Mary (Storeetllr) Reads in 2022 Pt. 1: Let's Try This Again, Shall We?

Happy New Year! As 2021 plummets into the pits of hell where it belongs, let's all resolve to never allow it to return.



Actually, 2021 wasn't all bad. I've been blessed in so many ways. My second grandchild was born in September, a healthy boy, and he's just a joy to us all. He and his big sister love each other so much it makes my heart melt to see it. I've been painting regularly and think maybe my skill at watercolor is getting better. I've read some awesome books. None of us in the household have gotten Covid. Since January 20, I no longer have trouble falling & staying sleep every night, though I do still fall asleep to the sound of a comfort audiobook reread (Murderbot, mostly, these days).

I have no reading goals for 2022 except I hope to read at least a few nonfiction books and/or classics along with all the mind candy I consume, which, yes, I know, "is not so much a plan as a statement of hopeful intent." - Murderbot, Network Effect. I'd also like to keep up better with my and everyone's threads, but, you know - see above, hopeful intent.

One thing that's pretty much guaranteed is I'll be posting pics of my grandkids (sorry, I'm a grandma, it's my job) and of my art (again, sorry, it's a compulsion I have a hard time resisting & less showing off than wanting to share my astonishment when I create something I consider good enough to call "art"). Maybe of Nickel my feisty African Grey parrot companion and my garden, if it happens this year. Plus mini reviews of everything I read. I hope you'll come along for what I hope will be a fun ride. Welcome to my 2022 thread!

Books Read

January

1. Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie. 4 stars. Audio. Reread. Mini-review here.

2. The Last Watch by J. S. Dewes 3.5 stars. (reccied by a book buddy on IG). Audio. Mini-review here.

3. Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire. 3 stars. Audio. Mini review here.

4. An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good by Helene Tursten. 4 stars. Audio. Mini review.

5. The Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu. 4 stars. Audio. Mini review.

6. Exhalation by Ted Chiang. 4 stars. Audio. Like every collection of short stories, some are more memorable than others. Of these nine short stories, I found a couple forgettable (literally), a few really enjoyable, a couple incomprehensible (as in I'm not sure what the point of was), and one greatly moving ("The Great Silence"). All in all, I'm glad I read it.

7. Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz. 3.5 stars. Audio. *

8. The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison. 4.5 stars. Audio.*

9. The Exiled Fleet by J. S. Dewes. 4 stars. Audio. *

10. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. 5 stars. *

*Mini review

February

11. The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison. 3.5 stars. Audio. See >118 Storeetllr: and >124 Storeetllr: for my thoughts on this one.

12. Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb. 3.5 stars. Audio. Entitled man is mad at mommy for disappointing him when he was a child, so he kidnaps and kills two women, because that evens the score. Eve, along with Roarke, Peabody, and the rest of her posse, figures it out in time to save the third.

13. An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helen Tursten. 3.5 stars. Audio. I haven't checked, but I think the reader was different from the first book, and I didn't like her style enough that it took me an entire month to finish this short novel. I finally resorted to speeding up the recording, which helped. This one wasn't quite as enjoyable as the first, perhaps because it was a lot more laid back. In this one, Maud escapes the cold winter clime and also the continuing interest from the police by going on a safari in South Africa. While on safari, a young girl is found injured, and suspicion briefly falls on the tour group. Nothing comes of it, though, and the tour group continues on to Capetown. The feel-good ending, which shows Maud in a completely different light, was a bit too pat for me, but I did like the warm fuzzy feeling of it.

14. The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters. 4 stars. CDs. It was maddening, using the old portable CD player (we used to call them walkmans) to listen to this. Supposed to be anti-skip, but if I even set a cup down on the table it was resting on, it would skip. And I couldn't figure out how to move forward or backward on the CD. I wasn't thrilled with the reader, either: he made Detective Palace seem whiny and over-dramatic. Also, just a little complaint for authors, I'm so tired of listening to characters chastising themselves for not having saved someone/some situation when it's really not within their power to do so. It makes them sound like they have a God-complex or something. The story, though, was as good as I remember it being.

March

15. Truman by David McCullough. 5 stars. Audio. Mini review at >194 Storeetllr:.

16. Arcadia by Iain Pears. 4 stars. Audio. A wild ride! Mini review to follow - sometime, after I've sorted out my thoughts on it. If I ever do.

17. Crowbones by Anne Bishop. 4.5 stars. Audio. I don't usually give the books of The Others series a 4.5 star rating, at least not on the first reading, and Lake Silence was not a favorite (on its first read, anyway), but this one was so enjoyable - it made me smile more than a few times - that I think it deserves a higher than usual rating. And the bit with Simon Wolfgard in the Epilogue had me laughing out loud.

18. Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest. 3 stars. Audio. Things I liked: cute idea; not a paranormal romance. Things I didn't like: This was too YA/angsty for me, even though the cop was middle aged with a teenage daughter (who was only peripheral to the story), the main character and her sidekick spent a lot of time in a bar, and she did something that made her TSTL. Also, I had a hard time with how easy it was to insert herself into the investigation and how deeply she was inserted. I mean, it just was beyond my ability to suspend disbelief that a cop allowed her and a random friend to come along on an interview of a suspect without jumping through a lot more hoops than she did, and then being allowed to go on more interviews after she completely ignored his instructions on what she was to do/not do during the first interview. Cherie Priest is hit-and-miss with me; I really enjoyed the Borden Dispatches duology/didn't like Boneshaker. This one was a near miss. Also, I wasn't thrilled with the narrator.

