Storeetllr (Mary) Feels Vindicated for Her Optimism - Thread the Third

So far, I'm having quite a year. In late May, my daughter got engaged, then she surprised me in June with the news that she & her husband-to-be are making me a grandma sometime in the new year! I'll be flying to NYC for her wedding this week - she's getting hitched in Central Park and having her reception at Tavern on the Green. It should be lots of fun. Second, my garden is going gangbuster. I've got so many tomatoes and peppers I can barely keep up with the harvesting, and I've had to give a lot of them away to family, friends and neighbors. Below is a pic of yesterday's bounty, and today I added more cherry tomatoes and a couple of large tomatoes to the stash. Also below is a pic of the giant sunflower that's growing out back. Third, over the past few months, I've lost a nice chunk of weight and, even better, about 80% of my joint pain! I have been going to the gym pretty much daily for water aerobics and bicycling and am feeling lots better than I have in years. So I feel vindicated for the optimism I expressed in my earlier threads' titles. So far, anyway.

Hmm, what happened to my counter?

108 books finished.

Quarter 3 Books Read

July

76. Wildest Hearts by Jayne Ann Krentz. 3.5 stars. Audio. Romance.

77. Hidden Talents by Jayne Ann Krentz. 3.5 stars. Audio. Romance. Serenity and Caleb.

78. Divine Evil by Nora Roberts. 3.5 stars. Audio. Romantic thriller. Renowned sculptor Claire and small town sheriff Cameron must work together to destroy a cult of devil worshipers. Dated.

79. Don't Eat Me by Colin Cotterill. 3.75 stars. ARC. I've read all the Dr. Siri mysteries, most of them more than once, and have enjoyed the zany humor, the sly wit, the historical perspective, and, perhaps most of all, the wonderful whacky characters, especially Dr. Siri. This installment, while humor and wit remain, was a lot darker than previous novels in the series without quite enough humor to leaven it for me. Yes, the plot revolves around a serious issue - not only murder but the smuggling, with callous disregard for the animals' welfare, of exotic wildlife in the chaotic Laos of that time (1980) - yet it felt heavy-handed, and Dr. Siri did not play as big a role as I would have preferred. Even so, Don't Eat Me, with a few brilliant scenes and a very satisfying denouement, is a worthy addition to the series.

80. The Outsider by Stephen King. 4 stars. Audio. Continuation of the Mr. Mercedes books, featuring Holly. Really enjoyed this one, though I couldn't finish Mr. Mercedes when I tried it earlier this year. Will have to go back to that one and see if it was just my mood at the time.

81. Sweet Fortune by Jayne Ann Krentz. 2 stars. Audio. Dated romance with two of the most annoying main characters I've ever suffered through - I wanted to punch him and slap her. A more controlling, condescending male love interest I haven't seen since the 1970s, nor a more spineless, wuss of a female protag. Gah! (Why did I finish it? I was bored and lazy and was hoping they'd grow and change as the story went on. Didn't.)

August

82. Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King. 4 stars. Audio. Okay, so it was my mood when I tried to read this the first time. I do understand why I couldn't finish it then, because I had some of the same thoughts about the characters and situations as I had then, but for some reason it didn't bother me quite as much, and, now I've finished the book, I see why King wrote some of the scenes that bothered me. (Like, I just didn't get the sexual scenes with Janey and Hodges, who I really had a hard time liking. I did like Holly, though she was a bit like fingernails on a chalkboard at times.

83. The Other Lady Vanishes by Amanda Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz). 3.75 stars. Kindle. Second Burning Cove historical thriller. In this one, Adelaide escapes from a private sanitarium and hides in Burning Cove. Not my favorite series by Quick but okay.

84. Red Waters Rising by Laura Anne Gilman. 4 stars. Until almost the end, when I thought this was the final book of a trilogy, I was enjoying the story more than I did the first two. Then everything rushed to the finale, which wasn't much of one, and it turns out there must be at least one more book in the series, maybe more. That's okay with me, because it's getting good now, but where did I get the idea that this was the final book of a trilogy?

85. Finder's Keepers by Stephen King. 3.75 stars. Audio. A couple of years after the events of Mr. Mercedes, Bill Hodges, Jerome, and Holly get involved in an old cold case home-invasion robbery and murder of a famous reclusive author.

86. Old Man's War by John Scalzi. 4.5 stars. Kindle. I was reluctant to read this because, from the title, I didn't see how I could like it as much as I liked Red Shirts, but oh! Was I mistaken! It was even better! Going on a quest for more Scalzi works. He is so imaginative and creative in his world building, and his characters are quite three-dimensional.

87. Under the Skin by Michel Faber. 3.5 stars. Very well-written but deeply disturbing scifi horror novel. I think I just could not like ANY of the characters, which made it hard to like, though it was darkly fascinating, kind of like a trainwreck in slo-mo.

88. On the Edge by Ilona Andrews. 3.5 stars. Audio. Life in the twilight zone (the Edge) between the mundane world (the Broken) and a magical dimension (the Weird) gets even edgier when an insane magician from the Weird steals an evil device and comes to the Edge with his pet doggies to eat up the magic (and the bodies) of Edgers who have a lot of magic. Rose Drayton and her family are all filled with magical talent, so they are the focus of the invasion. If Lord Declan, a Blueblood from the Weird, hadn't been hunting the magician-run-amok and tracked him and his pets to Rose's cottage, they might all have ended up dog food. Lightweight romantic urban fantasy with a (sometimes annoying) damaged heroine and an alpha-to-the-max-until-you-want-to-slap-him-sometimes hero.

September

89. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi. 4 stars. Second book in the Old Man's War series. A human scientist involved in the development of BrainPal technology betrays humanity by throwing in with an alien species that wants to annihilate humanity - or does it? Before the traitor flees to the enemy, he stores his consciousness in a file that the Colonial Union finds and transfers into the body of a newly created Special Forces soldier in order to access the traitor's memories, a chancy decision lest the Ghost Brigade soldier become a traitor too. Only one thing I was sorry about - that Jared wasn't resurrected, because I really liked him a lot.

90 The Last Colony by John Scalzi. 3.5 stars. Audio. Third book in the series. Strings all tied up - or are they? This story read more like a soap opera than space opera, tho I did enjoy it - just not as much as the first and second book. Jane for some reason irritated me in this one; she was very flat-out whiny. Glad I read the entire trilogy and will probably continue with Zoe's story.

91. Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. 4 stars. Audio (Stephen Fry) (62 hours and 52 minutes). Yikes! The complete canon, including eight introductory comments by Stephen Fry, a lifelong Holmesian. I read The Complete Sherlock Holmes back in the 70s, so many of the stories were familiar, but quite a few were not. The only problem with listening to Fry's narration is that he makes everyone - including Holmes and Watson, who were young men, at least in the early stories - sound like they are old men with mashed potatoes in their mouths.

92. Leverage in Death by J. D. Robb. 4 stars. Another fun installment in the Dallas/Roarke series has Eve searching for a couple of murderers who terrorize others into killing for them.

October

93. Relic by Alan Dean Foster. 3.5 stars. Audio. The last human left alive after a manufactured virus (The Aural Malignance) kills off the rest of humanity in the galaxy makes a deal with the aliens who have rescued him: they will search for mythical Earth in exchange for him taking the human children the aliens will clone under his wing and teaching them how to be human.

93. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer. 4 stars. Audio. Reread of the very strange scifi story told by the Biologist who goes into Area X to explore the terrifyingly odd flora and fauna. Having previously read the trilogy, much of the story made more sense to me this time around.

94. The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett. 3 stars. Audio. Okay apocalyptic scifi novel, though a bit simplistic and with a whiny/belligerent main character who annoyed the hell out of me.

95. The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone. 4 stars. Audio. First book in a scary as hell apocalyptic series about *shudder* a worldwide infestation of flesh-eating spiders. *shudder*

96. Final Shadows by Kay Hooper. 3.5 stars. First-to-Read. First 1/3 of the book was boring, but the last 2/3 made up for it, though there was more talking and less action than I am used to in these books. The last few pages had a lot of action, but it was just too easy for the good guys, and how they knew things was never made clear. I mean, like I hate it when the villain/monster/evil being always seems to be one step ahead of the protagonists with seeming effortlessness, same goes when positions are reversed. Still, I did enjoy it. I'm wondering, though, if this is the end of this series. Could be.

97. Skitter by Ezekiel Boone. 3 stars. Audio. Okay, the story seems to have devolved into an "Independence Day" (without the humor or Jeff Goldblum) meets soap opera. It's the second in the trilogy, though, so I will probably read the third when it becomes available from the library.

98. Competence by Gail Carriger. 4.0. Audio. Another adventure of the crew of the Spotted Custard, filled with humor and mayhem and told by Primrose Tunstell. Tash the Werelion features heavily, and Percy is also given his share of the limelight.

99. Zero Day by Ezekiel Boone. 3 stars. Audio. Yeah, did not live up to the promise of the first book but was a continuation of the second, all neatly tied up with a pretty pink bow at the end, by way of Epilogue, where everyone lived happily ever after (except for a few kinda crucial bits, like why some people were spared while most were not). Perhaps I am just too bloodthirsty.

100. All Systems Red by Martha Wells. 4.5 stars. Kindle. I can see why this got a lot of buzz. Loved this novella about Murderbot - the way the reader is dumped in the middle of the action and learns only slowly the details without ever being made to feel out-of-her-depth stupid, as well as the characters and the world-building. Can't wait to go on with this series. (I hope it's a series.)

101. The Safe Man by Michael Connelly. 4 stars. Kindle novella. A ghost story by the author of the Bosch series.

102. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty. 2.75 stars. Audio. I read this in print a million years ago when it first came out (well, really only 40 or so, but seems like a million), and I remember it being horrific and scary. And the film was so so good. Listening to the author reading it, though, was not a pleasant experience. He made Chris, the mother, sound like a whiny moron, and everyone else sound like melodramatic morons. Why did I finish it? And the horror was just tepid. I think it must be true - I have become more bloodthirsty in my old age.

103. Ghost Story by Jim Butcher. 3.75 stars. Audio. I tried listening to this a few years ago but just could not get into it. For some reason, I decided to try again - perhaps because I enjoyed most of the previous Dresden File books, some more than others, and wanted to continue with the series. Also, this is Halloween month, and, you know, ghost. This one is still not my favorite, but I did end up mostly enjoying most of it. Now to move on to the next installment in the Dresden chronicles.

104. Arabella of Mars by David D. Levine. 4 stars. Audio. Fun steampunk take on Burrough's John Carter of Mars series, featuring a young woman - 17 going on 27, some really cool Martians, and world-building that is vaguely reminiscent of the Lady Trent series. Really enjoyed it!

November

105. Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead by Sara Gran. 4.25 stars. Audio (1/2 star off for narrator whose voice annoyed me at times). I read this a few years ago and loved it then; loved it on reread too. This is mystery noir at its finest, gritty, intense, strange, with a flawed anti-heroine. Claire DeWitt is a detective after legendary French detective Sillette, using intuition, dreams, even the I Ching to get to the heart of the mystery. She is sometimes likeable, often weirder than hell, and occasionally annoying. Set in New Orleans soon after Katrina, it highlights the problems left behind after the storm and touches on themes of guilt and atonement. Great characterization, wonderful atmosphere. The solution to the mystery itself isn't the most surprising, but it is the getting there that is so compelling. Now reading the next in the series in order to read The Infinite Blacktop, the latest when I get it from the library.

106. Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi. 4 stars. Kindle. So much fun, though I see why some reviewers bemoan the lack of character depth and development. Even so, very enjoyable scifi adventure of a surveyor working on a planet bereft of sentient life for an evil corporation to plunder the planet's assets who discovers a new species of - what? Cat? Monkey?

107. Artificial Condition by Martha Wells. 4 stars. Kindle. Another really fun entry in the Murderbot Diaries. Fast read. Always end with wanting more. Thankfully, there are at least two more entries.

108. Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway by Sara Gran. 3.5 stars. Audio. Claire descends deeper into despair but manages to solve the mystery using Silette's method and a copious amount of drugs.

109. Archangel's Prophesy by Nalini Singh. 3.5 stars. Audio. I kept falling asleep while listening in the evening after a full day's worth of packing, cleaning, organizing, so when I reread (I always reread Singh's stuff), I may change the rating. Big changes with this one!

110. Cold Days by Jim Butcher. 3.5 stars. Audio. I used to enjoy Dresden but somehow his latest books don't do it for me - not like they used to, anyway. In this one, Harry, the new Winter Knight, is tasked by the Winter Queen with executing her daughter. Of course, it's never a straight line in a Dresden novel, but hey! There's lots of fighting and angsting and getting beat up by ugly, disgusting villains. By beautiful, powerful villains too.

