Familyhistorian's 2024 Reading Adventure - Part 1

My name is Meg and this is a thread where I post about my reads and other adventures. I’ve been a member of the 75ers since 2013 and my personal library has grown exponentially ever since. The people around here are enablers and you are hereby warned.

This year I want to concentrate on reading the books that I own and sending them on their way. (I can hope, can’t I?) I’m placing my Little Free Library and the stats of books culled higher in the list to bring it to my attention more often.



Little Free Library

Books culled in 2024

January - 7

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I write about genealogy and history on my blog. Follow my blog posts as I embark on another year of exploring and writing about my ROOTs (the family kind). You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Challenges
Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2024: Prehistoric
April-June 2024:
July-September 2024:
October-December 2024:

Monthly

January: Janus
February: Aquarius & Amethyst
March: Medicine & Epidemics
April: Characters with Disabilities
May: International Labour Day
June:
July: Vive la France
August:
September: Royal to the Bone
October: Adultery
November: Biographies & Memoirs
December: Reader’s Choice

2024 Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prize Winners – prizes off the beaten track
February: Women’s Work
March: Forensic Sciences
April: Globalization
May: Wild Wild West
June: Middle Europe
July: Insect World
August: Being Jewish
September: Essays
October: Music, more music
November: Too Small to See
December: As You Like it or Political Biography

The War Room Challenge

January: Ancient Wars: Greeks, Romans, Persians, Sparta & The Trojans, Egypt, Carthage, Alexander

List of books for challenges

RTT

January - March quarter: Prehistoric - Before Scotland

January: Janus - The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prize Winners – prizes off the beaten track - The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature by Matt Ridley - A New York Times Notable Book and short listed for the 1994 Rhone-Poulenc Prize for Science Books

Books read in on my last thread for 2023



Books read in 2024

Books acquired in 2023



December 2023 acquisitions

The 500 Years of Indigenous Resistance Comic Book by Gord Hill
Rabbit Hole by Mark Billingham
Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs
The Gentleman's Gambit by Evie Dunmore
The Roaring Days of Zora Lily by Noelle Salazar
A Heart Full of Headstones by Ian Rankin
What July Knew by Emily Koch
Get It Together with Sarah's Scribbles by Sarah Andersen
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Falling Leaves by Adeline Yen Mah
A Romantic Education by Patricia Hampl
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Books read in November/December 2023

1. The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
2. Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon
3. Portraits in Fiction by A.S. Byatt
4. A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Kluz Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them by Timothy Egan
5. Obsession in Death by J.D. Robb
6. I Know Who You Are: How an Amateur DNA Sleuth Unmasked the Golden State Killer and Changed Crime Fighting Forever by Barbara Rae-Venter
7. The Weaponization of Loneliness: How Tyrants Stoke Our Fear of Isolation to Silence, Divide, and Conquer by Stella Morabito
8. A Most Agreeable Murder by Julia Seales
9. Bloody January by Alan Parks
10. Indigenous Peoples, Ethnic Groups, and the State by David Maybury-Lewis
11. A Lady Compromised by Darcie Wilde
12. Death in a Strange Country by Donna Leon
13. The Whalebone Theatre by Joanna Quinn
14. Geared for the Grave by Duffy Brown
15. The Windeby Puzzle by Lois Lowry
16. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai
17. A Traitor in Whitehall by Julia Kelly
18. Shadowplay by Joseph O’Connor
19. All the Hidden Truths by Claire Askew
20. The Benevolent Society of Ill-Mannered Ladies by Alison Goodman
21. Your Future Self: How to Make Tomorrow Better Today by Hal Hershfield
22. Junie by Chelene Knight
23. Disco for the Departed by Colin Cotterill
24. Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb
25. Foreign Bodies: Pandemics, Vaccines, and the Health of Nations by Simon Schama
26. Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry
27. The Princess in Black by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale
28. The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy by Anne Ursu

Can't believe that I am the first through the door, Meg!

I look forward to another year of admiring your prodigious reading and constant warmth.

Happy new year, Meg!

Merry 2024's reads, Meg!

Happy New Year Reading!

Ooh visitors!

>11 PaulCranswick: Good to see you sneak in first, Paul. Here’s to a year of good reads and happy adventures.

>12 bell7: Thanks Mary and Happy New Year!

>13 richardderus: Hi Richard, wishing you good health and good reads in 2024!

>14 Kristelh: Thanks Kristel. Nice to see you here.

Welcome back, Meg!

Look at all the people who beat me to the door! Best wishes Meg for awesome reading in 2024!

>17 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>18 mdoris: Hi Mary, good to have you along!

Happy New Thread and New Year, Meg! I love your cute topper! Many good reads in the year ahead!

>21 vancouverdeb: Thanks re the topper, Deborah. The lights at Lafarge Lake have an Alice in Wonderland theme this year which is where I took that picture. I hope you have a Happy New Year!

I've placed my star, Meg, and I am sending you wishes for a very Happy New Year!

Happy new one, Meg.

I think you made a teeny typo up in >5 Familyhistorian:. I think you meant *2024* Non-Fiction Challenge, not 2023...;-) I'm sure we will all be writing 2023 for awhile...

>23 DeltaQueen50: Wonderful to see you here, Judy. I hope your New Years is a happy one!

>24 jessibud2: Thanks Shelley. I was getting confused because I truly did want some of the titles in my posts to be for the last month of 2023.

I had to go out and buy a new smoke detector yesterday. The recommendation is to replace them every 10 years and since the one I took down was labelled 2005 which I think was the best until date, it had done pretty well. But 10 years from now, that's 2033 or '34 really, which just boggles the mind!

Hope you have a great year of reading! See you soon at the book club meeting. My chapter a day was ambitious with everything going on at my brother's house. Hopefully I'll catch up this week.

>27 thornton37814: Sounds like you had a great time with family, Lori. Hope you have/had a Happy New Year celebration. I just cracked the covers today and it seems like an easy read so you should be able to catch up.

I sincerely wish you health, happiness, contentment and many exciting books.

Happy new year, Meg!

Any travel plans for 2024?

Hi Meg! Happy New Year, happy first thread of 2024.

>4 Familyhistorian: I’m going to have to come back to your blog when I have more time, but I always love your posts.

Happy New Year, Meg. I hope 2024 is good to you.

And Happy New Year!

>29 Ameise1: Thanks Barbara. I hope your 2024 brings you lots of interesting books too especially as it looks like you'll have more time for reading!

>30 katiekrug: Hi Katie, I hope your New Years was a happy one!

Travel? But of course! So far my plans are tentative but I have signed up for a genealogy conference in Toronto in June so there will probably be side trips planned around that one. I'm also eyeing another similar conference in September but that one's in Ireland.

Happy New Year, Meg. Have a safe and healthy 2024.

>31 karenmarie: Hi Karen, thanks re the New Year and the blog. If you have ancestors who fought in the War of Independence, there should be some information of interest to your own genealogy in my recent posts. Yes, my guys were patriots - much to my initial surprise!

Hi Meg and Happy New Year! I wish for you many wonderful reads and other adventures to suit your taste. :-)

>32 BLBera: Hi Beth, I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that 2024 is looking good for you.

>33 Berly: Kim, nice to see you out and making the rounds. I hope you have more time for LT and reading in 2024.

>36 msf59: Hi Mark, I hope your year is shaping up well. I saw your reading plans for the beginning of the year. Looks like you've got that part covered!