19. The Writing of the Gods by Edward Dolnick. Audio. 3.5 stars. Interesting story of the discovery of the Rosetta Stone by Napoleon's army when he invaded Egypt, the breaking of the code leading to the ability to read the hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt, and the rivalry amongst the leading experts of the day. Having read a bit about ancient Egypt over the years, I was already aware of a lot of the background info, though the book included a few facts I hadn't known before, so that was nice. All in all, I think I should have read this in hardcover, because the illustrations probably would have added immeasurably to the enjoyment. I might still do that. Honestly, though, I probably won't. Like almost every book I read about scientific breakthroughs, this one is filled with men jealously guarding their discoveries from others (and/or stealing credit for discoveries made by women), resulting in it taking longer than necessary to find solutions. It's just exhausting.

20. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. 5 stars. Audio. Read this on the Kindle last May, and have been wanting to listen to it as an audiobook to see if it was as good. Wasn't disappointed.

21. The Reign of Osiris by Anne Rice. 3.5 stars. Audio. I took a quarter star off for the oddly abrupt ending, and a quarter star off for the interminable musings on death and the afterlife. I did like it that Julie had a much greater role to play in this one, but I didn't like quite so much the lesser role of Ramses. It seemed a bit scattered, not quite so cohesive a story as I'd have liked, and the characters were never really deeply drawn. Still, it's the last Anne Rice we'll ever see, and it's part of the Ramses the Damned story, so worth the listen.

22. The Blackhouse by Peter May. 3 stars. Audio. Recommended by Joanne. I wanted to like this (because Joanne liked it a lot), but it was a real slog for me. It might have been the accents used by the reader, which were so thick sometimes I had a hard time listening, but I think the real problem for me was that it was less mystery and more coming-of-age/study of a flawed man (men). It was also set in a depressing place, and I'm depressed enough right now. Perhaps at another time when my spirits weren't so low, I could have enjoyed it more, but with little exception I found it depressing. I may pick up the next in the trilogy/series, because there were moments that were uplifting, but I'm not going to search.

Currently Reading

Doc by Mary Doria Russell. Audio. Reread.
The Sentence by Louise Erdich. Audio. (reccied by Donna, I think) (I'm not enjoying this. The reader is pretty much whispering in a monotone voice that is DRIVING ME CRAZY. I'll give it another hour or so and see if it gets less annoying.)

Next Up

In the Pile

On Hold at the Library/Wishlist

Blue Skinned Gods by SJ Sindu. Audio. (reccied by RD)
Chouette by Claire Oshetsky. Audio.
The First Man in Rome by Colleen McCollough. UNABRIDGED audio.
Black Buck by Mateo Askaripour. Audio (reccied by RD) (Borrowed but ran out of time; back on hold)

Kids' Books Read*

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans 4/3
Madeline's Rescue by Ludwig Bemelmans 4/3.5
It Takes A Village: Picture Book by Hillary Rodham Clinton 3.5/4.5
It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn 3.5/4
Room on a Broom by Julia Donaldson 4.5/4
Angelina Ballerina by Katherine Holabird 4.5/4

*Ratings by Ruby (objective)/by Me (subjective)

DNFs

Sinopticon by Yu Nian. Kindle. (Reccied by Richard. Yes, I still plan on reading it but it went back to the library before I finished. I'll borrow it again when I am in a better frame of mine.
Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon. Just can't seem to get into it.
The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo. The narrator whispered the entire effing story so I was always straining to hear what she was saying. Got halfway through and stopped. I just couldn't do it anymore.
Way Station by Clifford Simak. Kindle. Waiting to get my Kindle back; ran out of time. Also, I read the first few pages and just didn't like it. Perhaps it was my mood.
Black Water Sister by Zen Cho. Audio. Hated the reader, and honestly I just don't usually like YA.
Blood Pressure Down by Janet Bond Brill. Audio. Not what I was looking for. Also, my blood pressure went down after I stopped one of my meds, so I don't really need this as much as I did when I started it.
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. Audio. I just couldn't get into it, and I didn't like the reader.
Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett (reccied by RD) Ditto.
On Tyranny: The Graphic Novel by Timothy Snyder. It's hard for me to read the text - my darned eyes just aren't cooperating.
You Sexy Thing by Cat Rambo (Audio) Just not hooking me.
If God Is Love, Don't Be a Jerk by John Pavlovitz. Audio. - I didn't like the reader, who turned out to be the author. I'll read it on Kindle, if I get the chance.
A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (audio) - I found it kind of boring and, once I stopped listening to it, didn't care enough to start again
Far from the Light of Heaven by Tade Thompson (audio) - just couldn't get into it; the plot seemed disjointed, and I didn't care
Alien Echo by Mira Grant (audio) - This was too YA for me, and I didn't like the chirpy voice of the narrator

Next one's yours!


New Year's Eve with Ruby and Rowan

Good new year, Mary! Have all the best reads, all the healthiest family, and all the most fun you're legally entitled to.

