Anita (FAMeulstee) reads on in 2018 (2)

Last Sunday we went to the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague to see the exposition of Anton Heyboer. Heyboer was severely traumatised in WW II, and created a logical system to re-invent himself. In some of his work this system is visible in numbers and lines. My generation mainly knows Anton Heyboer from the tabloids, where he was portraited as an excentric with his 3 and later 5 wives.
Here some pictures of his works, my FB friends can find more pictures at my FB page.

Left: The right moment (1963); right: Paradoxical ontological concentrations (1963)
 

Left: Heyboer (1973); right: Untitled (1975)
 

total books read in 2018: 52
29 own / 13 library / 10 BolKobo+

total pages read in 2018: 12,636

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currently reading:
Sneeuw (Snow) by Orhan Pamuk, 471 pages, TIOLI #8
e-book : Britt-Marie was hier (Britt-Marie was here) by Fredrik Backman, 347 pages, TIOLI #17
YA: Geschiedenis van de Lage Landen deel 1 by Jaap ter Haar, 432 pages, TIOLI #16

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books read in February 2018 (20 books, 4,502 pages, 14 own / 6 library )
book 52: Het boek van alle dingen (The Book of Everything) by Guus Kuijer, 103 pages, TIOLI #3, (msg 250)
book 51: Jonathan, wat zag je in die zomernacht? (A Midsummer Night's Death) by K.M. Peyton, 146 pages, TIOLI #11, (msg 249)
book 50: Edda translated by Marcel Otten, 429 pages, TIOLI #5, (msg 225)
book 49: Morgen is de toekomst by An Rutgers van der Loeff, 118 pages, TIOLI #14, (msg 224)
book 48: Zwart als inkt by Wim Hofman, 180 pages, TIOLI #15, (msg 223)
book 47: De adjudant van de vrachtwagen (Pulga by S.R. van Itterson, 196 pages, TIOLI #4, (msg 222)
book 46: Een midzomernachtdroom (A Midsummer Night's Dream) by William Shakespeare, 82 pages, TIOLI #10, (msg 195)
book 45: Anansi de spin weeft zich een web om de wereld by Noni Lichtveld, 80 pages, TIOLI #7, (msg 190)
book 44: De verdwenen menora by Jan & Sanne Terlouw, 319 pages, TIOLI #16, (msg 186)
book 43: De havik (The Goshawk) by T.H. White, 235 pages, TIOLI #3, (msg 185)
book 42: Schorshuiden (Barkskins) by Annie Proulx, 795 pages, TIOLI #9, (msg 173)
book 41: Maliff en de wolf by Hans Hagen, 64 pages, TIOLI #18, (msg 162)
book 40: Meneer Ratti by Mensje van Keulen, 86 pages, TIOLI #19, (msg 161)
book 39: Pablo by Helen Griffiths, 166 pages, TIOLI #17, (msg 160)
book 38: Tommie Station by Mensje van Keulen, 158 pages, TIOLI #1, (msg 147)
book 37: Aardzee 2 (Earthsea omnibus 4-6) by Ursula Le Guin, 623 pages, TIOLI #2, (msg 143)
book 36: Mijn hersens draaien rondjes by Rita Verschuur, 123 pages, TIOLI #6, (msg 111)
book 35: Het is nacht, we gaan op jacht by Hans Hagen, 27 pages, TIOLI #12, (msg 110)
book 34: Muizensoep (Mouse Soup) by Arnold Lobel, 64 pages, TIOLI #13, (msg 107)
book 33: Zwaarden, paarden en ziektekiemen (Guns, Germs, and Steel) by Jared Diamond, 508 pages, (msg 100)

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Month summary: January in numbers

books read in January 2018 (32 books, 8,134 pages, 15 own / 7 library / 10 BolKobo+)
book 32: Stijfkop, de vechthond (The Kershaw dogs) by Helen Griffiths, 124 pages, TIOLI #1, (msg 99)
book 31: De hobbit (The Hobbit) by J.R.R. Tolkien, 253 pages, TIOLI #10, (msg 90)
book 30: Het reality-essay by Dirk Vis, 36 pages, TIOLI #7, (msg 73)
book 29: Het is maar een straathond (Just a dog) by Helen Griffiths, 135 pages, TIOLI #1, (msg 72)
book 28: De man van de blauwe cirkels (The Chalk Circle Man) by Fred Vargas, 221 pages, TIOLI #12, (msg 60)
book 27: Zes maanden in de Siberische wouden (The Consolations of the Forest) by Sylvain Tesson, 255 pages, TIOLI #1, (msg 37)
book 26: Francisco, olé ! (Dancing horses) by Helen Griffiths, 156 pages, TIOLI #16, (msg 29)
book 25: De laatste zomer (The last summer) by Helen Griffiths, (thread 1)
book 24: Een studie in rood (A study in scarlet) by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, (thread 1)
book 23: Naar Moskou! Naar Moskou! by Willem Oosterbeek, (thread 1)
book 22: Lof der zotheid (In Praise of Folly) by Desiderius Erasmus, (thread 1)
book 21: Wolvensaga by Käthe Recheis, (thread 1)
book 20: Doldwazen en druiloren (Fruitloops and dipsticks) by Ulf Stark, (thread 1)
book 19: Het heksenkind (Witch fear) by Helen Griffiths, (thread 1)
book 18: Woutertje Pieterse by Multatuli, (thread 1)
book 17: Majesteit, Uw ontbijt by Sjoerd Kuyper, (thread 1)
book 16: De rode hengst op de renbaan (The Island Stallion Races) by Walter Farley, (thread 1)
book 15: Sacha, de russische blauwe kat (Russian blue) by Helen Griffiths, (thread 1)
book 14: Kaas en de evolutietheorie by Bas Haring, (thread 1)
book 13: Waarom ik lees (Where I'm Reading From) by Tim Parks, (thread 1)
book 12: De vergeten geschiedenis van mijn grootvader Sulayman Hadj Ali by Meltem Halaceli, (thread 1)
book 11: De reizen van Gulliver (Gulliver's Travels) by Jonathan Swift, (thread 1)
book 10: Een handvol sneeuw (The End of Days) by Jenny Erpenbeck, (thread 1)
book 9: A van alibi (A Is for Alibi) by Sue Grafton, (thread 1)
book 8: De oorlog heeft geen vrouwengezicht (The Unwomanly Face of War) by Svetlana Alexievich, (thread 1)
book 7: Het vierkant van de wraak (The Square of Revenge) by Pieter Aspe, (thread 1)
book 6: De abdij van Northanger (Northanger Abbey) by Jane Austen, (thread 1)
book 5: Twilight (Twilight) by Stephenie Meyer, (thread 1)
book 4: Reizen zonder John (In America: Travels With John Steinbeck) by Geert Mak, (thread 1)
book 3: De hond van Rafa (Rafa's dog) by Helen Griffiths, (thread 1)
book 2: Onafhankelijke mensen (Independent people) by Haldór Laxness,
book 1: Het gouden oog by Hans Hagen, (thread 1)

Reading plans in January 2018:

TIOLI January 2018: Januari sweep done (sweep= read a book for each challenge)

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Reading plans in February 2018:

TIOLI February 2018: February SWEEP done
#1: Read a book tagged "friendship"
- Laat me nooit alleen (Never let me go) - Kazuo Ishiguro, 303 pages , shared read
- Tommie Station - Mensje van Keulen, 158 pages
#2: Read a book by or about Ursula K. Le Guin
- Aardzee 2 (Earthsea omnibus 4-6) - Ursula K. Le Guin, 623 pages
#3: Read a book of which the title contains something that you love
- De havik (The Goshawk) - T.H. White, 235 pages
- Het boek van alle dingen - Guus Kuijer, 103 pages
#4: Read A book about, set in, or published in the 60s. Any century, past or future
- De adjudant van de vrachtwagen (Pulga) - S.R. Van Iterson, 196 pages
#5: Read A book that is referenced in another book you have read
- Edda, 429 pages
#6: Read A book where the final page number of the story ends in x23
- Mijn hersens draaien rondjes - Rita Verschuur, 123 pages
#7: Read a book by an author who is part of the African diaspora
- Anansi : de spin weeft zich een web om de wereld - Noni Lichtveld, 80 pages
#8: Read a book by an author you have previously struggled with
- Sneeuw (Snow) - Orhan Pamuk, 471 pages
#9: Read a book with a tree or trees on the cover
- Schorshuiden (Barkskins)- Annie Proulx, 795 pages
#10: Read something by Shakespeare that you weren't assigned in high school
- Een midzomernachtsdroom - William Shakespeare, 82 pages,
#11: Read a book with one or more words in the title suggesting a type of loss
- Jonathan, wat zag je in die zomernacht? (A Midsummer Night's Death) - K.M. Peyton, 146 pages
#12: Read a book with a word in the title suggesting 'darkness'
- Het is nacht, we gaan op jacht - Hans Hagen, 27 pages
#13: Read a book that is tagged humor
- Muizensoep (Mouse Soup) - Arnold Lobel, 64 pages
#14 : Read a book by an author you also read last February
- Morgen is de toekomst - An Rutgers van der Loeff, 118 pages
#15: Read a book with a title containing the word Harry, Max, Rainy, black, red or some variation thereof
- Zwart als inkt - Wim Hofman, 180 pages
#16: Read a book with title word or author name starting with GOLDSILVERBRONZE in rolling order
- Geschiedenis van de Lage Landen deel 1 - Jaap ter Haar, 432 pages
- Het huis tussen de bomen - Irene Hunt, 150 pages
- De verdwenen menora - Jan & Sanne Terlouw, 319 pages
- Godje - Daan Remmerts de Vries, 87 pages
- Zwart op wit - Akky van der Veer, 150 pages
#17: Read a book with an animal on the cover
- Pablo - Helen Griffiths, 166 pages
- Britt-Marie was hier - Fredrik Backman, 347 pages,
- La Bruja, de merrie - Helen Griffiths, 170 pages
#18: Read a book where a number higher than 2 is written somewhere on the front or back cover
- Maliff en de wolf - Hans Hagen, 64 pages
- De wreker van Floris V - Renée Vink, 240 pages
#19: Read a two-word-title without an article
- Meneer Ratti - Mensje van Keulen, 86 pages
- Josja Pruis - Harm de Jonge, 135 pages

Reading plans in 2018

I have a large collection of mostly awarded childrens & YA books. At the moment I am reading the books I haven't read since joining LT, mostly alphabeticly, to decide wich to keep. The ones not to keep are donated to a library in Rotterdam (where we lived until 2005).
I start in 2018 with 702 childrens/YA books, of those 352 are to be read.

End of January update:
- 11 childrens/YA books read = 341 + 1 added = 342 tbr
- 2 culled + 6 ready to go = 686 childrens/YA books on the shelves

I keep trying to read more of my own books, of the 452 books I have read in 2017 238 (53%) were my own.
This year I try again to read at least 50% books of my own.

I join the TIOLI (Take It Or Leave It) challenges each month.