>38 EBT1002: Ellen, nice to see you here. How does it feel to be a lady of leisure - you did retire already, didn't you?

Hi Meg!

Wishing you a great one!

>43 quondame: Thanks Susan, I hope your New Year is a good one!

1. The Patriarchs: The Origins of Inequality by Angela Saini



The author delved into history to find the origins of the patriarchal societies prevalent at the current time. It was concluded that patriarchy dominated the way that current societies were set up although she also gave examples of matriarchal societies and ones where people were treated equally. The Patriarchs: The Origins of Inequality was a comprehensive and interesting review of societal organization that served as a reminder that just because it is what we are used to doesn’t mean that our bias should apply when we examine historical societies. It also begged the question as to whether patriarchy serves the needs of its citizens well.

>34 Familyhistorian: 😂😂 more time to read when I'm retired. I can hardly imagine that. People here say that retired people have less time when they were still working. We'll see what time brings.

Happy reading in 2024, Meg!

>45 Familyhistorian: An interesting premise. I think the topic needs lots and lots of study and theorizing. The issue you raise at the end, if in fact this system is and/or will serve its members well, is the one I'd be more interested in reading about than an historical investigation.

Then again I expect the answer to be "no" and would look with great suspicion on anything saying "yes" so I am already convinced.

Enjoy the next reads even more, Meg!

>46 Ameise1: Hi Barbara, you will be amazed at how fast your time fills up once you retire.

>47 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, I hope to follow your thread more faithfully in 2024.

>48 richardderus: The answer might depend on where you sit among the citizenry, Richard. From my own POV it's not doing that good but would another system work better especially given the years of conditioning we've all been through.

My next reads were more entertaining. They were fiction.

2. A Lady's Guide to Scandal by Sophie Irwin



When Lady Somerset became a widow at the age of 27, her overbearing mother once again tried to take over her life. Only Eliza had been under the thumb of her much older husband for too long and, in a fit of anger, he’d left her land and income. It was enough for to escape to Bath with Margaret, her companion and relative. It was there that she met the scandalous Lord Melville and his sister. It was also there that the younger Lord Somerset with whom she had once had an understanding renewed his suit. Wasn’t it what she had always dreamed of?

A Lady’s Guide to Scandal was a fun read that played upon customs and expectations of the Regency period.

Happy New Year, Meg!

>45 Familyhistorian: That one sounds interesting Meg! How do you like the rainy day?

>52 Familyhistorian: I like that one!

>42 Familyhistorian: My last day in the office was December 21 but since these past couple of weeks have been the holidays, I feel like today was really my first day of retirement freedom. It was the first day I didn't go to the office on which I would have otherwise. So far, so good!

A rainy day indeed! And quite a few in our future. I didn't venture out today, but there are plenty more in our future. Apparently we may get snow on Monday . What puzzle are you working on, Meg?

>53 Carmenere: Hi Lynda, I hope your New Year celebration was a good one.

>54 mdoris: Hi Mary, I looked at my weather app before I left the house so the drops falling on my head came as a surprise, but of course I had an umbrella with me. The Patriachs was indeed interesting.

>55 quondame: It was the second book by Sophie Irwin and very good. Did you read her first one, A Lady's Guide to Fortune-Hunting, Susan?

>57 vancouverdeb: I heard about the possible snow on Monday, Deborah. Not looking forward to that but I don't have to drive over any bridges and the weather person did say flurries. So there is that.

The puzzle I'm working on is a Ravensberger called "The Music Room" so lots of furniture and musical instruments and I've seen a few cat like pieces too.

>60 Familyhistorian: Yes, I did. Though I'm not sure if I was aware they were by the same author. I liked Scandal better because the characters were a bit more interesting and the pacing better.

Hi Meg

I send all good wishes for a wonderful 2024 filled with lots of time to read many great books.

Happy New Year! Happy New Thread!

I am looking forward to getting hit by a ton of BBs from you :)

>62 quondame: Yes, it's not often that the second book is better but I think she is growing as an author.

>63 Whisper1: Hi Linda, thanks for the new year wishes. I hope for the same for you including a wish for times and less pain.

>64 alcottacre: Thanks Stasia, the feeling about BBs is mutual!

3. All the Sinners Bleed by S.S. Cosby



Titus Crown, the first black sheriff in Charon County, Virginia, had his hands full keeping those that lauded the Confederacy and the church going factions that represented the other side from parading through town at the same time but things were about to get exponentially worse. A teacher was shot at the local high school and the shooter, a young black man, was in turn shot by Titus’ deputies. Turns out the beloved teacher was not all that he seemed as bodies of boys and girls were uncovered which made the sheriff rethink the school shooting and start the hunt for someone who was hunting people in Charon County. All the Sinners Bleed was a page turner and a gripping thriller.

>68 Familyhistorian: - I read that one last year and thought it was very well done. I'll definitely read more by Cosby.

>69 katiekrug: I know I picked up the BB from somewhere on LT but I don't take notes where I get hit, Katie. The strikes come from all over and this definitely could have come from your thread. Cosby really built up the tension in that one well and it's well worth a look at more of what he has written.

Happy New Year, Meg!

>71 ronincats: Thanks, Roni. I hope your 2024 is a good one.

>68 Familyhistorian: All the Sinners Bleed sounds well worth a read.

Wow, three books already. The book on the patriarchy sounds interesting, and I've been meaning to try Cosby.

>73 SandDune: All the Sinners Bleed is a good one, Rhian. The pace was fast and there was lots going on.

>74 BLBera: Hi Beth, that was my first Cosby. After that read I think I'll track down more by him. The book on patriarchy was thought provoking.

4. Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue by Christine Higdon



I had an idea what Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue was about before I opened the book because I knew what those cures had been used for. An advantage of delving into history, I suppose. The book was indeed about an abortion was carried out back in the day when the practitioner was found by word of mouth, illegal as it was. It was also a story about a family, with four surviving sisters and a mother only able to cope with a laudanum crutch. The sisters were all different, supporting and competing and dealing with the loves in their lives. It was a compelling but sad story about life in Vancouver tainted by the aftermath of the Great War.

Happy new year! It looks like your reading is well under way. I hope it's a good year for you!

A book a day! You'll be at 365 by the end of the year at this rate!

>78 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie, good to see you here. Hope you have a great reading year too!

>79 thornton37814: Hi Lori, I don't think I could keep up with a book a day. The reads I've posted were all started last year and most are library books with people waiting. Might be a little bit of pressure there especially as the library holds keep coming!

Wow! Already onto book number 5 , Meg. I just loved Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue when I read it last year. It was a 5 star read, and I don't have that many 5 star reads. I purchased her other book, and the name escapes me now, something The Very Marrow of Their Bones. Unlike you, I had no idea what the cures were used for, but Richard did. The puzzle you are working on looks great! I looked it up .

>68 Familyhistorian: I have that one on hold at the library. It's paused so I think I'll have access to it during our 3 weeks on Kauai later this month/next month. I'm glad it's a page-turner!

>82 vancouverdeb: I don't read one book at a time, Deborah, but lots of books in tandem. That's why a bunch can be finished at the same time - usually so I can get them back to the library before they are due. I remembered seeing Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue on your thread last year, so wanted to pick it up. It was a bit hard for me to get into because I could tell there would be some not so happy things happening in it. It was good just not what I find to be a page turner.

I finished the puzzle tonight. Will take a pic to share when it is daytime and the light is better.

>83 EBT1002: It's definitely a fast read, Ellen. It didn't want to put it down. It would be a fun read if you have plenty of time to sit and relax. Have a great trip!