111. The Infinite Blacktop by Sara Gran. 3.5 stars. Audio. Another convoluted story of three separate mysteries in the strange life of Silettian detective Claire deWitt. The three mysteries have nothing to do with each other - or do they? Very weird, gritty noir, the contemporary mystery taking place in California and Nevada.

112. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer. 4.5 stars. Audio. Reread. So much fun! First read in print; this audio reread was really good. I love Sophy's irreverence and insouciance.

113. Rogue Protocol by Martha Wells. 4.5 stars. Kindle. Third installment in the Murderbot Diaries, and it just keeps coming. Very entertaining.

December

114. Exit Strategy by Martha Wells. 4.5 stars, with a solid 5 stars for the series. Last of the four Murderbot novellas, and I loved it and didn't want it to end. Now I just will have to wait for the next, but oh! I don't want to. I want it now.

115. Arabella by Georgette Heyer. 4 stars. Audio. I thought I'd read this one a year or two ago, but I didn't recognize any part of it. Good, but I enjoyed The Grand Sophy more. I think I prefer women characters who are not as weepy and sensitive. I did enjoy Mr. Beaumaris, though.

Currently Reading
The Paragon Hotel by Lindsey Faye. First-to-Read. Digital.

On Deck

Apollo 8: The Mission That Changed Everything by Martin W. Sandler. June LTER.

Books I Need to Finish and Review, though I don't feel like it

A Lady in Shadows by Lene Kaaberbol (LTER) (audio)
Pick Your Teeth With My Bones (Kindle) (LTER)
The Garden of Blue Roses by Michael Barsa (ARC) (print book)

Q3 Favorite

Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Q4 Favorites

The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells
(All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, and Exit Strategy

Book Recommendations:

Books I started but didn't finish for one reason or another:

A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne (Audio) - Just couldn't get into it.
The Great Fire of Rome by Stephen Dando-Collins (Audio) - Plodding.
Those Who Hunt the Night by Barbara Hambly - I don't mind characters getting in trouble; I just don't like it when they do something completely stupid they should know is dangerous - for no reason.
American Wolf by Nate Blakeslee (Audio) - Started it but couldn't read about the jerk hunting wolves. Too emotionally fragile right now.
The End of Alzheimer's by Dale Bredesen - Got lost in all the other books. May pick it up again.
Encounter with Tiber by Buzz Aldrin - Victim of a reading slump. May get back to it. It's on my Kindle.
The Wanted by Robert Crais - Borrowed. Ran out of time.
When They Call You a Terrorist by Patrisse Khan-Cullors - Ditto
Less: A Novel (recommended by Joe, RD) - Ditto
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover (rec. by Mark) - Ditto
Circe by Madeline Miller. Audio. Ran out of time
Space Opera by Catherynne Valente. Audio.
Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King. Audio.
Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix. Audio.
Ghostly: A Collection of Ghost Stories by Audrey Niffenegger. Kindle Read the first 3 short stories and really liked the second one (by Niffenegger) but not enough to continue.
Reincarnation Blues by Michael Poore. Audio. Story about a man who just will not learn. Just didn't resonate with me, though I gave it a good try (about half).
The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu. Audio. Got about halfway thru but just could not seem to care. The first book in the series (Three-Body Problem) was as strange, but it was more compelling somehow, and I liked the characters more. I'll pick it up again, I guess, but my library loan ran out before I could force myself to finish it.

July Stats:

Not a stellar month for reading. 😞

6 - Books read
5 - Audiobooks
1 - eBook

Genres

2 - Mystery
1 - Romantic thriller
3 - Romance

Best of July

The Outsider by Stephen King. 4 stars.

>1 Storeetllr: LOVED reading about all your good news, Mary!! Congratulations all around!

Safe travels and have a wonderful time at the wedding!

>1 Storeetllr: Lots of good news, and how well your garden has been doing!

Have a wonderful time at your daughters wedding!

Well done, you! Great to hear how well everything is going for you, are. Enjoy your daughter's wedding, and all the rest, too.

Happy New Thread, Mary!

Wow, so many good things going on for you. Congratulations on your daughter's wedding and the impending grandbaby, and losing about 80% of your joint pain. Not mention a bountiful veggie year - those look great in >1 Storeetllr:.

Happy new thread, and congrats on the good news across the board! 😀

Looking forward to New York Wedding photos!

Happy new thread, Mary!

Your vegetables look yummie!

Enjoy your daughter's wedding and your trip to New York, Mary.

Thanks, Joanne, Ella, Julia, Joe, Jim (L-Day is coming up soon!), Marianne, Anita and Judy!

I'm supposed to be finishing up the packing, getting the house (semi-)clean, and going to bed early tonight so I can be fresh for tomorrow's flight. Instead, I'm having an anxiety attack so I thought I'd stop by and see what's going on at LT. Yes, I dislike flying, but also I'm worried about my garden (tho I hired a kid to come every day and water) and am trying to decide what to bring and what not to bring, like my DSLR camera - am I really going to have time to take photos???? (Yes, she has a wedding photographer; I meant before and after the wedding.)

I'm looking forward to being with Meg and her hubby-to-be and all the wedding festivities (her dad and I are meeting his parents on Thursday at lunch, and then Friday is her bachelorette party - a mani/pedi at an expensive Manhattan spa and high tea at a probably equally expensive Manhattan tea house with a few of her besties and me and his mom). Then the wedding on Saturday afternoon - outside in Central Park. I just hope it doesn't rain.

Happy New Thread, Mary! Love the fresh veggie topper! Good luck on your NY trip. Sounds like a lovely time. Sorry, we will miss you in Colorado.

>1 Storeetllr: Congrats to you and your daughter! I kind of did that to my parents recently. I was engaged to Aaron since October and planned the wedding for May, but then had trouble at work - there was a delusional coworker who called the police on me because he thought I had hired a hitman to kill him. I was worried for my personal safety, and Aaron had asked if I would be willing to be a homemaker because his kids needed a lot of motherly love at the moment. We got married in Jan, so I could quit my job but still have insurance . Lol. Then had the wedding in May. But I'm now 22 weeks pregnant. :D We didn't expect the pregnancy to happen so quickly, but it was a desired event.

I had been living with my parents, taking care of them in their age (76 and 79), so it was a huge change when I moved out in Jan.

We got wedded in a park, too, but Central Park is pretty exciting!

