Familyhistorian’s Keeping Positive Thoughts for a Year of Change – Part 9

Hi my name is Meg. I’ve been a member of the mighty 75ers since 2013. In that time, I’ve been hit by many a Book Bullet (BB) so I can attest to the fact that this is a dangerous place. In 2020 I had trouble keeping up with the threads as we all moved more online. My hope to do better keeping up this year hasn’t been going that well. But as we know hope is a renewable resource as is the wish for positive change.

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The WWII family research is going more slowly than I thought (I have a lot of books to get through) so my currently posts are about different subjects. Books may come up in some of them. You can see my latest blog posts at: A Genealogist’s Path to History

Little Free Library

Books culled in 2021

January - 0

February - 6

March - 6

April - 5

May - 7

June - 7

July - 0

August - 4

September - 5

October - 3

November - 4

Challenges

Reading Through Time

Quarterly

January-March 2021 - Renaissance/16th Century - The Serpent and the Pearl by Kate Quinn - DONE
April-June 2021 - 17th Century
July-September 2021 - 18th Century
October-December 2021 - Napoleonic Era

Monthly

January: Shakespeare's Children - The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey - DONE
February: Fashion - The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott - DONE
March: Arggh, Matey - Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton - DONE
April: The Sun Never Sets - The Palace Tiger by Barbara Clevery - DONE
May: Meet the Press - The Ventriloquists by E. R. Ramzipoor - DONE
June: Rewriting the Past - The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams - DONE
July: Now We Are Free - A Shadow on the Household: One Enslaved Family's Incredible Struggle for Freedom by Bryan Prince - DONE
August: Food - The Cafe by the Sea by Jenny Colgan - DONE
September: Time Travel/Prehistoric - A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle - DONE
October: Supernatural - Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz - DONE
November: Reader's Choice - Into the Blue by Andrea Curtis - DONE
December: Brrrrr Cold!

2021 Nonfiction Challenge

January: Prizewinners - Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson - DONE
February: Minority Lives Matter - The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander - DONE
March: Comfort Reading - The Golden Age of Murder by Martin Edwards - DONE
April: The Ancient World - Blood of the Celts by Jean Manco - DONE
May: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral - The Potato: How the Humble Spud Rescued the Western World by Larry Zuckerman - DONE
June: Discoveries - Longitude by Dava Sobel - DONE
July: Cities
August: Transportation - Sailing Seven Seas: A History of the Canadian Pacific Line by Peter Pigott - DONE
September: Creativity - Defiant Spirits: The Modernist Revolution of the Group of Seven by Ross King DONE
October: Heroes & Villains - The Last Days of Richard III and the fate of his DNA by John Ashdown-Hill - DONE
November: Business, the Economy and Big Policy Questions - The Genealogical Sublime by Julia Creet - DONE
December: Go Anywhere

Books read in October 2021

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
Laidlaw by William McIlvanney
Darkside by Belinda Bauer
Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie
Glory in Death by J.D. Robb
The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis
Mary’s Monster by Lita Judge
When He Was Wicked by Julia Quinn
Feral Creatures by Kira Jane Buxton
Immortal in Death by J.D. Robb
Grave Undertaking by Mark de Castrique
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
The Fade Out, Act One by Ed Brubaker
The Last Days of Richard III and the fate of his DNA by John Ashdown-Hill
A Rising Man by Abir Mukherjee
The Visitors by Sally Beauman
Report for Murder by Val McDermid

Books read in November 2021

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
Rapture in Death by J.D. Robb
In. by Will McPhail
Raven’s Gate by Anthony Horowitz

Books read in 2021

Books Acquired in 2021

Acquisitions for October 2021

Write Your Novel from the Middle by James Scott Bell
State of Terror by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny
I Will Judge You By Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider
I'm Only Wicked With You by Julie Anne Long
The Less Dead by Denise Mina
A Line to Kill by Anthony Horowitz
The Madness of Crowds by Louise Penny
Kings, Queens, and In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju
Victoria Sees It by Carrie Jenkins
Hell and Gone by Sam Wiebe

Welcome!

Happy new thread!

Happy new one!

>1 Familyhistorian: Quite beautiful :)

>1 Familyhistorian: A *stunningly* beautiful photo! Quite the moment to capture...that perfect match of light and shadow, curves and lines.

Happy Sunday's reads, and new thread.

Happy new one!

HI Meg, happy new thread. The rainbow photo is beautiful. We've had lots of rainbows lately too!

Happy new thread, Meg, and happy Sunday!

Love the photo topper!

Hi Meg. I liked your rainbow topper.

The rainbow weather must have been stunning this past week or so because some of our family members posted glorious views of this phenomenon, especially in Coquitlam. My daughter's SIL captured a strong primary rain bow with two (!) others above, but considerably less distinct.

Hope you enjoy the reading and can let thread-attendance across the LT system slide. I think many of us 75-ers can relate to the un-read thread accumulations.