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January month summary: January in numbers

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My readings in previous years

452 books (110,222 pages) read in 2017/1, 2017/2, 2017/3, 2017/4, 2017/5, 2017/6, 2017/7, 2017/8, 2017/9, 2017/10, 2017/11, 2017/12, 2017/13
252 books   (72,474 pages) read in 2016/1, 2016/2, 2016/3, 2016/4, 2016/5, 2016/6
  29 books   (10,079 pages) read in 2015
  17 books     (3,700 pages) read in 2014
  13 books     (3,692 pages) read in ROOT 2013
  50 books   (18,779 pages) read in 2012/1, 2012/2, 2012/3
  82 books   (29,387 pages) read in 2011/1, 2011/2
120 books   (37,668 pages) read in 2010/1, 2010/2, 2010/3, 2010/4
  78 books   (22,698 pages) read in 2009/1, 2009/2
130 books   (39,901 pages) read in 2008

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Other lists

My best of lists on the WikiThing

Series I read, mostly mysteries, a list to keep track

Bernie Gunther by Philip Kerr 4/11
1 Een Berlijnse kwestie; 2 Het handwerk van de beul; 3 Een Duits requiem; 4 De een van de ander; 5 Een stille vlam; 6 Als de doden niet herrijzen; 7 Grijs verleden; 8 Praag fataal; 9 De man zonder adem; 10 De vrouw van Zagreb; 11 De schaduw van de stilte

Broeder Cadfael by Ellis Peters 6/20
1 Het heilige vuur; 2 Het laatste lijk; 3 Het gemene gewas; 4 De kwade knecht; 5 De eenzame bruid; 6 De kille maagd; 7 Het vege lijf; 8 De duivelse droom; 9 De gouden speld; 10 Een wisse dood; 11 Een hard gelag; 12 De ware aard; 13 Een witte roos; 14 Het stille woud; 15 De laatste eer; 16 Het rechte pad; 17 Een zijden haar; 18 Een lieve lust; 19 De heilige dief; 20 De verloren zoon

De Cock by A.C. Baantjer 44/70

Flavia de Luce by Alan Bradley 2/5
1 De smaak van venijn; 2 Het stroeve touw; 3 De kunst van het liegen; 4 De show van je leven; 5 Slotakkoord voor een moord

Floris V by Renée Vink 2/3
1 Floris V en de Schotse troon; 2 De laatste dagen van Floris V; 3 De wreker van Floris V

John Rebus by Ian Rankin 2/18
1 Kat & muis; 2 Blindeman; 3 Hand & Tand; 4 Ontmaskering; 5 Zwartboek; 6 Vuurwerk; 7 Laat maar bloeden; 8 Gerechtigheid; 9 Door het lint; 10 Dode zielen; 11 In het duister; 12 Valstrik; 13 Lazarus; 14 Een kwestie van bloed; 15 De rechtelozen; 16 Gedenk de doden; 17 Laatste ronde; 18 Cold case;

Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg by Fred Vargas 1/9
1 De man van de blauwe cirkels; 2 De omgekeerde man; 3 Maak dat je wegkomt; 4 De terugkeer van Neptunus; 5 De eeuwige jacht; 6 Vervloekt; 7 De verdwijningen; 8 IJsmoord

Konrad Sejer by Karin Fossum 3/12
1 Eva's oog; 2 Kijk niet achterom; 3 Wie de wolf vreest; 4 De duivel draagt het licht; 5 De Indiase bruid; 6 Zwarte seconden; 7 De moord op Harriet Krohn; 8 Een andere voorkeur; 9 Kwade wil; 10 De waarschuwer; 11 Carmen Zita og døden (not translated); 12 Veenbrand

Kurt Wallander by Henning Mankell 7/12
prequel De jonge Wallander; 1 Moordenaar zonder gezicht; 2 Honden van Riga; 3 De witte leeuwin; 4 De man die glimlachte; 5 Dwaalsporen; 6 De vijfde vrouw; 7 Midzomermoord; 8 De blinde muur; 9 Voor de vorst; 10 De gekwelde man; 11 Wallanders wereld

Pieter Vos by David Hewson 1/4
1 Poppenhuis; 2 Het verkeerde meisje; 3 Het derde zusje; 4 De stenen engel

Sir Balwin by Michael Jecks 4/8
1 De laatste tempelridder; 2 De heks van Wefford; 3 De gehangene van Dartmoor; 4 Het mooie lijk; 5 Het lijk zonder hoofd; 6 Het zevende gebod; 7 De dood van de erfgenaam; 8 Moord in het klooster

Books acquired in 2018: 16

February 2018
*De holle heuvels by Mary Stewart
*De kristallen grot by Mary Stewart
*De laatste betovering by Mary Stewart
*Arthur, koning voor eens en altijd, gevolgd door Het boek Merlijn by T.H. White
Aardzee (omnibus 1-3) by Ursula Le Guin

* secondhand replacements for books culled in 2005

January 2018
2314 by Philip Akkerman
Doodgewoon by Bette Westera
De Bosatlas van het Nederlandse voetbal
Amerikaanse pastorale by Philip Roth
Liefdesliederen by Hadewijch
Middlemarch by George Eliot
De avonturen van Alice in Wonderland & Achter de spiegel en wat Alice daar aantrof by Lewis Caroll
Het Gilgamesj-epos
**Bekentenissen van Zeno by Italo Svevo
Het rood en het zwart by Stendhal
Anton Heyboer : het goede moment by Doede Hardeman ea

**replacment for damaged book

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Books culled in 2018: 2 (really gone) + 13 (ready to go) = 15

That is it, second thread of 2018 is open :-)

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Anita!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread and thanks for the art! :)

Happy new thread.

Happy new thread, Anita. Lovely art, in the topper

Happy new thread, Anita. xx

26 books already is an impressive start.

Love the art topper!

Happy new thread, Anita!
I can't keep up with your reading speed, let alone your posts.
No matter - it's just a lot of fun to be here in the group.
I love your topper!

Happy new thread, Anita!

Happy new thread Anita, and thank you for sharing the art in the header. I'm immediately drawn to Untitled (1975).

Happy new thread!

Happy New thread!

Happy new thread, Anita! Love your topper art!

Happy new thread Anita my dear.

>8 drneutron: Thanks, Jim!

>9 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry!

>10 thornton37814: Thanks, Lori!

>11 Deern: Thanks, Nathalie, it was an impressive exhibition.
Emotionally draining, because his art reminded us of the similair war-trauma that bothered Franks father through his life and his psychotic side reminded me of my sister...

>12 sirfurboy: Thanks, Stephen!

Happiest of new threads, Anita!

Happy New Thread, Anita. Guns, Germs and Steel is a remarkable book; I'm glad you got it from the library.

>13 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley, he was famous in the 1950s-1960s.

>14 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul, same pace of reading as last year :-)

>15 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Rachel, we enjoyed the exhibition.

>16 SirThomas: Thanks, Thomas, only a few others here can read at the same speed.
I am still grateful I stumbled upon this group nearly 10 years ago!
Anton Heyboer was a facinating artist.

>17 scaifea: Thanks, Amber!

>18 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen, he started with etching. Only later in life he started to paint and added some color to his works.

>19 foggidawn: Thanks, Foggi!

>20 figsfromthistle: Thanks, Anita!

>21 Crazymamie: Thanks, Mamie, glad to share Anton Heyboer's work.

>22 johnsimpson: Thanks, John dear.

>24 Carmenere: Thanks, Lynda!

>25 jnwelch: Thanks, Joe, I hope to start Guns, Germs and Steel in a few days.

book 26: Francisco, olé ! by Helen Griffiths
own, YA, translated, original title Dancing horses, 156 pages
TIOLI Challenge #16: Read a book with at least a two-word title, but containing no prepositions

Spain, 1939, two orphaned boys, Francisco Javier and Pepe, have run away from the orphanage and travel through the country. Pepe dreams of being a toreador. Sometimes at night he enters a pasture where bulls are, to challenge them. One night Pepe gets killed by a bull and Francisco Javier barely survives trying to save his friend. Francisco Javier is nursed back to health by the daughter of the landowner and gets a job: taking care of the old mare Gaviota (we know her from the previous book The last summer). He dreams of riding Gaviota's son, Gavilán, and becoming a rejoneador (bullfighter on horse).

Happy new thread, Anita!

Happy new thread Anita!

I've been planning to read Guns, Germs and Steel for ages! Heard so many good things about it.

Happy new thread, Anita. I especially like >1 FAMeulstee: Untitled (1975)

Happy New Thread, Anita!

*waves* Thanks for the link, Anita! Already thread 2? Wow, you're on a reading streak! :)

>30 mstrust: Thanks, Jennifer!

>31 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella!
So did I, and I was glad I found a copy at the library.

>32 rretzler: Thanks, Robin, he started using more color in his later works.

>33 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah!

>34 saras.library: *waving back* Glad you are back with us, Sara!
The last 18 months I have been reading a lot, catching up for the slow reading years before.

Anita, I am referring to your thread's second page: It is so funny - Wolfsaga is one of the first books I can remember I have read in school - and I loved it so much that I got it a few years ago. Need to reread it but I am a bit afraid that I might be disappointed. And I am so interested in the Napoleonic era. From the French Revolution until the Congress of Vienna - I think it is a fascinating part of history. When I was in Amsterdam I visited the Koninklijk Paleis - and afterwards I went to Arenenberg where Hortense lived in her later life. Sorry... I am blabbering... :-)

book 27: Zes maanden in de Siberische wouden by Sylvain Tesson
from the library, e-book, translated from French, non-fiction, English translation The Consolations of the Forest: Alone in a Cabin on the Siberian Taiga, 255 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book having a title which includes an animal with exactly three letters in its name

Sylvain Tesson spend six months in a cabin next to lake Baikal in Siberia. His stay started in February 2010, taking a lot of food, tools and books with him. He doesn't live completely isolated, there are people living on walking distance, and he gets some visitorss now and then. His days are filled with chopping wood, fishing, hiking and reading. After a visit to a neighbor in April, he gets two young dogs, who stay with the remaining time.
The book makes me want to travel to lake Baikal and stay there for some time...

>36 PersephonesLibrary: Hi Kathy, I got Wolfsaga as a birthday present from friends in 2000 or 2001. It stayed unread at my shelf until now, and I was pleasantly surprised.
The French Revolution and Napoleon changed a lot, our country became a kingdom after centuries as a republic... The Koninklijk Paleis was originally build as Townhall and was given to King Lodewijk Napolean as palace and stayed a palace under the present royal family.

>1 FAMeulstee: Oooh! I really like those Heyboers. Love the first one, The Right Moment, the best of those ones.

>37 FAMeulstee: Nothing could ever make me want to live in Siberia, I think, but that's a powerful statement about a book's appeal.

>39 richardderus: >1 FAMeulstee: The exhibition was named after that work, Richard. It was first shown on the Documenta III in 1964, together with a work by Matisse in the main hall. It was a recently found back in an art-archive in Hamburg.

Lake Baikal is in the south of Siberia, near the Mongolian border. So the waether is a bit milder than in the north. But indeed, it was a very good read.

Happy new thread Anita - amazing you're already going with the books to clear out to the library. Good start to the year!

>35 FAMeulstee: Me too, thanks! :) Well, I am quite proud of you. That's a good stretch of reading. Any goals other than the 75 books for this year?

>41 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte, my Kbo+ subscripting ended yesterday, so I can fully focus on my own books (and a few from the library).

>42 saras.library: Thank you, Sara. Last year I read 452 books. This year I have lowered my goal to 400 and half of those from my own library.

>43 FAMeulstee: Holy smokes! Nice goal. And I like that you're reading from your own library. I need to get on that, too.

Since two weeks I have trouble sleeping. Never had this before, but I panick when I go to bed and try to sleep :-(
Some nights I manage to get a few hours of sleep, other nights I don't sleep at all. I am afraid this is a new phobia. My thyroid levels are probably low. But I have a new GP, and with the last check in November I thought it was on the low side, but she didn't want to hear. Last August I had to high thyroid levels and I think she was just trying to be cautious. My thyroid levels go up in the summer and down in the winter and need adjusting all the time... I have an appointment to draw blood in 10 days, if it turns out it is low, it takes some weeks before the adjustment works out.

>44 saras.library: With my present reading speed it isn't hard to do, Sara, I can read both plenty of new books AND my own :-)

>45 FAMeulstee: Ah, that is too bad, Anita. Getting a good nights sleep is so important for feeling alright. And feeling panicked is not pleasant, to put it mildly.
Is there anything that could help you feel a bit more relaxed? For me, music helps me a lot, but everyone is different.

Is this a regular appointment for blood works, or do you have to ask your GP each time?

{{Anita}}

Happy New Thread, Anita. And Happy Friday. I hope you had a nice week, with plenty of good reads.

>37 FAMeulstee: I'd love to read that book! I've been to Siberia, though not to Lake Baikal, and would love to go back.

>45 FAMeulstee: So sorry to hear this, Anita. Ten days is a long time to wait. Keeping you in my thoughts and wishing you well.

