Bekka's 75 for 2010

So here we go again! I'm Bekka, a civil servant and Mother of two, living on the little island of Jersey in the English Channel. Life is very full but I try and find some time to read - though, disappointingly, I failed to read 75 books last year.

I love book challenges - but I usually end up enjoying the planning stage more. I am also working on the 1,001 books to read before you die - normally I finish around 30 1,001s a year. Last year was only 18 so that is definitely a resolution for this year.

But overall, heres to a happy and healthy 2020 for everyone.

Best wishes for 2020!

Hi Bekka! I've found you :-) I'll be following along for 2020. Happy New Year :-)

Another resolution is to keep up in 2020 with all my friends on LT. Happy New Year!

Welcome back!

Hi Bekka! Happy 2020 reading.

Happy New Year, Bekka!

18 1001s is more than the total of my reading for 2019, so that sounds pretty good to me!

Best of luck with your planning and reading in 2020, Bekka!

Happy reading in 2020, Bekka!

Wishing you 12 months of success
52 weeks of laughter
366 days of fun (leap year!)
8,784 hours of joy
527,040 minutes of good luck
and 31,622,400 seconds of happiness!!

Happy New Year, Bekka.

>2 DianaNL: Thank you Diana :)

>3 susanj67: Hi Susan - I'm trying to be better but I strongly suspect it'll fade quicker than I'd like.

>4 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul - definitely a few of those on my list too.

>5 drneutron: Hola! Happy New Year!

>6 richardderus: *smoochies*

>7 cushlareads: Hi Cushla - I must come find your thread! I think I lost you for pretty much all of 2019 :(

>8 Familyhistorian: Thank you - the planning is... dangerous! Sooo many books. So little time...

>9 FAMeulstee: Thank you - you too!

>10 Berly: So lovely - though I'll take a fraction of that and feel lucky :)

>11 BLBera: You too!

Back to work and to reality today. Urghhhhhh.

And now it's the weekend!! Hurray!

Hope 2020 is full of great reads!

>14 Berly: The problem is the weekends fly by so fast! This one especially - though I couldn't say why. Bit up and down - pre-teen daughter hormones, but some nice bits. Will's school have a photography competition every January - his year's theme is bays. So we pottered around on Sunday morning, rock climbing and taking pictures, which was fun.

>15 thornton37814: Thank you - you too! I'm 50/50 on the two I've just completed.

First books of the year! Though the bulk of the work on Ivanhoe was undertaken in 2019. And I really did find it hard work...

#1 Ivanhoe - Sir Walter Scott (1,001)

A classic. Well, yes. And knights and chivalry and all the sort of things I rather like. But phew I found this one dull!

Not looking forward to Rob Roy which is lined up for BAC March!

#2 Letters of a woman homesteader - Elinore Pruitt Stewart

A slender set of letters written by a woman homesteader - I downloaded this from Gutenberg some time ago after reading about it on someone's thread. Susan? Meg? Don't remember whose, but this is just lovely. A lot of be thankful for what you have, but put in such an earnest honest way that I couldn't help liking it.

>17 BekkaJo: Bekka, I just checked and I have read the Stewart book (in 2006!) I also read Letters on an Elk Hunt by the same author. I'm glad you enjoyed it!

I have never read Ivanhoe *ashamed*. But I did enjoy the movie with Sam Neill in it :-)

I suspect the movie would be more fun - especially with Sam Neill!

Was I even on here in 2006?

Edited to add: Nope - I joined in 2009, so it must have been on someone else's thread.

>19 BekkaJo: Oops, I looked at the wrong column. I read it in 2013. I wasn't on here in 2006 either...

Ah ha! After you mentioned the Elk Hunt I thought it had been you - I could vaguely remember there having been a second one :)

>17 BekkaJo: Ivanhoe and, really, all of Sir Walter Scott's ouevre is a gargantuan tub of powdered mashed potato flakes with golden butter-flavored oil splodged on top. It looks rich and scrummy, tastes as fake as it is, and ends up giving one the most depressing case of IBS.

But you've climbed the mountain! This being his best work, consider yourself excused from attempting to summit Rob Roy. It is Auld Lang Syne Sco'lan' and about as phony as a £3 bill. Die Vernon should've.

Anyway. Use your Get Out of Jail Free card ^ as you will.

>22 richardderus: URghhhh! Yup my tummy still hurts from it. I'd love to use my Get Out of Jail free card - but you know me, stickler for my 1001s. Maybe in tiny doses...

I'm keeping the card just in case though :)

So my epub of Sexing the Cherry let me down last night. Suddenly missed a section. I think it was only a few lines - seems to be, but I'm concerned in case it happens again. So do I risk it or do I schlup to the library and request the copy in reserve stock - which may or may not be locatable?

Too early in the year for book dilemmas!

>24 BekkaJo: Is that another good reason for me to avoid e-books?

Have a lovely weekend, Bekka.

>24 BekkaJo: Schlep to the library. No sense missing out on any of La Winterson's lambent prose. (And while that isn't my tip-top fave-rave of her books, it's a good read indeed.)

>25 PaulCranswick: It's an unusual event! Definitely not a reason to side step the e-reader :)

>26 richardderus: I didn't - life got in the way. So far seems to be an isolated incident. I'd only read Oranges aren't the only fruit before, so I wasn't quite expecting the magical realism side of this one. Loving it I have to say.

Hubby's birthday today. Celebrated it by many tellings off of the kids and crying by three members of the family. Thankfully not the birthday boy. Everyone wanting too hard to make it good and getting upset and strung out. Love him but arghhhh!

6.09pm - we have a sitter coming in a half hour and I have to go out for a meal and be around people and be in public. Wish me luck :(

Weekend over already! Booo and hiss.

Had a lovely meal for Hubby's birthday - being in public notwithstanding. We ended up at a tapas place - not cheap but very yummy. I think I ate my body weight in pardon peppers. Nommmm.

On Sunday Cass started helping out with the little ones at Will's swimming. So Sunday was mostly spent sitting at the pool. I did get a chunk of Red Harvest read though.

This month's reading plan is interesting going...

Completed:
Ivanhoe

On the go:
Sexing the Cherry – Jeanette Winterson
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas – Gertrude Stein
Pepita Jimenez
Red Harvest

Not started yet:
Ragtime E.L Doctorow

Of course there are various other things that will end up getting read instead of these!

Weekend. I love you weekend...

#3 Adulthood is a myth - Anderson

A collection of comic strips. Love these. Very short but gave me a lot of joy.

