MarthaJeanne - Thoughts on books and other employments 2021 - second quarter

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MarthaJeanne - Thoughts on books and other employments 2021 - second quarter

1MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 1, 2021, 10:52 am

Is that book serious about '5 minutes'? I can't write for five minutes. Today was 13. And I was just getting going.

(https://www.librarything.com/topic/328153#7468004)

I've started Sofia Khan is not obliged. This is a very good book. Joy! I have the sequel on my shelf already.

2MarthaJeanne
apr 1, 2021, 12:44 pm

https://www.librarything.com/topic/328153#7467185

Yes, Die vierzig Gleichnisse Jesu was a very good book. I have already bought his most recent book.

3MarthaJeanne
apr 2, 2021, 6:24 am

Gave up quickly on Testosteron : warum ein Hormon nicht als Ausrede taugt. I'm not sure if it was the authors or the translator.

4MarthaJeanne
apr 4, 2021, 5:55 pm

Können Igel schwimmen matches the two Guy Barter books I was unhappy with. Still not great, but a different translator who bothered to add German information in now and again, and a concentration on making a garden friendly to wild animals, rather than fancy flower beds. Suits me a lot better, but I'm still happy to give it back.

5MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 6, 2021, 9:51 am

I'm coming along with the sea horse. 16 rows done, and the final 2 columns even the full 20.

On the other hand, no squares left that can be sewn in, only 2 waiting for finishing, and a good deal of singles in the process of being plied. The suspense is in wondering how well I predicted how much wool I need. This skein will not be enough, and there isn't a lot of unspun wool left.

I have been considering a lining, wool or silk. It would cover and support the seams. And if I found a nice silk with an underwater print, I would certainly buy it. But I'd rather not put a lining on than the wrong one. Stores are closed at least until 11 April, probably at least 18 April, and the online selection does not include what I want. So probably only a crocheted border. I want to really finish this.

Outside it's snowing. It's even beginning to stick on the branches and grass. We should go to the supermarket, but neither one of us is very keen.

6MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 6, 2021, 9:59 am

Sun just came out.



I don't think the picture does it justice.

72wonderY
apr 6, 2021, 10:19 am

No, but the colors are nice. And the drape shows it’s weight and coziness. Patience! The right backing can be found.

8MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 6, 2021, 3:49 pm

Not while the stores stay closed!

As expected, it has been announced that the lockdown will last at least until April 18, but probably longer.

Finished plying a 28g skein. I have over 20g wool left, so I should have enough yarn for the last few squares. Close, but enough.

9MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 8, 2021, 10:01 am

I've given up on More five-minute writing

It's very much aimed at people trying to write fiction. I just thought it would be fun to try snippets of writing without wanting to use it for anything. And the first few days were fun.

One of the exercises I'm not doing today:
"Once you've created a bucket list for yourself, try doing one from the point of view of a character."
a) I have no desire to create a bucket list - particularly right now when nothing is possible anyway.
b) I have even less desire to create a character with a bucket list.
At least this unit explained where the concept of bucket list came from. I had heard of it before.

I finished Jüdisches Wien and a reread of Bath Tangle.

10MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 10, 2021, 8:08 am

I had to enter A thousand ships just to give it a poor rating and a review. The author has not created any sort of reality in the past. I read about a third.

11MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 10, 2021, 5:46 pm

I really enjoyed The pigeon tunnel. Le Carré is an excellent writer, but I don't enjoy his usual genre. He said in the introduction that he wanted this memoir to be readable whether or not the reader had read his other books. He certainly succeeded.

12MarthaJeanne
apr 11, 2021, 4:30 am

Brood would be a good book to read if you were considering buying chickens. It might well make you decide not to. I read about a quarter before I got too bored to go on.

13MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 11, 2021, 8:53 am

I need my own copy of The Finer Edge. Omdahl uses the edgings so creatively.

I'm feeling today that I need just to push a little to get the sea horse finished. Just a bit more spinning and I have used all the mulberry wool. Maybe even ply it tomorrow? And just a few more squares and I can wash them and sew the next rows on. Then it should be easy to count how many I really still need.

I'm planning on a very simple crochet edging around the whole thing. Not from The Finer Edge. I've got Häkelbordüren sitting here with some very simple edgings.

14fuzzi
apr 11, 2021, 9:13 am

>10 MarthaJeanne: I've done that...

>12 MarthaJeanne: I read a really good "How To..." book about raising chickens in one's backyard, but I've never figured out what the title was.

15MarthaJeanne
apr 11, 2021, 9:17 am

>14 fuzzi: But this is supposed to be a novel. Somehow a main first person character who only cares about her chickens doesn't do it for me.

16MarthaJeanne
apr 11, 2021, 2:04 pm

The authenticity project At half time it didn't seem too bad, but it went on and on for too long without the characters becoming any better rounded. The final chapters went downhill fast.

17MarthaJeanne
apr 12, 2021, 6:32 am

'Religion (...) is the opiate of the people' — not because it is soporific, and reconciles the people to their condition, but because it helps them dream. Without those dreams, without the unproven conviction that things can be better, they probably never will be.

From Understanding Faith

18MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 13, 2021, 3:44 am

Gave up on A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself. As the one review here said, "To be honest, reading over 200 pages of someone thoughts, regrets, which were often repeated, can get tedious." And that long before you get to page 200. Re >10 MarthaJeanne:: I decided that liking the review was enough.

Also gave up on Entangled Life. Saying again and again that fungi are awesome and exciting is not enough.

19MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 13, 2021, 2:53 pm

Finished spinning the singles of the extra wool I bought.

Row 17 is done.

I have at least deflected the lining problem. I remembered that I had a roll of silk for silk painting. It is perhaps a bit thinner than I would have preferred, but the width is right, and there is plenty of it. The problem is that I don't want white, so I need to think about painting/dyeing with the supplies I have, for a larger piece than I have space to work on. What I probably don't have are stamps or stencils for underwater scenes. But I could certainly get away with blue/green swirls.

(Lockdown has been extended at least through May 2. I'm trying not to want too much to drive to Seewinkel the first week of May to buy tomato plants and eat outside in the Greek fish restaurant.)