>45 FAMeulstee: Oh, dang, Anita. I'm sorry this is happening for you. I'm keeping you in my thoughts, friend.

>47 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella, I write in the next message a more coherent tale about my history with phobia and the relation with thyroid levels. 18 years of experience have learned that only avoiding the phobia trigger worked. But in this case it is impossible to avoid. Diazepam does help a bit, so I hope my GP is willing to prescribe some extra diazepam for the weeks ahead.
This is a regular (3 month) appointment, but I hope I can change it to early next week.

>48 msf59: Thanks Mark, happy Friday (and last work day?) to you!
Reading is slowing down a bit, from 300+ to 200 pages a day. I will see if it picks up again.

>49 Sakerfalcon: There is an English translation, Claire, I hope you can find a copy.

>50 Crazymamie: Thank you, Mamie. Today I will try to move the blooddrawing a week forward, to next Monday or Tuesday.

>51 scaifea: Thank you, Amber. I expected my agoraphobia would return with low thyroid levels. This is even worse :-(

Crossing my fingers you can get an earlier appointment, Anita.

I wrote my message at >45 FAMeulstee: at 4:37 in the morning without sleep. So here a try to be more clear about it.

I have struggled with agoraphobia and panick attacks from 1995 to 2013. In 2011 was my low thyroid found (Hashimoto's) and after a few years we found out my phobia came from the low thyroid, wich explained why my phobia had not responded to any treatment in those 18 years.
In the last years I have had an other GP each year, so in 2016 my thyroid levels were low again, as no one remembered I had to be in the high end of normal range and the agoraphobia came back. When I finally remembered what the problem was the dosgae was adjusted and the phobia vanished. That is why I think this new phobia comes from a low thyroid, but I won't be certain until I know the blood results.

>53 Crazymamie: Thank you, Mamie, I will let you know.

Hang in there, Anita. And keep pursuing the thyroid issue. I also have Hashimoto's and know how draining that can be. Your own instincts are always right and if one doctor won't take them seriously, move on. I know it can feel easier to give up but you have a right to be taken seriously.

Breathe!

{{hugs}}

Hi Anita!

I'm sorry to hear that you're having sleep and other issues. It's too bad that you have to keep educating your doctors, but keep it up and be assertive in what you need.

*hugs*

>56 jessibud2: Thank you, Shelley, moving on isn't possible at the moment. We have a shortage of GP's in our city, so every practice is more than full. In our practice there should be 3 GP's and there is only one left, with two temporary added. When a new permanent GP is found, I might be able to switch. I certainly won't give up.

>57 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, sadly my assertiveness goes down together with the thyroid values... so I am always too late. But Frank does step in if needed.

ETA: The blooddrawing is resceduled to next Monday and I have an appointment with the GP on Friday.

>58 FAMeulstee: Glad you were able to get that rescheduled, and I hope you get things sorted out soon.

book 28: De man van de blauwe cirkels by Fred Vargas
from the library, e-book, translated from French, mystery, English translation The Chalk Circle Man, 221 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book with a geometric shape in the title

First book in the Chief Inspector Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg series.
I think I first saw this book on Kerry's thread (avatiakh), and Barbara (Ameise1) recommended it. Last year I was busy reading other mystery series, but then the book fitted this months TIOLI & I was ready to start a new mystery series.

Chief Inspector Jean-Baptiste Adamsberg recently came from a rural area to start working in Paris. He is very different from other police inspectors, istead of working systematicly, he lets his mind and intuition wander. There are enough others in his team that can do the usual police work.

An intriguing start of a series, next one is Seeking Whom He May Devour. I hope to read it soon.

>59 foggidawn: Thank you, Foggi, the sooner we find out what is going on, the sooner we can do something about it. Although it takes a few weeks to see results, after adjusting my thyroid meds.

Happy new thread, Anita!
Sorry to see your Hashimoto's has been acting up. I also have low thyroid but hypothyroid and not Hashimoto's. When my thyroid gets too low I get tired and angry easily.

Rooting for you Anita. Hope the GP situation improves too.

Boo hiss on GPs who don't listen to the patient! Once my low-thyroid problem was diagnosed and a 25mcg daily thyroid supplement given, I stopped having a problem controlling my situational depression with therapy. Since then I've had to argue with my GP to re-write the levothyroxine script a few times. I prevail, but why should I have to struggle at all?

>62 ChelleBearss: Thanks, Chelle, thyroid issues can be so annoying.
I get angry, emotionally unstable plus phobia.

>63 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, I hope so. GP's tend not to stay here, hence all the different GP's in the last years.

>64 richardderus: Thanks, Richard, it is tiring to keep education the next GP on a yearly basis...
It is absurd you have to argue about a medicin that obviously helps you.

I'm sorry to hear you've been battling stubborn doctors and poor health, Anita. I add my wishes to all the others hoping that you can get some relief from both very soon.

>66 rosalita: Thank you, Julia. I hope the appointment next week gives answers for both.

>54 FAMeulstee: Thank you for sharing this Anita. I don't understand how GPs can ignore patient's issues, especially when it's such a long and certainly well-documented history. Sorry it will take several weeks with bloodtests and medication to see any results, I hope they will now make it as fast as possible.

Sorry to hear about your sleeping problem, Anita. I hope that they are able to get your results from your blood tests soon and get you back on track. Trying to get doctors to see things your way can be frustrating.

>64 richardderus: my doctor's locum completely disregarded the Plunket nurse's (Plunket is an organisation that cares for babies and young children) advice to prescribe reflux medication for Lenny when he was a baby. I talked her into it, as only wanted to try it for a few weeks to see if it worked (which it did- as the nurse had predicted). But it annoyed me no end that she tried to talk me out of it- using the reason- there was no reflux when you were a baby. E.g., that there was no condition that had the name reflux....well, now there is, and there is also medicine to alleviate the symptoms. My usual doctor agree it was a good idea to try the medication for a short period, and I have never been back to the locum since.

I hope your doc listens, next time you go, take a list of all the things you want to say to them. Good luck.

>68 Deern: Thank you, Nathalie.
Sadly I do understand how it works. In our present health-care system everything is pushed down to the GPs, who get an overload of work. As their care costs less, the insurance companies require they do the main bulk of health-care work. Especially in poor neighborhoods the patients need more care than average, but the GPs get a standard pay and time per patient. I suspect there is also a management problem in our local health-care unit, as nearly every GP leaves after a year, some of them with a burn-out, others to a less demanding work place.

>69 Familyhistorian: Thank you, Meg, it is frustrating. But as I mentioned above to Nathalie, I also see their side of the problem. But it is more than annoying that this could have been prevented, if she had listened.

>70 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan, Frank always goes with me to appointments. I still panick in the waiting room, so I stay in the car until Frank comes to get me, and I can go straight to the GPs office. We memorise before we go what we want to say.

book 29: Het is maar een straathond by Helen Griffiths
own, YA, translated, original title Just a dog, 135 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book having a title which includes an animal with exactly three letters in its name

A stray dog in Spain has a litter of four pups. The book follows one of them. She is roaming the streets, struggles to find food and has some litters of her own. A few times she meets nice people, who give her food regularly. In the end she finds a human who keeps her.

A straight and nonsentimental tale of the harsh life of stray dogs.

book 30: Het reality-essay by Dirk Vis
own, e-book, Dutch, short story, fiction, no translations, 36 pages
TIOLI Challenge #7: Read a book that has been on your e-reader or phone for at least 6 months

Free e-book, to celebrate the 180th aniversary of "De Gids" a Dutch literary magzine.

The writer and his wife compete in a reality-show. During that time their perspective slowly changes, the part of their lives that is seen on TV seems to become more real than their daily life. Accordingly he looses grip on his life and becomes the character he is playing in the show.

A short story, with lots to think about.

>73 FAMeulstee: Intriguing. Dirk Vis needs to be translated, I think.

Anita, I am sorry to hear about your sleeping and phobia issues. I hope the blood test will bring more insight into what is going wrong. May your weekend be restful and relaxing (and of course, filled with books)!

>74 richardderus: Yes it was intriguing, Richard. Are there no English writers who picked up this subject?

>75 PersephonesLibrary: Thank you, Kathy. I did get some sleep the last two nights (thanks to diazepam), so I am less tired. I will know more after my appoitment with the GP on Friday.

Anita, I just read your list of books read in 2018...Incredible!

Hi Anita and happy Sunday to you!

>77 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda!
I have slowed down a bit. I am reading as many books, but fewer pages compared to last year.

>78 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen, the same to you!

Anita, I'm sorry to hear you are having some trouble with your thyroid and having trouble with anxiety and sleep. I hope you are soon able to resolve your difficulties. I've been fortunate to have the same GP for 37 years, but he is retiring in March. He has a new doctor coming in to replace him, and I hope I won't have any difficulties with the new fellow. I've taken antidepressants and anti anxiety medication for many years now, so I really do understand how challenging it all is. I know doctor's don't always listen to common sense, but my retiring doctor and I have come a long way over the years to understanding each other. A new doctor is hard .

Hi Anita, just catching up. Sorry to hear about your medical problems. Here’s hoping they get sorted out soon and properly. I missed all the Austen and football talk on you ur first thread, to which I could have contributed (the second because my boys are football crazy). Now that I’ve finally caught up, I might be able to keep up with you!

Hi Anita--Is it too late to wish you a happy new thread? ; ) You have my empathy with the whole thyroid thing. I am going through a change in medication levels right now. Although mine isn't seasonal--just random. Sorry it is making your phobias worse. I hope you get in soon and can adjust accordingly.

Anita, I hope your doctor's appointment goes well today and that they listen to you so that you can get the help you need. Keeping my fingers crossed.

>80 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah, I do hope this GP will stay a bit longer... We had one from 2006-2013, but when he left we had a new one nearly each year :-( They were all good, but each has his own habits, not always matching my needs.
It would be great to have the same GP for so many years! You will probably need some to time to get used to the new GP, but I am sure it will work out fine.

>81 humouress: Thanks, Nina, I hope so too.
No problem if you want to revive the Austen or football talk ;-)

>82 Berly: Thanks, Kim, it is never to late for a "happy new thread" ;-)
Sorry you are also dealing with thyroid issues, no fun. This time the trouble started when I had to change to an other thyroid medication, as the one I took was no longer available. This one seems to be better absorbed, so last summer my thyroid levels went way up. Lowered the dose 20%, which was probably more than needed. Now we have to find the right dose again.

>83 Sakerfalcon: Thank you, Claire, today it was only to draw blood. Luckely all went fine, as last year it went wrong a few times when I panicked and drawing blood was not possible at all. Thursday I get the results and Friday I will see my new GP. I have seen her one time before, a short introduction together with my previous GP.

>84 FAMeulstee: I hope you can make it work out with your new GP Anita!

>76 FAMeulstee: The reality theme reminded me of Ben Elton, but his is always (blackly) comic.

Hope the results and the GP behave themselves!

Hi Anita my dear, sorry to hear of your thyroid problems and issues with your GP, it seems that the Netherlands is having similar GP problems as we are over here. I hope that the results come back and that the GP stays. We were ok with our GP practice until about 18 months ago and then we had locums and new ones every so oft but now a new couple have taken over and some stability has come to our practice and hopefully this will last for a number of years.

Sending love and hugs to you and Frank dear friend from both of us.

>85 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella, I will see how it goes.

>86 charl08: This one was'n comic, Charlotte, although there were funny parts. I had to look up Ben Elton, I knew next to nothing about him.
I hope so too!

>87 johnsimpson: Thank you, John, my thyroid problems were discovered in 2011. It took some years to get to the right dosage, but then the manufacturer decided to close the Dutch factory and build a new one in Germany. Thus creating a shortage of thyroid meds and so I had to change to an other brand in December 2016. And now we are still trying to find the right dosage of this other thyroid medicine...
In some parts of the Netherlands there are no problems with GPs, but we are in a less popular and poorer part of the country, where these problems accumulate. I hope your new GPs will stay for a long time.