#4 Red Harvest - Hammett (1,001)

Bloody and sometimes a little confusing, ultimately entertaining.

Got girly out surfing today. Hoping it helps blow some of her pre-teen angst away!

Yes, the water temp is under 10C... and no she doesn't have any wetsuit/surfing gloves. These are flaws in the plan. But she's warmed up now!

#5 Pepita Jiminez Valera (1,001)

Odd little romance - moral of which is beware of pride. At least that's the moral I took. Not really sure why it's a 1,001 tbh.

>31 BekkaJo: That DNF was the reason, the last straw in the pile, for why the 1001 and I parted company.

Sorry it has taken so long for me to visit your thread, Bekka! Looks like your reading year is off to a good start.

>32 richardderus: I didn't hate it... it was just a bit average. I'm stubborn though - sticking with the 1,001 - at least as long as the ones I find worthwhile outweigh the awful ones ;)

>33 alcottacre: Hi Stasia - and don't worry, I'm already back in major lurk mode. I visit, think about what I would write, worry about whether someone could take it in some way in the wrong way, and then don't write it. And I wonder where the kids get their anxiety from. Sigh.

Reading is going well - though Ivanhoe was a bit of a cheat as I'd read most of it in 2019.

#6 Sexing the Cherry - Winterson (1,001)

Not what I had expected - reading the ebook I had no blurb to guide me. But I do enjoy a bit of magical realism.

So challenge reads I'm on 50% - still need to finish these two. Or, in the case of Ragtime, start it.

The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas – Gertrude Stein
Ragtime E.L Doctorow

Really struggling with the Stein though - I find it SOOOO dull!

>34 BekkaJo: Sexing the Cherry is quite the title. Set in 17th-century London? I never would have guessed!

>36 Berly: It was all a bit of a surprise to me! Good though.

This one I'm on the fence about - just a random pick up at the library, easy reading. Also easy to power through whilst banished to the kitchen on Friday when Cass had friends over for her birthday.

#7 The Five people you meet in heaven - Albom

So I started off really liking it - by the end it all felt a bit meh. I can totally see why this one divides people.

#8 Malamander - Taylor

Another library pick up - I'd seen it on a kids award list and thought it looked interesting. It is - in fact it is really really good fun. Old school rollicking adventure but with some great steam-punk styling and lovely use of language. Kids/adults - only problem is that I think the adults might enjoy it more?

So yesterday Cass turned 12. My squishy baby is now 5 foot 2, with size 7 feet and growing up terrifyingly fast. More proud of her than I can say - and she drives me crazy in ways I didn't know existed.

Parenting fail #1,000,000,000,001

I just sent Will in with two dozen fancily decorated cupcakes for his school bake sale. This involved husband having to divert on drop off to take him down busy hill with the cake box (he normally walks down through the senior school campus on his own).

School just rang to tell me the bake sale is next week...

I have yet to fess up to hubby...

>39 BekkaJo: *snork!* I've completely been there and done that before, so you have my sympathies!

It also means I have to make them again next week... and the week after for Will's birthday. I'm going to be caked out!

I managed one more read before the end of January:

#9 Adjunct: An undigest - Peter Manson (1,001)

I actually had to nick the blurb to explain this one...
Seven years in accretion, Adjunct: an Undigest is a linguistic autobiography, a compost of found and appropriated language stirred by a random number generator, a source-book of the contemporary avant-garde, an extended fart joke, a book of the dead.

Not to everyone's taste. I do have some great quotes to share but they are on a note pad at work :/

January run down:

Books read: 9
Challenge books: 2/4
1,001s: 5

February challenges:
The Beautiful Mrs. Seidenman – Andrej Szczypiorski
Pat Barker - Regeneration
Time's Arrow by Martin Amis
For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway

+ January follow ons…(at some point in the year this list will get out of control and way too long);
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas – Gertrude Stein
Ragtime E.L Doctorow

Hi Bekka! I bet Will's class loved the unexpected cupcakes, though :-)

I hope Cass is enjoying being 12, unless there's something she's only allowed when she's a teenager, because then the year will be very long :-)

*chuckle* Wait until she announces she's enceinte. THAT day is one you won't forget!!

*smooch*

>43 susanj67: They sounded like it - plus he didn't have a major meltdown about the change in plans/mess up, which is a win in my books. Definite progress from where he'd have been a year ago.

12 is difficult - mainly cos she doesn't want to grow up. She's struggling with all those hormones and with the change to secondary school - not the work, but the social aspects.

>44 richardderus: Can you hear me screaming from here? Can you? Nooooooooooo!

So this lovely Sunday morning (it's blowing gale and pouring down), we are off to do a stall at an indoor carboot sale, starting fund raising for her Girl Guides International Guiding trip to Greece next Easter. I'm totally looking forward to it. Totally. Yeah...

>45 BekkaJo: Have a lovely Sunday, Bekka and I do hope they have little trouble in getting all the vehicles in through the doors.

>46 PaulCranswick: *Snarf* It was okay - though surprisingly quiet which was a shame :(

It did mean I got to snuggle down under a blanket with my cold and sinus pains earlier than usual. This bug can do one now please!

#10 Shift - Hugh Howey

2nd in the Wool series. Love it! Next one please.

>47 BekkaJo: "Surprisingly quite"? When it's tipping down and blowing force five?! People showed up! Be delighted.

>48 richardderus: True... but equally, there is NOTHING to do in Jersey on Sunday in February when it's raining. We've literally just last month been allowed to open larger shops to trade.

>49 BekkaJo: When I was a kid in Texas, there were "blue laws" that prevented stores from selling weird, random shit on Sundays (as well as alcohol, but that one was kinda a gimme). They weren't challenged and removed until the 1980s. It's somehow not surprising to me that Jersey, with its...obsolescent...position in the world, would have something similar.

>50 richardderus: you mean like our excellent tax law, where married women are considered chattel and not allowed to complete their own tax return, or even discuss their tax affairs with the tax office without their husbands written consent?

And no, I am sadly not kidding.

Yeah, we may be a bit behind the times!

>37 BekkaJo: Malamander sounds like one I might enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation, Bekka!

>52 alcottacre: It is good - enjoy :)

#11 Dust - Howey

Final of the trilogy. Very good but I don't know that it stacks up against the first two - it has a bit of that rush to the finish line about it. A few to many elements unresolved. And one major plot point that is irritating me as I don't see how it worked...

Still, highly recommended series if you go for post-apocalyptic literature. Or narrative on the state of humanity.

>50 richardderus: Obsolescent?! Cheeky maybe, RD, but probably a grain of truth unless you are a billionaire who doesn't want to move his money anywhere too unsafe.