So the rain let up here in the afternoon and I took a round about walk to the grocery store around 2:00 pm and would have been under the Skytrain tracks on Johnson Street just before 3:00 pm (there is a reason for this bare with me). I checked because I want to make sure I didn't run into the middle school crowd on the way back from getting my groceries. They don't like to share the sidewalk. So I missed the school crowd when going home but wondered why there was a helicopter circling around the area.

I found out on the 6:00 news. There had been multiple shots reported around Johnson and Glen (I also crossed that street at one point) just before 3:00. Maybe it was a good thing I took a detour on the path around Lafarge Lake before I walked down Johnson.

>86n That sounds worrisome Meg!

Hi Meg.

>86 Familyhistorian: Wow. Awful that shots were fired, glad you weren’t caught up in it.

>87 mdoris: It is worrisome especially as this area has become a bit of a hot spot lately. There was a night time shooting in the parking lot of the TD bank just down the street and also this is the same area where the police officer was killed in one of the condo buildings in a daytime shoot out.

>88 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, I don't think I was close when it happened because I didn't hear anything except the helicopter circling later.

The music room puzzle that I finished

Sorry to hear about the shots being fired in your area, Meg. But I am glad that the weather allowed you to get outside for awhile. Today is quite dark and dreary here and the temps. have definitely dropped. Apparently we are going to experience some winter weather soon.

Oh, Meg, do be careful when you go out and about. I hope the situation in your area improves. We had an arsonist set fire to a building downtown Tuesday. Even though they were not able to enter the building, they were able to keep an eye on exactly what they were doing and prevent it from spreading to other buildings by using drones. They caught the arsonist, and he confessed. They also found several more cans of gasoline nearby where he'd intended to set other buildings afire. It was really sad to lose one of the historic downtown buildings which was in the process of being renovated. The new owners had removed the facade from the front of the building, but since the renovation had not begun, it was not insured yet, so it's a total loss for them. They intended the first floor to be retail and the upper floors to be apartments. The good news is that they say they will continue with their plans although they will mostly be rebuilding now instead of renovating. There was another fire recently to a barn in the area, and locals, of course, are speculating he may have set it too. I guess time will tell. I don't know if he was in the area then or not. He was from Michigan. Allegedly his car had broken down, and he was staying in a motel on the west end of town.

Yes, Meg please be careful!

>91 Familyhistorian: Looks lovely! I did hear about the shooting on the news last night. We had a double murder about 1/4 of a mile from us, but it doesn't worry me as it seems it was targeted. Not a drug thing, the police don't know. It happened a the end of November 2023 . A family of 5, parents and 3 youngish kids. The dad and one of the son's ( the eldest son , aged 13) were home alone, and the father was murdered, and likely the son was killed because he was home and witnessed it. My sister works in a dental office and she said the dad was in a just a couple of days prior to his murder and such a nice, normal man. Apparently the young 5 year old son was in the door when mom and the other two sons arrived home to the horrific scene. Very sad. Go Fund Me raised over $60,000 for the family, so seemingly a well known and well liked family .

Stay safe, Meg.

>86 Familyhistorian: Yikes! I'm glad you are okay.

>92 DeltaQueen50: Yes the weather yesterday was a lot better than today but I went for a walk today any way. The water in the Coquitlam River was rushing by more quickly than usual. I saw the prediction for snow on Monday. The temperature is definitely dropping.

>93 thornton37814: How terrible that there was a fire set in an historic building, Lori. Good that they will continue with a rebuild. How strange that it was a visiting arsonist. People are strange.

>94 mdoris: I am careful, Mary, and always very aware of my surroundings. No telling what I could run into around here although I'm more used to keeping a look out for bears and inattentive drivers.

>95 vancouverdeb: I'm glad you like the puzzle, Deborah. It's hard to see the cat on the piano because of the way the light hit it. I remember seeing the info about that murder in the news. So sad about the 13 year old, the dad too, but the boy was so young.

>96 EBT1002: Thanks, Ellen, but I don't think I was even close as I didn't hear anything.

Hi Meg! I'm returning your visit to my thread to wish you happiness, health and lots of reading adventures in 2024.



Gosh, you're reading up a storm already!

And it's so sad to hear all that bad news from different parts. Be careful out there folks.

Hi Meg.

>99 Familyhistorian: I am careful, Mary, and always very aware of my surroundings. I was always very careful in Southern California, keeping keys out, locking car doors as soon as I got in my car, and while at college and walking home after a night class walking down the middle of the road of the residential street I lived on… I’ve gotten a bit lax here in central NC but have recently taken to locking the car doors when I get in the car again and looking around as I move from car to store/Library, etc. It’s sad that we have to do this, isn’t it? I do not have to worry too much about bears, though. The most recent black bear sighting was perhaps 8 years ago and 5 miles away.

>77 Familyhistorian: I've been hearing good things about this one. It's on my WL.

Do take care, Meg. It's too bad these things are happening so close to where you live.

Too close to home, Meg. Yikes. It happens here too. One of the things I used to do with abandon but no longer do is ride the subway at night. If I can't get somewhere in my own car at night, I just don't go. C'est la vie.

Hi Meg my dear, i have starred you again and will be visiting throughout 2024. A belated Happy New Year dear friend.

>102 humouress: Hi Nina, good to see you here. Good wishes for great reads in 2024!

>103 karenmarie: I used to work afternoon shift at the post office in downtown Vancouver and take public transit many years ago. The shift ended at midnight so I learned early to stay alert to what was happening around me. Wildlife is a bit more unpredictable that humans though. Black bears are still active around here but one wild critter that really gives me pause is the cougar. I cut my walk short the day that I saw a notice about a cougar sighting in the area.

>104 BLBera: Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue was a good one, Beth. It really brought the Vancouver of that era to life.

>105 jessibud2: It is pretty dicey out there, Shelley. It's too bad that it's difficult for women to take the subway at night. I will if I'm with a friend or I'm only going a few stops in my local area.

>106 johnsimpson: Hi John, I hope your New Year celebration was a good one and that 2024 is shaping up to be better for you than 2023.

Hi Meg! I hope 2024 brings many good books!

>112 The_Hibernator: Hi Rachel, thanks! I hope the same is true for you along with time in your busy life to read them.

>45 Familyhistorian: I've added The Patriachs to my list of books tbr this year!

>114 Whisper1: I hope you enjoy it, Linda!

I sent in my 23 and Me DNA thing last Thursday. What a lot of spitting into the tube! It took me 25 minutes. I'll let you know what I find out. I talked to my son William a couple of days ago, and he is willing to try it too. My husband thinks it is a big waste of money, so I am not telling him. But this way I hope to find out more about Dave's background. Both of his parents were born in Poland, but his dad's side is actually German, with his name being Adolph, and his dad Otto, his sister Hedwig - all of which sound German to me. Dave's last name some say is Dutch, others think German. I think German. His family was never much about talking about the background, as both of Dave's parent's came from divorced homes, unusual for so long ago. Dave was really surprised to find out that both of his parents were born in Poland when we needed that info for our marriage license way back when. So it will be interesting to see what we find out.

I wish you a good start to the new week. You've already made a good start to reading. I like the music room puzzle. I'm not much of a puzzler, but it's nice to see what others are doing.

>68 Familyhistorian: My local library has a copy of that one! I will have to check it at out same point.

>77 Familyhistorian: VancouverDeb recommended that one last year and I picked up a copy. I just need to get it read!