*smooch*

Happy New Year! I hope your 2022 threads are full of wonderful reading experiences.

Happy New Year and happy grandparenting!

Happy New Year, Mary!

Happy New Year, Mary!

Lovely picture of you with R&R (somehow I doubt they allow much R&R for you, though!).

Happy New Year, Mary. 2022 has to be better, right?

Happy new year! Let's hope 2022 actually heard your instructions about coming in, sitting down and not giving anyone any trouble.

Happy new year and happy reading!

Happy reading in 2022!

>7 Storeetllr: ooh! Love it, so precious!

Hi Mary...I saw this & thought of you:

>11 ronincats: Happy New Year to you too, Roni! Glad you're loving your new digs and being near family and hope the coming year brings you many wonderful blessings.

>12 katiekrug: Haha, what is the thing you call "R&R"? Seriously, I doubt anyone in a household with kids under 5 get much of that. Or kids 5-12. Or teenagers. *sigh* It never really ends (says this mom of a daughter with 2 of her own).

Happy New Year, Katie!

>13 majkia: Let's hope the Beatles had it right and that "it can't get much worse." Happy 2022 to you too!

>14 jillmwo: Happy New Year! And yes, crossing my fingers, toes, eyes that 2022 does what it's told.

>15 Marissa_Doyle: Thanks! Happy New Year filled with good books to you too!

>16 Narilka: Thanks! Happy New Year and wishes for a good-book-filled year to you too!

>17 fuzzi: Thanks, fuzzi. When you catch them at just the right time, it's magic. In between times, though -

>18 richardderus: That is stunning, Richard! Is that a ring with an opal? I tried to find it via google but couldn't.

It's a baroque pearl. I was poking around Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/KatreDehaJewelryArt/listing/1093292962/octopus-ring-octopus...

>23 Storeetllr: Looks more like a baroque pearl to me - which would fit with the tentacle.

When we were still able to go to re-enactment events, Nicky was the person to look out for: https://gemmeus.com/

You just had to look for the stall with the parrot.

*waves* in passing, with a similar hopeful intent regarding non-fiction and mind candy, but no great expectations.

Happy 2022, Mary!

>7 Storeetllr: That photo is a keeper, so cute. Those two are going to keep you on your toes, for sure!

Happy new year! I hope it is filled with good books and wonderful times with grandchildren!

>24 richardderus: Very cool!

>25 Maddz: Indeed!

>26 Maddz: A real live parrot? What kind?

>27 reading_fox: *waves back* It's the kind of problem I don't mind having, being as it's about which books to read.

>28 Copperskye: Happy New Year, Joanne! Yes, they do. I spent the morning with them helping my daughter deal and I'm exhausted. Just had lunch and am now going to take a nap.

>29 Sakerfalcon: Thanks so much! Back atcha x 10!

>30 Storeetllr: I think the original parrot was an African Grey, can't remember what the second was - maybe a sulphur-crested cockatoo? It was certainly a very pale bird.

Not sure how either got on with the birds from Out on a Wing! (The falconry displays). I know the Colchester seagulls most certainly did not approve of having an arial predator in 'their' airspace! It was a race to see how much display the peregrine could manage before being mobbed.

Happy New Year, Mary. Hooray for Ruby & Rowan. How wonderful for you. Jackson was born August 22nd, so they are very close in age. Let's do our best to make sure they both become readers.

Nice reconnecting with you, Mary. Have a healthy one.

Year! New! Happy! ... wait, is it a new year? Or is it the 670th day of the second week of March 2020... I've honestly lost track of time. Even with a job.

>31 Maddz: I'm sure the prey birds (African Grey, Cockatoo, Seagulls) did NOT like being near the predators. I used to volunteer with a parrot rescue/sanctuary/adoption foundation in Colorado. We used to take some of the birds to various exhibitions. I'll never forget the one where the organizers placed us between a display of hawks and a display of owls. We got them to move us across the aisle, but it still freaked most of the parrots out.

>32 msf59: Mark! You found me! :) Yes, they're less than a month apart. Ruby's a reader, (she's got at least a hundred books in her personal library), so I expect Rowan will be one too, but I'll be encouraging their love of books as they grow, as I know you will.

I'm so glad we reconnected, Mark. Stay safe!

>33 gilroy: Heh, isn't that just the way of it. The last two years have been the longest decade in history. Happy whatever you call it. :)

Hey, I found you my friend! Ruby has grown up so much and I can see that she is crazy about her handsome little brother. You are so lucky to have them so close to you. I've dropped a star here so I can stay in touch. We sure had some fun meetups in Colorado.

Happy New Year, Mary. I hope all the books you read this year are good ones!

Donna! You did find me! I'm so glad. Yes, I'm more fortunate than I ever thought possible a scant half dozen years ago. Not that I wasn't enjoying my life in Colorado - I loved it there (once I got over the shock of cold and snow for almost half the year) - my friends and my little house in Pueblo and our great meetups up near Denver, and I miss it still, but being able to be around my grands while they grow and learn and discover is magical! But you know what I mean, with most of your beautiful grands nearby. I'll come find you now and drop a star on your thread.