>51 BekkaJo: Oooh now that is a civilised system! If it meant that you had no liability whatsoever for tax there would be a rush on sex-change operations by the desperate of St. Helier.

>54 PaulCranswick: *snarf* love the image...

But sadly no, just liability without the power to control anything. That said I just do all our returns and get hubby to sign them. He HATES forms.

I would very much like this sinus infection to do one now please. Please :(

>55 BekkaJo: If healing vibes work then sinus problems soon banished.

>53 BekkaJo: I wish my local library had that trilogy. I like post-apocalyptic lit.

>56 PaulCranswick: It is moving - just slowly, and making it very hard to concentrate at work.

>57 alcottacre: Definitely a good one - one to keep an eye open for.

Stuck in book based doldrums... can't seem to get through more than a few pages of my various challenge reads at a time. May have to sack them all off and read something else for a while :/

On other news the wind has FINALLY died down a bit. Seriously freaky over the weekend, with little sleep due to the noise.

>59 BekkaJo: At least I'm pleased to see that you're not Gone With the Wind, Bekka.

>59 BekkaJo: What >60 PaulCranswick: PCrans said.

>60 PaulCranswick: Ha! That one is a most definite Dad joke ;)

And I posted that response yesterday and it has disappeared.... hmmmm...

>61 richardderus: I'm glad too - all those big frocks...

Though on the storm front, whilst we are waiting for Storm Dennis to hit at the weekend, Storm Ines sneakily slipped in last night. Urgggghhh. Bored of it now! It is becoming increasingly expensive - I now have two holes in my roof that urgently need fixing :(

Bekka, boo to yet more storms. Where did Ines come from? Are you in the middle of two storm systems? Yikes. We are also expecting Dennis, but so far it's not too bad here.

Ines is a French one that snuck up on us! We were all set for a few days of calm between the two.

That said, I know parts of the UK have had it far worse. At least our power has stayed on! Glad it's not too bad in your neck of the woods.

Wishing you a storm-less weekend, Bekka.

Hi Bekka - thinking of you as the wind goes nuts up here. I hope you're OK and you don't lose power. Apparently the army has been deployed up north - yikes.

>65 PaulCranswick: It was pretty windy, but not as bad as the last one. Between Will's birthday party and a friends 40th big bash, we were happy to stay home and hide by Sunday!

>66 susanj67: All serene - a bit more of our fence down, but that's all linked to the pre-xmas storms. I feel so sorry for all the people flooded out and suffering major damages. Rubbish start to the year.

#12 The Tyrant's Tomb - Riordan

Latest Riordan. I know it's silly, but it's thoroughly enjoyable :)

#13 The Autobiography of Alice B Toklas - Stein

Okay so it grew on me a bit by the end. But only a bit. I didn't like the style, didn't like the barely existent persona, didn't like the conceit of writing your own partners autobiography. Felt like a long long namedropping exercise.

Fine, so it wasn't as bad as I'm making out. Still not keen.

>68 BekkaJo: (*whispers* It *was* as bad as you're making it out to be. I *loathed* that book when I read it in college.)

>69 scaifea: Thank god! I think I was starting to get a bit of Stockholm syndrome at the end - I tend to do that. But when I tried to write about it... aghhh! At least it's done :)

Ragtime, City of God, For whom the bell tolls and A darker shade of magic on the go at the moment. Odd that I've ended up on two Doctorow, but they do read very differently. For instance I started City of God ages ago - but I will likely finish Ragtime far sooner :/

And yes, yes, the ancilliary list of ongoing reads is as long as my arm...

Hi Bekka! Glad you're still sur la Manche and you didn't like Gertie's colonial attitude towards Alice either.

>71 richardderus: Yup, the more I think of it, the more I dislike it! Usually it's the other way round...

Definitely sur la Manche, not blown away yet. I still get upset when I look out the back of the house at the state of our fence, but I just need to keep reminding myself how lucky we are.

Up and down weekend - irritatingly starting the week feeling wiped out and exhausted. can I have another weekend please?

#14 Ironside - Holly Black

Bit of light relief after the Stein.

Well, sort of. Light relief to get me through a low few days. Might be on light relief for a while.

>73 BekkaJo: Probably anything is light relief after Stein excepting perhaps James Joyce,

Have a lovely weekend, Bekka. x

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Bekka. Batten down the hatches!

I have no intention of reading The Autobiography of Alice B Toklas. It sounds terrible.

>74 PaulCranswick: Too true! I do need to knuckle down though...

Weekend was brief. Very brief.

>75 alcottacre: Hi Stasia - it was horrible again. I swear we are going to rot away. It just won't stop raining for more than a few hours at a time :(

I've gone back to lurking - hoping to push myself to post more soon.

So Feb was a bit of a rubbish reading month...

February run down:

Books read: 5
Challenge books: 0/4 (1 from Jan challenge)
1,001s: 1

March challenges:
Kafka on the Shore - Murakami
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Chabon
City of God – E.L. Doctorow - about 50% through

+ Jan/Feb DNFs…(at some point in the year this list will get out of control and way too long);

Ragtime E.L Doctorow - about 50% through
Time's Arrow by Martin Amis - just started
For Whom the Bell Tolls – Ernest Hemingway - about 50% through
The Beautiful Mrs. Seidenman – Andrej Szczypiorski
Pat Barker - Regeneration

The later two I'm unlikely to get to!

Hi Bekka, checking in again. :)

We had lots of storms here as well this winter that caused some damage, but mostly dry ones, total lack of rain. NOW it started snowing when everyone is waiting for spring. Well...

Hi Natalie :)

I'd take the snow please - I do love snow! It honestly feels like it has not stopped raining here for about three months. Every time there's a dry couple of hours and you think you'll get out and do something... bam, rain. Part of our fence came down before xmas, part of it after - and it's been too wet to do anything about it! It's just lying there looking sad.

In less wet news, I had to go to the dentist yesterday - thought I'd cracked a tooth. Turns out not, all my teeth are fine (yayyyy!), it's down to stress, tension, clenching and grinding. Darn...

>79 BekkaJo: The dreadful bruxism! I'm so sorry.

I hope the rain ends, the sunshine pours generously forth, and the mildew shrinks.

UK have just said that anyone with persistent cough and/or fever should stay home for seven days, irrespective of where they have travelled.

Sod's law the reason I've been awol is because I have a horrible cough and chest infection. I've been working from home, when not flat on my back resting my aching lungs (stooopid asthma). If Jersey follows the UK, I'm going to be home for another week. Agh!