>91 Familyhistorian: Lovely!

Stay safe!

5. Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger



You know a book has staying power when it was published in 1998 and there are still holds on it at the library. Iron Lake, the first book in the Cork O’Connor series was such a book. It was a mystery, thriller with Cork, the ex-sheriff, trying to figure out a case he had been alerted to because of a missing boy. Not that it was officially Cork’s case, of course, even after he found the body of a retired judge – was death by suicide the true cause? The story was fast paced and action packed as Cork tried to discover what was going on as well as where he fit in the town and in with estranged wife and family.

>116 vancouverdeb: It is daunting to fill up that tube, isn't it? I haven't tested on 23 and Me but I know it gives ethnicity. It will be interesting to see what you find out, Deborah. There was a lot of movement of boundaries around Germany and Poland and there were also Germans living in Poland which I found out when I read the book Breadcrumbs and Bombs which told about the Germans been forced out of the Sudentenland after WWII.

6. A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Human Story Retold Through Our Genes by Adam Rutherford



A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived was a very readable history of the evolution of humans and what recent discovers have told us. The author didn’t shy away from the more controversial directions in which the discoveries have been taken over time. Included were stories about Darwin and his cousin Galton. Galton is best remembered for his promotion of eugenics, a theory that was adopted by many forward thinkers at the time, but later taken to the nth degree by the Nazis.

It was a thought provoking read that looked at the reality of what genetics can tell us about our past and what it can realistically do for our future.

>117 Ameise1: Hi Barbara, the week is starting off cold and miserable here but the reads are keeping me warm. Some of the puzzle pictures are really eye catching. There seem to be quite a few of us showing them off lately.

7. Things in Jars by Jess Kidd



Birdie searched for an odd child through the depths of Victorian London in Things in Jars. On her quest she was accompanied by a helpful ghost and her 7 foot tall maid. She had need of these allies as the trail led both to her past and to some murky characters in her present day.

>118 alcottacre: The Cosby is a good fast read, Stasia. I'll seek out more by the author. Thanks re the puzzle. I liked the picture. It was very complicated!

>119 Familyhistorian: I've liked the ones I've read in that series. I will probably get to the next one as soon as it is available when I'm looking (or when I put a hold on it and it becomes available).

This morning I attended the monthly Rhymes of Times session at PoCo Heritage. The topic was New Years. It was just me and the person who runs it (the poet, Julie) until our president showed up and the talk moved to more general business. Next week is the follow up Heritage Writers where we write about the same subject but this time the focus will be on one of two potential topics, either intentions for the coming year or how Covid has affected life (for good and bad, I think). I wanted to post this here so I won't forget to think about it - yeah, right! Well, at least my intentions are good.

>119 Familyhistorian: I have the next one in that series on hold, should get to read it on the upcoming Hawaii trip.

You're roaring through the books so far this year, Meg!

Yes off to a galloping start with wonderful books Meg.

>127 EBT1002: It should be a good one to keep you interested while on vacation, Ellen!

>128 mdoris: Hi Mary, a lot of the books were started last year but they were finished in 2024. That's what happens when reading multiple books at the same time. Also the effect from having a whole bunch of library holds come in at the same time!

Hi Meg, I understand! I picked up 13 books on hold on Saturday at the library and I too often have a number of books on the go at once. The pressure!

I did enjoy Things in Jars, Meg. Jess Kidd is great author. Have you got snow today ? I saw some on the news. We just have a LOT of rain so far today.

I'm glad you liked Iron Lake; I think it's one of the weaker books in the series.

>116 vancouverdeb: >120 Familyhistorian: I keep meaning to do a DNA test, but have not got around to it yet. Not so much from the point of view of finding out general ancestry, more to link up with potential relatives on Ancestry, and maybe confirm a few family links. My sister did one, and it came out something like 95% Welsh, so not a lot of variety there!

Hi, Meg. I know I’m late to the party, but I do want to wish you a Happy New Year and drop a star here with the resolution to visit (and post) more often.

Guns are a terrible problem everywhere. Seems like going anywhere these days is taking you’re life in your hands. We had a murder suicide in the next town over last week. Husband killed wife and two young sons, then himself. It’s impossible for me to comprehend how anyone could do that.

You got me with Iron Lake. The history of evolution sounds interesting too. Both are going on my wishlist.

Hi, Meg. I remember also enjoying Iron Lake. Sadly, I don't think I ever continued the series.

Wow, Meg, you are off and running! Seven books and 136 posts here. I feel like a slacker, although we did drive 24 hours in nasty weather to spend a couple of days with our son and family in Denver which slowed me down.

I enjoy the Cork O'Connor series by William Kent Krueger. They aren't great literature but the outdoors features prominently in the plots which I enjoy. He has a few stand-alone books that are also pretty decent. His latest ended up on my Favorites list for last year.

I've got you starred and look forward to some visits over here throughout the year.
Keep up the good work!

>131 mdoris: The most pressure is when you get those holds home and realize that other people have holds on them too. Good luck reading your 13, Mary!

>132 vancouverdeb: I saw just a few flakes mixed in with the rain yesterday, Deborah. When they talk about snow in Coquitlam it's usually up on Westwood Plateau.

>133 BLBera: That sounds good, Beth. Seems I have a lot to look forward to as I continue the series.

>134 SandDune: Hi Rhian, if you're going to do an Ancestry test it's best to wait until the kit is on sale. They usually go on sale around Christmas and other special occasions like Father's and Mother's day. They might do one for RootsTech too which is the end of February, beginning of March. Has your sister found any relatives?

>135 Storeetllr: Hi Mary, gun violence around here is usually gang related. Terrible about the family murder/suicide. I just don't understand how anyone can do that.

Good to see that I got you with some BBs!

>136 msf59: I enjoyed Iron Lake and already have the next one on hold at the library only I'm the fourth hold on 1 copy for a book that was published in 1999. Maybe you should check back into the series, Mark.

>137 Donna828: Hi Donna, no need to feel like a slacker. Visiting family comes first. Was the family you were visiting the ones that had to bow out of the Christmas gathering?

The Cork O'Connor was a good one and I already have the next on hold at the library.

>141 Familyhistorian: She hasn’t found any relatives, for the reason that she hasn’t got a family tree on Ancestry or any other website. That’s why I ought to do one as well, as I do have the tree.

Things in Jars is just SUCH a great title - i have ot get my hands on the book.

I'll keep you posted.

Never thought about doing a DNA test. My Mother's family i can trace back to Revolutionary War days and the Scotch-Irish of Connecticut. (One of my ancestors pops up in one of Rick Atkinson's books about American history).
My father's family came over on the boat from Austria-Hungary and who knows what before then. One of these days.

We're a mongrel nation.

>123 Familyhistorian: Hmmm. I tried this one a while back but put it back on my shelf. Perhaps I will revisit it and try again.

>145 SandDune: That is a common problem on Ancestry, people without trees. It's frustrating when they are a match but common because some people just look at their ethnicity and that's good enough for them. If you do the DNA test and have a tree then you will be able to use Ancestry's hint tool, ThruLines which can be helpful but, as it is based on other's trees, depends on their accuracy.

>146 magicians_nephew: Hi Jim, I hope you enjoy Things in Jars once you find a copy.

DNA adds another layer to building out a family tree and its one I am exploring now. Interesting about the Revolutionary War connection in Connecticut. Some of my family connections from the same conflict come from there as well but the name Woodworth most likely comes from England. It was a surprise to find that I had relatives who fought on the American side of that conflict given that live in Canada and immigrated from the UK.