>16 msf59: Hey, Mark! I guess you're in Colorado now - hope your vacation starts out fabulous and just gets better! Sorry I can't be there to meet you and Sue with the rest of the gang.

>17 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel! It was a lovely wedding! I'll be posting a couple of pictures.

Your wedding adventure sounds even more extreme than Meg's. I'm so happy it's working out!!! Meg is 16 weeks now and is due toward the end of January. I guess you're due about a month and a half earlier. So exciting!

Change can be hard. How are your parents doing?

Well, there aren't a lot of pics to choose from - I was having too much fun to think about taking shots with my cellphone - but here are a few. The whole day was lovely. There were thunderstorms before and after the actual ceremony, but the rain cleared while the vows were exchanged. Then we had a fabulous dinner at Tavern on the Green. It was a lot of fun, and of course I'm happier than words can say!


First Dance - James and Megan


Meg's dance with her Dad


Me with my nephew Chris and Meg

More to come.

Lovely!!!

Gorgeous photos! All good wishes for the happy couple and for you, Mary.

Love the pictures, Mary. Truly a day to remember. Congratulations on your new life as a Grandmother starting in the new year. Now I see why you are moving to New York! Some wonderful changes ahead.

Thanks for posting the pictures, Mary. That is a lovely one of you with your daughter and nephew. Weddings truly are the happiest of days!

Thanks, Joanne, Julia, Donna and Judy! It was a beautiful wedding, even if it did rain much of the day. Can't wait to see the images the professional photographers took.

Today I was alone - Meg went to work, James went to the school he'll be teaching at in the fall, and I went to The Cloisters. It was a hot, sunny day, so I alternated between the air-conditioned exhibits inside and the gardens outside. Here are a few pics I took.


One of three gardens

**
Two views of the same cloistered walkway


Another garden


One set of the many stained glass windows on display


The Hudson River from one of the gardens

Beautiful!

Thanks, Julia!

A couple more pics.


View of Langon Chapel and wedding dress (part of the current exhibit, "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination") from the Romanesque Hall. King Clovis and his son Clothar welcome you.


Another garden courtyard where I had lunch and where I fed crumbs to the birds, took this pic, and thought of Mark:

>25 Storeetllr: & >27 Storeetllr: Looks nice and quiet at the Cloisters, Mary.
The sparrows enjoyed your crumbs :-)

Hi, Anita! Yes, it looks peaceful and quiet, but there were a lot of people around. I just managed to get the photos at the moment the places were for the most part temporarily clear of others. Feeding the sparrows was a highlight of my day, actually.

I remember going to The Cloisters with my mother a couple times. She loved it. Sadly, I was a young teen and wasn’t of the age to appreciate it. I do remember the beautiful grounds and the views of the river. An oasis in the city.

Hi, Joanne! It is an oasis! I've been to the Cloisters twice, and each time I discover something new and beautiful. If you get back to NY, you really should visit it again. It's part of the Met now, so if you buy a ticket to Cloisters, you have three days to go back and/or to the Met and/or one other museum (can't remember which one) for free. Meg's apartment is a 10 min. bus ride from the Cloisters, and I really wanted to go again, but other things got in the way.

Love the wedding & NY photos, Mary! And of course the birdy! It sounds like you had a lovely time.

We had a great time in Colorado but it was a whirlwind and over far to quickly. I wish we could have stayed in Grand Lake a few more days. I loved it there. Loved seeing Joanne & John, in Denver, along with a quick visit with Anne and her daughters. We will be back.

Thank you, Mark! I had a great time. So glad you enjoyed your Colorado adventure!

August Stats:

7 - Books read
4 - Audiobooks
3 - eBook

Genres

3 - Mystery
2 - Scifi
2 - Fantasy

Best of August

Old Man's War by John Scalzi. 4.5 stars

It's been awhile - did you make it to a new home in New York?!

Hey, Mary, where are you?

Hi, Marianne and Roni. How lovely to hear from you! Yes, it has been awhile, but I'm still in Pueblo. Not sure when I'll be moving permanently to NY - affordable housing is an issue. I will definitely be going there for at least a month when my daughter has the baby, though.

How did your garden end up doing this summer? I'll bet, about the housing! Near NYC is as bad as California.

Thanks for asking! I had great success with the garden, Roni, until about a week ago when we had a sudden freeze and everything died. Lost a bunch of tomatoes and peppers. I was sad, but there's always next year. This was the tower on Sept. 1.

...

Wow!! Looks like that tower worked out great!

Wasn’t that snow and deep freeze ridiculous?! Sorry about your veggies.

Great to see you posting, Mary. Hope the books are treating you well!

It did work out great, Joanne, and now that I've done it, I know what to do (and NOT do) next year. That deep freeze caught me by surprise. I knew it was going to be cold that night and covered the tower and my other pots with blankets which worked until the end of November last year, but it didn't help that night. Ridiculous is one word for it. I sure wasn't ready for winter before we had much of a fall.

Thank you, Judy. I broke 100 a couple of days ago, even though it's been slow going for much of the year for me. I'll be over to your thread to check and see how books have been treating you.

Hi Mary! Your garden towers look lovely. Sorry about the unexpected freeze. Did you manage to rescue any of those tomatoes?

Did you really read over 100 books? Congratulations.

Thanks, Ella! It was a slaughter, and I was not able to rescue anything. And yes, I've finished 102 books so far this year. I'm behind if I want to make it to 150, which is my usual goal, but not too shabby, I guess. Seems I read more when I was still working - what with my long commute to and from work when I had at least 3 hours a day to do nothing but read.

Hi, Mary. I am glad to see you posting. I have missed seeing you around. I am curious what you have been reading. You will have to fill us in.

I just finished The Outsider on audio, for the AAC and it was highly enjoyable.

Thank you, Mark. I'm not familiar with The Outsider; I'll have to check it out! I enjoyed King's The Outsider too! It made me go back and try again to read Mr. Mercedes, which I had trouble with the first couple of times I tried it, and I ended up liking that one too.

To satisfy your curiosity, here's my list of books read in Sept. and Oct. You can see my mini reviews of them at >3 Storeetllr:.

September

89. The Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi.
90 The Last Colony by John Scalzi. 3.5 stars.
91. Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle. Audio (Stephen Fry, narrator)
92. Leverage in Death by J. D. Robb.