For anyone interested: I have created a thread for the group read of Barkskins in February.

book 31: De hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
1001 books, own, translated, original title The Hobbit, 253 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read a book that has a relation to an other book

Last year I re-read The Lord of the Rings, in December I watched the Hobbit movies and that made me want to read the book again.
The journey of Bilbo with the dwarves to to the Lonely Mountain is still a great story, love it!!!

>90 FAMeulstee: I last re-read it a couple years ago. It is terrific fun!

Dear Anita. I am so sorry that you are experiencing anxiety and the inability to sleep. I'm send a big hug to you across the miles.

>90 FAMeulstee: This is one I have reread several times, still great fun.

I'm glad you are at least getting some sleep with the medication, Anita. Sleep deprivation causes a whole host of additional problems! Hope all goes well with your GB and finding the correct level of thyroid meds. ((((Anita))))

>91 harrygbutler: I used to read is more regular, Harry, last time was 10 years ago. Love it each time :-)

>92 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda, I managed to get some sleep the last few nights. I hope it will better after adjusting the thyroid medication.

>93 EllaTim: Yes it is, Ella, I have read both The hobbit and The Lord of the Rings many times.

>94 ronincats: Thank you, Roni, a bit of sleep helps a lot. Although I still wake up feeling a bit anxious.
I will know more after my GP visit Friday.

January 2018 in numbers

32 books read (8,134 pages, 262.4 pages a day)

own 15 (47%) / library 7 (22%) / BolKobo+ 10 (31%)
(I ended my BolKobo+ subscription at the end of January and have read a total of 63 books in 6 months)

17 male author / 15 female author
8 originally written in Dutch / 24 translated into Dutch
22 fiction / 9 non-fiction

31 books in TIOLI Challenges
14 e-books
  4 1001 books
  2 Dutch Literary Canon
14 childrens/YA
  4 mystery/police prodedural

longest book 758 pages
shortest book 36 pages
average book 246.5 pages

--

date first published:
16th century: 1515
18th century: 1726
19th century: 1818, 1877, 1887

20th century
1930s: 1935, 1937
1950s: 1955
1970s: 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979
1980s: 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988
1990s: 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996

21st century:
2000s: 2001, 2005
2010s: 2011, 2012 (x2), 2014, 2015 (x2), 2017

--

ratings:
  3 x
  4 x
10 x
11 x
  3 x
  1 x

Best books
De hobbit (The Hobbit) by J.R.R. Tolkien,
Lof der zotheid (In Praise of Folly) by Desiderius Erasmus,
De oorlog heeft geen vrouwengezicht (The Unwomanly Face of War) by Svetlana Alexievich,

Wolvensaga by Käthe Recheis,
Woutertje Pieterse by Multatuli,
Een handvol sneeuw (The End of Days) by Jenny Erpenbeck,
Onafhankelijke mensen (Independent people) by Haldór Laxness,

>90 FAMeulstee: oh, that classic. I wonder if my eldest should read it? Or whether it might be too slow-paced for him (given that he abandons many a book- where he got his dislike of reading is beyond me)

>97 LovingLit: You won't know until he tries to read it, Megan. I don't know how he likes dragons, wizards, dwarves and elves. I was 12 years when I first read it, and fell in love with Middle-Earth.

book 32: Stijfkop, de vechthond by Helen Griffiths
own, YA, translated, original title The Kershaw dogs, 124 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book having a title which includes an animal with exactly three letters in its name

Set in the north of England in the 1930s. Bill Kershaw has earned well in dog-fighting. Twenty years ago it became illegal, but that hasn't stopped him. His present winning dog is a Bullterrier named Brute. Bill's son, Dudley Kershaw is now old enough to have a dog of his own, and he will have a son of Brute. When they go and get the little puppy, it is the first being that Dudley loves. He names him Pig-head, as he grows into a very stuborn dog. When the time comes Pig-head has to prove himself in the fighting pit, he fails. Instead of fighting he runs away...

book 33: Zwaarden, paarden en ziektekiemen by Jared Diamond
found on Richards thread (richardderus), from the library, non-fiction, translated, awarded, Pulizer Prize, original title Guns, Germs, and Steel, 508 pages

The development of humans in the last 13,000 years on the different continents. The different turns human development took on different places of our planet, are explained with geographical, biological and climatic factors. Thus showing that racist explanations are not valid at all. The reason of Western (and Chinese) dominance in the world today originates mainly in greater acces to domesticable plants and animals, and geographical advantages.

A very good read, the writer gives a convincing argument how humans developed like they did. Based on scientific research in many fields.

Got my thyroid values back today, and indeed as I feared the free T4 is WAY to low :'(
This also happened 2 years ago, when my phobia's came back and the same is happening again. I hope to find a way with the new GP to prevent this from happening again when switching GPs.

Sorry, because if this I am not as active on the threads as usual. I do read all the threads, but don't have the energy to respond much.

I'm so glad they found the answer and hope you'll be feeling better soon!

I really liked Guns, Germs and Steel. His books are challenging and very interesting.

What Janet said, Anita. It's a relief, I imagine, to identify the problem, although I hope they can prevent it from happening again.

I'm another fan of Guns, Germs and Steel. So refreshing to have a persuasive scientific analysis that supercedes racism.

>100 FAMeulstee: I'd like to translate that as The Sword, the Horse, and the Rotten Pomegranate, but I'm sure it's something sensible like Guns, Germs, and Steel.

>101 FAMeulstee: I'm upset for your sake that these levels are not being appropriately managed but very glad there are test results to back up your point!

Happy to know you liked reading Guns, Germs, and Steel as much as I did...maybe more!

>102 streamsong: Thank you, Janet, it will take 6 to 8 weeks to get the T4 levels near right again. If the dose is upped too fast I get extremely instable. So we have to take babysteps, 1/4th of a tablet up in two weeks. Not sure yet if I need 3/4th, 4/4th or even 5/4th more than the present dosage.
Guns, Germs and Steel gave a facinating and interesting new way to look at the development of humans in the world.

>103 jnwelch: Yes, Joe, it is a relief. On the other hand I feel a bit angry, as it could have been prevented if she had allowed me to draw blood after two instead of three months. She only looked at the T4 values in November, not to what happened in the months before.
To me the whole argumentation against racism was the best part of his analysis.

>104 The_Hibernator: LOL, Rachel, nearly right. Literally the Dutch title would translate Swords, Horses and Germs. With the Dutch words for swords and horses the translator created alliteration in the title, and it still does cover the contents of the book.

>105 richardderus: Thank you, Richard, now hoping that our appointment tomorrow goes well. I will need a lot more valium to cope the next 6-8 weeks, so hopefully she is willing to prescribe...
I found Guns, Germs and Steel a facinating read. Unlike you, I had never heard of these theories before. I liked the way he linked differend fields of scientific research.

book 34: Muizensoep by Arnold Lobel
own, childrens, translated, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel, 1982, original title Mouse Soup, 64 pages
TIOLI Challenge #13: Read a book that is tagged humor

A childrens book can't go wrong in my eyes, if on the first page a mouse is reading a book :-D
The first two pages from the English edition:


Cute and funny story of a mouse, who is caught by a weasel. He delays his fate by telling stories.
With beautiful matching illustrations.

>107 FAMeulstee: Those are lovely illustrations indeed.

Good fortune with the new GP, valium, and levothroxine.

>108 richardderus: Thanks, Richard, I will need some good fortune tomorrow.

Now two more reviews to go. I didn't sleep much last night, as Frank had to work, and I had trouble falling asleep again. I finished 3 short childrens books today, and Guns, Germs and Steel last night/early morning. This way te insomnia improves my reading numbers ;-)

book 35: Het is nacht, we gaan op jacht by Hans Hagen
own, childrens, Dutch, awarded, Zilveren Griffel, 1992, no translations, 64 pages
TIOLI Challenge #12: Read a book with a word in the title suggesting 'darkness'

Paralel stories of a girl and her grandmother, and a mosquito and her daughter in the same night.
The humans try to kill the mosquitoes and the mosquitoes try to sting the humans. Grandmother and mother mosquito both tell the story how the night came into the world.
Nice way to show different points of view at the same situation.

book 36: Mijn hersens draaien rondjes by Rita Verschuur
own, YA, Dutch, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1995, no translations, 123 pages
TIOLI Challenge #6: Read A book where the final page number of the story ends in x23

Autobiograpic story, set in the first years after WWII. Diary-like chapters of Rita's daily life at school, at home with her dad and stephmother and the vacations with her real mother. It was very unusual couples divorced in that time, so Rita doen't want to tell others her stephmother is not her real mother. With her stephmother she tries to be a perfect daughter, when she is at her mothers place life is much more free. It isn't easy to live two different lifes. In the first year after the war, her memories of the war haunt in her dreams.

Hi Anita! Just checking to see how you are feeling. I'm sorry it is taking so long to get your thyroid levels up. I hope the doctor appointment goes well. Hugs.

>112 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah, sadly it is a slow process, both with levels up and down.
2½ hours to go before my doctor appointment. I am a bit nervous.

Good luck with your doctor's appointment, Anita. I hope he'll have positive news for you.

>113 FAMeulstee: Good luck with your doctor's appointment! Sending you positive vibes.

Hoping that all goes well and the doctor gives you the help you need.

>114 cameling: >115 EllaTim: & >116 Sakerfalcon: Thanks Caroline, Ella and Claire.

The appointment went very well. It all turned out to be accumulating misunderstandings on both sides. She apoligised and we made up a plan to prevent this from happening again. She prescribed some extra valium for the next two months. Late March drawing blood again and the next appointment a few days after.

*sigh of relief*

>117 FAMeulstee: - That is great news, Anita! And good for her for apologizing and taking positive action. And good for you for not giving up! Happy dance!!!

>117 FAMeulstee: Very glad to hear it Anita. So good that you could make a plan together now!

>117 FAMeulstee: Glad you got to a good resolution, Anita! It sounds promising moving forward.

>118 jessibud2: Thanks, Shelley, both Frank and me are very relieved :-)

>119 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella, now hoping it will indeed work out as planned.

>120 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry, in some weeks I should be back to my normal self again.

Glad to hear you've got things sorted out with the GP. Fingers crossed for much better health.

I'm so glad that the GP appointment went well. Honestly, I have never heard of a doctor apologizing for anything - so I am impressed and hope the new plan prevents it from every happening again.

>107 FAMeulstee: "A childrens book can't go wrong in my eyes, if on the first page a mouse is reading a book " I love this! Thanks for sharing the illustrations.

>122 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, I am very relieved it went so well at the GP. I will feel better when my thyroid levels are back high enoug. But it will take some time.

>123 streamsong: I was a bit impressed with her, Janet, she was much more relaxed than she was in the first meeting together with my previous GP. I think she got too much in her plate at once, as at that time two GPs were leaving and handing over some patients to her.

When I found that picture of the first pages I could not resist showing them ;-)

Hi Anita!

I, too, am glad to hear that the appointment went well! Your GP apologized, you got Valium, you have an action plan, and she sounds like you can work with her now that the misunderstandings are cleared up.

I hope your road back to normal thyroid levels is not bumpy.

>96 FAMeulstee: Your January statistics are amazing and wonderful.

>125 karenmarie: Thank you, Karen, it is good to share happiness :-)
I truly hope this GP will stay a bit longer than a year, as I think we can work with eachother.

The thyroid problems did interfear a bit with my reading, in fact it was the first symptom I noticed early January... I nearly read as many books as last year, but significant less pages read: 8,134 pages this year against 9.756 pages last year. I hope it perks up a bit, as I have many reading plans for this month.

Hi Anita my dear, so glad that your appointment went well my dear and that they apologized and you have got an action plan. Hopefully your thyroid levels will return to normal as long as there are no more problems with your GP. I must say that I am intrigued by the Mouse Soup book and will look out for it as I want to read it although it will have to wait until next year. Sending love and hugs dear friend.

>127 johnsimpson: Thank you, John, it was a big relieve all went well today.
You could get to Mouse Soup earlier, I think you could read it within an hour. Because it is in no way a big fat book ;-)
Love and hugs back to you and Karen.