>147 figsfromthistle: It took me a while to read too, Anita, but I got into the story more as it unfolded.

Hi Meg!

>119 Familyhistorian: I’ve read the first and second of this series and have the 3rd, 6th, and 10th on my shelves. I don’t know if I’ll continue – not because the series isn’t good, but because I’ve left it for way too long to continue without re-reading 1 and 2. Sigh.

>126 Familyhistorian: how Covid has affected life (for good and bad Hmm. My initial thought was that there is no good from Covid, then I knew that was wrong. I now need to do a bit of thinking.

A fast one today

Wordle 936 2/6

⬜🟨🟩⬜🟨
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

abide, brief

>151 karenmarie: Hi Karen, I often pick up the next book in a series that I’ve let drop for a long time. If I need to be reminded of what happened before sometimes reading the book blurb or some reviews bring it back. It’s a good series.

I’m interested to find out if you come up with ways that Covid affected life for good.

It wasn't in the forecast on my phone so those white flakes were unexpected. Happily I got most of my chores done before the snow started to stick. From what I saw on the TV news, I'm glad I didn't have to commute anywhere at the end of the work day!

Sadly yes, we did get some snow. Dave was grocery shopping but could not make it to the Ironwood Save on Foods due to the icy conditions and back up to the Tunnel. He got to a closer by Save on Foods, so it's fine. He's heading out with the dog now for a walk , and driving to Steveston, so hopefully it is okay now. Not that much snow , it's mainly the ice that is a problem. Snow was in the forecast here, so we did expect it. Dave has snow tires, but even so , they don't do a lot of good on the ice. Yesterday my mom and I headed into Indigo at Granville and Broadway, and I'm glad we did it yesterday, since today would have been a mess. I didn't buy any books at Indigo, but we stopped at the BookWarehouse on Broadway, and I purchased a couple of bargain books. With Dave retiring at the end of March, I'm trying to buy fewer books.

>155 vancouverdeb: We didn't have any snow in the forecast and even when it was happening the weather on my phone said it was cloudy. I drove to the liquor store just as the flakes had started to stick a bit. I'm glad I got that done early. I saw on the news that a lot of the roads were icy especially during the evening commute.

Nice that you found some books at BookWarehouse. It's been a few years since I checked that store out. Maybe I should have a look, not that I need any more books.

I've been digging around on Ancestry ca / com and finding some interesting stories and results. But I did the 23 and Me DNA test, so I won't be able to upload DNA info to Ancestry ca . I had not planned on joining Ancestry DNA, but it is very interesting. I've only been on for a couple of days, so really a very raw beginner. It will be a while , 4 - 6 weeks I think, until I get my DNA info. I did find that though Dave's dad was born in Poland, along with his parents, they are in fact German. I found a census record for Dave's paternal grandparents and German was their first language, so I think that confirms his dad's side is German. It is interesting. I made contact with a lady about 7 years older than me, who is likely related to me, but we are not sure, but she definitely knows my Icelandic family in Winnipeg and is friends with some cousins and my great grandma.

>157 vancouverdeb: So far you can't download your 23 and me results to Ancestry, Deborah, but there is a chance that might be changing as Ancestry wants to increase users. As I remember, Icelandic ancestry is usually well documented so that part might be easier to figure out connections on.

You might want to check out FamilySearch, which is free and also have a look at the presentations on RootsTech coming up at the end of February.

Just stopping by to say hello, Meg! Hope 2024 is off to a good start for you!

>126 Familyhistorian: >127 EBT1002: I can think of one way in which Covid did change my life in a beneficial way. Prior to Covid it was difficult to find Welsh language classes outside Wales. (There were some in London, but going into London on a weekly basis for me would be quite a commitment and add quite a lot to the cost of the course.) But during Covid all the providers offering Welsh classes in Wales (of which there are quite a few) moved their in-person classes online, and suddenly realised that they had a huge untapped market in the rest of the U.K. and overseas. So the classes continue online and I now have a wide ranges of classes to choose from. So I’m now in my third year of a structured Welsh course, something that just couldn’t have happened pre-Covid, and that I’ve wanted to do for ages.

>160 SandDune: Would say the same. There are a lot of talks and lectures and things here in the city but when push comes to shove sometimes it's hard to harness the dogs to the sleigh and mush out to see them.

A lot of providers put in streaming set-ups during COVID, and now are willing to sell streaming tickets to live events for not much money. So we sit on the couch and listen to them in our PJ's.

Heard Liz Cheney last night from the "Y" not sure I would have gone in person if that was the only option.

Music concerts and folk concerts and even theatre too. A little extra money for the organization and a win win all around sez me.

8. The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn



I’m a fan of Agatha Christie’s mysteries, so I’ve been eyeing the Aggie Morton mystery queen series, where a young Agatha turned into a sleuth aided by one of her own creations. This, of course, was the refugee Hector Perot. The Body Under the Piano made use of the Torquay of the mystery queen’s youth in a mystery that came close to a junior who done it rendered by the master herself.

>159 PlatinumWarlock: Hi Lavinia, good to see you here. I hope your 2024 is off to a good start!

>160 SandDune: Good to see that positive change for you, Rhian. There were a number of similar groups that took advantage of a wider audience because of Zoom and other platforms when in-person events were shut down. I love the fact that I can now attend the Edinburgh Book Fair online every year. Many of the genealogy sites made use online platforms and have since transitioned to a hybrid model - like RootsTech and annual genealogy society conferences. It beats travel and finding a hotel!

>161 magicians_nephew: That sounds really good, Jim. I don't think the streaming of live events happens as much in Vancouver or the Lower Mainland but then we don't have as much going on here as you do there. There is something to be said to getting off the couch and attending in person at times, though.

9. Lady Derring Takes a Lover by Julie Anne Long



As the widow of Lord Derring, Delilah expected there’d be something left to inherit. There was, in a way, the only thing the impoverished earl had owned outright was a building down by the docks, not the most salubrious part of London. With the help of her faithful maid and her husband’s former mistress, they decided to turn the building into a guest house renamed, The Grand Palace on the Thames. Which meant there would be guests, one of which was Captain Tristan Hardy, going undercover on the search for a smuggling operation tied to the late Lord Derring. Lady Derring Takes a Lover was a fun romance which incorporated action and humour.

>162 Familyhistorian: That's a fun series so far!

Yesterday was a hard day to talk myself to getting out to take a walk. There was snow on the sidewalks and some icy patches and I was pretty cold by the time that I made it to Cob's Bakery. It was -12C which Google tells me is 10.4F. Somehow it seems colder in Celsius. It's a balmy -7C now so about time to get out there again.

>167 thornton37814: It is, Lori, and I should get to the next one because LT told me the one I just read was a reread for me even though I didn't remember it at all.

Brrrrr but so nice to see the sunshine. Did we move to the prairies?

>170 mdoris: It is cold enough to be the prairies, Mary, but just be glad we aren't there where the temperatures hover around -30 C or so.

I know, daughter in Fernie says the top of the ski hill registered -61 C. Ski hill is closed for the weekend. Too cold. Imagine.

10. Brotherhood in Death by J.D. Robb



My latest in death read was Brotherhood in Death. In this case Dallas et al were tracking down killers of prominent older men, a group of guys who had bonded into a brotherhood many decades previously when they were all students at Yale. It was a brotherhood that preyed on women. Dallas had mixed feelings about standing for the victims but she and her team followed the clues to the conclusion.