The singles have now been plied, and wound into a 21g skein. It will be washed tonight and can be woven from tomorrow into the last few squares needed of the colour.

I think I've counted that I need 6 more mulberry squares and 14 more blue squares.

20MarthaJeanne
apr 13, 2021, 3:14 pm

My current options seem to be

a) finishing row 18

b) baking cookies

c) taking my books and going to bed

In each case I do still want to wash the skein I finished. I could also fiddle with weaving a bit.

Somehow I think option c) wins.

21fuzzi
apr 14, 2021, 12:58 pm

>20 MarthaJeanne: I think I'd choose that option, too.

22MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 14, 2021, 3:15 pm

I'm left with the same options tonight. Right now I'm sewing squares together.

Row 18 is done, also one more column.

23MarthaJeanne
apr 15, 2021, 2:52 pm

And tonight I finally got around to the cookies.

24MarthaJeanne
apr 16, 2021, 8:07 am

Bring back our girls was certainly well written.

25MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 16, 2021, 10:00 am

Which I can't say about 1431 or Österreichs Geschichte: Wissenswertes in 99 Fragen. I found both boring.

The first is a very wordy novel of Jeanne d'Arc. There is no note at the end to say where the author got her ideas.

The second is supposed to awake interest in the publisher's 15 volume History of Austria. You would think there would be some attempt to make the questions and/or the answers interesting.

In both cases I read over 50 pages before giving up. I gave each book two stars. Must be feeling generous today.

26MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 16, 2021, 2:06 pm

The store has just said that the loom etc. that I want is back in stock. I would really prefer to pick it up myself - better for them, too, as I would make other purchases. I really hope things open up on May 3, as is the current plan.

And if they start using the Johnson &Johnson vaccine by then, so much the better.

27MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 18, 2021, 10:46 am

I was digging around to see if I still had a blue skein for the border of my seahorse. Yes! I do! But I also found a small skein of Suri Alpaca. I bought it at a fair back when we had textile fairs. I loved both the feel of it and the green/blue hand colouring of the wool. My recollection is that it was as difficult to spin as I had been warned. The yarn is very silky to feel, and slippery to work.

The final project in The Finer Edge is a Bruges lace hat that I have fallen in love with. It seems to me that this is a good way to use this yarn. Obviously, I have to make some changes for the yarn.

First, I'm using 4.5 hook instead of 3.25. No problem. The pattern is a spiral, and I will simply work the spiral until it fits.

Once the spiral is done, the pattern makes a hdc brim worked in short rows around the outside of the spiral. I don't find crochet works well for hat edges anyway, and this suri alpaca doesn't do elastic anyway. I have some bought alpaca that looks good with it, and plan to pick up the edge and knit a brim (using the yarn doubled). Then I will crochet the flower and sew it on.

This will not be all that warm a hat, but if I get it made in the next few days, it should be quite good for our current weather, and it is lovely spring green.

282wonderY
Bewerkt: apr 18, 2021, 12:26 pm

What a nice tangent to go off on! Some of my favorite colors too.

29MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 19, 2021, 5:29 am

I'm just getting very tired of weaving the squares. Last one is on the loom, so a bit more push and the last batch can go in the wash machine. Sewing tomorrow, and maybe Wednesday. Then comes crocheting the border. An end is in sight. But I still don't really feel like finishing the weaving.

I bought a (n expensive) natural sponge Saturday, So if I decide to paint a silk lining I can make round bits of colour. It also has a very nice texture. The woman in the store helped me find a fairly small one. That is better for my purposes, and was cheaper. Or at least less expensive.

30MarthaJeanne
apr 19, 2021, 9:59 am

All the squares have been woven, and the final batch are in the wash machine.

32fuzzi
apr 19, 2021, 9:45 pm

>30 MarthaJeanne: I wanna see it!!

33MarthaJeanne
apr 20, 2021, 1:57 am

I added a few squares to it last night. I'll keep at the sewing today. I'll probably wait until the border is crocheted to post a picture, because the weather is bad right now, and I want dry grass and sun to get a good picture.

34MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 20, 2021, 2:16 pm

Understanding faith had the makings of a good book if the author hadn't carried everything too far.

35MarthaJeanne
apr 20, 2021, 3:25 pm

No, I've not finished the sewing tonight.

However, we went shopping, I planted most of the plants we bought yesterday. (Why did I think I wanted the upright nasturtiums?). I baked a cake and bread. So I've been fairly busy.

36MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 21, 2021, 8:42 am

The sun is hiding, but the weather is much better than predicted.

37fuzzi
Bewerkt: apr 21, 2021, 8:48 am

>36 MarthaJeanne: love it! Nice job.

ETA: what's that peeping out from underneath the blanket, Fleabane?

38MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 21, 2021, 9:24 am

Just the normal daisies in our lawn - Bellis perennis

Some sections are more daisies than grass. But I won't let Jerry use a weed killer. I don't believe he can keep it 'just on the lawn'. Later the lawn will also be full of dandelions, but now there are tiny purple violets and lots of primroses - yellow, white, and pink.

39fuzzi
apr 21, 2021, 9:25 am

>38 MarthaJeanne: and they're so pretty!

A friend once said "I don't have a lawn, a lawn is like a golf putting green. I have a yard", ha!

I have a yard, and every Spring it's a purple fuzz from Deadnettles and Henbit wildflowers, then they are joined by white dots from wild mustard, and the tiny purple and white blossoms of Japanese Mazus. There are other not yet identified volunteers in my yard, too. Once the heat of early summer arrives they all settle down into a sea of green that is easily mowed and looks a little like a lawn. :)

40MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 21, 2021, 4:15 pm

I finished Ancient Israel (the former prophets). I really enjoy Alter's notes. But even with them, there are parts of I & II Kings that really drag.

41MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: apr 22, 2021, 7:05 am

Address Unknown

Wow! Just wow. I think this is the best fiction I have read about Nazi Germany. And it was written in 1938. This is short, about 40 pages.

The ending is quite shocking.

I read it through OverDrive.