Happy new thread, Meg.

>1 Familyhistorian: I am another always stunned by the beauty of nature and its ability to give a feast to our senses by the refraction and reflection of light.

>12 quondame: Thanks Susan!

>13 figsfromthistle: Hi Anita, and thank you!

>14 richardderus: Hi Richard, that view was my reward for going for an early morning walk.

>15 drneutron: Thanks Jim!

>16 mdoris: It's the time of year when there is so much rain in the air that, if the sun shines, it can create a rainbow. Much prettier than the strong winds and rain forecast, Mary.

>17 alcottacre: Thanks, Stasia. I hope you had a great Sunday too!

>18 SandyAMcPherson: Hi Sandy, I saw some of those rainbows, including a double one, on the news. We didn't have any here the day that they showed them though. That rainbow is actually from a week or so ago. I don't think I need any encouragement for letting LT attendance slide. It's happening all on its own.

>19 PaulCranswick: I'm drawn to different light effects in scenery and I'm more able to catch them these days as my phone is always with me. This is definitely the time of year for great lighting effects if we see the sun. That's often in question.

Thanks for the thread wishes, Paul!

A sidewalk along the street where I took a walk this morning. The metal barrier keeps us out of the creek that runs under the road



so the salmon can continue up stream.

Happy new thread, Meg.

>24 Familyhistorian: The creek looks crystal clear, are those little fish young salmons?

>24 Familyhistorian: The salmon need to get upstream, so the barrier makes perfect sense. The creek's temptingly pretty, I'd want to go dabble my toes in it.

Happy New Thread, Meg. Love the rainbow topper! Also love the salmon stream.

The salmon stream is interesting.

Hi Meg! Happy new thread. Beautiful topper photo.

>3 Familyhistorian: As always your blog posts are fascinating. The weather one made me think of my mother’s mother's family, still on the farm after 150 years, and all the anxious times of bad weather in Iowa that must have occurred while the corn was maturing. Unfortunately, I never heard any of those stories, but must ask my mother’s sister, who turns 86 next month, if she remembers any weather events or bad years because of weather.

Poppies for remembrance. Yes.

>24 Familyhistorian: I love the photo of the salmon.

>25 FAMeulstee: Hi Anita, those are actually large salmon heading back up stream as it is that part in the cycle. I couldn't get that close as I had to take the photo from the top of the barrier.

>26 richardderus: You'd probably take your toes out of that stream pretty quickly, Richard. The water comes from the mountains and would be a tad chilly.

>27 msf59: Thanks Mark! I live in a picturesque spot.

>28 thornton37814: Thanks Lori. Good to see you here.

>29 karenmarie: The weather post grew out of my frustration with days and days of rain! But it's true, weather did affect our ancestors, especially the farmers and fishermen, a lot more than it does us. Well, except for those exceptionally hot days this last summer which hit about 45 C and people died.

There may be newspaper stories or other written accounts of weather events that affected your family.

Speaking of weather, I have a book that's due at the library tomorrow. I'm going to take it in today instead because there is a wind warning in affect for my region. Not the kind of weather I want to be out walking in.

I'm taking back The Silent Patient without finishing it. I just couldn't bring myself to spend more time with the egotistical narrator. Been there, done that, time to move on.

Hi Meg. We have salmon in the ravine down the road from where I live. The first time I saw them, I had no idea; I just saw a bunch of people on the bridge looking down. Didn't even know we had salmon here!

I saw on the news last night that there was a possible tornado touchdown at the airport in Vancouver. Rainspout? I forget what they said. I am currently in Montreal and it has been like summer here! Sunny, temps in the teens. Just gorgeous weather! Should last another day or so before November remembers that it's November!

>35 jessibud2: I didn't know there were salmon in Ontario, Shelley. Interesting

The possible tornado touchdown was at a golf course near UBC, I believe. That's nice November weather for Montreal. A memory that has stuck with me was of one teacher writing on the board that it was November 1 and it had snowed for the first time that year. More typical of Montreal weather. We actually have sunshine here today. I better get out in it again to take advantage. It might be the last we see for a while.

>34 Familyhistorian: The Silent Patient was not my cup of tea either. I did finish it as it was a gift from a friend but otherwise I would have ditched it. Crazy howling wind and rain right now. Good afternoon to finish the new Miriam Toews book!

>37 mdoris: I cheated and had a look at the ending. It fit. It clouded over here in the afternoon after morning sun but the rain and wind hasn't hit yet. Enjoy the Miriam Toews, Mary.

Happy new thread, Meg.

157. Unsporting: How Trans Activism and Science Denial Are Destroying Sport by Linda Blade and Barbara Kay



I am by no means at the forefront of gender diversity having barely caught on to the pronoun declaration thing at the last few live conferences I attended. I try to keep up with current trends and while on the face of it, inclusion sounds like a good thing, there can be unintended consequences. One of those is the erosion of rights that women fought so long to achieve. This is especially evident in women’s sport which is addressed in Unsporting: How Trans Activism and Science Denial are Destroying Sport which was a well presented and articulate wake up call which it would be good if people with the power to change things heeded.