I managed to get out the house to Waitrose yesterday. I coughed once and I swear they nearly threw me out :(

>81 BekkaJo: Bekka, sorry to hear that. Has Jersey even had a case? I watched the press conference and saw that advice, but there are *so many things* that can cause a cough/fever that aren't coronavirus. Now they've got a counselling sort of lady on Sky News. Next up: the phone number for the Samaritans...I hope your cough eases up.

>81 BekkaJo: Oh hell and damnation! Well, the trip to Waitrose wasn't wasted as you came home with supplies.

FEEL BETTER SOON!!

What Richard said Bekka!

That doesn‘t sound good, get better soon!!

>81 BekkaJo: Clear your throat and you clear the room.

Have a peaceful weekend, Bekka.

>82 susanj67: Thanks Susan - it settled on my lungs, so I feel beaten up and wiped, but coughing less. Big batch of steroids from the doc :/

>83 richardderus: Minor supplies - I feel I should have stocked up :/ It was a very uncomfortable experience! *smoochies*

>84 alcottacre: Thank you Stasia :)

>85 Deern: Getting there now - thanks Natalie. Hope all is going okay in the lockdown :(

>86 PaulCranswick: Yup, that's the one! Thanks Paul - it's a bit up and down so far!

We only have two cases, which are isolated. But, as always with our island, it's paranoia central. They've just announced all but essential travel off island is cancelled. Bang goes our holiday to Rhodes at Easter. Selfishly I am majorly bummed out about it - it was our first trip with the kids anywhere other than France or UK. Sigh. I know it's for the best, but I'm sad - and Cass is having a major pre-teen strop about it. A good chunk of that is fear, but her week long Guides meet in the UK in August has also been cancelled, so she's on a double whammy of disappointment.

Oh and to add insult to injury...I can't read. Can't settle to anything. Can manage a bare half hour at bedtime and just reading a fantasy book, but that's about it. Hate that!

I understand the reaction, I‘m having it all the time now. The rational part understands the restrictions and willingly complies, but then there‘s that little voice in the background that whines „but I wanted to/but I was promised...“. Mine is driving me half-crazy as soon as I give it any room. Must do more meditation.

Wishing you a relaxing Sunday.

It was... not very relaxing. My reaction to the underlying fear and anxiety was to cook a big Lebanese style meal. Very yummy, but I forgot I'm still not full power. I was exhausted by the end of it and it was more to my tastes than the family. Ah well.

So Jersey now has five cases. Doesn't sound a lot. But population is 110,000. All are inward travel, no transference as yet, but given the small island and the fact that travel is still happening, well, it's only a matter of time. There is a strong sense of hysteria on my rock right now.

Well, I've just had my whole team kicked out of the office as a precaution - one over 65, and two asthmatics, we're a risky bunch :/

I'm set up to work from home, so I can cover the others, who aren't - though we are working on it. As things go, we're low priority, so it's going to be a painful few weeks. Add in that my work laptop is catastrophically slow (*screams into pillow*) and I'm a bit grumpy.

>90 BekkaJo: Bekka, does that mean you now have to do the work of three other people, plus your own?! I hope arrangements can be made so the others can WFH.

I think there is a lot of worry everywhere, but I can see that on an island it must be worse than somewhere bigger. I've also had trouble concentrating on the books, but I am determined to make myself. The library still seems to be open, but now says on its web page and Twitter that all books have been automatically renewed until 30 April and there will be no late fines. Ooh :-)

We have no late fines too :) Plus over 1k books on my e-reader I figure I'll cope...

And yes. Well, the work of three people - I'm one of the two asthmatics ;) . It's fine, I can cover - it's just painful with the lack of electronic resource!

Just passing by and sending some more hugs: (((((Bekka)))))
Also grateful for my e-reader (just in case I should start reading again).

And that's the schools closed :( Well, from Monday anyway. Which will make working from home SOOO easy! NOT!

Wahhhhh.

But it is sunny. For the first time in about six months, it is sunny.

>94 BekkaJo: Oh dear. Have they said for how long, or is it indefinite? And will the kids at least have lessons to do?

Hooray for the sun! It hasn't made it to London yet, but I will hope :-)

Lessons for the next two weeks, then its Easter hols. Then they MAY go back after that! Wahhh! Love my monkeys but they are going to eat each other alive.

Hope the sun has made it to you :)

Schools closed and Belle has been informed that her re-sit exam for physics has ben cancelled. Really screwing up people's lives!

Hope you get a little peace.

I'm basically sitting in my room waiting for my deeply beloathèd roommate the hacking smoker to give me this rotten virus. So I feel your island-bound pain!

>97 PaulCranswick: Oh that's rubbish - poor Belle. The exam side of things must be so so stressful for any GCSE/A-Level age kids. Cassie's viola exam was cancelled but I don't think she minds that too much!

>98 richardderus: Hmmm... Social distancing not so easy in that situation. Many hugs and possibly some serious uber strength ear plugs so you can ignore him as much as possible. Stay well! Or else!

>98 richardderus: Completely inappropriate RD, but you made me laugh-out-loud. If it wasn't so damned serious, I wouldn't feel guilty.

>99 BekkaJo: Wow Bekka. I would have more chance eating the viola with mustard than I would of making a tune from it.

>100 PaulCranswick: It's a bit of a battle! Ditto Will and his trumpet. Eeep!

In other news I finished a book! Woooo! And realised I finished one the other day and forgot to note it... Oh and all my challenges can do one, I'm just picking up anything that seems like it might actually get read.

#15 A Darker shade of magic - Schwab

Fantasy fun. Mostly fun - parts of it were a bit of a slog, which was annoying.

#16 Time's Arrow - Martin Amis (1,001)

Well. That's messed up my head. No idea why this pushed itself to the fore of my reading, but it did. The reverse life of a man, told from the first person of another man, linked into his mind. Disturbing and painful, humorous and filthy. And a couple of seriously mind wrenching lines. Oh, and, dim as I am - and not having read any blurb, I somehow managed to not see where this was going. I can be really dumb at times.

Our library closed today as the Government announced social distancing for all.

I went yesterday and stocked up a little - mainly music scores for the kids, though I found a great lego book too. Plus a copy of Sand. Woop!

However I'm now panicking about my parents not having anything to read. Mum was going to go today to the branch library and get a load but it's no go. I know in the grand scheme of things its ridiculous - and so not really the thing to worry about. I'm also well aware that I'm worrying about it as a way of focusing my worry on something else. But I hate the idea of them not having anything to read other than the paper - and they don't keep a lot of books in the house.