Glad the appointment went well and we all look forward to having you return to normal!

Catching up I wanted to write that I hope your GP has learned to listen to you, then reading with relief that in fact she did. So hopefully you're building a new base of trust together, and hopefully she'll stay with you for a long time. Wishing you a good recovery, I'm sorry it will take so long to get to the correct levels and that extra valium is needed. Sending {{{hugs}}} your way!

>117 FAMeulstee: That is great news! Keeping my fingers crossed that the road to recovery is smooth from now on.

>130 Deern: Thank you, Nathalie, I hope this was the start of a good and lasting relation with my new GP.
It is no big deal it wil take long, at least I know I am heading into the right direction again. I should be back in shape when we travel your way in April :-)

>131 Sakerfalcon: Thanks, Claire, it will be as smooth as possible. Body & mind need a bit of time to adjust to higher doses, with small steps is the easiest way.

Happy weekend hugs, Anita. :-)

Happy Saturday, Anita!

>107 FAMeulstee: This was Rae's favorite book when she was little!

>117 FAMeulstee: Most excellent news, Anita. I am so happy that you got it all worked out and can work together going forward.

>133 richardderus: Thanks, Richard dear, happy weekend is happening :-)

>134 Crazymamie: Thank you, Mamie, this is a very good Saturday and I turned 55 today :-)
A very good one to be a favourite.
Yes, I was very nervous before the appointment and came back feeling much better.

The last years I keep my birthday low profile. My parents aren't able anymore to come over and I keep everybody out. Just enjoying a nice and quiet day with Frank. He had a bottle of Bowmore for me at the start of the day at 0:00, just before bedtime. This afternoon we visited the last land art of our province "Sealevel", see my 12th thread of 2017. Pictures will follow tomorrow.

Many many happy returns of this day!

Happy belated birthday wishes Anita, you sure kept a low profile.
So here's a birthday cake for you

Happy Birthday, Anita!

Happy Birthday, Anita.

Happy Birthday Anita! :)

>100 FAMeulstee: I like the Dutch title better.

>104 The_Hibernator: Hilarious, Rachel! I'm still smiling.

Good to know your T4 has been sussed out. Hopefully it settles soon; I disliked having to divide tablets into such tiny bits.

>132 FAMeulstee: And good to know your GP and you have things sorted out. I hope she's put the plan in big red letters across the front of your file in case she does have to move on suddenly.

>136 richardderus: >137 EllaTim: >138 Crazymamie: >139 majleavy: >140 Deern: Thanks Richard, Ella, Mamie, Michael and Nathalie!

A virtual birthdaycake I can handle, Ella, luckely no real one for me :-D
When I was young a birthday ment stress, and my mother wasn't very nice, especially when she was stressed...

>141 humouress: I agree on the Dutch title, Nina, but both titles do cover the contents.
I also dislike breaking tablets in tiny bits, but since I have a tablet-cutter it is a lot easier.
My file is in the computer, so no big red letters, but I asume there is a pop-up-screen now. I will ask my social/psychiatric nurse, next week when he visits, as he can see my files.

book 37: Aardzee 2 (Earthsea omnibus 4-6) by Ursula Le Guin
from the library, translated, fanatasy, original titles Tehanu, Tales from Earthsea and The Other Wind, 623 pages
TIOLI Challenge #2: Read a book by or about Ursula K. Le Guin

Tehanu was a very good read, at the review page I saw many didn't like this one, probably because the story is less "exotic/epic". Away from the epic adventures they shared before, Tenar and Ged meet again. Tenar has chosen to live an average life with a farmer, Ged has lost his powers and feels hunted. 4 stars

Tales from Earthsea contains five stories, the first is the longest one, set way before the time of the other stories. All five enjoyable stories, with some familiar characters turning up. 4½ stars

The Other Wind is a magical, unexpected and great conclusion to the Earthsea series. Sadly this is the last book with all the characters I love to read about. 5 stars

Happy birthday, Anita, a day late. Great to hear that it was a good one for you!

Happy Belated Birthday to you!

>144 jessibud2: >145 The_Hibernator: Thanks, Shelley and Rachel, (be)late was inevitable as I only mentioned my birthday here in the last ½ hour of the day.

book 38: Tommie Station by Mensje van Keulen
own, Dutch, YA, awarded, Zilveren Griffel 1986, no translations, 158 pages
TIOLI Challenge #1: Read a book tagged "friendship"

A baby is found on a trainstation. Eef, the train driver, takes him home and names him Tommie Station. The owners of the diner at the trainstation don't like Eef and Tommie and try everything they can to get Tommie away. Later Tommie and Eef end up with a hoard of cats.

Funny book, reminds sometimes of Roald Dahl, especially the mean couple of the diner.

Happy Birthday, Anita ! :)

Happy Belated Birthday, Anita! I hope you and Frank enjoyed your day.

And belated congrats from me too. February birthdays are the best.

>148 figsfromthistle: >149 karenmarie: >150 PersephonesLibrary: >151 charl08: Thanks Anita, Karen, Kathy and Charlotte!

>151 charl08: Yes, February is a good birthday month, yours is only 19 days to go ;-)

Sea Level by Richard Serra

Yesterday we went to see the last of seven Landart in Flevoland.
Two concrete walls 200 meters long are located on two sides of the water. Starting in the hill they come out into the landscape. Their height is the sea level, where the water would be without the dikes,

Picture on the display (with raindrops), where you can see both walls from the air:


Left: the wall on the southside; right: the other wall on the north side
 

Left: The lowest side of the wall, starting just above ground level; right: both walls in one picture, you can see a glimpse of the 2nd wall on the other side of the water under the bridge
 

Left: Frank about halfway of the wall; right: me at the end of the wall
 

Popping in to say I hope you had a wonderful Birthday and just so you know there is a vote going on over on my thread.

>153 FAMeulstee: Your snapshots really evoke the landscape-ness of the Serra sculptural landart. Very interesting piece.

>155 richardderus: Thank you, Richard, it was an impressive place to visit. Visualising the fact we live below sea level.

Happy belated birthday Anita! I'm glad you enjoyed your day and got to see some more land art. Great photos!

Hi, Anita. Just checking in. Sorry, I missed your birthday. I hope you enjoyed it. I was frolicking in the tropics.

Hope those books are treating you good.

>157 Sakerfalcon: Thanks, Claire, now we have visited all 7 places in Flevoland with landart.

>158 msf59: No worry, Mark, I don't really celebrate birthdays. Having a good time in the tropics is more important!
I just started reading Barkskins and I was immediately drawn into the story.

book 39: Pablo by Helen Griffiths
own, translated, YA, original title Pablo, 166 pages
TIOLI Challenge #17: Read a book with an animal on the cover

Pablo lives in Asturia, in the north-west of Spain. He lives with his grandparents on a small farm, as his parents went away to Germany, as jobs pay better over there. Pablo feels sometimes a bit lonely, until his grandfather gives him a very young puppy he names Neska. Then his parents return to stay, his mother is clear: she wont have a big dog in their appartment.

Again a very good book by Helen Griffiths. Besides the dogs there are some realistic descriptions of wolves in this story.

book 40: Meneer Ratti by Mensje van Keulen
own, Dutch, YA, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1993, no translations, 86 pages
TIOLI Challenge #19: Read a two-word-title without an article

Mister Ratti lives alone in a basement. He doesn't like other people. At night he goes out to collect everything that might be usable on the streets. One day a cat enters his basement, he tries to chase her away, but she stays and keeps his feet warm at night. When a girl comes searching for her cat, he paints parts of the cat so the girl won't recognise her cat.

At times funny story, but not memorable.

book 41: Maliff en de wolf by Hans Hagen
own, Dutch, YA, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1995, no translations, 64 pages
TIOLI Challenge #18: Read a book where a number higher than 2 is written somewhere on the front or back cover

Maliff lives in Syria, together with his father and uncle they watch over the sheep. One day his uncle's donkey stumbles upon a wolf cub. Maliff wants to keep it, but his father and uncle argue it should go back to the wild.

Sweet story, based on a story the writer told his daughter when they were traveling through Syria.

Today my shiny new copy of Aardzee trilogie (Earthsea omnibus 1-3) by Ursula Le Guin arrived. I bought it with the birthday money I got from my parents.

Makes a total of 12 acquired books this year.

Hi, Anita! Belated happy birthday wishes.

>153 FAMeulstee: That's an interesting installation, Anita. Thanks for sharing the photos!

>164 harrygbutler: Thank you, Harry, happy birthday wishes are always welcome, no matter when ;-)
It has been great to visit them all and to see how the artists used the landscape in their work.

Belated birthday wished, Anita! I'm so pleased that you can visit my thread again. I'm so sorry for the loss of your dogs. You've had a lot to cope with this past while. Hugs, Anita.

Hi Anita! Just so you know the Vote on my thread was tied, so please go vote again. Thanks.

>166 vancouverdeb: Thank you, Deborah, it needed some time.
Yes, we had a lot within 18 months (July 2016-December 2017) we lost both our dogs, two of my siblings and Franks aunt. Today Frank could finally finish the work on his aunts inheritance. Because of problems at the national tax department, it took 11 months before he got the final amount of inheritance tax to pay.

>167 BBGirl55: Hi Bryony, I voted again :-)

Happy belated birthday, Anita. I hope you had a wonderful day. I didn't realize we were born in the same year - I will turn 55 in September!

I am so sorry to hear about your health problems. It sounds as though things may start looking up now that you are adjusting medications. I

>169 rretzler: Thanks, Robin, it was a perfect day! No visitors, one phone call, whole day together with my husband :-)
Then we share our Chinese zodiac sign: the Rabbit ;-)

>143 FAMeulstee: I just read Tehanu for the first time since my original reading some 27 or 28 years ago. I remembered it not at all but liked it quite well this time around! Did you miss me at >129 ronincats:?

>171 ronincats: >129 ronincats: Sorry, I did miss you up there, Roni, I am obviously not back to normal yet!
Good you appriciated Tehanu, I am glad I discovered the Earthsea books, thanks to you :-)

book 42: Schorshuiden by Annie Proulx
own, translated, original title Barkskins, 795 pages
TIOLI Challenge #9: Read a book with a tree or trees on the cover

Epic historical fiction, going from the end of the 17th century to present day.
Two Frenchmen arrive in the New World in 1693, they become woodcutters. René Sel marries a Mi'kmaw woman and his descendant live a harsh life, torn between western and indigenous lifestyles. Charles Duquet, who changes his last name into Duke, is the founder of a big logging company, that ruthlessly clears the woods where ever possible.

Very good read. Following the two families through over three centuries, the one shows the decline of the Mi'kmaw tribe and their way of life. The other shows us how far some will go for profit.
Considering the subject of forest conservation, I should have bought the e-book, as for my paper copy trees died...

>173 FAMeulstee: Sounds like an interesting book! Yes to forest conservation!

As an aside, I love the sound of the Dutch title, but it's very different from the English one, not in meaning but in sound, which do you prefer? Does it even matter? Never mind, I just noticed it;-)

>174 EllaTim: It was a great book, Ella, I hope to get to her other books soon. Scheepsberichten and Ansichten are waiting patiently on the shelves.

Indeed very different sound, althoug the singular Barkskin and Schorshuid are a bit closer.

>175 FAMeulstee: Oh, that's well found, much better!

Enjoy her next books!

Good review Anita, I especially liked the New Zealand section. Made me want to visit those enormous trees.

>177 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte, I wonder if any of them are left in New Zeland...
I did an internet search: 95% of them have been cut, the remaining ones are protected now. I would love to see them!

>98 FAMeulstee: my son was saying to me the other day that the reason he doesn't like reading is because he hasn't found a book he likes yet. He states that he likes monsters and creatures and fights, and stuff like that. We talked about Harry Potter (No, not that!) and then I thought of the Hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings! I might see if there's something for him on book depo- there's never such a thing as too many books in the house :)

>173 FAMeulstee: Already!?? You finished already?? Durn it, I am only just about to start :)

Also, are the NZ trees Kauri? It seems there is a blight on them these days as well as the over-harvesting. I will see if I can come back with a photo my dad took of my mum next to the grandfather of the Kauri, way back before it was known that foot traffic spreads the blight...
Eta (again) I can't find the image my dad has, but here is the Wikipedia page for Tane Mahuta, the oldest/largest Kauri in NZ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tāne_Mahuta

>179 LovingLit: I have to think it over, maybe I can come up with some other books he might like.