October

93. Relic by Alan Dean Foster.
93. Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer.
94. The Space Between the Stars by Anne Corlett.
95. The Hatching by Ezekiel Boone.
96. Final Shadows by Kay Hooper.
97. Skitter by Ezekiel Boone.
98. Competence by Gail Carriger.
99. Zero Day by Ezekiel Boone.
100. All Systems Red by Martha Wells.
101. The Safe Man by Michael Connelly.
102. The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.

I feel like I'm on a roller coaster. Now moving to NY this year is back on the table. On Sunday, my daughter is going to look at two houses that might work for them and me for an affordable rent, and she sounded pretty optimistic that one of them will work. In order to move by December 1, I really have to start packing like today, but I'm afraid to get excited until they actually sign a lease. I guess it can't hurt to wait until Sunday to hear what she has to say, and, in the meantime, start culling old photos (4 or 5 big boxes of them), which I've been meaning to do anyway.

When she called to tell me, I was sitting facing two of my four large stuffed bookcases. I said the thought of getting rid of my books was painful, but I just couldn't face moving all 1,000 books again, and she said, "Go ahead and bring them. We'll find a place for them." My daughter gets me! She really does. :)

>48 Storeetllr: I love your daughter!

A roller coaster indeed. I hope it works out, Mary. Keeping my fingers crossed for a good result.

>48 Storeetllr: That is an unexpected change of plans, Mary, I hope it does work out!

>47 Storeetllr: Thanks for supplying your book list for Sep & Oct. I have been meaning to get to All Systems Red. I have it on my Kindle. I would like to do a reread of The Exorcist one of these days. It has been over 40 years.

Haha, Ella, yes, she is a good daughter, isn't she! I'm good with however it turns out, but I just want to know whether I need to move in a month or make flight reservations for the end of January when she's due, you know what I mean?

Thanks, Anita. I hope so too!

Hi, Mark! Forget about The Exorcist and read All Systems Red instead. It is SO good! I can't wait to get to Artificial Condition, the next in the series, which I've got on hold at the library.

>52 Storeetllr: Yes, packing everything in a month's notice! But you have done it before, haven't you?

Yes, I have, Ella, but I was younger then. And even then I swore, "Never again!"

Wow, things can change in a New York Minute in your world, Mary. Haha. Keep us posted. I love Megan's attitude about your books. I remember how stressful it was when you downsized in your move to Pueblo. Don't forget, my house is available for a stopover if you take the southern route to New York. I live in Springfield, Missouri.

Aw, thank you, Donna! I (and Nickel) may take you up on that, although I do want to stop in Chicago for a couple of days to see my sisters.

As for things changing in a NY minute, yes - I've got whiplash from this one. They put in the application today. We should know tomorrow or Tuesday if we got it. I didn't sleep last night, and doubt if I'll be able to sleep tonight from anxiety. So much packing; so little time!

Good news/bad news. They were approved but decided this one is not for us, so I'm back on tenterhooks. They're going to look at another place on Saturday, one that I think I would like better because it has outdoor space where I can grow a garden (the one they applied for does not). I'm still going to start getting rid of junk and culling things now, just not packing anything yet.

All of a sudden, all the books I've put on hold are coming in at once. Many are audiobooks, so I'll be able to work at getting ready to move and "read" at the same time.

ETA strikeout and another change of plans. We are taking the apartment and I will be moving around November 30. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!

I've culled about 90 107 books and may cull more. They're in my Library under "Culled for Move to NY." If you want any of them, let me know.

>57 Storeetllr: That is soon, Mary, only a month to decide what to take and pack.

>58 Storeetllr: I see you are working hard on the deciding part.

Haha, Anita - Yes, working REAL hard on the deciding part. So far, only have about two three boxes to give away and four six to keep. I was TRYING to give away as many books as I keep, but that's a lost cause.

Hi Mary, good luck with culling your books, it's not easy, I know. So wishing you success with all the choosing involved!

>57 Storeetllr: That's why I dislike using the library so much. I mean, I love the concept of the library, and I try to request books in such a way that they won't come in all at the same time, but it's really hard to predict because people might not pick up the book, or they might return it quickly or late...But I'm still making an effort because I can't afford to buy books just to get rid of them because I don't have space.

>61 EllaTim: Hi, Ella - Thanks! I managed to cull 3-1/2 boxes of books, but that leaves 20+ (I still have a few stray books to add to a box). It was hard this time, because I already culled a couple hundred books a year and a half ago, but I just needed to lighten the load, if only just a little.

>62 The_Hibernator: This doesn't happen to me all that often, Rachel, where all my requested books come in at once. And, if they do and I can't finish all of them, I just re-request them. And yes, I can't afford to buy any more books, either! Besides, there just isn't enough room.

Hi Mary! Holy maloley, you're gonna be my neighbor!! Say there miss lady, are you still going to send out culled books? Should I go shop, or has that ship sailed?

At any rate, welcome to reality at last. *smooch*

I am! I'm looking forward to it and counting on having a meet up with you, Richard, when I get there (after I get settled). What books do you want? They're going to the local charity shop on Monday, but I've still got them here till then. I might not have time to send them, but I can bring them. (I mean, what's another few books when you're already bringing 24 boxes of them?) :)

Wow, Mary, your life is changing day by day - good luck with the packing and the move. It's going to be hectic and stressful but then think of that new grandchild - the reward at the end of it all!

>65 Storeetllr: Oh boy!! I've limited my concupiscence to the things I can't readily procure for myself...old stuff, o.o.p. and just antiquated, since I can be sure they're going to get read. So bring 'em and we'll see how the world spins when you're here.
Brightness Falls from the Air
Best Science Fiction of 1972
The 1981 World's Best Science Fiction
Other Worlds, Other Gods
The three Janet Morris books!! Can't wait!
Drustan the Wanderer -- been looking for this for yonks!
The Best of Poul Anderson
The Coming of the Quantum Cats

Thanks for the encouragement, Judy. I need it. Getting down to the wire, and feeling completely overwhelmed. But, yes, granddaughter at the end of the journey makes it all worthwhile.

Excellent choices, RD. I will cull them from the culled book pile and bring them along for you. I almost held onto a number of them because they're not easy to find, but in the end I decided to part with them anyway. Glad to know they will be going to a good home.
ETA OK, I've got them all and will put them in the truck for the journey eastward. I'll let you know when I'm there and settled in and we can make plans for a meetup so I can hand them off to you.

Good luck these last few days before the big move, Mary!

Thanks, Anita! I need it!

>70 Storeetllr:

Wow - when are you leaving and have you packed your 'new' telescope tripod?!?