So I ordered them a box full. Hope it can get through :)

>102 BekkaJo: Bekka, do your parents have smartphones? Booky Work Friend says that the Kindle app has CHANGED HER LIFE (her caps) so they could try that. Or the Overdrive app for the library. The screens are tiny, though, so I'm sure they will love proper books.

My library has, I think closed (in fact, if not officially). Yesterday there were staff shortages and it was closed (there was a tweet), and this morning it was closed although the app said it would be open all weekend. I don't blame the staff for not wanting to go to work - most of the patrons are hygiene-challenged at the best of times.

>103 susanj67: Nooo… they are still in the land of old chocolate bar style phones. And really only cos Dad has to have one for work! I don't think they are worried about the book lack - I think it's just me :)

>99 BekkaJo:, >100 PaulCranswick: Glad I could amuse y'all! And now Old Stuff is in the hospital, thank goodness, although he could come back at any moment...I hope they keep him.

Like, forever.

>105 richardderus: Long term stay would be great for him - or he could win the lottery and move away.

My mum doesn't have a mobile phone and sometimes doesn't like to answer the landline for fear of advertising calls. I have to wait until SWMBO is there to call her.

Have a good Sunday, Bekka, xx

I have seen you around the threads, Bekka, so I know you're ok. Have a good weekend, although all the days feel the same now.

Sorry! I 'm okay. Just lacking computer access during the week as hubby is using the main console for home working. Then I'm sleeepey in the evening.

Our Government remote access has basically fallen over due to unprecedented load - so I've been working 6-8am and 6-8 pm, home-schooling and feeling guilty in the middle.

I am NOT cut out for home-schooling by the way.

Very little read. Though I've started Kafka on the Shore and realised that I had missed Murakami in my life.

Love to all - stay home, stay safe, stop stockpiling loo roll!

I am currently reading Murakami's first two books, Wind / Pinball. His style is the same right from the get go -- love him!! (Touchstones not working)

Stay safe and sane!!

>108 BekkaJo: Don't feel guilty, (((((Bekka)))))!
Talked to a colleague today, they have a 15year old who's going crazy after 4 weeks inside. Both parents work, so he has to home-school himself, and clearly that doesn't work well.

Quite liked Kafka, but there's one chapter that's kept me from re-reading it. Still one of my favorite Murakamis, enjoy! :)

>109 Berly: Thank you - and you too :) Wind up Bird Chronicles is one of my all time faves.

>110 Deern: Ah the guilt. It's unfortunately unceasing and a little too one the surface at the moment! Hubby is a bit the same, feeling guilty for not doing more etc.
Interested to see if I can work out which chapter...?

I am SO glad to live on an island right now. Our daily trip to the beach is what is keeping me sane. Yesterday Cass went swimming (yes she is insane) and today I took Will rock climbing. I also braved a supermarket shop - wasn't as bad as I feared. I obviously timed it right though as I went straight in - when I came out, there was a long queue.

And - short rant about humanity. There was a really old chap in the queue. Now - I could be wrong, people could have offered to let him move forward, and he may have turned them down. But it didn't look like it. So this poor old guy who looked healthy but thin and frail, was standing outside in a long line, probably a half hour from getting in to the shop. Grrrr… I just hope the 'security' who were dealing with the one in one out spotted him and let him in :(

Have a lovely, peaceful, safe and healthy weekend, Bekka.

>111 BekkaJo: Don't we all sort of live on islands now?

>112 PaulCranswick: Very true... maybe I'm just lucky mine has lots of beaches ;)

#17 Kafka on the Shore - Murakami

Well I enjoyed it. I love Murakami's writing, his twists, his complete side steps into lord knows where and what. Definitely some themes and descriptions which are not for everyone. And I'm still not 100% sure that I got what it was all about. Who am I kidding? I'm not sure I even 50% got what it was all about.

Just updating my home log and realised I missed Ragtime out! Call that one book #18!

Finished in March, very excellent in the end.

I may be fraying at the edges somewhat.

>113 BekkaJo: What a perfect COVID-19 read! Happy days soon come, Bekka.

>115 richardderus: Agreed and fingers crossed! I just started Death on the Nile as a bit of escapism - I'm not sure Poirot might not be my lockdown buddy :)

I wanted my message this year to be fairly universal in a time we all should be pulling together, whatever our beliefs. Happy Celebration, Happy Sunday, Bekka.

>116 BekkaJo: Not much escapism for those that get murdered in it?!

Happy Easter to you too Paul - hope everything is okay with you and the family. Will try and do the rounds later!

And yes, fine, just escapism for me!

#19 Death on the Nile - Christie

#20 Five little pigs - Christie

Poirot addiction continues...

#21 The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Christie

#22 Murder on the Links - Christie

And the latest from the very excellent Jodi Taylor;

#23 Doing Time - Taylor

Time Police, not St Marys. Well, sort of.

Hi Bekka! Thank you for your visit :-) Good to see you've found some escapism with the Christies.

Beyond the escapism of an irresistible Belgian private-dick, how are you coping over in the Channel Isles?

Hope you are having a peaceful Sunday anyhow. xx

>121 susanj67: I keep trying to read something else and end up picking up another one!

>122 PaulCranswick: It's... difficult. We're both lucky to be able to work from home. But "school" is back from the Easter holidays today. Again, we are "lucky" that our kids are getting work from their schools - but that is work that, mainly for Will I'll admit, we have to monitor and help with and cajole and, quite often, shout about. Difficult.

Trying to get out and about as much as we can in our allowed two hours. So plenty of beach visits, rock climbing, sea swimming. Just always limited by the nagging feeling that you have to get home as quickly as possible.

Answer? More Poirot.

>120 BekkaJo: #23 I do love the new series!

Have you got Plan for the Worst yet? Some VERY VERY VERY important developments...very. important.

Like, wow-level.

>123 BekkaJo: I can imagine, Bekka, that a lockdown with small (ish) children is quite tough.

It sounds like it is a good thing that you have the Poirots to keep you sane, Bekka. Are they talking at all about easing some restrictions where you are?

>124 richardderus: WAHHH! No I don't have it yet and I want it so badly. Sadly lockdown comes with some financial lockdown too. Sob! Soooooooon. Soooooon.

Just re-read that. I'll let it stand, but I'd like to point out that it's been a long day.

>125 PaulCranswick: It has it's moments! Actually I should give them much more credit. They are doing so well - it's just hard all round. Plus we had the wonder of a Trumpet lesson by Zoom today. Eeep! It seemed to go really well though. Viola lesson for Cass tomorrow. Bless the teachers for having to learn all the tech - and thank god my kids have individual lessons at the moment. Can't imagine trying to teach an instrument to three kids at once by Zoom!