>172 mdoris: I saw on the news that some ski hills had been closed because it was too cold but -61 C! I've never seen a temperature that low outside of a science experiment.

>144 Familyhistorian: Yes, when our son and family couldn’t come to us we decided to make the trip to see them. We had a great time in Colorado with sunshine and blue skies. It was the actual time on the road that was difficult. Still very glad we went.

“I've never seen a temperature that low outside of a science experiment.” That made me laugh, Meg. We are having our own science experiment here in the heartland of the USA. I will attend church online tomorrow…one more good thing that started up during Covid.

11. Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam by Vivek Ramaswamy



A refreshing read that outlined problems of the current Woke movement that private companies have gotten behind and, in many cases, coopted for their own ends, Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam, looked at the problems inherent in embracing visible diversity while silencing diverse points of view. The author also suggested various ways for America to get out of the box the movement had placed it in. It was an interesting read, but I read it from the view point of an outsider as is often the case with these kinds of books.

>175 Donna828: Nice that you had a good visit with them, Donna, and that you could appreciate the weather while you were in Colorado. Even if the roads were bad it looks like you were able to navigate them.

I know what you mean about having the option to attend church online if the need arises. A genealogy group I meet up with opted for a Zoom meeting as no one wanted to navigate our streets after the cold and snow of the last few days. Many motorists here aren't equipped for winter driving because snow and cold rarely happens.

12. Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater



I don’t usually read fantasy, but I do recognize some of the tropes from being around the threads. At the Writers Studio I ended up in the Speculative Fiction cohort even though that wasn’t the genre I was writing. Reading other student’s entries gave me familiarity with common references as well. So when part way through Half a Soul, I was okay when the heroine ended up in the land of fairie. It was a good read, a mash up of romance and fantasy with some action sprinkled in.

Wow, Meg, you have been reading up a storm so far this year! It was lovely seeing the sunshine today but oh, so cold outside! We haven't had any snow here (touch wood). I am spending a good part of my days wrapped up in an afghan with a hot cuppa and a book or two.

>176 Familyhistorian: Excellent review and summary Meg!

>179 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, yes lots of books which have to be read quickly due to library holds. I'm not getting to the books on my shelves like I'd like to but just can't stop hitting the hold button. We still have snow and, on some sidewalks its best to watch your footing as it has been trampled and frozen. In an afghan with a hot cuppa and book sounds wonderful!

>180 mdoris: Thanks Mary, his ideas made a lot of sense and kind of put the finger on what had been bothering me about the present state of discourse.

>178 Familyhistorian: Romantasy is on its way to being a full fledged separate genre from both romance and fantasy with its own tropes and rules. Interesting to me how this gets going with indie authors then coopted by the majors. MM romance did the same thing.

I hope it gets warmer soon, Meg.

Hi Meg!

>153 Familyhistorian:>How Covid Has Affected Life For Good – US version

Recognizing that many people lost loved ones, got seriously sick with Covid, have long Covid, etc., but I have been fortunate so far and none of these things has happened to me.

Workers who had to stay home realized how soul-sucking work can be and have re-thought what is good for them. They may still have to work at jobs they’d prefer not to, but many are standing up more for their rights.

People realize that wearing masks is not inherently evil and will wear them even for flu/colds/other infectious diseases.

Wages have gone up (even though inflation’s gone up).

At least for me, there’s gratitude that I didn’t get caught up in Covid early. A friend came back from London the last week of February 2020 and came to book sort – ten of us in a small room. She could have been carrying it and we could have gotten sick.

I do not think it’s a bad thing to realize that we’re all vulnerable and that medical advances in Western countries over the last 50+ years do not necessarily keep us safe.

Horrible reason, but I was entranced at the empty streets, clear skies, clean waters, lack of noise pollution that I saw on the news. It’s too bad that we’ve returned to our wicked ways.

Block singing in Italy, poster board 'people' at soccer matches, Zoom/Skype, etc. usage.

The slowing down of lives - I know it makes extroverts crazy, but to an introvert like me the real need to stay in jelled nicely with my desire to stay in.

Others? This is just thinking about it for a little bit.

>168 Familyhistorian: You are a brave woman, although a bakery is a pretty good reward.

>173 Familyhistorian: I just reorganized some of the unread books in my Sunroom and realize that I have the 54-57 on my shelves to be read and see that there are two more I need to acquire. Gads, Nora Roberts is prolific!!

Judy is always pushing the Nora Robb "In Death" books at me - maybe its time for me to give them another look

>183 richardderus: I didn't realize there were that many romantasy books out there, Richard. It only makes sense because it would attract more readers. I think the same kind of thing happened to YA before it became YA.

Thanks for the warming wishes.

>184 karenmarie: That's a long list of good, Karen. I remember the empty skies and empty streets and gas that sold for $.80 a litre and it taking very little time to get anywhere because there was next to no traffic on the road. Those are good things to look back on.

I have no problem venturing out in the cold. I grew up in the suburbs of Montreal and can remember walking to school when it was -25 (we still measured in Fahrenheit then). We wore mini skirts and coats to match, boots to our knees though.

Nora Roberts is a legend in writing circles for how prolific she is.

>185 magicians_nephew: Hi Jim, I find that readers who like the in death series like them a lot but I've tried to lend a couple of readers the first book and they both rejected it whereas I've read it 4 or 5 times.

I still think in Fahrenheit,Meg, but I understand C. Friday Poppy only wanted to walk for about 10 minutes, due to the salt on her paws. So I took her home and headed back out to get my steps. Yesterday I headed out to Garry Point Park to walk with Poppy , as they don't salt it. but after a mile she was shivering , despite a line fleece jacket. But she is 18 lbs and I imagine it's pretty hard to stay warm when you are a smaller dog . But today we headed back to Garry Point Park and we did a brisk couple of miles with a friend I ran into, so that was nice.

As far as Covid goes, well, I'm glad I no longer have to drag my carcass off to the Doctor's every month for a prescription refill. Now I just make an appointment for phone call and refill - excellent - even though my GP is sometimes a hour late or early - or even calls the day before!!! I used to have a great old school GP, but this new guy.

I know my son with the two kids is very happy to work from home. He used to have to go in twice a week or so, as he is an IT guy, but not any more. It's great for him because they have two young kids and his wife works half time as well. I think it must be challenging to work from home with little ones, but now Melissa is off to full day kindergarten and Miles will be off to full day preschool in the fall.

I'm glad we've normalized wearing masks. Prior to covid I never considered wearing a mask, though I certainly saw others doing so. Now I think wear a mask, don't wear mask - it's all good. Of course during the covid time, I was happy to wear a mask.

>189 vancouverdeb: I'm more likely to think in Celsius, Deborah, or not to have a good grasp unless the temperature is at some extreme or other. When I was walking home on Friday I saw a small dog sitting by itself outside a condo building and some shops. It was only little but clearly had been told to sit there by someone and had a coat on. Poor little thing, it was so cold out.

It would be annoying to have to go to the doctor every month and if I had to go that often a phone appointment would be advantageous but I prefer to see my doctor in person because I hate talking on the phone, so there is that.

Working from home is a boon to a lot of people and, before Covid, was so hard to get to do but now it is very common.

Today was my first beginners' drawing class in which was interesting. We learned about values through using shading.