Yes, I am a fast reader, with a lot of time to read ;-)
On the other hand you have the joy of this book still ahead.

ETA: Yes, the NZ trees are Kauri, must have been a mighty wood before the logging companies found them...

Hi, Anita! I like stumbling across small bits of civic memory. There's a small town in western New York that has a safe that was emptied in a bank robbery many years ago mounted on a post with a sign in the little downtown area, and it always pleased me to see that.

>179 LovingLit: Megan, has he tried the Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom books, starting with A Princess of Mars? They might offer what he is looking for. There are also lots of old science fiction magazines at the Internet Archive; I think Amazing Stories (https://archive.org/details/amazingstoriesmagazine) or Planet Stories (no collection, but there are plenty of issues there) might give him what he wants, though I haven't read the stories and so can't recommend any particular ones.

>179 LovingLit: Has he tried the Percy Jackson series yet? Definitely monsters and creatures and fights, plus plenty of snarky humor.

>174 EllaTim: Another book on my selves to read soonish. I like Proulx's work.

Belated Happy Birthday too Anita.

>181 harrygbutler: Yes, small bits of history are nice, Harry. Where I live now the land is so new there is not much to remember, but in older places you can find plaquettes or other marks about historical figures and events.

>182 foggidawn: Besides the Percy Jackson series, I also thought of the Ranger's Apprentice series.

>183 Caroline_McElwee: & 279 on the previous thread. Thanks Caroline.
With In America: Travels With John Steinbeck, The Unwomanly Face of War and Barkskins you have some good reads waiting on your shelves :-)

book 43: De havik by T.H. White
from the library, e-book, translated, non-fiction, original title The Goshawk, 235 pages
TIOLI Challenge #3: Read a book of which the title contains something that you love

Memories about training a goshawk in the 1930s, published 15 years later (1951).
Terence White obtains a young goshawk (Gos) he wants to train. Long struggle between man and wild bird.
All his knowledge about falconery he has from books, the real thing is harder than he imagined. Some scenes are not very animal friendly (by todays standards), like a fox hunt and a badger that is killed.
Lots of thoughts about Shakespeare and other writers and references to falconery in their work.

I liked the book and ordered a copy of his The Once and Future King, Including The Book of Merlyn in Dutch translation. We used to own it, but the book was culled in the great cull of 2005, now I want it back!
I think I should read H is for Hawk soon.

book 44: De verdwenen menora by Jan & Sanne Terlouw
from the library, Dutch, mystery, no translations, 319 pages
TIOLI Challenge #16: Read a book with title word or author name starting with GOLDSILVERBRONZE in rolling order

A priest is murdered in the cathedral of Den Bosch. It turns out he hided a mysterious document shortly before he got killed. The document seems to contain a clue about the menorah from the Second Temple, that was taken to Rome after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD.
The first half of the book the uneven chapters are about the mystery of the murdered priest, the even chapters about the wherabouts of the menorah through the centuries. The second half of the book unravels the mystery of the murder and where the menorah is found.
At the last pages the writers explain what part of history is true and what is imaginary.

I thought I knew a lot about the history of jews in Europe, but did learn some more from this story.

>185 FAMeulstee: Beautiful cover. Interesting book. I haven't read this one, but I loved The Once and Future King.

Yes, read Helen MacDonald next, she comments on the book by White, on hawk training, on White himself. Very interesting. And a very good book in itself as well.

Thanks for the book recs for my son! I will WL them and see about library availability.

>187 EllaTim: Indeed a lovely cover, Ella.
I hope to get H is for Hawk from the library next month.

Today my replacement copy of The Once and Future King, Including The Book of Merlyn arrived and the three Merlin trilogy books by Mary Stewart. They were victims of the great cull in 2005, when I thought my reading ability had vanished forever. I missed them, so I decided I had to get them back.

>188 LovingLit: You are very welcome, Megan, I hope he finds something he likes!

book 45: Anansi de spin weeft zich een web om de wereld by Noni Lichtveld
own, Dutch, childrens/YA, folktales, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1985, no translations, 80 pages
TIOLI Challenge #7: Read a book by an author who is part of the African diaspora

Anansi folktales from Suriname.
The tales about the smart spider Anansi originate in Africa, the writer heard them from het grandmother and aunts and wrote them down as stories for children. Anansi fools everyone around him, and because he is smart het gets away with it. Together with his wife Akoeba he has many children.

Most stories are funny, some have a message. With colorful illustrations by the writer.

Whew! All caught up on both your threads at last!

I'd forgotten that you had thyroid issues - I'm another (hypothyroid) and hate the whole business of blood tests and checking the levels. I'm on quite a high dose but it does get put up or down by about 25mcg every year or so. It's good that you have worked out that the low thyroid is causing the phobia, and I'm glad you managed to sort things out with the GP so that hopefully things can be managed better in future.

As for books -well, some of my favourites mentioned above - I'm glad you've got back copies of The Once and Future King and the Mary Stewart Merlin books. I re-read the T H White last year, after reading H is for Hawk - but never have read The Goshawk though I knew about it. And I've just acquired a copy of Tales from Earthsea, as that was the one Earthsea book I don't have a copy of, and don't recall reading. I now can't decide whether to read that one only, or to re-read the whole series!

>191 gennyt: You worked hard, Genny, two threads is a lot to go through.
It is almost 5 years since we learned the phobias and the thyroid were related. Due to many different GPs this was the second time it went wrong :-( At least I know it is only temporary.
Maybe it would be better if you went up (or down) with 12.5 mcg (I assume half a tablet) to avoid future changes?

Glad we share so many favourites. I read the first 3 Earthsea books last year and the second this month. I am going to get my own copy of the 2nd trilogy too. In a few years I am going to read all books in a row.

>192 FAMeulstee: I'm currently on 200mcg so 25 is not too big a proportional change when it's needed. It seems to be related to gaining and losing weight - larger body mass needs higher dosage or something?

>193 gennyt: Yes, the dose is (partly) based on weight, Genny.

At first I was on 150mcg, but small changes have big consequenses in my case. When I have to go up I start with 1/4th of a 25mcg tablet every other day and slowly work my way up... The first thing I lost when I got thyroid medication was a lot of weight (nearly 20kg), my dose should have gone down then, but then my phobias vanished. That was how we found out they were related & I needed to be at the heigh end of normal free T4.

book 46: Een midzomernachtdroom by William Shakespeare
from the library, e-book, translated, original title A Midsummer Night's Dream, 82 pages
TIOLI Challenge #10: Read something by Shakespeare that you weren't assigned in high school

Because the copy the library should have seems lost, I searched the internet for Dutch translations and found two. One at project Gutenberg published in 1908, translated by L.A.J. Burgersdijk, the other at dbnl published in 1948 translated by Nico van Suchtelen. The second translator must have been aware of the first translaion, as he was doing his best not to use the same words. Both translations had parts that were difficult to understand, so it was useful to read them together.
Overal it was a nice play. I might look for a more recent (and better) translation someday to see if I might like it better.

>195 FAMeulstee: That’s one of my favorite Shakespeare plays; sorry the translation was lacking.

Happy reading weekend, Anita!

Hi Anita!

I hope you and Frank are having a wonderful Sunday.

>189 FAMeulstee: I've done that with books - get rid of something I regret later. That's how I reacquired A-J in the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton, which I'm re-reading with enjoyment right now.

>189 FAMeulstee: This almost always happens when I give unread books away. Suddenly they call me from far away and I have to buy them again. :/

Happy Sunday evening and a good start into the fresh week for you and Frank!

So sorry Anita, somehow I had lost your thread to the ignore button.
Hope your thyroid issues are improving!

>196 foggidawn: I think it might be even better to go and see the play one day. Only read is half the fun I think. But I am also looking for a better translation.

>197 PersephonesLibrary: Thanks, Kathy, as almost always reading was good :-)

>198 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen, it was a good day today.

>198 karenmarie: & >199 Deern: Not many books found their way back. Of the 1509 books culled in 2005 only have 79 returned. I have read these last 4 all before, and they were missed like old friends can be missed.

>199 Deern: Thanks, Nathalie, I hope your coming week isn't too busy.

>200 ChelleBearss: Glad you found me again, Chelle :-)
I am feeling a bit better. The phobias are not gone yet, but I hope they will in a few weeks time.

Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better Anita.

>201 FAMeulstee: I think seeing it on stage there is so much more to enjoy here. Just reading it seems very dry. I've never seen it performed on stage but it features in other books, in movies, in music.

Hi Anita! I'm glad that you are gradually feeling better, and I hope that the phobias fade quickly. Take care! Hugs from Canada.

Belated happy birthday, Anita. Some of the best people are born in February! It was good to read that you and your doctor are now on the same page regarding your health issues. I hope you are back to your normal self in no time.

Anita? Dear? Everything okay?

>204 EllaTim: Probably much better, Ella, but I am glad I have read it. The only Shakespeare I have seen on stage was Koning Lear (King Lear), in 1981 performed by De Appel.

>205 vancouverdeb: Thanks, Deborah, I had a bit of a setback yesterday. The agoraphobia didn't keep me from going to my hairdresser, she is just around the corner, but I did feel a bit anxious walking to her and back :-(

>206 Familyhistorian: Yes Meg, we are ;-)
We had a good talk with the doctor and I think she understands better now. I is a hassle with so many different docters in a few years.

>207 richardderus: Thank you, Richard dear, I am okay.
The past two days I finally took some time to update my Chow Chow website (www.xin-feng.nl).

I hadn't kept up with it, last time was when Eoos died in 2011. I still get sometimes e-mail from people looking for a Chow Chow pup, so I finally mentioned the death of our last Chow Chow there (Chimay went in 2016). I hoped to write tributes to Chimay and Ari, but didn't get to that. At least their pages are moved from "our present dogs" to "our dogs from the past".
I don't want to remove the website completely from the world wide web, as I know the parts I wrote about color and coat are visited regular by Chow Chow lovers.

But it is finished now, so now I can go back to my books and read. And catch up with the threads ;-)

>208 FAMeulstee: Well, Anita, we are two of a kind. My doctor was taken ill yesterday ( nothing serious ) and tomorrow - later today, I have to see a replacement doctor. I hope that will go well . With my issues with anxiety and depression and yes, agoraphobia, I also have an unusual medication regime. I think it will go well, my family doctor has always assured me that a fill in doctor will go by his notes, but I'm a bit anxious. My family doctor retires in March, but he has told me that he will speak to the new doctor ( for March ) and it should not be a problem. I'm counting on that. Wish me well.

I had a very bad bout of agoraphobia/panic attacks/ depression after losing a baby boy at 16 weeks of pregnancy.( I was 40 years old then) . I was unable to leave my house for over ???? 6 weeks or so, and then gradually I would start to go out with just Dave and venture into a store or outside with him. It took me about 1 year to be able to get around again on my own without a lot of anxiety. It was really hard to push my way through. Panic attacks are really hard to understand the severity of unless you have had one. I was bit lucky that my dad suffered with panic attacks in much smaller way . Apparently there is a inherited component to anxiety and panic and I guess it is in my family. I feel very blessed that my two sons do not seem to suffer with anxiety much. My first bout with panic attacks and depression happened when I was just 19 and I've never been completely free of them since then, but much, much better with medication and understanding doctors.

Big and best wishes to you, Anita, from me in Vancouver . We should be neighbours. I understand very much.

For me, I also had a complicated issue with my thyroid. The Free T4 showed it was low, but the other measurement showed it was normal. So the doctors decided to put me on thyroid medication in my early 30's. After a year or so , began having heart palpitations and I thought was just my anxiety, but finally my doctor sent me to an endocrinologist and he discovered I had an unusual autoimmune thing that somehow my free T4 did not show up correctly on the test, but I did not actually need any replacement thyroid, so I had to gradually come off it. Fortunately that did not bother me.