>39 BLBera: Thanks Beth!

>40 Familyhistorian: Well said Meg. This book is a very important to read and consider what women's rights have been lost.

>42 mdoris: Before I read the book, I hadn't realized how far we have already gone down that slippery slope, Mary.

Hi Meg, until I saw your picture I had forgotten it was time for the salmon run. I am usually over on the Island around this time as it is my brother's birthday and we usually take a drive to one of creeks or small rivers nearby to see the salmon. Decided to pass on my trip to the Island and wait until sometime around Christmas to head over.

Happy weekend, Meg!

>44 DeltaQueen50: I saw more salmon today, Judy. There are lots of creeks in Coquitlam. It seems odd to be seeing this part of nature so close to Coquitlam Centre though. I can understand why you want to wait until closer to Christmas for your trip to the Island. I think that we have gotten out of the travel habit in many ways.

>45 alcottacre: I hope you have a wonderful weekend too, Stasia.

158. The Other Mrs Walker by Mary Paulson-Ellis



The story started as Margaret Penny left behind the disaster of her life in London and showed up at her mother’s flat in Edinburgh and her mother grudgingly let her stay. It was an uneasy relationship, but then, neither mother or daughter was the most honest or truthful of persons. Margaret ended up with work of sorts, tracking down the identity of an indigent woman whose body was found dead and alone in a run-down apartment. She was known as Mrs. Walker without any first name, not enough to really identify her.

The story of The Other Mrs Walker was told through the present and Margaret’s quest to find out the identity of Mrs Walker. The past took place at different periods in time but always took the reader to the past of one family, also named Walker. They weren’t very honest or truthful either but they did make for a very interesting story.

Yesterday was extremely rainy with flooding in many areas. Of course it was a day that I had places to be. I made it to my morning meeting and later drove down the highway through some extremely deep puddles to get to a restaurant to meet friends for lunch.

Where I live didn't bear the brunt of the storm. Outside of the Lower Mainland there was so much flooding people were stranded on the roads and the whole town of Merrit had to be evacuated. One of the major highways through BC is closed for long stretches.

There's a break in the weather today and even sun although it is cold enough for frost.

We heard about the flood and stranded motorists in that mudslide on the news here! YIKES! You guys are having some kind of weather!! Glad you are safe

159. Magpie Lane by Lucy Atkins



Dee had been working around Oxford as a nanny for years but she was hired for her latest placement through a chance meeting with a new master at the college who had just moved in with his new Danish wife and his selectively mute daughter, Felicity. The story of Magpie Lane was told from Dee’s point of view, much of it in flashbacks as Dee was questioned by the police after Felicity disappeared. Those flashbacks showed the parents, father and step-mother, as a self-absorbed couple who were magnets for conflict.

Over the course of the narrative, it was difficult to know if Dee was truthful and just what she was hiding and whether those secrets could possibly be as bad as the behaviour of the master and his wife. It was an interesting look at families and the joy and devastation they can bring to their members.

>50 jessibud2: Hi Shelley, apparently it was the worst storm to hit us ever. One town, Merrit, which is in southern BC, was forced to evacuate and much of the Coquihalla Highway was forced to close down.

Wow, I hope the weather has calmed down for you by now. I hope you have lots of books to read in the meantime, Meg!

>53 alcottacre: It's a nice sunny day today, Stasia, but it's November. I'm sure there's some more heavy weather to come.

160. Ceremony in Death by J.D. Robb



I’m continuing my reread of the in death books. Ceremony in Death delves into the world of magic. Dallas, of course, thinks anyone who believes in that kind of stuff is deluded. That isn’t the case for Roarke who has a healthy respect for other worldly forces. As Dallas is ordered to take her investigation undercover, essentially to access the technology Roarke has at his home, he gets drawn further into her investigation.

>52 Familyhistorian: That was one heckuva storm all right...across the continent and in a different country it made the news.

Not the way you'd prefer it to be in the US news, of course.

>51 Familyhistorian: That sounds really involving....

>56 richardderus: Heckuva storm is right, Richard. It's also one that will be heard of a lot more in coming days as apparently Vancouver is cut off from everywhere else and just happens to be a major port in the supply chain from the east, at least in Canada, and there are already problems with getting containers unloaded at other ports all along the west coast.

Magpie Lane was quite involving, good in it own way.

>1 Familyhistorian: What an incredible image!!!! Did you take this photo?

Amazing! Our world is so beautiful.

>55 Familyhistorian: In one of the novellas, Roarke says "Pragmatism, thy name is Eve." Pretty much what you see in that book, lol.

>58 Whisper1: Thanks Linda. Yes, I had my I-phone handy when that rainbow appeared.

