed through this thread to catch up. I recall really liking the Erdrich book, but haven't read any of her others. Time to add them to the list. And I haven't read Breathing Lessons yet -another BB.

199LizzieD
Abr 27, 2023, 3:19 pm

No way that I can catch up, Laura, although I'd love to.....

The kittens look very like our little Batman when he came to us. My profile page has his latest big cat picture. He is a sweetie!

I came by mainly to see whether you had picked one of Amazon's offerings for World Book Day. This year they have a good selection, but you may pick only one free one. I decided on The Last Rose of Shanghai. We'll see. (The system is wonky right now. I couldn't add a book, and the Touchstone is refusing to load. Yep 405 Not Allowed. Oh well.)

200Caroline_McElwee
Abr 27, 2023, 5:30 pm

>193 lauralkeet: They have definitely settled in Laura. Sweet.

201lauralkeet
Abr 28, 2023, 7:12 am

>196 japaul22: I think I've used that one before, Jennifer. It's a useful word.

>197 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy, it's nice to see you here again. I'm glad you're starting to feel better. Louise Erdrich is a wonderful writer. My favorites are probably The Round House and Tracks. The latter is part of a loose series, but the books don't need to be read in order.

>198 ffortsa: Hi Judy! Definitely read more Erdrich. I've become a real fan over the years.

>199 LizzieD: Hi Peggy! I took a peek at your sweet kitty Batman and he is adorable. I haven't chosen one of Amazon's books, in fact I'd forgotten all about it. I'll have to take a look.

>200 Caroline_McElwee: They're getting up to all sorts of hijinks, Caro, but in an adorable way.

202lauralkeet
Abr 28, 2023, 8:04 am

TGIF!

We had an nice visit with our friends yesterday afternoon. It took up more of the day than I had anticipated, but in a good way. When it came time to make dinner I realized I was missing an ingredient for the dish I wanted to make. We opted for takeout Chinese instead of a trip to the store for the missing item. Now the only problem is, because we usually do takeout on Fridays today feels like Saturday. Ha.

In last night's TV-watching we finished CB Strike so now we have to wait patiently for new episodes. Waaaah! We enjoyed that series so much. I also made some progress on my cardigan while watching.

It's a rainy day today, with light rain expected pretty much all day long. We really do need it though. My reading time has been scarce lately so I'm actually kind of happy to be "stuck" indoors. I'll head out for grocery shopping this morning and then hopefully curl up with a book.

Wordle 678 5/6

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BEAST, CAULK, COPAY, CHINA, CIRCA
Dumb choice on the 4th word. Oh well.

203lauralkeet
Abr 28, 2023, 8:05 am


24. Breathing Lessons ()

Maggie and Ira, a middle-aged couple, plan to attend the funeral of an old school friend in a small Pennsylvania town not far from their home in Baltimore. It’s a trip they should easily be able to do in one day, but for various reasons becomes more drawn out and more emotionally fraught. Maggie is unable to accept their son’s divorce and the resulting estrangement from their granddaughter, and insists she can reunite the family if only they will stop to visit the granddaughter and her mother as part of the journey.

During each stage of the trip, Maggie’s inner thoughts reveal details of her life with Ira and their family dynamics. The memorial service (a really funny set piece) provides the stage for reliving their high school years, while the time spent in the car becomes time spent retelling their family's history. Maggie is a well-intentioned meddler, completely oblivious to the ways in which she contributes to family dysfunction. Ira has been worn down by her behavior and no longer resists even when he knows Maggie’s schemes won’t work out. Their adult children are, not surprisingly, struggling to find their footing independent of their parents. The road trip reveals all, but there are no quick fixes here. Maggie and Ira will continue to be Maggie and Ira, doing their best but unconsciously playing their respective roles in a family drama that is sure to continue.

204lauralkeet
Abr 28, 2023, 8:37 am

Oh! I forgot to mention that it appears eggs have hatched in "our" red-shouldered hawks nest. Yesterday we saw an adult arrive with food and there was much chirping from within the nest. Exciting!

205LizzieD
Abr 28, 2023, 10:23 am

>204 lauralkeet: That is exciting! Is a red-shouldered hawk the same as a red-tailed? (No.... I just ducked them.) A r-t couple raised a couple of chicks in the top of a tree in our river park this spring. We didn't see them at all until they started flying. They're sticking around.

I have read Anne Tyler but don't think of her these days. I couldn't say why. Thank you for the reminder.

206katiekrug
Abr 28, 2023, 11:16 am

Enjoy your rainy day inside! I'll be doing much the same, though the rain hasn't (yet) arrived. I wonder if I can talk TW into Chinese for dinner... I now have a craving :)

Glad you enjoyed Breathing Lessons, too. I need to read more Tyler; I've only read 3 or 4, I think...