Marianne! Hi! Yes, I'm leaving either next Sunday afternoon or early Monday morning 12/3. My new telescope tripod isn't actually packed yet, but it's definitely going with me on my trek across country. I may just sling it (along with my other lighter tripod and a case with my good camera and lenses) in the truck in case I have a few minutes to take pics along the way. Like, if I'm stranded due to blizzard conditions. *sigh* That seems to be the forecast for next week. OF COURSE.

And it's not even officially Winter yet.

BTW, the box you sent the tripod in came in quite handy for packing some odd-sized items, so double thank you for that!!!

Happy Sunday, Mary! Your upcoming move sounds exciting. I hope the weather cooperates. Things have been crazy. I hope everything is going well. I have missed seeing you around.

I am going to miss the voice from Pueblo, but hope that you have a great time in NYC with the new grand baby.

>72 Storeetllr: :(

I’m so sad that you’re leaving Colorado. But, I’m also happy that you’ll be with your daughter and a new grand very soon.

Please be sure to keep us updated on your cross country travels and again when you’re settled!

Hi Mary good luck with the packing. Those last bits can be the most trouble. And wishing you a safe journey!

>73 msf59: Aw, thanks, Mark. I've missed hanging around on LT with all my pals, but the short times during the day I've not been running around like a dervish packing and such, I've been reading or sleeping. I hope to be in NY and relatively recovered from the long drive by 12/10 and able to play on LT again.

>74 benitastrnad: Thanks! I'm going to miss Pueblo so much, Benita, but, you know, granddaughter.

>75 Copperskye: I'm sad to be leaving Pueblo too. It's a case of "I want to go, but I don't want to leave." I'm not sure how much posting I'll do while on the road - it's going to be rough, I think, what with me racing ahead of a snowstorm most of the way east. Still, I'm hoping for the best.

>76 EllaTim: Hi, Ella! Thanks, and you are so right. The last bits are driving me bonkers. "Do I take this or give it away or trash it?" "Do I need that or does my daughter already have one?" "Do I love this enough to keep it and risk being laughed at by my daughter for being silly?" :)

Well, sold the washing machine and the loveseat, packed all my clothes and most everything else I'm taking with, taken a bunch of stuff to the local charity resale shop, and have the bird's travel cage and carrier cleaned and ready to go. Now to begin the cleaning process. THAT may be the hardest part of this whole enterprise so far.

It's getting real.

>78 Storeetllr: Good luck! Glad to hear things are going well.

Mary, you are a wonder at how quickly you have gotten ready to move. Good luck with the trip and if the weather gets difficult, please get off the road and wait it out!

>77 Storeetllr:

Are there plenty of LT places to stay along your route if the weather gets bad?

My little old country house is a bit far north of Chicago, but open if you need it.

>78 Storeetllr: Wow...you *know* you're leaving when the washer goes!

#82
I don’t know about that. I lived without a washer or dryer for 25 years. It wasn’t easy but I did it. I told my Sunday School class one time that they should all go do laundry at a laundermat twice a year and it would change their view of their easy middle class lives.

>79 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel!

>80 DeltaQueen50: I don't feel like a wonder, Judy. It's been 3-1/2 weeks now since I learned I was moving, and I still have the spare room/office to pack, and the bathroom. Oh, yeah, and a few boxes and bins in the garage to sort through. I feel I'll never be finished, but Sunday is M-Day so I've got no choice. I must be done by the end of Saturday. It keeps me awake nights.

>81 m.belljackson: Aw, thanks, Marianne - that is so nice of you, and I wish I could take you up on your offer. Unfortunately, at this point, I'm planning to take I70 all the way, and I don't think anyone lives nearby.

>82 richardderus: Truth! That was, in fact, the moment it finally sank in that I was actually really and truly leaving.

>83 benitastrnad: Oh, Benita! I don't know how you did it! I was without a working washer for a couple of months, and it was a dreadful experience. Yes, I know I am privileged as hell.

So, I did something today I've never done before - used one of those coin exchange machines that takes 11% of the total as a fee. So, I cashed in a bunch of loose change I'd been collecting in jars over the years - the coins had to weigh at least 25 lbs. - and I ended up with over $100! Not bad, huh? Now I'm going through drawers and old purses looking for more pennies, nickels and dimes. LOL

Ha! Congrats on turning the loose change into significant bucks, Mary!

Wow, what changes in your life. That is a mighty good daughter you've got there, and what fun you'll have with the grandbaby.

Books were probably the biggest part of our move many years ago to where we live now. They're beloved friends, right? It's hard to give them away, and there are always newcomers showing up anyway.

Hey, thanks, Joe! Yes, big big BIG changes. Moving is a real pain, but the end result is going to be wonderful. I'm so looking forward to being Granny Nanny.

Ah, books. 24 banker boxes of them, plus a few strays packed in other boxes. I just could not cull down further. It's a sickness, but one I have no desire to cure.

It’s getting real for sure! I think the actual drive will be a relief after all the packing. Will you listen to audiobooks? I sure hope you can keep ahead of any bad weather, Mary. I wish I lived a few hours north of here so you could stop off for the night. I guess I’ll have to send you a virtual goodbye hug. The Colorado Crew (and this sometime visitor) will miss you. Safe travels, my friend! 🙏🏻

Make sure you are rested up for the drive! Your preparations sound exhausting and I don't want you falling asleep at the wheel. ((((Mary)))))

Hi, Donna - Yes, all too real. I don't recall ever feeling this anxious about a road trip before, and I've driven alone lots of time - just not 1,800 miles. That is simply daunting. I certainly WILL be listening to audiobooks. I've got The Dark Forest, the second in Cixin Liu's Three Body Problem trilogy and Arabella to start, as well as Mary Doria Russell's Epitaph, so I should be good for the first 3 days. :) I've also got Jonathan Strange, in case I need a comfort read. It would be lovely to stop off and see you along the way. Oh, well. Virtual hug back.

Hi, Roni! Rest? I haven't slept a full night in over a week for stress, but needs must. I plan on taking a full 5 days to get there, no 12 hour days on the road for me. Thanks for the hug - I need it!

Loading up the truck tomorrow and heading out either in the afternoon or early Monday morning. Not sure if I'll be checking in along the way but will try at least once a day, just to give an update. If I don't, it will be because I'm too tired to even go online. See y'all on the other side (of the country). :)

Five days of driving, that is a lot! But good for you, no 12 hour days on the road. Wishing you success beforehand, and take it easy, you will get there!