>126 Familyhistorian: They really are. I do, honestly, keep trying to read other things.

Re Lockdown, well.... despite spending 14.4 million on a Nightingale hospital, the island hasn't so much flattened the curve as squashed it. New cases are about a sixth or less of the expected increase. So they are going to have to do something or we are going to be inside till next year... I just don't envy them having to make the call - it's a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. Especially as our death rate (18 deaths from 255 cases) is statistically high.

Oh and I finished another Poirot ;)

#24 Evil under the Sun - Christie

Booo! Hiss! Baddies and a decided lack of the smugglers tunnels that I was expecting - the missing knitting wool set me off on the wrong track.

>128 BekkaJo: The VILE Arlena! To me the wonder was that this wasn't a Murder on the Orient Express plot. Would've been delightful, that.

I did wonder if that's where it was going!

#25 Murder in Mesopotamia - Christie

About a third of the way into this I started thinking I'd read it before. Then realised I had actually watched it before instead. Still couldn't remember who did it though.

Just had to re-type most of that. My fingers are numb! Took Cass for an early swim to catch high tide. Lovely but brrrrr…

>131 BekkaJo: I have a shocking memory for who did it in Christie mysteries which is really good when you think of it. Have a great week, Bekka!

>17 BekkaJo: Thank you for bringing Letters of a Woman Homesteader to my attention. I love books like this and really enjoyed it. I am looking forward to reading the second collection of Elinore Stewart's letters Letters on an Elk Hunt.

>132 Familyhistorian: I'm terrible too - even for the ones I've just finished!

>133 meanderer: It is just lovely - I have the second one lined up too. As soon as I finish my Poirot obsession...

#26 After the Funeral - Christie

Still rocking the Poirot!

A series would have been the way to get through the lockdown. I now realise that when my own lockdown is done and dusted!

Would love a swim in a bracing sea.

Happy Thursday, Bekka!

>136 PaulCranswick: I'm sort of wishing I'd gone epic fantasy :)

>137 richardderus: And to you... though happier happier Saturday!!!

Just realised it's a week later Saturday.

Okay so legitimate awol - home school + full time (+++) work + trying to feed/clean said family = more hours than I can stay awake for. It's definitely hard, in a lot of different ways. Thankful so much that I live near the beach! Or tbh many beaches. Open and free :)

Finished a couple in the last two weeks;

#27 The Big Four - Christie

#28 Sand -Howey

One of the last things I grabbed out of the library before it closed! Not as good as the ones in the silos (IMO) but still a good read.

Nice to see you posting again, Bekka, I thought isolating with the kids had thrown you off the deep-end!

Have a lovely weekend.

Thanks Paul - tbh I'm not sure it hasn't.

#29 The Rings of Saturn - Sebald

That took me a very long time. And I don't get it. I just don't.

>140 BekkaJo: Let me know if you need arm-bands. xx

More and more every day :(

I've been going in to the office one morning week (a long 7am start morning) to try and get some work shifted - things that I can't do from home. But I'm finding it massively draining for some reason. Meurghhhh.

On the plus, the weather is absolutely stunning, ergo as much beach time as is possible/the kids will cope with.

>142 BekkaJo: Bekka, I have office envy. There's no sign of mine reopening :-( I'm sure you'll get back into it soon.

This has apparently been the sunniest spring since records began, which means 1929 although I always think that date should be more like 1229, because of all the History. I mean, New Zealand had 1929, for heaven's sake. Europe can do better :-)

>140 BekkaJo: What's to get? Ruminations on Britain's awful, vile world legacy (ironically disguised as admiration at times) as inspired by its bleakly gorgeous and utterly ignored by The World northern shires' countryside is enough meaning to pile on one book, n'est-ce pas?

A new week looms. Find cover where you can.

>143 susanj67: If it helps I cordially loathe our office building! I'm hoping I'll be able to work from home a lot more after all the dust settles.

The sun appears to have got fed up the last few days. It's been so grey - come back sun! Please!!!

>144 richardderus: I may have covered a bit too much.... pig of a week. Some lovely patches, walks with Will, swims with Cass. But mostly a horrible trudgy homes school work mass of bleugh.

Oh I did finish a few books. One just before the end of May, the other two counting for June.

#30 Invisible Cities - Calvino

Okay I didn't really get this one either. So I ended up just letting the amazing language and imagery wash over me. I may revisit and make notes at some point. Somewhere I have an ongoing, and ever increasing in size, pile of notes for a project on the representation of City in literature - it's a bit derivative but everyone has a hobby, right?

#31 False Values - Aaranovitch

The latest Rivers of London. Okay. So the Hitchhikers stuff was over the top and got to me straight away. And it was sluggish. But I still love the characters, so ultimately I still enjoyed it. It felt... a bit filler I guess.

#32 An appointment with Death - Christie

Yes. Okay. You got me. I'm still hooked on Poirot.

But I haven't started another one straight away, completely ignoring all the other things i have on the go. Nope. No...

Hi Bekka! Sorry the week hasn't been what you hoped. At least it's the weekend now. It's turned cool too. I wore a coat to the supermarket this morning (not a puffa :-) ) .

>146 BekkaJo: #32 Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

Have a lovely weekend!

>146 BekkaJo: My feelings entirely on Invisible Cities. I want to be told a story and didn't get one - got loads of fragments instead.

Have a peaceful weekend. xx

Hope all is well, Bekka. xx

I saw you on my thread, Bekka and now I hope to see you on yours!!

Just catching up here. Hope you are hanging in there. : )

I am here. Sort of. Alive and well, just complicated and tired. I keep skimming, thinking of responses and then not getting round to writing them.

Will try and connect synapses and fingers soon...

I missed a couple of books from the above list, so they are just going to have to go on here instead...

33 Binti - Okorafor
34 Death in the Clouds - Christie
35 Mortal Engines - Reeve
36 Charlotte's web - White
37 Ella Minnow Pea - Dunn
38 Fallen - Jacka
39 Binti : home - Okorafor
40 Cards on the table - Christie
41 The Third Girl - Christie

What is incredibly evident from that list is that I am still incapable of reading anything even remotely hard going. Don't get me wrong, I'm still dipping in and out (Hemmingway I'm looking at you) but not getting very far. But, whatever keeps one sane at the moment, right?