42MarthaJeanne
apr 24, 2021, 7:33 am

Riding the iron rooster isn't a bad book, but I have too many more interesting books to read.

43MarthaJeanne
apr 24, 2021, 5:03 pm

>36 MarthaJeanne: First round of border done.

44MarthaJeanne
apr 24, 2021, 6:56 pm

Fatum (Harper) Reading this now, along with The Pandemic Century (which I'm still working on) makes me very thoughtful. Covid is actually a very mild pandemic. It is not leaving our cities with half the population dead. Both these books emphasize the interplay of climate change/ecological disruption with the outbreak of disease. Both were written before Covid.

45MarthaJeanne
apr 25, 2021, 6:20 am

Quote from No offense:

"You are more Harry Potter than Proust— not precisely difficult to read."

46MarthaJeanne
apr 27, 2021, 3:35 am

Update on the hat. (>27 MarthaJeanne:) I suddenly realized the the yarn I meant for the brim was also suri alpaca, and therefore not really suited. I have since found some hand dyed Falkland wool that should work. Of course, it hasn't been spun yet... It's nice to spin though, so it's just the time and doing it.

47MarthaJeanne
apr 27, 2021, 6:02 pm

I finished Clover Cottage, but I'm not sure why I bothered.

48MarthaJeanne
apr 28, 2021, 4:03 pm

I knew back when the hardcover came out that I wanted to read The Stonemason, Ziminski, but I waited more or less patiently for the paperback to come out. Now I'm not so sure I should have waited. This is really good stuff - the author is a stone mason who has worked on all these buildings, not just an academic or reporter writing about it.

49MarthaJeanne
apr 29, 2021, 10:17 am

It was just before our current lockdown, I had just read To Say Nothing of the Dog so when I saw a book called Not forgetting the whale I bought it. It turns out that this is a book about a much more serious pandemic than Covid. This has a lot of unrealistic aspects to it, not least how quickly the worst is over. But it does point out that neither economics nor fear and terror have the last word. 4 1/2 stars.

50MarthaJeanne
apr 30, 2021, 5:55 pm

I gave Safran - das rote Gold a very poor review. I still think that I might try to grow some.

51MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 1, 2021, 4:32 pm

>48 MarthaJeanne: Finished The stonemason : a history of building Britain I'm sure part of my delight in reading this book came from recognizing many of the places he mentions. Part is just the joy of watching someone do his craft competently. He knows his stuff, not just in his head, but in his fingers.

I'm not sure why I borrowed Wer geradeaus fährt, muss betrunken sein. Probably just wanting to have as many books as possible before lockdown. Well, the library is open again next week, so I can let this one go. Would you buy an old van that had been parked in Kyrgyzstan for a few years in order to drive around the area and back to Austria? Neither would I.

52MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 2, 2021, 2:41 pm

Finished Feminist City. It's one of those books that doesn't so much give you new information, but rather new ways of expressing things you knew but didn't know how to talk about.

44 Scotland Street isn't really a novel, but a continuing set of stories about the people at 44 Scotland Street, Edinburgh. Good reading. This was first published as daily columns in a newspaper.

53MarthaJeanne
mei 5, 2021, 1:59 pm

The seahorse is done except for going through and cutting off loose ends.

542wonderY
mei 5, 2021, 2:26 pm

Have you ever before made such a large piece creating the fabric as you go?
I’m exhausted just reading your reports.

55MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 5, 2021, 2:40 pm

No, I guess this is the biggest. Certainly the biggest using self spun wool.

BTW, I made a small name label for my mother's walker. It took the mails over three weeks to get it to her. We are both very relieved that it finally got there. She sounded thrilled with it, plus it should make it easier for her care home people to keep track of it for her. (No general picture because it has her name on it.)

This afternoon I lay in bed crocheting the border listening to a long BBC radio series I was interested in.

I like spinning, but it does eat a lot of time.

56MarthaJeanne
mei 5, 2021, 3:06 pm

I'll be picking up a new loom tomorrow or Friday. Now I need to get the piece on my old loom finished. All the pieces should work with the new loom. Actually, a lot of them are Ashford already.

57fuzzi
mei 5, 2021, 3:27 pm

58MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 6, 2021, 9:56 am

The woman at the store was happy to see my sea horse, and was quite complementary. Good thing. It was a bad trip. I couldn't get into the library, as the elevator wasn't running. The short trip to the store was complicated by building sites and one ways and no left turn allowed. No parking, of course, so Jerry had to drive in convoluted circles the whole time I was in there. Besides the loom, I bought a sampler of colours of merino/silk and merino/alpaca yarns. The library assures me, in answer to my email that the elevator is now running.

I have started reading The subversive Gospel It has become obvious that this can only work if I read each book of the New Testament along with his commentary. He offers three reading orders: Canonical, Chronological (which can only be sort of accurate), or 'Didactic'. I have decided to go with the later, and have read John 3 and John 2 today. If I read 1 or 2 books/chapters a day I should get through this in May, and that's probably as fast as I should take it. If nothing else, it is a different take on things. So far I am using my NIV interlinear, but I probably ought to pull down another translation or two as well.

592wonderY
mei 6, 2021, 10:43 am

>58 MarthaJeanne: That sounds good. I may see if the Ohio system has a copy.

60MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 6, 2021, 11:04 am

In the preface he gives a good reading on where he is on the theological spectrum. I liked that he greatly praised N T Wright, although not always agreeing with him. The preface is available in Amazon's look inside, so I suggest reading that through.

The other thing is that he is big on context and not just reading snippets.

The contrast between his serious consideration of various viewpoints across the spectrum is in such contrast to a book I threw out recently (https://www.librarything.com/topic/328998#7498780) where the author just cut down all opinions but his own, although he had obviously at most read articles about them, and didn't understand their work at all. Well, it just felt good.

61MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 7, 2021, 1:59 pm

I was downtown again today. I took a break at the Schottenstift shop, and saw a book on the sale table called Unser Vater, Daddy Darling. Well, I only know one person who talks about Abba means Daddy Darling. I was delighted, but not surprised to see that the first author listed was Father Cyril, who used to come stay with his sister in Vienna for a few months every Spring. Part of me wants to say what a holy person he is, but that would give you the wrong idea. He's also scarily intelligent and well educated, as you would expect of a Jesuit. He's also a really human person.