Happy Humpday, Mary. *smooch*

>39 richardderus: Ah, my third favorite day of the week (when I was still working) because it signified hope. In order from best to worst were: Saturday, Friday, and Wednesday; then Thursday, which was stressful because I knew I couldn't get it all done by the end of the work week; Tuesday, which was just too much like Monday; Sunday, which wasn't great because I knew the next day was *shudder* Monday, which was, of course, thee worst day. Now that I'm retired, I don't have a favorite day. I usually don't even know what day it is. Cheers!

Found you! And starred you, too.

>7 Storeetllr: - What cuties!

Hi, Shelley! Glad you found me!

Yes, I think so. Of course, that pic was taken between bouts of fussing/crying by the baby and whining/meltdown by the toddler. Somehow, the moments of joy far outweigh the other. :)

I'm going to try something different this year. I'm going to post mini reviews in the thread as I finish them and link them to the list in >3 Storeetllr:. My first book of the year was a reread, the second in the Radch trilogy. I read it out of order by mistake; last year, I read books 1 and 3. Not sure how I managed that. Anyway, here's my mini review.

1. Ancillary Sword by Ann Leckie. 4 stars. Audio. Continues the story of Breq, formerly known as Justice of Toren. Breq was an ancillary unit of the AI-controlled starship destroyed by Anaander Mianaii, the supreme lord of the galaxy who rules the farflung empire by means of multiple synchronized bodies after its captain discovered Anaander was fighting herself over politics and refused to obey an order to kill a bunch of people. When I first read it back in, I think, 2016, it was kind of mindbending. I've been reading scifi for decades, since I was 10 or 12, but apparently most was with traditional concepts. This was different, with its genderless society and AI/human constructs. Now, of course, that's traditional. So that, on reread, I found it more of a comfort read than boundary-stretching.

Gotcha. Starred.

>7 Storeetllr:. Great!

Hey, Joe! Glad you found me! Welcome! (Wow, that's a lot of exclamation points. I must be excited you came to visit!) Yeah, aren't grands the best!?!

>43 Storeetllr: Others who have been following you here in the Pub may already know this about you, but I've been AWOL from the Dragon for a number of months. But I was curious because you marked your mini-review of Ancillary Sword as an audio book. Do you prefer audio books? Or is it more of a casual happenstance that you listened to this one as a comforting "re-read"?

>46 jillmwo: Hi, Jill! Thanks for asking! I do most of my reading by audiobook due to vision issues. (Also, I enjoy audiobooks and will often listen to a book after I've read a text version, if I really enjoyed it and it's available on audio. It usually adds levels to whatever the book is.) I'll read a book on my Kindle if I can't get it on audiobook, but I need large text and it gets a bit annoying to have to click to the next page after only a few sentences. I can't read paperbacks anymore (*sad face*) and, if I need to read a print book - I prefer GNs in print - I usually have to use a magnifying glass. I said "re-read" because "re-listen" sounds so clunky, you know?

Glad you're back!

ETA that I like watercolor painting because I usually don't have to do detail work, but, when I do, I use a magnifying glass. Using my laptop or tablet can be a challenge too, because I need to enlarge the text and that sometimes messes up the page I'm on. And don't get me started on using a cellphone! Getting old can be really sucky, though it sure beats the alternative!

Uh oh. I hate to read of aging vision. I believe I'm doing okay with that, but I recently got a collection of George Merriman's Krazy Kat comic strips from the first half of the 20th century. It's an oversize book, but the strips ran the full width of the old broadsheet. I can't read the dialog without a magnifying glass.

>48 weird_O: Sorry to hear that, Bill, but, as I said, it beats the alternative by a country mile. As to magnifying glasses, I have a large one in the living room, a larger one in my bedroom, and a really large one in the kitchen (where I paint; this one has a light on it and is on a stand).

>49 Storeetllr: Have you ever tried magnifying prisms? My optician used to sell them specifically for text reading. They rest along a line of text and you move them down the page as you go. Less strain on hands.

Yes, but not for awhile. (I was a paralegal for a number of years and had to do a lot of line by line reading of briefs, which is when I used one.) I read so fast, though, that I think it might end up being more annoying than helpful. I'll have to check it out.

Here's one I saw that I thought looked as if it might be helpful:

>43 Storeetllr: I was one of those who found the read ungroundbreaking back then. It wasn't *bad* it was just...not special. Provenance OTOH I liked quite a bit indeed.

Happy weekend's reads.

>52 richardderus: I think if I'd read them for the first time today, I might have had a similar reaction as you. Having read a lot more genre-bending/mind-expanding novels in the past few years than before, I did not find the concepts as special as I had. *smooches*

>51 Storeetllr: I have tried that type and found them very unsatisfactory. The size of the lens means that there is a lot of distortion. My grandfather had one, but I could never get anywhere with it.

Your experience may be different, but I have significant astigmatism and the added distortion was too much fir me.

>54 -pilgrim-: Oh, ugh, then it probably wouldn't work for me either. I'll check out that prism thingy you mentioned, see if that would work for me. And, as I said, I have some large-ish (though not as large as the one in >51 Storeetllr:) magnifying glasses I use for small print (like in GNs) and detail work.

Mary, I am also struggling with aging eyes. I really need to schedule an ophthalmologist appointment as it has been almost 3 years now. My night vision is not good so I try to avoid that at all costs. I got out of the audiobook habit as I do love to turn those pages; however, I did recently download Kim narrated by the wonderful Ralph Cosham. I know you're a fan of his. He is soothing for sure.