Born voyage, Mary! You are so smart to spread the trip over five days. Especially when driving alone, those 12 hour driving days can be literally deadly. Enjoy your audiobooks!

Wishing you safe travels and I’m so glad to hear that you’ll be taking it easy. We’ve done the drive twice and it is a long one. Enjoy your audio books and find some good songs to boisterously sing along with when you start getting tired!

Waving sadly goodbye, my friend.....:(

Bongwater voyages, Mary, and be safe all the way home.

Wishing you a safe trip, Mary.

>89 Storeetllr:

Good Luck and Take Your Time > 10-20 days across a blizzarding Midwest would not be too many!

Just enjoy your motel recoveries and eat well...

Have a safe trip!

Hi Mary! I am taking advantage of a quiet Sunday to finally get caught up with various threads, and wow, there has been a lot going on in your life! Best wishes for the move and safe travels.

Hi Mary, I was way behind on your thread. What a lot of things have happened in your life since I last checked in! I hope that your trek across country is going well.

Hello from Independence Missouri! Got in late last night and must say I was SO glad to see the last of Kansas. Am taking it easy today and planning to travel only as far as Vandalia, Illinois or thereabouts today.

I'll respond separately to everyone once I've reached NY, but I really appreciate all the well wishes for a safe journey. As the guy said as he passed each floor after falling from the rooftop of a skyscraper, so far so good!

>99 Storeetllr: Let's make sure that your landing is happier than his!!

*smooch*

Stay safe.

Mary! I've been absent too long and your life is moving so fast! I'm often bad about keeping up with people on LT when I have them on FB, too. Shame on me. I'll do better.

Excited you'll be close by! My step-aunt and her partner live in Nyack, and it's just a hop, skip and a jump up the Garden State Parkway from where I am :)

I will look forward to seeing you in the new year, once you can tear yourself away from El Granddaughter...

Hope your travels went well today!

Hi! Thanks to all who have been following my adventure and wishing me good travels. So, today I drove through a snowstorm across Missouri and then a sleet storm in Illinois, a traffic jam in St. Louis, and survived a tire blowout. SO wiped. Spending the night in Vandalia IL. Will write more tomorrow and maybe even share a pic of two. Sleep now.

Ouch, a tire blowout? On top of lousy weather? You'll be wishing for uneventful Kansas yet! Be safe!

Oh no! I really hope things improve for tomorrow’s drive. :(

>103 Storeetllr: That sounds exhausting! Hoping for a better day today.

>103 Storeetllr: Oh holy carp! That sounds like enough adventure for the rest of the trip. May you be so bored by the eventlessness of it that the scenery will be your only solace.

What rotten luck having a blowout. We didn't get the snow here. In hindsight, maybe you should have taken that southern route and stayed with me. You will have a great story to tell future granddaughter. I know it will all be worth it once you get there. I'm with you in spirit, my friend.

The Eagle has landed! The Eagle has landed!

Okay, that was hokey, I know, but I am so excited (and relieved) to have reached New York this afternoon and am now warm and cozy in bed in my new bedroom that is mostly filled with boxes and I can't find my sheets and I have no idea where Nickel's food and water bowls are and one of the outlets in this room doesn't work...but none of that matters (except, you know, Nickel's food and water bowls, but I used the travel ones so she won't starve or be thirsty until I can find her regular ones tomorrow) because I'm here and was able to kiss my granddaughter (well, her mom's belly, which is HUGE). I'm too exhausted to write anything more tonight except to say hi and thanks for following along with my adventure and sending good wishes.

>109 Storeetllr: Yay! Sleep well, Mary.

So happy to know that you are safely arrived.

Great, Mary! Glad you have arrived safe and sound.

>109 Storeetllr:

Your safe arrival with no more challenging events is really good news!

And, so good that Nickel was a friendly traveling companion.

>109 Storeetllr: Happy to read you arrived safely, Mary, sleep well!

Hi, all, sorry for the radio silence the past few days. Unpacking has been a bigger nightmare than the packing. Boxes all helter skelter, and no room to put anything when I do find the right one. Plus, I've been driving my daughter to and from the city, which is it's own special hell. Today, I slept in and she took the train in, which is good because it's been snowing all day. But, I'm here and in one piece, getting settled slowly but surely, and that's a good thing. I will visit everyone's threads as soon as I get a little more organized, oh, yes, and when I've found my keys which I've managed to lose in the mess. For now, just know I'm thinking of you all.

*smooch*

Hi, Mary. Sorry, I was on vacation and missed your journey. I am glad to see you made it to NY in one piece. Good luck on the next chapter, my friend. We are rooting for you.

Mary, as quickly as you packed, it's no wonder it's a bit chaotic at the unpacking end. Encourage your daughter to take that train!

Happy to read that you are safe in New York, Mary. I can imagine the chaos of unpacking and finding places for things. Hope Nickel is adapting to her new home.

So glad to hear from you! I was just thinking of you yesterday and hoping that the rest of your trip was dull and boring.

Are you in a Hack? (Autocorrect...lol) Nyack?

Taking a quick break before getting back to unpacking hell. Nickel is okay, but a little intimidated I think. She's been hanging around inside her cage, tho I leave the door open. I've made a vet appointment for her after the New Year, in case anything is really wrong, but I think it's just the strange new environment.

I haven't explored Nyack yet, but we are within walking distance of everything. Had dinner my first night here at a Greek restaurant a block or so away. I'm not a fan of this kind of bitter cold so have been staying inside as much as possible. Yes, I lived in Colorado which is also cold in winter, but that was a DRY cold. ;)

Nyack≠dry, I'm afraid.

Good to hear that you made it and are no longer travelling, Mary. Take your time with the unpacking. Good luck with the cold but a least everything is close.

Good luck with the unpacking Mary! If I was Nickel I'd stay in my familiar safe place as well;-)

Hi, Ella, Julia, Joanne, Richard, Judy, Marianne, Jim, Lori, Meg, Katie, Roni, Donna, Anita, and Mark, and thank you for keeping me company on the trip across the country and for your words of encouragement during the unpacking stage, in which I'm still enmeshed.