207lauralkeet
Abr 28, 2023, 12:28 pm

>205 LizzieD: I see you solved your Bird ID question, Peggy. They are very similar in size and appearance, but yes indeed, different birds. How exciting that you have red-tailed chicks nearby!

>206 katiekrug: Katie, let me tempt you further. We just decided today would be a brownie-baking day. They are in the oven as we speak.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As for Anne Tyler, she's a recent re-discovery for me. I read one of her books years and years ago, and at some point last year someone -- possibly Beth -- posted about one of her more recent novels and I thought, how did she fall off my radar? I've read four of her books in the past 12 months.

208BLBera
Abr 28, 2023, 12:45 pm

I still haven't read Breathing Lessons, Laura, even though I am a Tyler fan. I think I am missing out on some of her earlier ones. Someday...

209Caroline_McElwee
Abr 28, 2023, 1:00 pm

>203 lauralkeet: I read a number of hers years ago, but not that one. Will get to it.

>204 lauralkeet: Great news Laura.

210katiekrug
Abr 28, 2023, 1:53 pm

>107 MickyFine: - Sadly (or maybe luckily), I do not have any brownie mix in the house. I do, however, have a peanut butter cookie mix.... Hmmmm....

211quondame
Abr 28, 2023, 3:45 pm

>203 lauralkeet: Breathing Lessons sounds too real to be my usual sort of entertaining, interesting but not at all comfortable or reassuring.

>204 lauralkeet: New red-shouldered hawks are exciting!

212dudes22
Abr 28, 2023, 4:03 pm

You seem to be reminding a lot of us to get back to Anne Tyler. I've read 3 and sadly have 6 still on my shelves. I think the person choosing our book for the Dec book club has picked an Anne Tyler although I don't remember which one right now.

213lauralkeet
Abr 28, 2023, 4:13 pm

>208 BLBera: Beth, as much as I enjoyed Breathing Lessons, I was surprised to see it won the Pulitzer in 2008. It's a good book, but not on the level of say the 2007 winner, Toni Morrison's Beloved.

Tyler was also nominated for the Women's and Booker Prizes, for A Spool of Blue Thread which I have yet to read.

>209 Caroline_McElwee: I hope you enjoy it, Caro. I found Maggie both frustrating and endearing.

>210 katiekrug: Hmmm indeed, Katie.

>211 quondame: That's okay Susan, it's nice that we don't all like the same things. And yes: yay for hawk babies!

>212 dudes22: December feels like a long way off, but I look forward to hearing more about your Anne Tyler reading, Betty.

214SandyAMcPherson
Abr 28, 2023, 8:57 pm

>207 lauralkeet: I have read only 2 Anne Tyler novels. My first and best one is Redhead by the Side of the Road. I had a note the the private comments section that it was a BB from Lucy (sibylline).

215vancouverdeb
Abr 29, 2023, 1:17 am

I've read many / most of Anne Tyler's books. You have a big treat on store for yourself when you get to A Spool of Blue Thread. I really loved it - maybe 4.5 to 5 stars? I can't quite remember. I enjoyed Breathing Lessons and The Redhead by the Side of the Road. Brownies baking in your oven ? Very tempted!

216CDVicarage
Abr 29, 2023, 4:18 am

>203 lauralkeet: Breathing Lessons was a recent choice for my RL Book Group and we all found Maggie worse than 'well-intentioned' and, while agreeing that it was a well-written book, found her so irritating that we hesitated to read any more by Anne Tyler! Although my very first Book Group (mid 1980s) started with The Accidental Tourist!

217lauralkeet
Abr 29, 2023, 6:51 am

Hi Sandy, Deb, and Kerry! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Anne Tyler's novels. I started with a few recommendations offered here on my thread. But checking our library catalog, it looks like they have quite a number of of Tyler's novels, so I can easily work my way through her back list.

Kerry, I love your comments about Maggie being worse than well-intentioned. Yeah, maybe she is. I was frustrated that Ira didn't stand up to her, but then he had been worn down over the years and probably knew it wasn't worth the energy. Not all of Tyler's characters are as annoying as Maggie, so I hope you don't let her put you off further reading.

218lauralkeet
Abr 29, 2023, 7:12 am

Good morning,

It rained all day yesterday; not a storm but a slow steady rain, 1.5" altogether. And we are expecting the same tomorrow. It's been a dry spring and we need the rain but ... all at once?

So, yesterday after grocery shopping and lunch, I made brownies (yum) and read my book, which was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. In the evening we watched Have I Got News for You and Gardeners World, and still had time for an episode of P&P.

This morning I'm going to Barre, and then I'll take care of some household tasks, and hopefully work on my cardigan. I need to seam a couple pieces together, which is best done at a table with plenty of light, not in front of the TV.