Coincidentally, I'm in for my annual eye exam tomorrow! *whee*

>56 Donna828: Sorry to hear that, Donna. I've got macular degeneration, so I need to go every 6 months, though I'm a bit overdue for my next appointment (damn Covid for so many reasons). I hope your ophthalmologist has nothing but good news for you when you finally do get there.

>57 richardderus: Good luck with your eye exam, Richard!

2. The Last Watch by J. S. Dewes 3.5 stars. (reccied by a book buddy on IG). Audio.



The Library's Description:

The Divide.
It's the edge of the universe.
Now it's collapsing—and taking everyone and everything with it.
The only ones who can stop it are the Sentinels—the recruits, exiles, and court-martialed dregs of the military.
At the Divide, Adequin Rake commands the Argus. She has no resources, no comms—nothing, except for the soldiers that no one wanted. Her ace in the hole could be Cavalon Mercer—genius, asshole, and exiled prince who nuked his grandfather's genetic facility for "reasons."
She knows they're humanity's last chance.

Space opera at its most operatic, and I admit I read it in great gulps, though after awhile the main characters started to grate. I mean, it took forever for the captain to accept the truth (and I really dislike characters who endlessly wallow in guilt, deserved or not, and especially if not deserved) (also, she's too angsty for her age and occupation), and the princeling spent most of the story being either unbearably cavalier, annoyingly timid, or unbelievably capable (plus see above, guilt wallowing). Also, the physics described in the story was so outlandish (literally) that even though many aspects of physics are spooky and we really don't know where the end of the universe is or if it's going to expand forever or, you know, snap back, and to get to the edge of the universe traveling at light speed would take literally forever, and even though time dilation is a thing, it ended up being a bit much. Even so, it was a pretty good story and I enjoyed it (mostly) and am looking forward to the sequel.

>56 Donna828: I had a hard time seeing at night. It turns out I had developed cataracts. I've had surgery on the right eye and LOVE not needing glasses during the day or for driving, as my vision has adjusted to 20/25 (it was 20/400). My night vision is a little better. Now I just need to get the left eye done as well.

>57 richardderus: did your eye get a passing grade on its exam?

>60 fuzzi: Yay for your cataract surgery! It must be wonderfully freeing! There is no cure for MD, although I've read about some promising treatments coming down the pike. I hope I live long enough to benefit.

>62 Storeetllr: one of my best friend's mother had MD, but she also had hearing loss so was unable to listen to books or music. I know it was frustrating for her.

I pray MD slows, holds off long enough for something to come along to help with it.

>63 fuzzi: Oh! That must have been a nightmare for her! I know I'm counting on audiobooks to get me through it if my vision begins to really fail. My cousins (twins) who are about 10 years older than me have it. One is legally blind and has been for a few years. (She's had it for about 40 years, while mine started about 7 years ago, when I retired and moved to Denver where the sun is a lot more intense.) The other twin is still sighted so drives Geri around, helps her with her bills, etc. I can't even imagine how that must be for Geri. (Also, although she was a teacher, she's not into reading. I can't even fathom that!)

It was such a relief to be told my eyes hadn't changed and I won't need to come back until 2023. The extra floaters are normal...even expected...and the cataract in my right eye is growing very slowly indeed. So...yay me!!

Boo hiss to all who have md in their lives, no matter where you are in its progress.

...how can a teacher not love reading...it's like the core of the job...?

>64 Storeetllr: "..although she was a teacher, she's not into reading. I can't even fathom that!"

Phys Ed teacher, perhaps? ;-)

Happy Wednesday, Mary. Ooh, I loved The Last Policeman. Is this your first time reading it? I have had a copy of Exhalation for a while but haven't got to it. Maybe you will nudge me into the right direction.

>65 richardderus: I know, right?! We only recently reconnected after 40 years (!) and she only shared the bit about not reading last time we spoke. I almost blurted out, "But why? How could you stand not to read?" but restrained myself. Perhaps when we talk again, I can (gently) bring up the subject and find out why.

I'm so glad your eyes haven't changed and are holding their own! Must be all that kale you eat! ;-b May they stay eagle sharp for a long time! Except, floaters. Ugh. I know they're the least of my problems, but I just hate them!

>66 ScoLgo: I don't think so. My impression is that she taught elementary school, and, when I knew her anyway (when I was 24 and she was 35), she was so staid and quiet she seemed ancient. In my experience, gym teachers have foghorn voices and athletic builds. But I'll ask her next time we talk.

>67 msf59: Hey, Mark! I loved The Last Policeman too when I read it back in - I don't know - 2012 when I won an Early Review copy. *scurries off to quickly check* Yes, I gave it 5 stars and wrote a review on June 28, 2012. (Saw your review from 2013 when I was looking for mine.) But I read the book in print, and this will be an audio version, about which I am very excited!

Brief story of why I'm rereading it now: A couple weeks ago, I watched Don't Look Up, and, though it wasn't the same, the premise was similar to the trilogy, especially the ending. Did you see it? If you did, what did you think?

I'll let you know when I start (and/or finish) Exhalation.