Another of his frequent sayings is, 'Come, Holy

-------
Sorry, got called to supper.
-------

Spirit. While we would prefer that you come gently, like a dove, If that doesn't get our attention, come however you need to.' The words aren't right, but the idea is.

622wonderY
Bewerkt: mei 7, 2021, 2:05 pm

I like that saying/prayer!

Hmmm. I can think of several people who may have the Holy Spirit trying to get their attention in the manner of a Foo Bird, rather than a dove.

63MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 8, 2021, 3:02 am

While I'm at it: that was the fourth book I bought today.
Knödellust A dumpling cookbook

Die Strassen von Rom "The streets of (ancient) Rome" I see that I have given a very poor rating to another book by this author.

Prügelbrot statt Geisterspuk Anecdotes in German and English from a big monastery near Vienna. English title is 'Who you gonna call? Bread busters'

All four weren't in LT before. I'll try to get the touchstones to work in a few days. No, I spelled the first one wrong.

64fuzzi
mei 7, 2021, 9:14 pm

>62 2wonderY: or a "smack upside the head"?? 😁

65MarthaJeanne
mei 8, 2021, 12:55 pm

Anno 1613 Von Tirol nach Rom This is based on the diary of a pilgrim. But very loosely, and ends up being a list of buildings on the way and whether or not they were there then and still there now. Perhaps the part about Rome is better, but I've had enough at the statutory 50 pages.

66MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 10, 2021, 9:02 am

>58 MarthaJeanne: Of course, the lift at the library wasn't running again today. Since I could get into their wifi, I tried sending an email. A non-wheeled library visitor also agreed to take the escalator and say that I needed help. By the time someone came down, he had to ask who had sent the email, as a mother with a pram and a few small children had arrived, and another walker. Anyway we got in, by the private elevator, but it wasn't really a satisfactory visit.

Still I have 8 more library books, and the huge bag is out of the car.

I saw one of the books I bought on Friday on the new books table. I really hope it's worth what I paid for it.

Trying to enter the library books when the neighbour turned on loud music. I went out to mulch the tomato plants while banging on the raised beds and the fence with a metal tool. The noise stopped.

Temps are in the mid 20s today. Much too warm to close windows.

67MarthaJeanne
mei 10, 2021, 4:57 pm

>60 MarthaJeanne: I really only have one big problem with The Subversive Gospel, and I suppose I only have myself to blame. My Bibles and the book are all printed in the canonical order. but I'm following the didactic order, and am happy with that from the sense that it does seem to have reason behind it. The trouble is finding each book.

Way back a long time ago, in sixth grade, I was at boarding school. My house mother thought that we should all know the books of the Bible in order. She was not above bribes, in the form of chocolate bars. There was a big pile of them, and each girl who recited the whole list got to choose one. To the best of my knowledge, by the end of the semester only one girl had not claimed her chocolate. By now I know more or less where most of the books are, but not all of them. This would be so much easier if I had actually bothered memorizing the list back then.

682wonderY
mei 10, 2021, 7:06 pm

>67 MarthaJeanne: Ha! She was right!

69MarthaJeanne
mei 11, 2021, 3:51 am

The Foundling was very good until the last ten pages, which were totally unbelievable.

70MarthaJeanne
mei 11, 2021, 4:09 pm

Krone der Welt does not appeal. Ein Mann namens Ove looks much better.

712wonderY
mei 11, 2021, 5:30 pm

Ove is a remarkable character and story.

72MarthaJeanne
mei 13, 2021, 6:51 am

>71 2wonderY: Years ago I was faced with a very poor hospital clown. I didn't even think of hitting him. Does this mean that I am a 'better' person than Ove, or just don't think as fast as he did?

73MarthaJeanne
mei 15, 2021, 2:28 pm

>72 MarthaJeanne: Finished. Yes! I was really afraid of the ending, but the ending was right, and fit to the book.

74MarthaJeanne
mei 16, 2021, 3:07 am

The Indian textile sourcebook

https://www.librarything.com/topic/328153#7453964 I was right. this is one to own and treasure. Besides I'm better at technical descriptions of textiles in English. 4 1/2 stars (at least).

75MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 16, 2021, 9:04 am

So you want to talk about race

Good day today. Finished two 4 1/2 star books.

I'm lying out on my new couch. I did bring an extra pillow out so that my head is on cotton. Jerry decided that he wanted to put the pavilion up to get me out of the sun. Even though I insisted that I didn't want to get up. Well, it's up now which is good, but do you think that he could do it alone?

We also cut the roses back a bit so they aren't growing into the pavilion, or into our head room. Both need a lot of suckers from the root stock cut back. I think I'm going to take mine out altogether. The root stock is able to grow strongly, but not the bit above the graft, very few flowers, and not even that much greenery. I will need something to replace it growing about 2 m up the shed post. It can wrap itself around or be tied up to an existing frame.

It's nice lying out here listening to the birds. But they are not comfortable feeding with me here.

76MarthaJeanne
mei 16, 2021, 10:10 am

I filled the feeders and lay down again. At least the sparrows have decided that they are more hungry than afraid of me.

772wonderY
mei 16, 2021, 10:29 am

Sounds idyllic.

78MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 16, 2021, 11:09 am

Yes, until I realized that the silly bushes that blossom from Christmas to Easter are now setting fruit making then very top heavy, and I hadn't cut them back in years. They are very loud those first warm days of Spring when they are the only source of nectar and pollen around. I love watching all the different sizes of bees. Jerry says they are Viburnum. Anyway I cut several of the stems down, and they look much better, but I won't be doing any weeding tomorrow. The bin is full.

79MarthaJeanne
mei 16, 2021, 3:27 pm

>75 MarthaJeanne: and tried to start one that got a rating of 1/2 and an immediate discard. How to be a Woman. Most people seemed to like it. Maybe something is wrong with me.