>210 vancouverdeb: I would love to have you as my neighbour, Deborah!
Wishing you well for the doctors appointment, may it all go very smoothly.

In my case I think there is also some inheretance involved, my mother has similair anxiety issues, but she was very good in hiding them. Only 5 years back the link between agoraphobia and my thyroid was found. It might be that my mothers anxiety is linked to the thyroid as well, but it is too late to verify that now. She is suffering from dementia and I don't think searching for a thyroid link would benefit her now.

This is the second time agoraphobia came back, due to low T4 levels. At least I know now it will be only temporary. After living nearly 20 years with agoraphobia it takes a lot of time getting used to live without it. Each time I was getting close to get used to being outside alone, I got the phobia back :-(

My anxieties for doctors, hospitals and everything else involving medical professionals will probably never fade. I have traced that back to when my tonsils were removed. I was 3 or 4 years old, and as my mother told me later, we got stucked in the elevator in the hospital (my mother has anxiety in elevators) and then she was scolded by the surgeon for being late for the appointment.

Last August I had heart palpations from to much T4, a frightning experience. Now I have trouble to distinguish heart palpations from anxiety from those, as it feels the same.

I like the idea of the two of you as neighbours. It would make it easy to visit you both at the same time :-)

>195 FAMeulstee: Shakespeare is hard enough to read for English speakers. I can only wonder how it is to read it in translation. Shakespeare employs a lot of wordplay and I wonder whether the translators attempted to preserve this at all. For instance, in Midsummer Night's Dream there is this:

DEMETRIUS
No die, but an ace for him, for he is but one.

LYSANDER
Less than an ace, man. For he is dead. He is nothing.

THESEUS
With the help of a surgeon he might yet recover and prove an ass.

The "ace" refers to the number one on a die (one die, two dice. The die refers to gaming dice). Just as the number one in cards is an ace, so is the one on a die, but the missing piece of information for the modern reader is that in the time that Shakespeare wrote this, ace was pronounced just like ass (a donkey). That makes Theseus' rejoinder make more sense and, of course, is reminiscent of Puck's curse of Bottom.

>212 charl08: It is going to be hard to find a place in the middle for us, Charlotte, but I would like Deborah or other LTers as neighbours.

>213 sirfurboy: That was why I read two Dutch translations together, Stephen, that way I didn't miss it all. One translated the names of the players, the other did not. The way you explain this is funny. Sometimes a lot is lost in translation, or even in time as language evolves and changes in time.

Happy Wednesday, Anita! I am in awe of your reading!

Hi, Anita.

Sorry to hear about the anxiety and thyroid problems (and Deb's, too, although the thyroid issue got straightened out). Sending positive thoughts to both of you for improvement.

>213 sirfurboy: What a great example of this issue in Shakespeare.

It makes me wonder about similar wordplay losses when non-English books are translated into English. I read the Italian Montalbano mystery series, and I feel that Stephen Sartarelli does a terrific job of translating them. He always includes a short section in the back that further explains phrases and the like that would be hard for the non-Italian to otherwise understand and appreciate.

An explanation like that in a Shakespeare translation would no doubt help for that example.

>216 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe, improvement for me is on its way. It only needs some time now.

Translating is not an easy job, I think. If the languages are close some wordplay may be translated directly. Probably some is lost in each translation, using work arounds to come close. On the other hand it is better to read a book in translation than not read it at all because you don't understand the language.

>209 FAMeulstee: A difficult task, good to have it accomplished. I'm pleased it's not a depressive episode keeping you in a dark place, so yay for that and *smooch* just because.

>218 richardderus: It was a difficult task, Richard, and I am glad it is done for now.
Since I weaned off the anti-depressants in 2015, I haven't returned into depression. I went through some hard, emotional draining times and I have been under the weather, but not into that deep, bottomless hole. I can't emphasize enough how happy that makes me :-D
*smooches* right back at you!

>179 LovingLit: Megan, I don't know if you'll see this - but how old is your son? I had two very reluctant readers, my older son likes to read now but hated it when he was in elemetary school - he also couldn't find anything to interest him. When we finally found authors that he liked, I kept a list, which can be found here or I just listed them on foggi's thread here

I also suffer from anxiety and depression - I'm off medication right now because the medicine was causing me to have restless legs, which then causes me to have trouble sleeping. I'm taking medication for my restless legs and need to go back to my doctor to try out another anxiety/depression medication. Unfortunately, my doctor is very young and I'm not sure that he really has the right experience, so I've been thinking of switching doctors and dreading it.

Happy Valentine's Day, Anita.

>220 rretzler: Sorry you are also suffering from depression and anxiety, Robin.
A young doctor might be good, he could be aware of recent developments in medications.
When my depression was at its worst, it took a very long time to find the right medication. I tried many before we found that Paxil did work for me. Each one had to be tried for a few months, some made me worse, others made me sit at the couch all day, without any energy to do anything. So it can be a long quest to find the right one.

book 47: De adjudant van de vrachtwagen by S.R. van Itterson
own, Dutch, YA, awarded, Beste Jeugdboek 1968, English translation Pulga, 196 pages
TIOLI Challenge #4: Read a book about, set in, or published in the 60s. Any century, past or future

Pulga (flea) lives with his grandmother and siblings in a very small room in Bogota. He keeps himself alive with begging and stealing. One day he meets Gilimon, a truckdriver, who needs a new helper. With Gilimon Pulga travels through Colombia, a much better life with even three meals a day! On their way they have some scary and difficult experiences.

A good read, the book gives a little insight of life in parts of Columbia in the 1960s and the sad life of poor people.

book 48: Zwart als inkt is het verhaal van Sneeuwwitje en de zeven dwergen by Wim Hofman
own, Dutch, YA, awarded, Gouden Griffel and Woutertje Pieterse prijs 1998, no translations, 180 pages
TIOLI Challenge #15: Read a book with a title containing the word Harry, Max, Rainy, black, red or some variation thereof

The fairytale of Snowwhite in free verse, with some unexpected dark twist and turns. Illustrated by the author. The title translated: Black as ink is the story of Snowwhite and the seven dwarfs.

book 49: Morgen is de toekomst by An Rutgers van der Loeff
own, Dutch, YA, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1981, no translations, 118 pages
TIOLI Challenge #14 : Read a book by an author you also read last February

Three short stories, title means The future is tomorrow .
First story is set a few days before the end of WWII. A village is terrorised by a group of children. They are all runaways, from home or from the camps, others are orphans or just left behind by their parents. The group dynamics are terrible, as everyone grew up in a time of terror.
Second story is set in the Netherlands, I think somewhere in the 1960s. A boy is left by his steph-fathers time and time again. His mother is abusive, when the court finally decides he should be placed in a childrens home, he finds comfort with one of the caretakers. When she leaves he goes completely mad and is send to prison.
Third story, Giacomo came from Italy to Chicago. He worked for 33 years as a waiter in an Italian restaurant. When he gets ill, his collegues do a fundraising to send him back to his place of birth in Italy. When the inhabitants of the small Italian village hear Giacomo comes back, they all expect a wealthy man, who will help everyone in the village, but Giacomo is not rich at all...

book 50: Edda translated by Marcel Otten
from the library, translated, middle ages, English translation The Poetic Edda, 429 pages
TIOLI Challenge #5: Read A book that is referenced in another book you have read

After reading Codex Regius last year, I wanted to read the elder/poetic Edda, the manuscript was the "main character" of that book. The original manuscript was written in Iceland in the 13th century. In the 17th century it was given to the Danish king (ruler of Iceland at the time). It finally was returned to Iceland in 1971.

Translation of old Nordic myths, first half is about the nordic Gods, second half about nordic heroes.
From gods who trick eachother, giants and dwarves. The tree Yggdrasil that grows through all different worlds, from the walhalla to the hell. The first part was a difficult read, I had to look up some of the gods and the footnotes were absolutely necessary.
The second half, with the nordic heroes, was much easier to read. Partly because I am more familiar with the story of The Niflung Cycle, which is the main part.

Good read, not always easy. One day I might re-read this one. Or read Snorri Sturluson's proza Edda in translation.

>225 FAMeulstee: What an amazing history of a book Anita! Sounds like a story in itself.

>226 charl08: All that I learned from Arnaldur Indriðason's book Codex Regius last year :-)

>I would like to read the Edda one of these days. The story you tell about the manuscript would mean that there is just one written manuscript?

Did you watch the ice-skating today? I did and had to keep myself from biting my nails because of the tension.

>228 EllaTim: There are four manuscripts of the Poetic Edda (link to Dutch wikipedia article), but the Codex Regius came originally from Iceland and was seen as an important Icelandic culrural inheretance.
The other Edda (called proza Edda), by Snorri Sturluson was better preserved, more manuscripts still around today.

Yes, we watched the speed skating yesterday, only 2 hours later. Frank had to work the night before, so he sleeps until 14.30. With digital TV you can easely go back to the start of the tv broadcast.
I felt sorry for Kramer, halfway his race it was obvious he wasn't going to make it.

I felt badly for Kramer too, it was clear he was having trouble getting up the speed. At least he made it to the end . Okay, Anita, we are going to Be perfect neighbours. I have always thought if I could not live in Canada, I would like to live in a Scandinavian country , so it should be no problem . Perfect , neither of us are much for cooking or baking, but our husbands are.

MY doctor's appointment went just perfectly the other day. It turned out that my own GP was there after all, so no difficulties with my prescriptions or anything else. I felt badly for my family doctor. He told me he had spent the previous day in the Emergency Room himself. About 30 years ago, ( I have been a patient for 37 years) he was off sick for 8 months or so. He picked up some sort of parasite while traveling and he thinks it has come back on him, but he told me that the doctors in Emergency aren't so sure and they are running quite a few tests. He told me that he had a constant cough , and lost 10 lbs, and he is slim man to start with. He is 66 or 67, so hope that he remains well, for his own sake. He was very reassuring about my medication for when he leaves for retirement in April - May 2018. I am actually a little worried for him healtwise. He looked so thin compared to usual. A little skinny, even.


I have also tried so many antidepressants it could fill a book :-) But now I have one that works quite well, and I'm not going to change it ever.

I hope you are gradually feeling better and better.

>230 vancouverdeb: LOL, Deborah, then we might find a place somewhere in Scandinavia with the perfect doctor for us both. And watch our husbands cooking, while reading a book :-)
When we had the last appointment with my previous doctor, I felt sorry for her too. She was obviously at the end of her wits, burned out. I hope your doctor's problems turn out the be nothing serious, or at least easy to treat.
I am slowly improving. I only needed half a valium to sleep Franks first work night this week. I know it takes time, but it is good to feel it is actually improving.

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Tonight we go to the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. They play Bruch - Concert for two piano's and orchestra, op. 88 (with Katia en Marielle Labèque on piano) and one of my favorite composers: Sjostakovitsj – Fifth Symphony in d, op. 47. It was a birthday gift from Frank. I have never been to the Concertgebouw before. Most classic concerts I have been to were in The Hague in the Anton Philipszaal and the last years we have been a few times to the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ in Amsterdam.

>231 FAMeulstee: - Sounds like a lovely concert! Many years ago, when I lived in an apartment building, I had a neighbour who was a pianist. He would practise all day and (I assume) perform in the evenings. I know nothing about classical music or composers but he told me his specialty, what he loved and played most, was Sjostakovitsj . All I know was that it was lovely to listen to, in the hallway. If one is going to have *noise* coming from the neighbours, this was my *noise* of choice! No complaints from me. :-)

Enjoy, tonight

Hi Anita! I hope the agoraphobia goes away sooner than later with better control of your thyroid issues.

The concert sounds wonderful.

Enjoy the concert, Anita!

Hi Anita, I hope you had a good evening at the Concertgebouw. It sounds like a wonderful concert, with those two pianists.

The concert was great last night.