Over on Roni's page, she was talking about getting a hoya to replace hers that died last winter (https://www.librarything.com/topic/338181#7723506). Here's a pic of mine, which is taking over my kitchen. I got it as a cutting in around 2013 or '14, when I moved to Colorado. I started two cutting and some leaves in a separate container earlier this year, and they're also growing nicely.


Main hoya in the red pot to the left side of the window sill and going around the little mirror on the wall. Cuttings are in the clear container just to the right of it toward the back.

3. Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire. 3 stars. Audio. Kind of dark and creepy, which I usually like. Not my favorite in the Wayward Children series, perhaps because they never really left this world and traveled through any doors.

>72 Storeetllr: Oh, boo. That doesn't sound like any fun at all.

I just re-read Fadeout for the first time in a decade...it got better as I got older!

>73 richardderus: It happens like that sometimes, and isn't it wonderful when it does. Then there are the times I've DNFd a book, forgot I DNFd it, started it again, and ended up really liking it. Oscar Wao comes to mind in that regard. It can also go in the other direction. For instance, the last time I read Dune, I couldn't remember what I thought was so brilliant about it when I read it 30 years earlier. I mean, I enjoyed it okay, but it wasn't all that.

4. An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good by Helene Tursten. 4 stars. Audio. Hilarious, if grisly. Being myself an elderly lady, I kind of get where Maud is coming from. I mean, the way some people tried to take advantage of her, thinking her senile. Of course, that doesn't mean I believe murder is a solution irl. Just that it was rather satisfying in this murder mystery. Anyway, I enjoyed it and am looking forward to the sequel. The only issue I had was that the translation was just a tad stilted.

5. The Wandering Earth by Cixin Liu. 4 stars. Audio. Like all story collections, some were more enjoyable than others. In this collection, my favorites were Son of China, which made me cry in a good way toward the end, Curse 5.0, and The Wandering Earth. My least favorite was Mountain, though it was interesting enough. The only quibble I had with this collection is the way the author has his characters tell us stuff though what sometimes felt like interminable monologues. Also, I kept thinking of questions I'd have for, say, Fang in Devourer rather than just, you know, going along with whatever it said, but that may be cultural differences between Asian and Western society. All-in-all, I'm glad I read this collection.

Happy Sunday, Mary. Thanks for the explanation on The Last Policeman. I thought you had read the trilogy a while back. I have not read his last novel. I forget the title but I would like to read it.

>76 Storeetllr: It's a kehuan thing, Mary, all of it I've read so far has this trait of what I'd call infodumping. Maybe it's a cultural difference, maybe it's the fact that the genre's not as old there. I don't mind it near as much now that I know it's just gonna be there.

>75 Storeetllr: You've gotten closer to book-bulleting me with that title than anyone else. Still dodged, though!

Happy week-ahead's reads!

>78 richardderus: >75 Storeetllr: The sequel is titled An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed. Does that get the BB closer to the target, RD? Seriously, I'm not sure you'd enjoy it as much as I did, but I'd say chances are you would. And it's a short read (180 or so pages), so it's not a huge commitment. Still, there are hundreds of other must-read books out there and only so many hours in the day. Which is why I've been utilizing the Pearl Rule so ruthlessly lately.

>78 richardderus: >76 Storeetllr: Yes, I got through the infodumps okay, once I decided it's just the way it was going to be. (I read Ken Liu's short story collection The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories awhile back, though, and don't remember infodumps like that - perhaps because Ken Liu is Americanized? - so at first I wasn't prepared.)

>79 Storeetllr: *bob*weave*dodge*

Missed me, missed me!

Liu's more a sci-fi writer than a kehuan one. He's completely Americanized when his mode of writing expression is the lens...don't know him personally, so I can't speak about other lenses.

Hi Mary, I’m another fan of The Last Policeman! In fact, the entire trilogy was great. Don’t Look Up was a good movie and I really liked the ending.

I’m glad you had fun with An Elderly Lady is Up to No Good - I did, too. An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed was a Christmas gift and I’ll probably read it soon. I think Maud is a hoot.

>71 Storeetllr: Love your Hoya photo, Mary!!

>81 Copperskye: I don't know what it says about me that I identify so strongly with the characters of Murderbot and Maud.

>82 ronincats: It's really something, Roni! I just wish I could bring it outside for at least the spring and summer, but there's just no place to hang it where it wouldn't be in full sun for half the day so it might bloom.

Today is Ruby's 3rd birthday! I can't believe how quickly time has passed since the day she was born, but it's sure been a lot of fun to watch her grow to be such a smart, happy, brave, active and imaginative child.


In her new tutu and ballet shoes that she got from her mama and dada for her birthday.


Taken late last year.


Playing with her baby brother, wearing her ruby slippers.

My daughter posted these captioned pics on Instagram.

I hope Ruby has a great third birthday.

The very happiest of birthdays to Ruby!

Happy Birthday, Ruby! Sooooo cute.

Happy Sunday to you, Mary!

She is adorable! Happy birthday Ruby!

Happy Ruby-day! Yay!

Thanks, pgmcc, clam, Mark, Shelley, and Richard! She had a lovely day. All her living grandparents came for her party, as did one friend, whose own 3rd birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks and whose parents work from home and "never go anywhere." (Don't we all know about that!) She got three Zoom calls: the first from Rapunzel, who sang songs; then Snow White, who read to her; and finally Princess Anna and Olaf of Frozen fame who danced & sang with her and her little friend. Dorothy, from the Wizard of Oz, called to Facetime with her too. (Her mom, who's a former music theater performer and still has friends in that mileu, set it up. I thought it was brilliant for the times we live in.)