>59 alcottacre: It was Commander Whitney telling Dallas that leaving Roarke with a newly invented security jammer was like "leaving a wolf with the keys to the hen house" that really struck me in that book, Stasia. Because it was only like a wink to acknowledge it, the Commander wasn't going to do anything about it. That was all the permission needed for them to take Roarke's involvement so much further.

>61 Familyhistorian: Yep and Roarke's involvement in Eve's work is a major storyline throughout the series. One of the things that I truly appreciate about the series is how Robb slowly opens up Eve's world.

Hi Meg - I thought about Magpie Lane for a while after I read it. The way Atkins did the narration was interesting, I thought.

>57 Familyhistorian: It's on sale for 99¢ so I bought it.

>62 alcottacre: I started to question Roarke's involvement when I was only reading the latest books to come out. It's good to see the build up that was given to how this grew so that it wasn't jarring. I'm picking up hints of what is to come. It makes me wonder how far this series was planned in advance.

>63 BLBera: It was very interesting how more and more about Dee was gradually revealed so that, what was once accepted as a voice of authority in Magpie Lane began to be questioned. Definitely a story to keep the reader on their toes, Beth.

>64 richardderus: I hope you enjoy Magpie Lane, Richard.

Today I thought I would go out to Costco and pick up some groceries, after all it was Wednesday. The parking lot was completely full with cars circling. I didn't stop and shop. It seems too early for Christmas shoppers. I'm thinking hoarders just in case we run out of stuff before the supply lines are back to normal after the flood. People are so strange.

>68 Familyhistorian: Yup. Hoarding food is like a contagious disease. People feel panicked when the media announce how cut-off the food supply is for say, Abbotsford or Chilliwack.

Next thing you know, the population of metro Vancouver and area panic, and over-buy what's in the grocery stores which precipitates more hoarding behaviour and ensures some folks are going to have nothing. Sheesh.

There were weeks of various shortages at the beginning of the pandemic, so you'd think the stores would have figured out limiting the amount of individual purchases to prevent shortages, or at least slow down the scarcity of food items. But no. Here in Saskatoon, where we are *not* cut off from supplies, the TP and green vegetables (for example) are cleaned off the shelves already. It's terribly ill-managed.

>69 SandyAMcPherson: On the radio this morning I heard the host saying to not post pictures of empty store shelves on social media because that just creates panic in more people and they go out hunting and hoarding themselves.

On the new last night I did see some footage of signs in stores with limits as to the quantity of an item you could pick up. They also showed a clip of Horgan telling people to exercise some restraint, like pick up a dozen eggs instead of 48.

It did remind me of the pandemic, Sandy, particularly when I was at Costco. I wondered if there was a run on toilet paper or if those people already had so much in stock in their own homes from the last time. I'm not sure how panic buying could be well managed. Mobs of people tend to be an irresistible force.

I had an hour and a half between webinars this morning so I hoped for enough time to get to the gas station and fill up my car. The news last night showed line ups and reported on gas stations running out of gas. It was no problem. I drove right up to the pump. The attendant told me that they just got a new supply a couple of days ago and people were calling the gas station all last night making sure they had a supply.

>65 Familyhistorian: From my understanding, the first three books were to be it - a trilogy. After they were released, they decided to continue the series.

HI Meg, That must have been wonderful to attend a session for the author of What Strange Paradise. I did read his book in August and really thought it was good. It sure put you in the shoes of how terrifying and unsafe the crossings are for the migrants. I have just finished Fight Night also a Giller contender and thought it was amazing. I must read more of the short list titles.

Probably like you it has been endless rain and hard to pick a moment between downfalls to do the leaf raking but where we are there has been no flooding to my knowledge. In between downpours we have dug 2 yards of garden soil in. Ugh.

Hope where you are that you have stayed safe and warm and dry! November geez. Some forecast for light flurries. I'm not ready for that.

>72 alcottacre: That makes sense from a romance writer's perspective, Stasia. Book three was where the marriage happened. I think Nora Roberts has written quite a few trilogies. I wonder if they realized the in death books were attracting a wider range of readers at that point.

>73 mdoris: I haven't read What Strange Paradise yet. But it was a great session. He talked about his earlier book American War some too. It also sounded interesting.

There was some flooding here but not as bad as in the rest of the province. Someone I know had a flooded basement and another friend from the Lower Mainland is now stranded in Prince George. Apparently there is another storm on its way for the weekend. No flurries in our forecast, though.

Just catching up on everything here: great books, bare shelves, flooding, and AMAZING photo up top! Hi.

Hello Meg my dear, happy new thread. I hope all is well with you and life is treating you well, i am back after a little sojourn and real life getting in the way. Sending love and hugs from both of us dear friend.

161. Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy by Anne Seeba



Over the years there have been other books written in the aftermath of the death of the Rosenbergs but Ethel Rosenberg: An American Tragedy was the first one that I opened the covers on. It was a difficult read, not because of the writing, but because of the subject matter. The focus was on Ethel, a woman trying to find her way in the circumscribed world of the paranoid early 1950s. It was a tragedy and the trial didn’t even have nodding acquaintance with justice that I could see when I read the description in the book.