Other than that, lots of swimming (participating in the 30 bays in 30 days fund raiser), lots of ferrying children to and from school (they finish at different times most days at the moment), and some proper poop with work (yes, again, I know...).

>154 BekkaJo: I think I can start swimming again soon. Nice to see you back. Bekka (sort of!!)

>155 PaulCranswick: Swimming is wonderful - I've always loved it, but at the moment it's just an amazing escape.

That said we did Grouville bay today, one of my least favourites. We're at 13 bays, so a bit behind where I'd like to be. Cass is finishing at 1 again tomorrow, so we probably have time to sneak two of the Easterly bays in before we have to go back again to pick up Will at 2.45.

Finished a few books the last few days...

#42 Outlander - Gabaldon
I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I'm not sure tbh. I like the story to an extent, but bits of it seemed really clumsy. And it's awfully porny. And rapey.

#43 By the pricking of my thumbs - Christie
So I was aiming for another Poirot and just grabbed off my e-reader. Actually a thoroughly enjoyable Tommy and Tuppence novel (I think there are others? I must investigate).

#44 Blood and Guts in high school - Acker #1,001
I powered through the end of this because I needed it off my reader. Yuck, yuck, yuck. I think that sado-masochistic child abuse/sexual abuse, sometimes bastardised beat poetry, novels, with illustrations (yuck), just aren't for me.

I think I can live with that.

I have now started another Poirot just to get the Acker out of my mind.

Oh good, you read Ella Minnow Pea! I really liked that read. I hope you were suitable amused and distracted by it.

Enjoy your 30 Bays in 30 Days thing, any excuse to get into the sea will do.

>157 richardderus: I did - I found it very amusing :)

And yup - not that I need an excuse! To be honest I don't think I'll do it again - it's sort of turning into hard work (probably cos Cass is doing it with me). And in some ways we are actually swimming less than we were... which ruins the point I guess. Though actually the point is donating to charity so I've already done that.

Jersey based sit-rep...

We're stuck on island at the moment (which is not that bad a thing I'll be the first to admit), because it's not worth the risk of even going to the UK, as you risk a 14 day quarantine if anyone on the flight/boat tests positive (and they are testing all new arrivals). I really want to go see my Grandad who's recently moved to a home, but a) not worth the risk of sticking the whole family in quarantine, and b) they won't let anyone in the home anyway, so it would be a wave across the lawn.

Lockdown pretty much eased, kids back at school (though they break up for sumemr today FFS), swimming pools and cinema still closed, no large events, but no queues to get into shops.

It's a strange old time.

#45 The Clocks - Christie

Poirot palate cleanser after the previous revolting read. Rather liked this one.

Yeah, that previous one sounded pretty bad....

>160 drneutron: Wouldn't wish it on anyone! Urghhhh. And why illustrate it? Seriously!

#46 The Mongrel Mage - L E Modesitt Jr

I do love a Recluce novel. Yes, some of them are a bit ropey. And yes this does have around 200 pages of them out on patrol and having minor battles. Still really enjoyed it.

Then realised I don't have the next one. BOOOOO!

Rubbish, rubbish, RUBBISH week.

Actually, let's temper that slightly. RUBBISH week of work :/ To the point of coming a gnats testes from handing my notice in. Sigh. Next two are going to be god-awful as well.

To add (and I know, first world problems) insult to injury, our car is in the garage having a door and wheel arch replaced (husband's fault not mine). I'm not insured on the loan car, so it's meant way less swimming than normal - which unfortunately equals less moments to de-stress. Fingers crossed it's back with us soon - otherwise hubby is going to get very fed up driving daughter to surf camp and back every day next week!

#47 Plan for the worst - Jodi Taylor

Well that was excellent. Literally nothing I can say without spoilers, but rather good.

More please!!!

>162 BekkaJo: Look on the bright side, Bekka, swimming is still a form of exercise rather than a mode of transport!

Hope all is well, Bekka

>163 BekkaJo: I like Jodi Taylor a lot and haven't read that one yet, so yay! Something to look forward to. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Bekka dear...as I'm not on Facebook anymore, your absence here is loud. I hope you're well and busy.

>167 richardderus: I'm also listening worryingly to the sound of silence.

Come and update us soon. Miss my favourite Channel Islander.

Alive.

Been struggling with a few things, but going to try and get back on soon.

Yay!

>169 BekkaJo: I won't be quite as energetic as RD, but pleased to see you posting and OK. XX

Happy November

Happy December!!!

Thanks Paul :)

I said I'd be back and I really haven't lived up that promise! One of the main things that's been going on is that I changed jobs at the beginning of November. Leaving my old one was very stressful - and whilst I haven't let the Government, I've shifted to a completely different area. So far it's going well (I think!) but it's all very new.

And... just as I was getting used to being in the office (in my own little office!!!) we've been sent back to work from home.

Jersey had been doing pretty darn well with cases. An initial spike early in the year, lockdown, seemed to be sorted. None in the community, borders re-opened, still under control. And then... and then...

It's always the 'and then' isn't it? Due to some 'super spreader' parties, we are seeing numbers spike. They aren't massive by anyone elses standards, but in a population of 108,000, they are some of the highest current ratios. So they have shut down all hospitality and sport, back to working from home if you can. And waiting on a press meeting this morning - I suspect the next thing will be a full lockdown for two weeks. But we will see. Schools are still in at present but there is a lot of pressure to close them a week early so that if anyone has to isolate they will be out of it for Xmas.

Also... I've read some books:

47 Plan for the worst Taylor 27/07/2020
48 Hickory Dickory Dock Christie 08/08/2020
49 Those Meddling Kids Cantero 12/08/2020
50 The 100 year old man who climbed out of a window and dissappeared Jonasson 16/08/2020
51 Dumb Witness Christie 02/09/2020
52 The bridge to Terabithia Paterson 05/09/2020
53 The Hollow Christie 10/09/2020
54 Lord Edgeware Dies Christie 12/09/2002
55 Queenie Carty-Williams 12/09/2020
56 Among Others Walton 15/09/2020
57 Mrs McGinty's Dead Christie 20/09/2020
58 The Beast of Buckingham Palace Walliams 21/09/2020
59 Three Act Tragedy Christie 24/09/2020
60 Towards Zero Christie 25/09/2020
61 Unexpected Guest Christie 26/09/2020
62 Cat among the Pigeons Christie 28/09/2020
63 Black Coffee Christie 30/09/2020
64 Sad Cypress Christie 01/10/2020
65 Binti: Night Maskerade Okorafor 05/10/2020
66 Curtain: Poirot's Last Case Christie 06/10/2020
67 Sparkling Cyanide Christie 10/10/2020
68 For Whom the Bell tolls Hemmingway 11/10/2020
69 Murder at the Vicarage Christie 13/10/2020
70 The body in the Library Christie 15/10/2020
71 World War Z Brooks 17/10/2020
72 The Moving Finger Christie 17/10/2020
73 A murder is announced Christie 22/10/2020
74 They do it with Mirrors Christie 24/10/2020
75 Worstword Ho Beckett 24/10/2020
76 A Pocket Full of Rye Christie 26/10/2020
77 The Blackthorn Key Sands 27/10/2020
78 4.50 from Paddington Christie 28/10/2020
79 A Carribean Mystery Christie 01/11/2020
80 Annie John Kincaid 08/11/2020
81 At Bertram's Hotel Christie 15/11/2020
82 Harriet Hume West 19/11/2020
83 The Long and Short of it Taylor 21/11/2020
84 Tarr Lewis 23/11/2020
85 The Mirror Crack'd from side to side Christie 23/11/2020
86 Julius Caesar Shakespeare 24/11/2020
87 The Accidental Tourist Tyler 05/12/2020
88 The Wall Lanchester 06/12/2020

And yes, yes, most of those are Agatha Christie...

Congratulations on the new job, on the return to posting and to passing 75!

Ta :) And juest realised I missed the excellent Annie John from the above. Now added.

>175 BekkaJo: Congratulations on reaching 75, Bekka!

Yay for 75!

Very glad y'all've escaped the worst of this misery. I'm not quite sure it's a *sincere* glad....

>179 FAMeulstee: Thank you :)

>180 richardderus: It's been pretty bad, though we managed a few months of reasonable in the summer. Now back to really crap though - really rubbish press conference ysterday that told us nothing. Sigh.

#89 Nemesis - Agatha Christie
Penultimate Miss Marple!

>181 BekkaJo: That was the first Dame Agatha, I read and the only one I have read three times.

Congrats on 75!

>182 PaulCranswick: It is good - I still love Poirot more though. Now trying to decide on my favourite...

>183 drneutron: Thank you :) I'm still not sure it counts becasue of all the Christie's, but I'm taking it for this year!

>181 BekkaJo: That's a seriously good Marple. Up there with the Ariadne Oliver Poirots!

>185 richardderus: Hmmm I liked it but possibly not that much :)

#90 The Newton Letter - Banville - 1,001

My copy was from the library reserve stock - and it got instant points because it's not shaped like a usual book, instead being much thinner and longer. Also it's very thin...

But that turned out to be a shame because it's fabulously written. Partly the storyline but mostly just his use of language.

My favourite Christie is The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and my favourite Marple is Nemesis.

>187 PaulCranswick: I did love Roger Ackroyd when I read it - but I read it ages ago before I'd read any of the others. And only really because it was a 1001. I'd never really read much crime/mystery till the last few years. I may have to revisit it as my memory is hazy to say the least - hell I think it was before I cam back to Jersey, so probably circa 2003/4.

#91 Sleeping Murder - Christie (I know, I know)

Really liked this one - though I twigged who did and and a lot of the details, so in the end I was a bit disappointed (I love it when I have no idea why or how).

Our library is closed again! BOOOO!

We're not in lockdown but they've had to close due to staff shortages from staff self isolating. I doubt they will open again this side of the New year. Luckily I had stocked up a bit and raided their Reserve Stock (older, important works that there is no point being on the shelves) so I have a bit to go on.

Plus, y'know, all the other hundreds of books in the house.

I'll be strong.

Tachyon Publications, an SFF house, posted this on Twitter. Says it all, no?

>190 richardderus: Ha! Yup. Sums it all up.

That said, I am trying to focus on the good things - I have a lovely new niece (who I have't seen yet as she is in the UK), I got to go to my friends beautiful wedding (reduced numbers but made it just before they reduced them further), I've got to spend more time with my kids and we have been out and swimming all year (Cass and I went in on Sunday - it was excellent). Oh and a new job :)

I seem to have hit the kids book end of the year... not really, just coincidence;

#92 Predator's Gold - Philip Reeve
Second of the series, rollicking adventure on moving cities. What's not to like?

#93 Street child - Berlie Doherty
Cass has been nagging me to read this as she loved it at school. And it is rather good too. I picked up the sequel from the charity book hut at the zoo the other day, so I may have to snaffle it and read it.

FYI the charity book hut at the Zoo is excellent and I got a very good haul. 9 lovely paperbacks, most in VG condition, £5 the lot.

#94 The Seven Dials Mystery - Christie

Goodness you miss Poirot and Marple when they aren't there, don't you?

I think I have you and Richard to blame for two recent purchases of the only two Marple books I haven't read yet.

Can you make it to 100 books?

Last day of work this year! Wooooooooo!

Hi Paul - you snuck in whilst I was wooooing :)

Sorry about the Christie-athon. It is infectious.

I doubt I'll get to 100 - unless I do all kids books or Christie (which is possible given the state of my brain). It's a bit of a false win too, given my average page count this year!!

>189 BekkaJo: So, apropos of our LIbrary being closed I availed myself of their Click and Collect service - whish is actually email them and collect, but I shouldn't quibble.

Emailed them in the morning for a few books from reserve stock. Hubby picked them up on the way to the opticians in the afternoon. Love it! I mean, I didn't NEED to per se, but it made me very happy to be able to do so.

>196 BekkaJo: A book is a book is a book, Bekka. Read what you like.

>197 BekkaJo: That is a necessity, Bekka, as Stasia used to call prep for the impending World-Wide Book Drought. Never can be too careful.

>198 PaulCranswick: ^^^what he said

I hope you get some of those at least, Bekka, as we all look forward to a better 2021.

Merry Christmas all!!!

#95 The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Bit disturbing as my son shares various features (basically being on the spectrum) with the narrator, but thankfully without the reason from the end of the novel, which was the bit which really didn't seem to fit in to me.

I think 100 may be out of sight.

Also I have a horrid cold and I'm sulking. Bloody 2020.

Hi Bekka, congrats on reading well past 75. You've been on a roll with the Christies. I hope you're feeling better soon. All the best to you and your family in the New Year!

>203 Familyhistorian: Thank you - and to you and yours also.

#96 Valiant - Holly Black

Angry angsty teen lit.

#97 The Secret Adversary - Christie

Tommy and Tuppence - rather enjoyed, though I called it well before the end.

Bekka

As the year turns, friendship continues

Thank you Paul - Happy New Year everyone.

*toddles off to set up a 2021 thread*