The first part Bruch's Concert for two piano's and orchestra was not our taste (Bruch was the last German romantic composer), but in the genre a good one and the Labèque sisters were very good.
The orchesta did great with Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony in d, I am still a bit emotional from hearing it.

We had not very good places (better places were way to pricy for us), on the 2nd row completely on the right side, so we only saw the right corner of the orchestra, where the cello and bass players are. The acoustics of the Concertgebouw are so good, it doesn't really matter where you are, the sound is still amazing.

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>232 jessibud2: Happy to hear you had such good experiences with a rehearsing musican, Shelley. My memories of athe violin play of my sister (a professional violin player at that time) are worse. Especially when she started a new play it was terrible at times. Sorry I spelled Shostakovich the Dutch way, probaly easier for you to seee his name spelled the English way.

>233 karenmarie: Thanks Karen, the agoraphobia is slowly fading, the sleepphobia is under control with valium. So it is managable, but I will be glad when they are gone.

>234 harrygbutler: Thank you, Harry, I did :-)
Nothing to add on the Edda above (>225 FAMeulstee:)?

>235 EllaTim: Thanks Ella, is was great. I hope we can go more to the Concertgebouw in the future. Although they seldom play our favourites, we have better chances in the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ for concerts of 20th/21th century modern classic composers. We were impressed by the acoustics of the Concertgebouw.
Have you ever watched the TV-show "Maestro"? We had full sight on the first double bassist Dominic Seldis, who is a member of the jury in Maestro, playing his heart out in the Shostakovich concert.

Good Shostakovich performance = good evening out. *smooch*

Glad it was a fine concert Anita.

I went to several concerts at the Muziekgebouw after it first opened. Both contemporary classics and jazz. I saw the amazing Misha Mengelberg play one night.

>237 richardderus: Yes it was, Richard, still feeling good about it.
Got tickets today for a concert in March in Utrecht. Tripel Concerto (2016) by the Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina, and Shostakovich's 7th Symphony (Leningrad), performed by the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest.

>238 Caroline_McElwee: Thanks, Caroline, it is nice to be able to attend concerts again. We went regular to concerts and plays from 1988 until 1995, then the phobia's got so bad it wasn't possible anymore. The last years we are picking up again :-)
You lucky woman, it must have been great to see Misha Mengelberg!

Happy Sunday {{{Anita}}}!
I just googled the Shostakovich symphony and will listen to it after posting here. Thank you for so often leading me to other art I'm usually neglecting.

You made me interested in the Edda. Never in my life thought about it, and that's probably because in my youth all the nordic mythology was deemed "unmentionable" after the Nazis had misused it, so we did the Greek and Roman mythology over and over at school. How sad! I won't get there right now, but it goes on the watchlist.

Hi Anita! I'm finally catching up on your thread. I tend to leave the long ones till last, but of course that means they just get longer.

>179 LovingLit: I think there's either a Kauri pine up the road (10 minutes walk) from my parents' current house, in Kellyville or in the back garden of my sister's previous place, in Crows Nest (both in the Sydney 'burbs). The name rings a bell; I remember it being pointed out to me long years ago.

My younger son has picked up his brother's Skulduggery Pleasant series and is always trying to tell me the story of the latest book. It involves a supernatural detective who happens to be a skeleton - I don't know if that would interest your son?

Hani and I used to enjoy going to watch the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra play in KLCC, so I can imagine the joy you got from Shostakovich.

Hi Anita! Glad you enjoyed the concert, I also really like Shostakovich.

>239 FAMeulstee: How nice to be able to go to concerts again!
I'm glad you enjoyed the Shostakovich, and the concert in March should be very interesting as well.

Happy Sunday Anita. I'm back at work and thus my time on LT is not what I would like it to be. Knowing your love of animals, I thought you might appreciate this photo of Lilly's first day. She turned five yesterday!



She is the puppy on the left, hanging out on the hot water bottle.

>241 humouress: I think there's either a Kauri pine up the road (10 minutes walk) from my parents' current house,
Would it be a Karri? I saw those in WA, and heard they are related. But now that I search online, I see there is a related species there. Which would make sense!

Also, I will have a look at the Skulduggery Pleasant series now- thanks!

>240 Deern: Thank you, Nathalie, I for me Shostakovich's 7th and 8th symphony are among the best classical pieces evr written. The 5th brings up many emotions for me, especially if you know in what circumstances it was written. Julian Barnes wrote so good about Shostakovich in The Noise of Time.
The nordic myths had the same fate over here, I know way more about Greek and Roman gods and heroes.
I hope your work load isn't too much for you this week (((hugs)))

>241 humouress: Glad you finally got here, Nina. I try to keep up with the threads every day, when I don't, it rapidly becomes a daunting task. Somehow the threads are not slowing down after January as they used to do.

>242 PaulCranswick: Thanks, Paul, what kept you and Hani from keep going?

>243 banjo123: Thanks, Rhonda, nice to know there are more Shostakovich lovers here.

>244 EllaTim: Thanks, Ella, words can hardy say how good it is to have a life outside the house back. Despite the set back at the moment, happiness still prevails :-)
Of course you will be hearing about the next concert in March.

>245 Whisper1: Thank you, Linda, belated happy birthday to Lilly!
I can hardly believe she is five now, in my mind it was a short while ago when she came to you. Are you looking forward to the fall, when work won't keep you from LT?

>246 LovingLit: Hi Megan, you made me search as well. I had looked up the Kauri after reading Barkskins, now trying to learn more about the Agathis genus :-)

book 51: Jonathan, wat zag je in die zomernacht? by K.M. Peyton
own, translated, YA, awarded, Vlag en Wimpel 1981, original title A Midsummer Night's Death, 146 pages
TIOLI Challenge #11: Read a book with one or more words in the title suggesting a type of loss

Joathan stays at a boarding school. One evening, when he is supposed to be at his room, he is walking around and sees two of his teachers. When one of them is found death the next day, Jonathan doesn't want to come forward, as he admires the other teacher he saw over there.

Well written YA book, combining coming of age with a mystery. Jonathan is a lifelike character. Apparently this a sequel, I might try to find the first book about Jonathan.

book 52: Het boek van alle dingen by Guus Kuijer
own, Dutch, YA, awarded, Gouden Griffel and Gouden Uil 2005, English translation The Book of Everything, 103 pages
TIOLI Challenge #3: Read a book of which the title contains something that you love

Set in early 1950s, 9 year old Thomas lives with his parents and older sister. His father is a rigid christian, who rules his family with force. His mother tries to help Thomas against his father, but gets punched herself. All Thomas wants to be is happy. Their neighbor, Mrs van Amersfoort, steps in. The whole neighborhood can tell you she is a witch, but she becomes a friend for Thomas. Lending books, helping him to get rid of his fears, standing up to his father, she is a great help in changing the family dynamics.

It may sound like a heavy book, but there is a lot to laugh. Guus Kuijer is a great writer, who can keep the balance with a difficult topic between seriousness and humor.

>236 FAMeulstee: I'm glad you enjoyed the concert, Anita!

I've read the Edda (or maybe an adaptation), as well as Sturluson's Prose Edda, but sadly too long ago to really remember much. I guess it's time to read them again! :-)

>224 FAMeulstee: Too bad the Morgen book has not been translated. It sounds like I would like this one.

>245 Whisper1: Cute!

Happy Monday, Anita. Hope you had a nice weekend.

>251 harrygbutler: Thanks, Harry, we had a great evening.
I plan to read more about the Nordic myths.

>252 msf59: Sometime I wish we all could read in every language, Mark. Although the number of TBRs would explode ;-)

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Poor Frank had two wisdom teeth pulled today. One went out easy, the other was infected and one root broke and had to be removed seperately... He was send home with painkillers, mouth rinse and antibiotics.
Meanwhile I started reading Snow again. I started a few days ago, but got sidetracked by other books calling out to me. It is the last book to make a TIOLI sweep this month.
So I might be a bit less on LT in the next days: taking care of Frank & a lot of reading time.

>253 FAMeulstee: Oh, my. Poor Frank! I hope the healing process is quick, and that the pain decreases quickly.

Commiserations to Frank.

Happy reading Anita.

Ah, poor Frank. I hope he will feel better soon.

>253 FAMeulstee: Ouch - poor Frank! I hope he feels better soon.

Sending some healing vibes for Frank!

Sending healing vibes for Frank. Big waves from Davos.

>254 harrygbutler: >255 Caroline_McElwee: >256 EllaTim: >257 souloftherose: >258 ChelleBearss: >259 Ameise1:
Thanks Harry, Caroline, Ella, Heather, Chelle and Barbara for all your good wishes.

Frank is doing better than we feared, not feeling very good and a bit feeverish, but it could have been worse. Watching the Olympics is good distraction. He cooked ahead for two days, so all I had to do was heating the prepared food.

I just finished reading Snow and it was an impressive 5* read for me. Review will follow later, as I need to sort out my thoughts.

I hope Frank feels better soon. Wisdom tooth extraction is not a pleasant experience! And best wishes to you too - I'm so glad you made it to the Concertgebouw and had a good time.

Hi Anita!

I'm glad to hear that even though Frank had such major dental surgery he's doing better than you thought. I hope he recovers quickly.

As always, you're getting a lot of good reading in, including Snow's 5 stars.

Oh poor Frank! Send him my sympathy, please.

*smooch*

What is wrong with Talk?
I have written two post and both seem to have vanished :-(

Okay, I will try again, third post was the charm, I hope this one sticks...

>261 Sakerfalcon: Thank you, Claire, extractions are no fun at all. I had a few myself, but Frank seems to heal fast. I was very happy to be able to attend a concert at the Concertgebouw :-)

>262 karenmarie: Thanks, Karen, Franks recovery goes well. He will go to work tomorrow. Snow was my second Pamuk, it was even better than My name is red.

>263 richardderus: Thanks on Franks behalf, Richard :-)

I am dreading to start a new thread & write reviews. Maybe later...

Hi Anita, glad to hear Frank is doing better. I'm no fan of extractions at all.

My posts are diappearing as well. Hope this post will work.

>266 EllaTim: Thank you, Ella, neither am I. But Frank seems to get through fairly well.
This post is showing up ;-)

I had my problems with the posting too. Arrgh, I had to safe my review on a word document.

I hope you had a lovely day, Anita.

So sorry to read about Frank, Anita. Glad to hear he's on the mend.
Site was down altogether this morning when I tried to log on - very disconcerting!

Hi Anita!

I am still in awe of your TIOLI sweep..amazing!

Sorry to read about Frank. I was one of those people who put off pulling my wisdom tooth for as long as possible. Each time I went to a cleaning they reminded me I had to get it done... Finally pulled the trigger a couple of years of ago but thankfully no complications and now the dentist doesn't have to bagger me every 6 months. ;)

>268 Ameise1: It is annoying, Barbara, glad you could save your review.
We had a good day, Frank is feeling better. I am still a bit off, went 1/4 pill up again with the thyroid medicine. I will be glad we I am at the right dose again (one or two more rounds of 1/4 up to go).

>269 charl08: Thank you, Charlotte, so am I!
Yes, I ran into that too. So now I am finally getting to catch up on the threads, as I had planned to do in the morning.

>270 jolerie: Thank, Valerie, TIOLI sweeping has become a habit ;-)
It is defenitly no fun. Mine were extracted when I was 20, so that was 25 years ago. A few years back some others were extracted. Frank is holding up much better that I did back then...

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A few more (long) threads to go, after catching up with everyone I will start my next thread.

Hi Anita my dear, I have been absent from posting due to illness but am now just about fighting fit again, sorry to hear about Frank and his two wisdom teeth, hope he is feeling better and that you are ok dear friend. Sending love and hugs from both of us.

>272 johnsimpson: Thank you, John, I wasn't around much either. Sorry you were ill. I am not in best shape, still working my way up again with the thyroid medication...

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Going to work on my next thread, it will be up in half an hour or so.

Sympathy pains for Frank. I hope the worst is behind him now!

>274 jessibud2: He did everything he is used to do again today, Shelley, He did the groceries, all the cooking and a walk together in the afternoon, and still feels good. So I am optimistic :-)