>76 Berly: Hi Kim, thanks for the visit. It has been an eventful autumn here and there too, as I read on your thread.

>77 johnsimpson: Good that you're back, John. I hope that everything is going well now that you're back from your sojourn.

>78 Familyhistorian: The story revolts and appalls me. The Rittenhouse verdict makes this the proper day to remind ourselves that justice ≠ the law.

>74 Familyhistorian: I am sure that they must have realized what a wide range of appeal the books had or the series would not have continued. I am so glad that it did! My favorite books in the series all come after the third book.

>81 richardderus: It is revolting and appalling, Richard. I didn't realize how much of a travesty the trial was until I read the details about it in the book.

>82 alcottacre: I'm enjoying the reread, Stasia. I don't remember which ones further on in the series might be my favourites but I am partial to the first in the series. I'm a sucker for finding out the origins of things - maybe it's the researcher in me.

>83 Familyhistorian: I recalled a James Drought quote, from the only book of his I've ever read (The Secret):
"You have to conclude that your country has run amuck, that the people responsible are insane, that you can not trust your leaders, your President, your general, your parents, your friends, your neighbors, your co-workers, your police, your town, your state, your country, anymore because it is liable to turn upon you for no reason at all, except that for its own security it needs a scapegoat, any scapegoat including you, and there is no appeal possible."
À propos, n'est-ce pas?

>85 richardderus: Very à propos!

162. Mother of Invention: How Good Idea Get Ignored in an Economy Built for Men by Katrine Marçal



From wheels on suitcases to our current climate crisis, Mother of Invention: How Good Ideas Get Ignored in an Economy Built for Men laid out how our warped ideas of what is masculine and lauded and feminine and discounted has warped our beliefs about what is of value. It is also a call to look beyond our current ways to generate inventions and bring in the voices that have previously been ignored as we need different inspiration to get us out of our current difficulties.

Yesterday the sun shone so I went to check out the Winter Farmers Market in Port Moody. I guess everyone else had the same idea and, since its held in the rec centre parking lot and the facility was also in use parking was at a premium. I thought it might be so I got there and walked along the trails first. Good planning on my part because there was someone waiting for my parking spot by the time I left.

I didn't buy much at the market. Just checked it out more but there were fresh veggies and baking - there was a line up at that booth, the baking one not the veggie ones. I'll be back the next nice Sunday but it looks like we're in for more rain.

>87 Familyhistorian: A trenchant book! I'll look for it.

Happy new week's reads.

>89 richardderus: It made really well reasoned arguments in favour of pursing more diverse groups for innovations, Richard.

Just catching up, Meg. I read a couple books about the Rosenbergs back in the 70s--grim and demoralizing, as I recall.

>91 laytonwoman3rd: I can see how those reads would have been grim and demoralizing, Linda. It really didn't matter what defence was tried, their fate was already determined before the trial.

>84 Familyhistorian: I am partial to the first in the series Understandable! I enjoy getting to know Eve too.

>87 Familyhistorian: Adding that one to the BlackHole!

Happy Thanksgiving, Meg!

>93 alcottacre: Happy Thanksgiving to you, Stasia. We had our Thanksgiving back in October. Your Blackhole seems bottomless - wait, that's part of the definition, isn't it?

So we can now go across the Canada/US border without getting a Covid test to come back if we are making a one day foray to get groceries or gas. They brought this in along the whole length of the border although it began as an emergency measure so that motorists in BC could fill up their gas tanks as gas is rationed now in Vancouver and environs in case we run out.

Meg, I am so very grateful for you, my wonderful friend here on LT.

I wish you (and yours) happiness and health on this American day of Thanksgiving. And maybe some Nanaimo Bars? : )

Hi Meg. How affected are you by all that is happening in BC now? Are the floods hitting your area? It is so worrisome, and now, in Nfld and the Maritimes, too. I am not sure how much more evidence it will take to make the powers that be (the politicians) realize that making empty promises and hoping they don't have to make the hard decisions on their watch are NOT going to help. Neither is throwing money at the problem. Yikes.

Stay safe (and dry!)

>94 Familyhistorian: Yep. I find the term BlackHole very appropriate for the elusive books that are outside of my grasp :)

>97 jessibud2: Hi Shelley, there isn't or wasn't much flooding where I am. It was mostly the highways that were damaged that are affecting us in the Lower Mainland. The rest of Canada too because the port of Vancouver was out of commission for 8 days. They have the Trans Canada Highway up and running again providing the next storms don't flood it again. They showed clips of the highway on the news and the area that is usually the grassy middle between incoming and outgoing lanes was full of water just about level with the roadway. They also have the rail lines up and running again which is good news for supplies getting in and out. Our gas is still rationed though.

>98 alcottacre: Ah, so the BlackHole is more like Never Never Land.