I left my car parked for two days, so today after my class I decided to defrost it. I was scraping the front windshield when I realized that most of the frost was inside. That's never happened before but the car sits outside and in the shadiest part of the parking lot and the temperature plunged to -20C the night after I parked it so I think all of those things combined to give that very strange affect.

Hi Meg! >121 Familyhistorian: Thanks for the review of A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived. It's been on my wishlist since it came out, but I haven't managed to squeeze it in yet.

Hi, Meg. I heard you have been experiencing some winter weather there too. We are stuck in an arctic pattern, with no let up. We haven't left the property in nearly 4 days. I may venture out a bit today but not far.

I could have sworn I’d been by the last couple of days and dropped a comment, but nope. Must’ve been dreaming.

>142 Familyhistorian: Speaking of memory loss, I went my to borrow Iron Lake from the library, and it showed that I borrowed it in Dec. of 2022. I didn’t remember reading it, so I went to my thread for that time, and sure enough. Apparently I really liked it except that my favorite character was killed off. Thank goodness for LT. If I didn’t keep track here, I’d have no idea what I’ve read.

Hope you’re staying safe and warm!

Hi Meg! Stopping by with best wishes for 2024.

>77 Familyhistorian: - Taking a BB for that one. I am always on the lookout for interesting reads set in BC. Double whammy now that >82 vancouverdeb: has also recommended it!

Glad to see you made it through our blast of winter... it is the darn wind chill that gets me. I can handle -10'C no problem, but make it feel like -20'C (or colder) with the wind chill and I am in full on hibernation mode!

>191 Familyhistorian: YIKES!! Hoping against hope that is a one off occurrence, Meg. That would freak me out totally.

>191 Familyhistorian: That's interesting that you've never experienced frost on the inside before. It happens all the time for me. Maybe it has something to do with humidity or whether you have the external air circulation or internal air circulation.

>192 cbl_tn: Hi Carrie, A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived was very readable. I hope you enjoy it when you get to it.

>193 msf59: It was a shock after our relatively balmy December weather to get the real winter stuff, Mark. The cold actually broke records for here going down to -20C one night (-4F). Not what we are used to or equipped for. The Thursday evening commute included snow that compacted to ice with the cold temperatures. Took people a long time to get home. So nice not to be a commuter!

>194 Storeetllr: I had to laugh about your story about already reading Iron Lake, Mary. I did the exact same thing. I took out The Body Under the Piano for a second time only I read it and reviewed it before I found out. Read the whole thing and didn't get that "I've read this before" feeling. Staying warm has become more of a challenge lately as we are in a deep freeze for the moment.

>195 lkernagh: Hi Lori, Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue is set in post WWI Vancouver, so interesting for the early view of that city as well as the other history involved.

I'm hoping and it has been predicted that our winter blast will be over by the end of the week. I'm ready for it to be gone!

>196 richardderus: It was kind of freaky, Richard, but I mention it to someone from Ontario and it's normal when condensation freezes. There was some frost inside this morning but not nearly as much as the other day.

>197 The_Hibernator: It has never happened to me before, Rachel, but then when I lived back east we parked overnight in garages and here, the weather doesn't usually go from snow to really cold, it usually goes the other way from snow to rain that washes all the snow away.

Today I felt like I was on the go non stop. This morning was our Heritage Writers Group meeting where one of the topics to write about was the effects of Covid. Thanks for all who gave me your take on the good and bad results of the pandemic.

After that I took Skytrain downtown to return library books and pick up holds. When I got back home I had 20 minutes to eat lunch (at 4:00 pm) before going to a meeting put on by the developers who are working on the huge development right beside our complex. I thought it would be a sit down meeting that started at 5:00 but there were a series of panels around the room illustrating their concept. I took photos but couldn't think of any questions to ask the people who were there from the developer.

I can only imagine the cold snap you are experiencing. Having frost inside a car is something unusual. I'm sorry your year is starting out with such cold weather. A storm began here last night. As I looked out early this morning, it looks like we had quite a bit of snow. I need to get to the bank later today so I am hoping the roads are cleared in the afternoon.

You really are reading a lot of books thus far this year.

All good wishes!

>205 Whisper1: Hi Linda, I hope that your roads are cleared this afternoon. We didn't get much snow, a good thing as there are few snowplows and it takes days before they get around to our streets. Snow is predicted for tonight but in the days after that rain to wash it away.

>191 Familyhistorian: Oh my! -20 is awful. I hope you are coming out of the deep freeze soon!

>207 figsfromthistle: -20C was the night time low, Anita but cold for here for sure. Now we have snow and I think a snow day off from snow for kids.

One of those mornings when I'm happy that I don't have work to go to. That line of blue on the left of the photo is the part of my car not covered in snow.

Far too much snow, Meg! I didn't leave the house today either. I'm getting a bit of cabin fever , so I hope to get out tomorrow, if only for a walk. I don't know exactly how much snow we got 8 inches or more. I'll be glad when it disappears.

>209 Familyhistorian: WOW, You had a lot of snow. The snow we had was no where near as bad as yours.

>209 Familyhistorian: YIKES

Our snow is now slush due to freezing rain admixing with it. Cold wind and no sun mean ice is in the near future...so like you, I could not be happier that I have no need to be out in it.

We had 10 inches of snow at my house. Not fun. We've got ice coming in tonight with a small layer of snow atop it--and we're still dealing with the snow from Tuesday which is still causing freezing. With temps only reaching 35 today, the likelihood of all the ice on the roads caused by traffic on the snow before the new ice arrives being gone is low.

Gorgeous picture Meg but UGH! It's snowing here right now like crazy!

>209 Familyhistorian: Yep, that is a lot of snow. And I agree that I'm glad not to have to go to work when it does this! I actually love the snow but, of course, as the time for our flight to depart approaches, I do NOT want to see anything else coming out of the sky!

The queue for Boundary Waters has moved veeeery sloooowly so I may not be reading it in Kauai after all. It's okay; I have a few other things I can read! LOL

>210 vancouverdeb: It was a lot of snow, Deborah! I finally cleaned it off my car and there was at least a foot of it. I hope that your walk today wasn't as hard as mine. For part of it I had to walk in the roadway because the plow had put all the snow from the street on the sidewalk.

>211 Whisper1: That picture was just the start of the snow, Linda. There was a lot more by the time it finished yesterday. Our snow tends to be like our rain, a lot at a time for hours and hours.

>212 richardderus: Enjoy looking out at the weather knowing you don't have to be out in it, Richard. I stayed home yesterday with a good book but couldn't do that two days in a row.

>213 thornton37814: Sounds like a heavy blast of winter there, Lori. We're hoping for rain soon to wash this away. We don't have the same amount of snow removal equipment as other places where this happens all the time.

>214 mdoris: Sounds like you're getting a double whammy, Mary. It's snowing here but only lightly now and it's predicted that it will turn in to rain. I hope that happens soon!

>215 EBT1002: It's a nail biter when its possible that weather can get in the way of getting to the airport, Ellen. I was just talking to a friend this morning about that as she is booked for a flight to California at the end of January and the current weather has her concerned.

Too bad the book isn't getting to you in time for your vacation but its something to look forward to when you get back.

I looked out one of my upper story windows to see this cute little plow clearing our parking lot. That blue strip on the left is all that is visible on my car. I went out and cleared it and the shovelled my parking spot after this shot was taken. My neighbour cleared the walkway.

>209 Familyhistorian: The snow does make for some wonderful photos!

>223 figsfromthistle: It does but I'd rather look than experience!