80MarthaJeanne
mei 17, 2021, 11:28 am

I borrowed Fächergemüse aus dem Ofen from the library. The book itself did not impress me, but before we got home I had bought the extra ingredients to fill the small eggplants I already had with tomatoes, bacon, mozzarella, and basil. So that will be supper.

81MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 18, 2021, 2:11 am

The book that matters most goes back and forth between Ava's depressing life that she is trying to improve by joining a book club and her daughter Maggie in Paris on drugs and being 'kept' by a much older man. Neither story appeals. Not finishing. Not entering.

82MarthaJeanne
mei 18, 2021, 8:05 am

Der Stoff, aus dem die Mythen sind tries to investigate the extent to which fossils have helped shape our myths. There basically isn't enough evidence for causality, but fossils have been related to myths and probably helped form them.

83MarthaJeanne
mei 19, 2021, 9:29 am

Eisvogel ganz nah I would still very much like to see a kingfisher. Several times now Jerry has seen one shortly after I have had to turn back. This is a nice book, but not the same as really seeing one myself.

84MarthaJeanne
mei 19, 2021, 12:02 pm

Did husband's shopping. We were able to replace his jeans and jogging trousers almost painlessly.

852wonderY
mei 19, 2021, 12:23 pm

Is it true that men’s clothing sizes are reliable? That’s what I’ve found buying trousers secondhand; while women’s clothing is all over the place. I recently saw a photo of women’s jeans, various brands, that claimed to be the same size. Ha!

86MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 19, 2021, 12:36 pm

Well, he certainly thinks so, and did not try on the jeans. On the other hand he did try on the jogging trousers (available in S, L, XL, and XXL) and the L fit. Seems strange, on the other hand my youngest son was impossible to fit, as he was tall and skinny. If the legs were long enough, the whole thing landed at his ankles. I kept offering to add embroidered cuffs to them, but he said no.

As you say, women's clothes have fantasy numbers on them. I don't understand how people shop online.

872wonderY
mei 19, 2021, 8:09 pm

>73 MarthaJeanne: I can recommend the film. Extremely well done and nicely cast.

88MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 20, 2021, 3:11 pm

>27 MarthaJeanne: >46 MarthaJeanne: Hat update. Yesterday I plied a 27g skein of the wool I finally settled on for the brim. Today I finished the crochet lace, and am now knitting the brim. Things take so much longer when you have to spin the yarn first.

89MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 20, 2021, 3:20 pm

I am feeling very frustrated. The bookstores here are carrying the German edition of H is for hawk's author's new book. The English paperback doesn't come out until August.
Vesper Flights

I will even admit that the chances are very good that I would buy the hardback if I saw it. But I won't order it. I don't think.

902wonderY
mei 20, 2021, 3:48 pm

>88 MarthaJeanne: Love those woodsy colors.

91MarthaJeanne
mei 20, 2021, 4:17 pm

Shall we gather at the river

No! This was weird to begin with, kept getting weirder, and the end was the weirdest of all.

92MarthaJeanne
mei 21, 2021, 1:03 am

>88 MarthaJeanne: However the hat is supposed to get a crocheted flower. There are two problems.

1) No more of the alpaca yarn. I needed all I had.

2) I have returned the book to the library and not yet ordered a copy for my own. The library catalogue is saying that it is no longer available.

93MarthaJeanne
mei 21, 2021, 1:56 pm

Just had to check the library again, and I still had that page open. Book is available again. I have reserved it.

94MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 22, 2021, 3:27 am

I so love Jonas Jonasson's books. Sweet Sweet Revenge Ltd. is his latest. The plot is totally ridiculous, but so much fun!

95MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 22, 2021, 4:16 pm

I'm very excited that I am binding off my hat. I could wear it today! (The binding off isn't fun, but little by little it is happening.) It will get a dark pink flower sometime. First I have to pick up the book at the library. Then I have to have (guess!) spun enough of the dark pink merino/alpaca yarn to make the flower. If I attach it with a safety pin I could even have different flowers.

Hat finished except for flower.

96MarthaJeanne
mei 22, 2021, 4:15 pm

Schwere Zeiten is part of a series printing autobiographical writings of 'little people' in Austria. All the books in this series are historically interesting, but not all of them are as fascinating to read as this one. Marie Toth grew up during WWI, and raised a child during WWII. She tells of the difficulties of surviving without long complaints. It's just how things were. She and her family not only survived, they (mostly she) built a house and each generation moved up the social ladder. But it was hard work. I don't think I could have done it.

97MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 23, 2021, 6:08 am

Had to add more books to currently reading. I had only books about theology in my nonfiction choices, both German and English. No objection to the books themselves*, but I need some variety.

*Actually discarded Kirchen, Klöster, Pilgerwege this morning, but that's a different matter.

In the process I came across A Fine Fleece and looked through it again. I had read it from the library and then bought it ten years ago, and it was buried in a hidden pile of books. I updated the review.

I see I also need to change the bed. The sheet is shredding under me.

98MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 23, 2021, 4:43 pm

A Jud und keck a no Yes, I enjoyed this. My thoughts on Arik Brauer are at https://www.librarything.com/topic/328153#7399165 on the occasion of his death earlier this year.

This particular book was humour. Short, funny stories. Generally a bit too long and complicated to really be jokes, but still quite short.

The last story tells of his attempts to get into heaven by one of the seven gates, each responsible for a different religion. He finally gets in the artist's gate.

99fuzzi
mei 23, 2021, 6:34 pm

>88 MarthaJeanne: I agree with Ruth, lovely colors!

100MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 24, 2021, 3:49 pm

God's philosophers This is a very good, readable history of medieval science. I noticed that it went to a lot of trouble to explain all relevant Christian theology that came up, never assuming that the reader would know even the basics.

101MarthaJeanne
mei 25, 2021, 10:20 am

Victorian miniature fashions If I did want to make 1:12 Victorian Dolls, I have the patterns and directions. Since I don't, this was just fun to read.

102MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 25, 2021, 12:28 pm

The Affair If you are going to kill off one of your characters and have a major who-done-it in the middle of a book that's basically of a different genre, that's your business, but at least mention it on the back.