>96 Berly: Thanks Kim. I hope you have/had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I've never actually had a Nanaimo Bar. Probably has something to do with not being brought up in BC.

>101 Familyhistorian: My hubby was participating as I wrote my good wishes, and he was looking up treats for each person's area. That's what he came up with for BC. Oh well...we tried!! LOL

Nanaimo bars are delicious! Years ago we were on a train trip in BC and there was a lovely lady from Vancouver Island in the group who had some with her. She even gave me the recipe and I made them (once...should do that again). She reminded me of my Aunt Hazel so we called her Aunt Brenda throughout the trip and left with very, very warm feelings for both her and Nanaimo bars.

Not looking all that great...but there's some hope it won't be as bad. I'm sure hoping for your rains to be negligible.

>102 Berly: I was suitably impressed that you knew about Nanaimo Bars, Kim. I'm curious if you had to come up with anything for Quebec, that's where I grew up so it might be more inline with what I have partaken in.

>103 RebaRelishesReading: I'm glad you like Nanaimo Bars, Reba, although the person who made them seems to have been part of the appeal when you were introduced to them.

>104 richardderus: Thanks Richard, my fingers are crossed. So far it isn't raining as heavily as it did in the last atmospheric river that caused the flooding but in lots of places there was still standing water from the last time so it won't take much.

Is it just me, Meg, or is this term *atmospheric river* a new one, and a rather non-sensical sounding one at that? I had not heard it before this recent spate of emergencies in BC. And why *river* when it isn't a river at all but a type of storm? I just looked it up but seriously, I had never heard it used before, have you?

Fingers continue to be crossed that BC comes out of this ok!

>108 jessibud2: I first heard *atmospheric river* used a few years back to describe the very occasional 2 week+ long heavy rains in California.

>108 jessibud2: The weather people have been using the term atmospheric river for a while around here, Shelley, but finally condescended to tell us it is what they used to call a pineapple express - warmer weather and lots of rain - the warmer weather adds to the moisture because the snow on the mountains starts to melt. Whatever it is it means a lot of water.

>109 quondame: I didn't realize the term was used in California, Susan, I do like the idea of the heavy rains for two weeks only being occasional though.

163. The Genealogical Sublime by Julia Creet



I enjoyed the history of the business of genealogy written about in The Genealogical Sublime. It was eye opening even if US centric. The author investigated a few of the major players in the industry of family history, such as Ancestry and the LDS church and also looked into the state of affairs in Iceland. It was very interesting and showed how family history is similar to other big businesses, something we are often only vaguely aware of as we pursue this addictive pastime.

>111 Familyhistorian: That one has been on my wish list. I am not really sure if I'll ever get around to reading it. I guess I'll see.

>112 thornton37814: It's an interesting book, Lori. It filled in a lot of details about big players in the genealogy industry that I wasn't aware of. I read it for the nonfiction challenge which is the reason I picked it up off the shelf.

164. The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel



What a quirky way to frame a memoir. I really enjoyed The Secret to Superhuman Strength as much for the graphic depiction of the author’s life as for the various fitness fads through which she framed the story. I could remember many of those. The insights into her own history and the histories of the various literary figures she delved into added depth to the work.

165. I Am, I Am, I Am by Maggie O'Farrell



Another memoir this time told through the author’s brushes with death. In I Am, I Am, I Am, there were lots of them, both health related and from external threats. She gradually worked her way up to the childhood disease that almost claimed her when she was young and left her prone to other problems as she learned to live with the results of the disease. It was quite remarkable what she lived through but the story which I related to the most was the first one. The one where she met up with a man who later murdered another woman but whose grasp, she evaded by playing dumb. Sometimes that’s the smartest thing to do.

I'm getting my reviews in so that I can take my books back to the library tomorrow. It seems like it will be the best day weather wise for a while, only light rain until the next atmospheric river comes in. It will just be a brief respite. The rain on Sunday has already closed down parts of the highway that were just reopened recently.

On a brighter note Friday was a clear day. Perfect weather for meeting up with ex-coworkers for dinner at a local pub.

>111 Familyhistorian: also looked into the state of affairs in Iceland Now I'm curious. What is the 'state of affairs in Iceland' that the book is talking about?

>117 SandDune: Hi Rhian, Iceland is known for its genealogical databases because of the way it was settled etc. There was a move to capitalize on this by mapping the genetics of the population and selling this info to big pharmaceutical companies. In the aftermath of the financial meltdown in 2008 the original promises given to the people who contributed their DNA and medical histories got lost in the shuffle when fortunes were being lost and companies changing hands.

166. The Fade Out, Vol 2 by Ed Brubaker



In The Fade Out: Act Two the plot thickens and Charlie gets in deeper, now involved with another starlet. There were a lot of negative forces in play in this noir GN.