One grandpa gave her a butterfly garden, the other a telescope, and I got her an astronaut suit with helmet & gloves. (She's very into dress-up play these days, and also astronomy.)

Here's the birthday card I painted for her:



Altogether, I think she had a great birthday.

Wow! Ruby had quite the Special Day! Sending some birthday hugs to the lucky recipient of those fabulous gifts and Zoom calls. Mary, you must post a picture of her in the astronaut suit. That sounds like so much fun!

>90 Storeetllr:
Beautiful card. I am sure Ruby appreciated all those Zoom calls from such famous people.

>90 Storeetllr: What a birthday indeed. The card is beautiful.

Ruby is a sweetie! And that is a wonderful card. I bet she will keep it and look back at it in future.

Such a creative idea, those calls! Wonderful! And you are quite a talent, yourself!

>90 Storeetllr: That's fantastic! I hope she treasures it.

Sounds like a lively day was had yesterday by all!!

My Hoyas arrived today! See pics on my thread.

Wonderful card! *smooch*

What a lovely card. Perhaps it could be framed and hung on her bedroom wall, so it "stays safe" and she can look at it daily.

I loved hearing about Ruby's birthday and seeing the photos. Special times. Thank you for sharing with us.

Happy 3rd birthday wishes for Ruby!! And what great gifts she received with so much love attached!

>91 Donna828: Thanks, Donna! She really did! It's not a great photo, but she's suddenly turned camera-shy.

Hey there Mary! Happy week-ahead's reads.

>92 pgmcc: Thank you! She was so excited to get that first call from Rapunzel. I wish I could have gotten a pic of it. When Rapunzel came on, she clapped her hands to the sides of her face and was smiling so wide! It was a lovely thing to see.

>93 haydninvienna: Thank you!

>94 Sakerfalcon: I hope so. I loved making it for her.

>95 jessibud2: I know, right?! My daughter's got such an imagination, which is good especially during this pandemic which precludes parties and the like. Thank you! *blushes*

>96 Karlstar: Thanks so much!

>97 ronincats: I saw your new hoyas! So wonderful! I'm sure they'll grow like crazy there in all that light!

>98 richardderus: Thanks, Richard!

>99 fuzzi: Thanks, fuzzi! I didn't pay attention to the dimensions so I'm not sure what sized frame I need to get for it, and I'll probably have to cut the mat myself to get the right size. Luckily, I've got mat material and a mat cutter from when I was taking photography classes back in the late 90s/early 2000s.

>100 MrsLee: Thank you! They are special times, and they do go by so quickly, don't they!? I'm glad you enjoyed it.

>101 Copperskye: Thanks, Joanne!

>103 richardderus: Hey, Richard! You snuck right in there when I wasn't looking! Thanks, and back atcha!

A few more mini-reviews:

6. Exhalation by Ted Chiang. 4 stars. Audio. Like every collection of short stories, some are more memorable than others. Of these nine short stories, I found a couple forgettable (literally), a few really enjoyable, a couple incomprehensible (as in I'm not sure what the point was), and one greatly moving ("The Great Silence"). All in all, I'm glad I read it.

7. Lightning in a Mirror by Jayne Ann Krentz. 3.5 stars. Audio. Another light romantic paranormal thriller from Krentz.

8. The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison. 4.5 stars. Audio. This, the second novel in the loosely connected Goblin Emperor series (I HOPE it's going to be a series), features Thara Celehar, an elf whose magical talent is the ability to hear the final thoughts of the dead. I really enjoyed it, though I wish I'd read it after The Goblin Emperor.

9. The Exiled Fleet by J. S. Dewes. 4 stars. Audio. This space opera, filled with action, thrills, and a couple of shocking twists, is a solid sequel to The Last Watch.

10. The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. 5 stars. Yeah, really good novel that could be described as high fantasy meets steampunk. I don't usually enjoy high fantasy or coming of age stories with angst-ridden young adults, but this is an exception. The world building is intricate, the characters are well-drawn and multi-dimensional, and the plot is compelling, even if there isn't a lot of action. I'm pretty sure I'll be revisiting this world, especially when I need a good comfort read.

I know these mini-reviews are bare-bone, but I wrote more detailed reviews and then everything I'd written disappeared due to operator error, and this is all I have time for.

>109 Storeetllr:
I wrote more detailed reviews and then everything I'd written disappeared due to operator error, and this is all I have time for.

Been there! Done that! :-)

I have Exhalation and your post encourages me to actually read it. I read his Stories of your life and others and you comments could be my comments on that collection. I felt with some of the stories in Stories of your life and others that he had a great idea and started writing an interesting story but did not know how to end it. I thought the ideas were interesting despite that problem with some of the endings.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

Glad you enjoyed your stay in the Goblin Emperor's world!

>109 Storeetllr: Glad you enjoyed the two Addison books, I did too. I think there's another one coming this year.

https://www.amazon.com/Grief-Stones-Cemeteries-Amalo-Book-ebook/dp/B09C4FJ851/re...