Wordle 679 4/6

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MOUSE, LATER, DEBAR, CEDAR

219sibylline
Abr 29, 2023, 9:32 am

Yes, I sympathize with the dog dentistry quandary. I have failed, after a mighty effort when she was young, to do more than rub the 'toothpaste' on Posey's gums when I remember to, which is lame. And I give her the supposedly helpful chew bones now and then. I adore her so much and I know that healthy teeth are huge for human health, sigh. At least I am vigilant about ticks though and nail-cutting.

Love the gourd feeders.

Lab Girl seems to already be on my WL.

You know that *Breathing Lessons* is also a movie? James Garner and Joanne Woodward. I liked it though it was made was yonks ago.

Too bad the regicide hunter one didn't pan out, I like the premise.

Cute kittens! Definitely co-conspirators!



220tiffin
Abr 29, 2023, 12:12 pm

Migosh this is a happening spot! I absolutely love that photo of the two kitties on the cushion by the books. Baby red tails! Brownies! Cardigans!

221RebaRelishesReading
Abr 29, 2023, 1:26 pm

Oh dear! More BB's plus a mystery! I checked my library to see if I had any Anne Tyler's lurking and find I have a copy of Breathing Lessons which according to the data base I have not read even though it also says it was a Pulitzer winner and I believe I have read all of those. Sounds like it may need a re-read even if I have read it plus A Spool of Blue Thread sounds good too.

222quondame
Editado: Abr 29, 2023, 6:06 pm

>219 sibylline: Of all the things that resulted in our dogs' end-of-life, teeth never seemed a factor, and all of our adopted dogs had pretty iffy teeth. Our 1 puppy we had for his whole life died from diabetes after 3 years of treatment, which is pretty average. I don't feed dogs people food at all, but Mike and Becky have them trained to expect hallah and they can't get enough of that.

223lauralkeet
Abr 29, 2023, 6:17 pm

>219 sibylline: Hi Lucy! It's so nice of you to stop by. I didn't know Breathing Lessons was made into a movie. I'll keep my eyes out for it.

>220 tiffin: Ha! I'm glad you're caught up.

>221 RebaRelishesReading: Well Reba, if you start Breathing Lessons and it's too familiar, you can always stop and write it off to a bit of lapsed record-keeping. A Spool of Blue Thread will probably be my next Tyler.

>222 quondame: Teeth haven't been a factor with either of our previous dogs, either Susan. I want to do the right thing by Alys and understand how prevailing medical opinions can change, but there's a pragmatic aspect to this as well.

224lauralkeet
Abr 30, 2023, 8:10 am

It's a dark and dreary Sunday morning ... also wet. Rain is forecast all day.

Yesterday afternoon I worked on my cardigan but didn't finish what I set out to do, so I hope to get back to it today. I want to use my lamp that has a magnifier attached, but the other than that my studio/craft room doesn't have the best lighting, so we'll see how it goes.

Yesterday I made some progress in The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida. The premise is interesting but the subject matter--the Sri Lankan Civil War--is very difficult to read about. I will persevere, and expect I'll end up appreciating this book but not loving it. Meanwhile, This Tender Land is waiting for me at the library, and I've moved from #4 to #1 on the list for the new Ruth Galloway, The Last Remains. The library ordered 3 copies and they are all "in transit" so now it's a race to see how long it takes for one book to be read, returned, and delivered to my branch. Exciting, right?

Besides some possible knitting and highly probable reading, today's agenda includes the last concert in our chamber music series, featuring pianist Jonathan Biss. We saw him perform in Philly, where he gave a series of concerts celebrating Beethoven's 250th birthday. We're looking forward to seeing him again, with a somewhat more diverse program. The concert is at 4pm and we'll probably pick up some sort of takeout on the way home. And maybe finish watching P&P tonight? We'll see; we kind of don't want it to end.

Wordle 680 5/6

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SPATE, CRAMP, PLAIN, PLAUD, PLAZA
I should have had this in 4, darn it.

225dudes22
Abr 30, 2023, 8:48 am

I was lucky and managed a 3 today - had the first 3 green on line 2 and guessed luckily on 3.

I loved This Tender Land although not as much as Ordinary Grace. Looking forward to your thoughts.

226RebaRelishesReading
Abr 30, 2023, 12:58 pm

>224 lauralkeet: It took me five too :(

227lauralkeet
mayo 1, 2023, 7:02 am

>225 dudes22: I want to read Ordinary Grace too, Betty, but there was already a hold request on that one so I went for the other.

>226 RebaRelishesReading: Boo hoo!
Este tema fue continuado por Laura (lauralkeet)'s 2023 Books - Part 5.