167. Ravish Me with Rubies by Jane Feather



I finished the third book in the jewel trilogy, Ravish Me with Rubies. This romance brought a closer look at politics and beginning of the suffragette demonstrations for the vote. It was a bone of contention between the couple, a managing and politically active Baron and his headstrong new wife who was an active suffragette. There were many misunderstandings on the couple’s way to happiness.

It's a miserable day out there. Even with an umbrella and boots on my jeans got wet from the rain. There is so much moisture in the air that my front door swelled and it was touch and go whether I would be able to turn my key to get in. A problem since it is the only entrance to my place. The maintenance guy on our strata counsel fixed it this morning - one worry off my mind.

>121 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg, this weather is something, isn't it. We have no problems where I live other than limits on gas and certain grocery items but we have had a lot of rain and the air is so damp. We decided to go ahead and get our Christmas decorations out so we have been busy decorating the apartment and listening to Xmas music. I am a bit of a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas so my husband is hoping an early start will give me some Christmas spirit.

Wow, You've been a busy LTer, Meg. I'm sorry I missed so much.

I'm just amazed by the salmon swimming upstream. How cool is that?!

>122 DeltaQueen50: Hi Judy, the rain is horrendous especially when I think of it coming on top of all the flooding is still with us. One of my favourite walks is beside the Coquitlam River. The path has a few dips in it under railway tracks and roads that are probably shut off to foot traffic at this point. Needless to say I haven't taken that walk lately.

I'm even more of a scrooge than you are when it comes to Christmas. No decorating done here. Sad because I used to love Christmas. I hope that you find your Christmas spirit.

>123 Carmenere: Hi Lynda, I have been busy on LT just not busy visiting other threads. It's amazing seeing the salmon as they swim against the water - not that spectacular though because mostly when I see them they're taking a rest from struggling up stream. Unfortunately much of that struggle may have been for nothing this year as it is feared that the eggs that were laid have probably been dislodged by the flood water.

168. Into the Blue: Family Secrets and the Search for a Great Lakes Shipwreck by Andrea Curtis



I keep forgetting to add one of my reads to my thread. I read Into the Blue: Family Secrets and the Search for a Great Lakes Shipwreck for an online genealogy book club. I enjoy reading how other family historians have framed their family stories for general consumption. In this book, it took a while for the author to get into the meat of the story as she focused on the difficulties of navigation on the Great Lakes and the ships that were lost at first. That served to place the wreck that changed her family’s history within the framework of shipping on the Great Lakes and the history of navigation in the area. The story of the family itself was an illustration of the social customs and restrictions of the early 1900s in this area of Canada.

>126 Familyhistorian: That one sounds interesting to me--even if I'm not Canadian.

169. And Now I Spill the Family Secrets by Margaret Kimball



The GN, And Now I Spill the Family Secrets, packed a lot of punch. It was a both a memoir of family and the depiction of the process of mental illness and the affects on the family. It was something the author/illustrator needed some distance from before she could tell the story and it made me wonder what other stories are lurking in families that haven’t seen the light of day.

The author was also a Margaret I could relate to as she cycled through various iterations and nicknames for her birth name just like I have.

>127 thornton37814: It may have been a Canadian story for the most part, Lori, but it was also a Great Lakes story, more than applicable to the US as well.

170. Vengeance in Death by J.D. Robb



Continuing my read of the in death series, the next up was the sixth in the series, Vengeance in Death. The murders in this case hit close to home as the targets may have been in New York but they were Irish, all linked to Roarke’s past. This was a good way to create tension as it appeared he was a target. It also delved further into his history.

Two days of sunshine....yahoo!!!

>131 mdoris: It was about time!

Wasn't it FABULOUS?

Sunshine is not exactly at a premium here but I am normally praying for a breeze to take the edge off the sun and the humidity. A brisk daily shower also helps lots.

Have a great weekend, Meg.

>133 mdoris: It was. Too bad it won't last for a while longer.

>134 PaulCranswick: Ah but we have had so much rain that our roads and rail lines were damaged, Paul. It will take months and billions to repair the infrastructure here. We are so happy to have some sun about now so that the water in some of the flooded areas might abate a little.

Happy weekend to you as well.

We have snow on the ground today. It's that very considerate fall of snow that stays on the grass and leaves the road clear.

>114 Familyhistorian: >128 Familyhistorian: Adding that one to the BlackHole.

>115 Familyhistorian: Already in the BlackHole, lol.

>130 Familyhistorian: Glad to see that you are continuing to enjoy the series!

>137 Familyhistorian: Yay for considerate snowfall!

>137 Familyhistorian: Our snow is not considerate at all. Heavy snow and all the trees are drooping. We are so impressed with the snow clearing on the roads. They have been by numerous times. I was interested in your comment on Shelley's thread about challenges with listening to audio books or purely audio podcasts. Me too!!!!

>137 Familyhistorian: I never heard of a "considerate fall of snow"! Great description.
If the pavements are warm, I guess that happens. Terribly icy if the night turns to below freezing, though.