This is the story of the making of Cleopatra told from the point of view of a British historian who is hired to help with details. Her marriage is in trouble, and the transformation of her husband is not very believable. He is abusive in a non-violent way. Until he comes and saves the day.

I finished it, but did not enjoy it. Two stars. (And now I can start Danielle Steel's novel with the same title. It's in my ebook list, but two books with the same title is confusing.)

103MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 26, 2021, 3:33 am

Women and other monsters was not what I expected, and I have read about a quarter of it, which is already too much. It's basically Zimmerman's story of her experience of misogyny. I know I dealt with a lot of sexism growing up, but If there was even a fraction of the current level of misogyny, I was able to remain unaware of it. I've put in a very brief member's description, as there are no reviews or descriptions, and the tags express what I thought I was getting.

104MarthaJeanne
mei 26, 2021, 8:54 am

I recently realized that the DVD of Sense and Sensibility in the collected box I have is not the one I thought it was, and I didn't like it anyway near as much. However I hadn't read the book for a long time, and thought I ought to check how closely the two stick to the book. Well, it is very clear that many of my favourite scenes were not written by Austen. Neither filming is at all close, and it would be difficult to keep to the book. She didn't write for the screen.

105MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 27, 2021, 6:42 pm

>95 MarthaJeanne: Have book. Turns out flower needs loooooots of yarn. Plus pattern has some mistakes in it. Will spin more tomorrow. I think I know how the final row goes if I had the yarn. Words do not match diagram, refer to a missing illustration, and number of repeats does not make sense. Finer edge

1062wonderY
mei 27, 2021, 5:10 pm

>105 MarthaJeanne: How obnoxious

107MarthaJeanne
mei 27, 2021, 6:17 pm

>104 MarthaJeanne: Finished the book of Sense and Sensibility. Now I need to watch both DVD's to see how they compare with the original.

108MarthaJeanne
mei 28, 2021, 3:46 am

>105 MarthaJeanne: The publisher's website has several errata, but not for this. I may rethink buying a copy of my own.

109MarthaJeanne
mei 28, 2021, 11:24 am

Finished the second Affair (Steel). This is one of Steel's 'look how hard life is when you are rich and famous' books. The ending is awful. 2 1/2 stars.

110fuzzi
mei 28, 2021, 3:47 pm

>107 MarthaJeanne: which DVDs? The one I saw was with Alan Rickman. He gave a superb performance.

111MarthaJeanne
mei 28, 2021, 4:00 pm

112fuzzi
mei 28, 2021, 4:03 pm

>111 MarthaJeanne: the Lee one is the movie version I've watched.

113MarthaJeanne
mei 28, 2021, 4:20 pm

It's good, but most of what goes on at Norland is just not Austen.

114MarthaJeanne
mei 30, 2021, 5:54 pm

>105 MarthaJeanne: I plied another small skein of the yarn. Now I need to wash it before going to bed so it's ready to crochet tomorrow.

115MarthaJeanne
mei 31, 2021, 2:27 am

116MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: mei 31, 2021, 5:18 pm

Die Vagina Bibel I think I picked up one new interesting piece of information. This does not include a lot that isn't available elsewhere, however there is a lot of concentrated information, all together and reliable. This is set out more for reference than for reading through.

I read the German translation. The translation is fairly smooth. The text has been edited to make it more useful for German readers.

This also wasn't written for my lifestyle. Doctor's question when patient complains of pain during sex: 'Is this with all your sex partners or only one?'

117MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 1, 2021, 2:47 pm

>58 MarthaJeanne: I finished The subversive Gospel not quite in May.

Reading the NT in a different order was a good experience. I didn't really find that the author's comments helped me much. I am quite irritated that he considers no mention of wives for many of the men mentioned in the NT to be proof that they were unmarried. 'Absence of proof is not proof of absence.'

I also finished The Nonesuch today.

118MarthaJeanne
jun 2, 2021, 10:44 am

Long day. The technicians who were supposed to come this afternoon actually came this morning. Well, actually they were supposed to come yesterday after 14:00, but called at 11:30 to say they would be here at 12, and couldn't come later. So today we had them at 10:00 with 15 minutes warning. However, today it was possible to be here. (Yesterday we weren't home, and had said that in advance.) They found a bad contact in our telephone/internet line out at the street, and more problems with the modem. As we were about to go to a mall with the right company store in it, we have already replaced the modem. Guess what! I've got much better internet.

So after they left we headed off to the mall. His physiotherapy. I tried to do some shopping, but the supermarket was crowded with staff, some restacking the shelves, others collecting things for delivery. Couldn't find several things I wanted so I headed to another store for other items that were out of stock. It was still early, so I dumped the few things I had bought into the car, and went back up. I know! I'll buy a drink at the juice stand. Woman behind the counter was much more interested in something on her phone than in serving a customer. I finally went and sat in the car.

We didn't have to hurry home, so I got a Covid test.There weren't a lot of people getting tested today, so it went fairly quickly, but yuck! it was not pleasant. (Yes, I'm negative.) At least J has done it several times at this drive through centre, which made it easier. Now I can do all sorts of things for 48 hours. We'll probably go birding and eat at a nice fish restaurant tomorrow.

I need to water my fence flowers, but I'm feeling rather exhausted.

119MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 3, 2021, 4:05 pm

I'm not enjoying Good Lord Bird and I'm not going to finish it.

I did enjoy We're going to need more wine and I finished it. It can have 4 1/2 stars. My library doesn't have her movies.

120MarthaJeanne
jun 6, 2021, 6:51 am

Kein Schweigen im Walde Back to not going to finish.

I also didn't finish Ich habe einen Namen. That is probably me. Just requires more emotion than I can give it right now.

121MarthaJeanne
jun 6, 2021, 9:20 am

How to be single got 3 1/2. The whole current dating scene is something I'm glad not to be involved in. See my review and the description of Iceland I put in CK quotations. Tucillo is a very good writer, even if the plot is not my favourite.