It rained all day today, a nasty cold rain, but as someone said on FB, at least it isn't snowing. After the kids left for their final birthing class, I took a nap, then braved the weather to take a carload of emptied boxes and bubble wrap to the local Uhaul where they will be reused for some other move and then to the local market for basil for my daughter to use to make pesto. The market is kind of a cross between an upscale
Sprouts and Whole Foods, with a little Trader Joe's thrown in. i cannot be trusted in there. Too much awesome stuff. And the cheeses!!! http://www.oldworldfoodmarket.com/pages/grocery.html

>101 katiekrug: I'd love to meet up in the New year, Katie! My daughter's due date is January 24, and I hope to be completely unpacked and organized by New Year's Eve, so the first couple of weeks in January should be good.

Richard, hope we can meet up too! I've got some books for you.

>108 Donna828: I wish I had taken the southern route, Donna, but it all worked out, even if there were a couple of nail-biting episodes along the way.

>117 msf59: I saw a couple of pics of your Mexico adventure. Looked like you had a fantastic time. And to be in the warmth!!!

>118 ronincats: Yes, I have been, believe it!

>124 EllaTim: If I was Nickel I'd stay in my familiar safe place as well

Haha, yes, so true!

So, I just saw that The Mirror and the Light, the third book in Mantel's Thomas Cromwell series (trilogy?), is due out next July. Better get to Bring Up the Bodies soon!

ETA >120 Copperskye: I've had to edit this post five times to change what Autocorrect did. (Nail-biting became mail-buying, carload became caseload, and numerous ins became ons, and vice versa. Oh, and ETA became YES. sigh)

Hi, Mary! While you're unpacking, I thought you might enjoy this story from Newsweek, assuming you haven't seen it already:

Parrot Uses Alexa to Order Watermelon, Light Bulbs While Owner Is Out — And the naughty bird is an African grey just like Nickel!

>126 rosalita: Ha-Ha! I was going to copy the link for that story, too! Pretty funny!

Great minds think alike, Joanne!

I decided that I was going to wait for the third Mantel book to get published and then read all three of them. Since it has taken me this long to get with the program I figured that was a sensible decision.

Find the Light—Reflect the Light—Be the Light

Happy Yule 2018!

>126 rosalita: Haha, too funny. Another good reason for me to not be seduced into buying the Echo or whatever that device is called.

>127 Copperskye: :)

>129 benitastrnad: Maybe, but I don't think I'd like to read them all back-to-back. Too intense. I read the first a couple years ago and am only just about ready now for the second one.

>130 richardderus: Thank you, RD, and much holiday cheer to you too!

>131 Storeetllr:

What fun to see the beautiful vegetables and sunflower still at the top and to reflect on the changes since you wrote that introduction!

>132 m.belljackson: 💖💖💖

Happy Holidays Mary!

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas, Mary!

Thanks, Rachel and Judy! Wishing you both a wonderful, joyful & blessed Christmas too!

I am hopelessly behind on threads but didn't want to miss the change to wish you a wonderful season of peace and light and a magical new year!

And...your vegetables are gorgeous! And...yay to losing weight and joint pain.

Keep that optimistic streak going into 2019!

Hi Mary, glad to see you are settling in to your new home. Hard to believe 2018 is almost coming to a close. Where did the year go? Wishing you and your family peace, joy and happiness this holiday season and best wishes for 2019!

Wishing you and your family happy holidays Mary!

Happy holidays, Mary

I hope you are having a great holiday in NY, Mary! Hooray for a new chapter!

Best wishes to you for a very merry Christmas!

I hope you are enjoying Christmas in your new home, Mary.

I am so looking forward to reading about all the adventures of being a Granny Nanny. Please send us lots of pictures, Mary. Best wishes for All Good Things in your new home!

Thanks for the holiday greetings, Karen, Lori, Ella, Paul, Mark, Anne, Meg, and Donna! Wishing you all a happy holiday season! Donna, I promise you will be heartily sick of seeing so many baby pics and hearing so many stories about my Granny Nanny adventures!

So, I just discovered the funniest cartoon on Tumblr: Customer Service Wolf about a wolf who works in a bookstore (http://customerservicewolf.com/archive). I can't help but giggle and sometimes laugh out loud at them. (My sense of humor can be a little weird.) Helps to have ever worked with the public in any kind of service job, but here's one I think we can all relate to:



Then there's this one that just makes me smile.



Here's another that gets me every time. "Worth it." Hahahaha.

>145 Storeetllr: Thanks for sharing, Mary, they are funny :-)
I do that, sniff new books. Bookstores always smell good.

Right, Anita? I love my Kindle, but it will never take the place of paper books. The smell is one reason.

Clickbait I think you'll be glad you clicked to see. https://www.treehugger.com/culture/cornell-wall-of-birds-mural-jane-kim-ink-dwel...

>145 Storeetllr: HA!! Worth it indeed. Those are really good.

I like this one:

>150 richardderus: Haha yes!

>148 Storeetllr: Thanks for that link Mary! It was interesting and beautiful. I saw the artist has worked at more of those kinds of projects. And I like the idea that science can add to art, and the other way round:-)

You're welcome, Ella. The wall is pretty special, isn't it, and the artist is marvelous. I like the idea that science can add to art, and the other way round. Yes!

I was telling my nephew about your garden tower. Did you grow all those vegies in that tower? He just bought his first house and doesn't have a lot of sun. The tower looked like a way to make good use of a small space.

I did! The tower is great for growing in a small space.

Thanks, Lori! And back at ya!

So, this New Year's Eve, are you making a list of your favorite books from 2018 or a list of books you want to read in 2019? Or both? Or are you simply, you know, reading your final book of the year? (Or all three?) Whichever, have a safe and fun-filled New Year's Eve!

We're giving away the following books from my daughter's bookshelf, in case anyone is interested in getting a copy. Just let me know.

Why Not Me? by Mindy Kaling
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
One More Thing by B.J. Novak
The Gunslinger by Stephen King'
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner
The Catcher in the Rye by Salinger
The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion
Practical Feng Shui at Work by Simon Brown
Dry by Augusten Burroughs
Magical Thinking by Augusten Burroughs
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs
My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler
Brain on Fire by Susannah Cahalan
I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell by Tucker Max
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Happy new year Mary! To you and yours!

>160 Storeetllr: Love that picture.

>158 Storeetllr: Did all three, and love your fact nr 5;-)

Thank you, Ella! That pic reminds me of The Beatles. Good for you for doing all three last night! Also, didn't you have friends over?

Yes, must have made those lists on New Year's Day, time difference? I'm a bit confused must be the flu;-)

Hi Mary, how are you doing? Am I right you don't have a thread in the 2019 group yet?

How is it going, unpacking? I bet it is a lot of work right now. But are you settling in a bit?