Thanks for popping by my thread today. I haven't been to Butchart's Gardens in over a decade now. Maybe two decades, come to think of it. The Bloedel was sure a good visit. Nice and warm and out of the poring rain.

The snow had pretty much disappeared in the afternoon but it was still on the rooftops of the homes up on the plateau.

>138 alcottacre: Hi Stasia, I'm glad I could add more to the black hole! The in death series is going down easy especially between the more challenging reads.

>139 mdoris: I saw on the news that your area got a heavier dump of snow, Mary. We are down on the flat at the bottom of mountains. There was a lot heavier dump up on Westwood Plateau.

I'm not good with anything that is just audio, like audio books, podcasts. I don't do well with phone calls either. I have a friend who loves to call and talk on the phone, with me it goes in one ear and out the other. It was hard when they changed up our work so that we didn't see people in person anymore but talked to them on the phone more.

>140 SandyAMcPherson: What snow that hangs around after nightfall! You've been away from the Lower Mainland too long, Sandy. Not to worry, when it gets cold they have the brine trucks out. They are well aware that Vancouver drivers are challenged when there is white stuff on the ground.

I think the last few times I went to Queen E Park it was to see the Bloedel Conservatory. Nice to be inside in the warm and watch the birds flying around.

>143 Familyhistorian: That's interesting what you say about the phone. I used to be able to chat on the phone but not anymore. I avoid the phone if I can, much better on video calls.

Hiya Meg...had a look at the recent reads, and I confess to being drawn to Into the Blue: Family Secrets and the Search for a Great Lakes Shipwreck despite its resolute Canadianness. The Great Lakes fascinate me...I saw Superior and was *utterly*riveted* by it and its deep (!) history.

Being back on LT after the damnèd wifi outage feels so good!

>145 mdoris: I've always been like that with the phone. Need the visual cues to remember stuff. It's funny because most people who prefer phone calls seem to be of my vintage. Interesting that you now avoid phone chats, Mary.

>146 richardderus: I hope you enjoy it in spite of it's Canadianness, Richard. I didn't realize your wifi was out but good to see that it's back.

171. The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer by Kate Summerscale



It may have been an understandable murder once the investigation into the history between Robert Coombes and his mother was laid out but the state of the body when discovered was particularly gruesome. What happened to Robert in the aftermath of the crime was not expected and his interactions with others brought a better understanding of what may have happened.

The social history in The Wicked Boy: The Mystery of a Victorian Child Murderer really brought the narrative to life. That was especially true when the author described what was going on in West Ham just before the dawn of the 20th century. That connected to my family’s history as my grandmother would have been living there at that time.

The sun is shining today. I'm going to take advantage and make my trek to the library today. Some more holds managed to squeak through even though I paused the ones that looked likely to come up. Not sure how they do that.

172. One London Day by CC Humphreys



I picked up One London Day as Chris Humphreys is the writer in residence at the Vancouver Public Library this year and he is also one of the writers involved with SIWC. I thought it was time that I read something he had written. Only, when I read his afterward, he said that this book is not typical of his writing. Looks like I’ll have to read another of his books.

That shouldn’t be a problem if they are at all like this read. It was a story set in London involving a rogue faction of spies trying to pull one over on the higher ups. Well, more than one actually. From the start it didn’t seem like it would go well and, besides the way they were written I wasn’t routing for any of those tossers. It was the people they came in contact with, especially the women, that drew my sympathy. A lot was packed into this short novel and it was clear to see who to cheer on even if the outcome was in question.

I had hoped to get to 200 books this year. I'm not sure that I'll be able to do that as I'm still a ways off. I would like to start another thread as it makes it easier to keep track of my reads. I sometimes go back on my threads to check when I have read something and to read what I wrote about it to refresh my memory. Even that doesn't do the trick sometimes though.

Happy Wednesday, Meg. I also really enjoyed And Now I Spill the Family Secrets. Glad to see that you felt the same about this graphic memoir.

>153 msf59: It was a good one, Mark. We had sunshine and I went to the library so it was a happy Wednesday. I hope you had a good one.

>151 Familyhistorian: Interesting! Never heard of the book or the writer. I'll have to poke around to see if anything's easily accessible to me.

Have a good weekend-ahead's reads.

>149 Familyhistorian: I went to add that one to the BlackHole only to discover it was already there. Sadly, my local library still does not have a copy of it. *sigh*

>151 Familyhistorian: Added to the BlackHole.

Happy Thursday, Meg!

>155 richardderus: Chris Humphreys is a Canadian Writer, Richard. He lives in BC on Saltspring Island. Good luck in your search.

>156 alcottacre: I hope you had a great Thursday, Stasia, even if you were thwarted in finding one of the reads.

>157 Familyhistorian: It was $2.99 for Kindle so I just bought it. No need to fuss for that kind of price.

Have a wonderful weekend, Meg!

>159 richardderus: Oh good Richard. I hope you enjoy it.

>160 alcottacre: Hi Stastia, I hope your weekend is wonderful too!