1222wonderY
jun 6, 2021, 9:31 am

>121 MarthaJeanne: Nice quote!

123MarthaJeanne
jun 6, 2021, 9:39 am

>122 2wonderY: She put me right back there.

124MarthaJeanne
jun 6, 2021, 4:05 pm

Broken signposts is an interesting commentary on the Gospel of John.

125MarthaJeanne
jun 7, 2021, 2:39 am

Sanctuary : a memoir This got so preachy towards the end that even in the last few pages I had trouble finishing it. I'm guessing that writing it was very good for her.

126MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 8, 2021, 9:49 am

The Balkan trilogy Having gotten to page 85 I am happy to give this 1 star and move on. The more characters we meet, the less I care about any of them and the more bored I am by their life style. I found a review to thumbs up.

127MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 8, 2021, 11:30 am

I borrowed Blütenküche from the library today. I have already ordered a copy from my favourite cookbook store. Yes, I have other flower cookbooks, but this one includes several that I have wild or selfsown in my garden.

1282wonderY
jun 8, 2021, 12:24 pm

129MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 9, 2021, 11:55 am

Jailbird's daughter The cover suggests similarity to Catherine Cookson. Usually such things are greatly exaggerated, but this time it might even be justified.

130MarthaJeanne
jun 9, 2021, 4:25 pm

Pferde fliegen Businessclass These stories are better individually than all together.

131MarthaJeanne
jun 10, 2021, 3:47 pm

>61 MarthaJeanne: Finishing up Unser Vater, Daddy Darling These are prayer poems, alternating between Cyril's in English and an Austria deacon's in German. I guess it's not really surprising that I'm feeling closer to the deacon's prayers, growing out of his family life, than to Cyril's more theological prayers growing out of his work with students of many religions. But both are worth reading and praying.

132MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 12, 2021, 5:25 am

Kochbuch für die kleine alte Frau
In her old age, living alone, the author has found a way of cooking that suits her, and wastes as little as possible. The recipes are imbedded in the memories of a long life of eating well. The 'little old woman' shares her secrets without pushing them. She is known for writing many cookbooks as well as children's books, translations, books about Astrid Lindgren...

133MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 12, 2021, 9:46 am

I'm sitting here reading NT Wright's Paul: a Biography and listening to Händel's Messiah. The urge has been growing from quite early in my recent NT read. I was aware that many of the texts are Old Testament - what I hadn't realized is that they are used as quoted in the New Testament. This is a highlights CD. It's what I found first. I'm quite sure that I also have a full version and two modernized highlights versions. The first piece on this CD is "Comfort ye". That was in the chapter I'm reading of Paul, just a few pages ago. The thing is, I can't read these passages without hearing the Messiah music running in the background.

Note: One of my sons and I got scolded by his music teacher when I sent one of the modernized versions into school with him. It's not that she didn't like it. She was conducting the choir in performing the original the next evening, and some of the updates were earworms.

ETA I have since found A soulful celebration and The young Messiah.

134MarthaJeanne
jun 12, 2021, 12:27 pm

Before we were yours I'm over half way through, and it has gone on long enough. I found a few reviews to like.

135MarthaJeanne
jun 12, 2021, 5:05 pm

Sticken auf Strick: It is very interesting to see how basic embroidery stitches look when worked in wool on a knit background.

136MarthaJeanne
jun 15, 2021, 5:30 pm

The Windsor Knot I gave this three stars, because I did manage to finish it, but I certainly won't read more books in the series.

137MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 17, 2021, 3:21 pm

I went downtown today. Interesting trip. It included watching an accident. Some idiot had parked had bicycle on the corner of a narrow street. It went over the special round bit that is supposed to protect the corner of the building from vehicles that 'miss', and even stuck out a bit past the corner. This is totally illegal on a number of counts. A fiaker (horse drawn carriage for tourists) came along and rounded the corner, but the rear axle caught the back tyre of the bike, bending it. I also heard sssssssssss. The fiaker stopped. He, his guest, two women from the store on the corner and I discussed the matter, all agreeing that the bicyclist was at fault. He left a card on the bicycle and we all went our various ways. I later thought to leave a card at the shop in case it becomes a case, and a witness is needed. I get so fed up with cyclists who leave their bikes so that they block me getting past on the side walk. Again, totally illegal.

OK. Short thereafter I was at my spice and cookbook store. They had a spice mixture and a cookbook reserved for me. (>128 2wonderY: already approved that one.) I also had another spice and two more books on my list. Have you ever heard of Tahitian Vanilla? I've just got to try it! And then I browsed a bit. I thought I was fairly safe looking at the recent cookbooks, mostly translations from English. Like I said, I felt fairly safe. Ooops, two piles of Sweet, one labelled 'English original version'. Not safe.

After I was done, Jerry picked me up and took me to be tested for Covid. Then we drove back downtown to one of our favourite restaurants. (Currently in Austria restaurants are open to those who have been vaccinated, or tested, or are known to have recovered.) We had a nice meal. I had calamari on lemon and mint ricotta, tagliatelle with shrimp and mushrooms, and lemon sorbetto. Of course I was done for afterwards.

On the way back to the car I checked through the display in front of a used book store. I picked up Die Kunst im Christlichen Ägypten (Art in Christian Egypt, 1974) for €5. The book looks really good, and the author seems to be a fascinating woman. This copy has some pink highlighter, but not a lot. I think I got a good deal. The library has her autobiography. I'll have to order it at the library.

The reason I got tested is that tomorrow we want to visit a garden show, and will probably need to eat out again. It would be a shame, though, not to really use the 48 hours, if I went through the procedure.

138MarthaJeanne
jun 19, 2021, 2:59 pm

I'm not going to finish Written in My Own Heart's Blood. I remember some of the characters, but not the details. I read the previous book in this series over 10 years ago. And this book is over 800 large pages long. The basic premise is long since worked out, and long descriptions of the British and American military camps bore me.

139MarthaJeanne
jun 20, 2021, 5:21 am

One night two souls went walking seemed to be a difficult, but meaningful novel about a hospital chaplain, with a few weird moments. Suddenly, about 2/3 in she is flying through the air invisibly with a dog spying on people. No! One star is generous.

140MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 20, 2021, 8:24 am

I'm not really up for starting a lace knit project right now, but Easy Lace Knits (Allis) went a long way towards changing my mind. I'll take it back to the library tomorrow. If I were to run into a lace weight yarn I loved, I might just have to borrow it again.

I've put it in my Amazon basket along with One Line Drawings : einfach gestickte Trenddesigns which I really have to have my own copy of soon.

141fuzzi
jun 20, 2021, 8:30 am

>137 MarthaJeanne: sounds like you had a nice day out, despite idiots.

142MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 20, 2021, 8:36 am

Yes. Not going downtown this week. We are having a heat wave. Not like CA, but well over 30°, and I'm not doing that to myself. Besides, I really have been busy spending money this month. Time to take a break.

143MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 21, 2021, 7:34 am

A very large expanse of sea is a very good YA novel about racism, in this case featuring a teenager of Iranian descent who chooses to wear a hijab.

Unfortunately, both in paper and ebooks, I don't think I would enjoy the other books by this author that my library has.

144MarthaJeanne
jun 21, 2021, 8:57 am

Lavendel-Liebe What a rip off! Almost nothing to do with fresh lavender from the garden. Of course, if you want to do crafts with pictures of lavender, or text in German, English, or Latin... One star seems generous given the subtitle hype: Dekoration, Tricks und Rezepte mit dem Zauberkraut. Kreative Bastel- und Dekoideen mit Lavendel. Vielseitige Projekte mit dem beliebten Kraut. Tolle Geschenkideen und vieles mehr!

145MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 21, 2021, 4:49 pm

NT Wright is one of my favourite authors. His work varies a lot, some of his books are easy to read, others take everything I have to work through. He has written both types about Paul. Paul : A Biography is one of the easier ones. It is not simplistic, though, and I was often excited by the way Wright, by setting Paul firmly in his own time and culture(s), made passages I thought I knew suddenly make much more sense.

I'm really glad I read this soon after rereading the NT. I should probably reread Paul's letters again now.

Highly recommended (4 1/2 stars).

1462wonderY
jun 21, 2021, 7:23 pm

>145 MarthaJeanne: I think I have that on my Mount TBR.

147MarthaJeanne
jun 22, 2021, 1:43 pm

I was not impressed by Bilder des Lebens. Too bad. I would like to have a good icon book.

148MarthaJeanne
jun 22, 2021, 2:46 pm

>140 MarthaJeanne: I did not return One line drawings to the library yet. Instead I am upgrading a linen top with an elephant head.

149MarthaJeanne
jun 24, 2021, 2:24 pm

Got caught up on my ironing this afternoon while (re)watching The King's Speech.

150MarthaJeanne
jun 24, 2021, 5:09 pm

>148 MarthaJeanne: Well, I thought I had finished the elephant, but the dark grey does not show up well against the red. I'll experiment more tomorrow. Close up I like how it looks, but the outline disappears a few meters away.

151MarthaJeanne
jun 24, 2021, 6:04 pm

I will not be reading Flight Behaviour. I can't seem to even read the standard 50 pages.

1522wonderY
jun 24, 2021, 6:33 pm

>151 MarthaJeanne: I think there is a refinement to the 50 page rule, based on your age. Yeah, that may be her weakest novel. Can’t say I enjoyed it either. I stuck with it because her early work was so strong.

153MarthaJeanne
jun 25, 2021, 4:21 am

I gave Poisonwood Bible four stars. Animal, vegetable, miracle : A year of food and life and Prodigal summer each 4 1/2, so I'd try another some time.

I've moved on to Luck of the Titanic and am much happier.

154MarthaJeanne
jun 25, 2021, 7:08 am

Neighbors is one of Danielle Steel's better efforts. As usual, it is full of the difficulties of being rich, but the characters are interesting, and the plot moves. The physical abuse subplot might be a reason to read or avoid this book. It's quite well done, but quite graphic.

155MarthaJeanne
jun 25, 2021, 7:56 am

1562wonderY
jun 25, 2021, 9:48 am

>155 MarthaJeanne:. Very nice design!

157MarthaJeanne
jun 25, 2021, 10:12 am

I'm not really responsible for the design, just for the stitching.

158MarthaJeanne
jun 26, 2021, 7:47 am

Picked up the book this morning.

159MarthaJeanne
jun 26, 2021, 4:56 pm

Luck of the Titanic 4 1/2 stars.

160MarthaJeanne
jun 28, 2021, 6:48 pm

Now is the hour This is the first book of a WWII series, but the last one that I have gotten my hands on. Maybe I'll reread the others.

161MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 29, 2021, 8:20 am

What the Dog Saw Fascinating.

1622wonderY
jun 29, 2021, 8:16 am

>161 MarthaJeanne:. I thought so too. It was such an absorbing audiobook, that I drove past my exit and then my own driveway listening to it.

163Dawakek_740
jun 29, 2021, 8:17 am

Deze gebruiker is verwijderd als spam.

164MarthaJeanne
jun 29, 2021, 8:22 am

I was just at the library, and borrowed Talking to Strangers.

165MarthaJeanne
jun 29, 2021, 10:35 am

Mein großes Buch der Stickmotive mit über 300 Vorlagen is another one I just brought home. I bought some triangular frames recently, and some of the dino motifs might look good in one of them.

166MarthaJeanne
jun 30, 2021, 8:30 am

>165 MarthaJeanne: Picked up a copy of my own today.

167MarthaJeanne
jun 30, 2021, 6:10 pm

Aufregend war es immer is an exception memoir of the important events of the second half of the 20th century in Austria and the world by very talented journalist who was not only there, but often influenced those events. 4 1/2 stars.

168MarthaJeanne
Bewerkt: jun 30, 2021, 6:21 pm

According to my records here, I have read 204 books in the first half of this year. My TBR pile is down to 238.

I'll start a new topic tomorrow.

1692wonderY
jun 30, 2021, 7:07 pm

Larry says I stay busy, but I don’t hold a candle to what you accomplish any given day!