Hi Meg, from your pictures it looks like we got about the same amount of snow. I have settled in and don't plan on going out until it at least starts to melt! We have a park nearby that has an excellent hill for sleds and people of all ages went there to slide and enjoy the snow. Both my grandchildren went and had a good time - so some people are enjoying the white stuff!

>225 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, I had to get out today. I spent all day yesterday inside and it was hard! I headed to the park because I knew the city would have plowed most of the paths there. They had and there were kids tobogganing in one of the fenced playing areas - I think they usually play soccer or something in there. There were a fair number of people on the paths in the park too.

Lovely snow pictures - it never gets that snowy here!

Hi Meg!

>222 Familyhistorian: Awww, look at the eensy snow plow. Gorgeous snow pics.

>227 SandDune: From our reaction to it, you'd think it never snowed that much here either, Rhian. It always takes us by surprise.

>228 karenmarie: Hi Karen, isn't that snowplow cute? I couldn't believe the size of it. We are now in the slushy puddles hemmed in by snowbanks rainy part of getting rid of the snow. It was pretty while it lasted.

>228 karenmarie: >230 Familyhistorian: I saw a few of those little Bobcat plows at work. There was one doing a driveway or two in our neighborhood. I saw a couple working on driveways on my way to work the one day we went in (but should not have).

>231 thornton37814: Nice to see something small but mighty like that, Lori. Why send in something huge to clear a smaller space.

Beautiful pictures, Meg. It’s good to get out of the house again, isn’t it? I’m glad you have a park to walk in. It’s scary to be on the streets dodging traffic.

>233 Donna828: Hi Donna, I stayed home one day. All the rest of the time I went out and braved the elements, most of the time walking to the park. The sidewalks to get to and from the park were not exactly clear and now the snow is melting and there are lots of puddles. It shouldn't last long though.

13. Sugar and Salt by Susan Wiggs



Margot had a plan, to get her barbeque restaurant established in a new town and make a new life for herself. Things had become too hot for her in the Texas county she had come from, a change of venue and a change of name gave her a chance to start over. The new venue seemed like a perfect location even if she did have to share it with another business, a bakery with an interesting owner.

Sugar and Salt was an edgy romance which brought up some thorny personal issues for the main characters but had me rooting for them all the same.

I got up earlier than usual today to watch a webinar at 7 am - the joys of living on the west coast! That started my day early so I took Skytrain downtown to the library. I wanted to get there while I could because there is threat of a transit strike, at this point it may just affected buses and the Seabus but who know, it might spread.

When I got home I drove to the grocery store. It was very busy. A Saturday plus all those people who had been bogged down by the snow this week. After I got home I made a lemon loaf to use up some eggs as it was their best before date. Hmm, maybe I need a piece of that.

14. The Girls Who Fought Crime: The Untold True Story of the Country’s First Female Investigator and Her Crime-fighting Squad by Mari K. Eder



In The Girls Who Fought Crime the author told the story of how Mae Foley ended up becoming a policewoman in the NYPD basically starting at the beginning of when women were hired by the department. It wasn’t an easy job but the numbers of women entering the force increased and Mae’s role became more involved.

It was interesting reading about early policewomen in New York, but I had thought there would be more information about other women in the force as well as Mae. But, as the author explained, there were few records available as early ones were discarded.

>237 Familyhistorian: It sounds a very involving read, Meg. Glsd that at least SOME records survive. *grumble*

>209 Familyhistorian: >222 Familyhistorian: Wow! That is a lot of snow. Thankfully, we haven't been hit that badly...yet. Are you still stuck at home?

>238 richardderus: It was interesting if not quite what I expected. Apparently the records were disposed of in the East River.

>239 msf59: Hi Mark, we get snow like we get rain - for hours and often days at a time. So when the temperatures dip we get a lot of accumulation. It takes more than snow to keep me at home for long. I stayed home one day.

>236 Familyhistorian: Lemon loaf sounds wonderful, Meg.

>237 Familyhistorian: Those not-saved records are a pain. Your mention of early female crime fighters made me think of the Kopp sisters in Amy Stewart's books (probably because its the only thing I've read anywhere near this subject).

>242 charl08: Charl, We did mention the Kopp sisters books (because our book club read one of them). We all decided the book should probably be labeled creative non-fiction because the author tried to fill in conversations for which there is no evidence. Her main sources seem to be newspapers and a scrapbook.

15. Too Many Cooks by Rex Stout



The action in Too Many Cooks started with Nero Wolfe, the detective who doesn’t like to leave his brownstone for any reason, on a train. He was on his way to attend a gathering of chef’s as an honoured guest. Of course, there was a murder, one of the chefs, was killed. Although he tried not to get involved, Wolfe and Archie were eventually dragged into the case and solved it in the nick of time so they could get their planned train out of there and back to civilization.

>242 charl08: The lemon loaf is good, Charlotte.

The not-saved records were actively discarded which I find mystifying as it included personnel records and trial records. What were they thinking?

>243 thornton37814: I didn't remember until you wrote it that the Kopp sisters were mentioned, Lori. It was more of a novel based on someone's life than a nonfiction history.

16. Champagne for One by Rex Stout



The other novel in the two mystery volume was Champagne for One. It was definitely a novel from the ‘50s as the premise was that three unwed mothers who were living at a local charity who took them in were invited out to hobnob (have dinner) with the widow of the man who had set up the charity and three bachelors also of the widow’s class. One of the men asked Archie Goodwin to sit in for him. One of the unwed mothers ended up dead but she was known to carry around poison with her. Everyone was happy to say it was suicide but Archie had been watching her. She couldn’t have done have put the poison in her champagne without him seeing it, but who did?

Wow! That is a lot of snow. Love the pictures and your slice of car showing. LOL. Glad we have both been able to get out of our homes and out and about a bit. Nero Wolfe mysteries can be fun -- a two-for!!

>244 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, sounds exciting. I'll see if I can find a copy.

>244 Familyhistorian: One of my Favorite Nero Wolfe Books.

I dearly love the Wolfe cast of characters in the New York City based adventures but its a treat to see Wolfe and Archie out in the wilds out of their comfort zone and still keeping on keeping on

The other one i like in the fish out of water genre is Some Buried Ceasar and the later, though minor work Death of a Dude.

You do have a lot of snow! It does make for pretty pictures. :)

You certainly got more snow that we did! We only had about six or seven inches, but we got the bitterly cold weather.

I'll go on with the Iron Lake novels, but right now I'm drowning in library books, with about twenty books home. Eek! I know I won't get them all finished before they need to be returned.

I love all your genealogy adventures.

>247 Berly: It was a lot of snow, Kim, and all within a short amount of time. It is disappearing quickly, though, as it has been raining for days. At least freezing rain didn't materialize for us like it did for you.

>248 Ameise1: The Nero Wolfe series is a fun one, Barbara. I hope you can find it to read.

>249 magicians_nephew: It is fun to see Wolfe out of his usual habitat. It was particularly good in this case because he had such a hard time getting there so it was obvious the gathering was important to him. As I remember Death of a Dude Archie had more of a role than Wolfe did. I haven't read Some Buried Ceasar. I'll have to see if I can find a copy.

>250 BLBera: It was pretty while it lasted, Beth. Most of it is gone now.

>251 streamsong: Our cold temperatures didn't last long, Janet. I hope your weather warmed up too.

Drowning in library books sounds familiar although I don't have 20 books out, only 16. The problem is that a lot of them are nonfiction and that always seems to take longer to read. Good luck dealing with all those library books.