>110 pgmcc: I got to thinking about "Exhalation," the title short story of Exhalation, and just could not remember reading it, so I went back and, by Gutenberg! I hadn't read it! Or else I read it asleep. Or something. So I read it before I returned the book to the library and enjoyed it, though it goes in the "not-sure-exactly-what-the-point-was" group. Whew! Sometimes I wonder if I'm not losing my mind.

This was the first collection I've read by Chiang. I may pick up another sometime, but I'm not going to rush out to get one.

>111 libraryperilous: Oh, I did! I really did!

>112 Karlstar: Squeeeee! That is so exciting. I haven't been so excited about a series since the Murderbot Diaries (about which I'm still ridiculously excited). Thanks for letting me know.

A belated birthday happiness wish to Ruby. It's swell that family could get together for the occasion. My youngest granddaughter Annie turned four on Sunday and she was totally occupied with several of the gifts she got. Didn't want to leave them to take birthday wishes from her aunts and uncle and gramps during our regular weekly Zoom get together.

It woulda been better could we have gotten together in person, as you did.

Thanks, Bill. It must be hard not to be with your family for special occasions, much less on the regular. Actually, we all live together (me, daughter, son-in-law, 3 year old granddaughter & 4 month old grandson). I moved across the country to live with them when my daughter, who was pregnant with her first, asked me. I loved living in Pueblo and hated to leave my friends and the life I'd made for myself there, but being here and watching them grow has been a real blessing, plus, with the pandemic (I was here a year when that struck), it's been an extra blessing. I can't imagine not being able to be with them, even if I could "go back."

Happy birthday to your Annie!

January stats:

Books read: 10

9 first-reads
1 reread

Scifi: 5
Fantasy: 3
Romantic paranormal thriller: 1
Mystery: 1

Favorite:

Actually, two books, both part of a series.

The Goblin Emperor and The Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison.

Least favorite:

Where the Drowned Girls Go by Seanan McGuire.

It's disappointing when you discover a new-to-you author and love two of their novels but dislike the third. Although The Goblin Emperor and The Witness for the Dead were favorites from January, I just cannot continue with Angel of the Crows. First, Holmesian pastiches are extremely difficult to carry off, at least imo. This wasn't a terrible take on it, but the novel tries to squeeze in the plot of every damn Holmes short story, and really it's just too much. Worse, though, is the reader (Imogen Church), who just cannot do male voices. I may try again when my nerves have settled, or, better yet, try reading it on Kindle, also when my nerves have settled.

>118 Storeetllr: That is very frustrating indeed, Mary. I'm sorry to know that about Addison...though I hold out hope that it's a format-mismatch issue, not a capability one.

Thursday *smooch*

>118 Storeetllr: A bad reader can ruin a book. I really liked Angel of the Crows, but I read it in print.

>119 richardderus: Thanks, Richard. Me too.

>120 tardis: Good to know! I'll try it in print. Well, on the Kindle. It could be little things that wouldn't normally put me off finishing the book were exacerbated by the reader.

I also enjoyed it in print.

>122 reconditereader: Well, that settles it. I've borrowed a Kindle copy from the library and will try reading it as soon as I get my Kindle back from my daughter's dad, who's visiting from California.

Okay, so I changed the listening speed of The Angel of the Crows and that seemed to make it much better. I still didn't care for the reader, but I was able to get past that to enjoy the story. It's not something I'm going to reread, but it was enjoyable, especially toward the last quarter or so when things got really interesting. Fun plot twist, which kind of explains the choice of reader. I will keep a lookout for a sequel, though I hope she writes more Goblin Emperor books instead. For some reason, I really like that world, though high fantasy isn't usually my favorite genre. On second thought, Goblin Emperor isn't only high fantasy but includes elements of steampunk and urban fantasy too, plus mystery, all of which I enjoy very much. I know the next book in the series is going to be about The Witness for the Dead, but I hope she goes back to Maia's story sometime.

Catching up with you, Mary. So sorry that the latest Addison book didn’t work for you at first. Good for you on exploring alternative reading choices. I would never have thought to change the listening speed. Although I will probably never read a ‘high fantasy meets steampunk’ book, I’m glad we are friends and I can keep up with your growing family. We both share the love of reading…and that’s enough for me.

Enjoy the weekend. I hope some Ruby and Rowan hugs are part of it. Those hugs are very good at settling the nerves. ;-)

Hi there Mary! Cold today, ain't it.

I'm glad you liked the Addison's story better at the new speed. Audiobooks have that extra complication...the narrator you hate makes the experience for another listener. I think it's another level of the "I don't like the author's style", since I made it through an (abridged, it's true) ear-read of a Pratchett where I've never managed it on paper. And it's due to the reader: Sir Tony Richardson.

Oh, yes, Richard! The narrator can make or break an audiobook. Now that my aging eyes make it difficult for me to deal with print books, and even reading on the Kindle takes a toll, I'm somewhat a prisoner of audiobooks and the narrators who read them. Well, not "prisoner," exactly, because I can read on the Kindle to an extent, but I really prefer audiobooks these days with only a few exceptions.

Yes, it is cold. It has been cold. It's going to be cold for another couple of months. And I hate the cold. Did I ever mention that I moved from Chicago to Southern California in 1973 because I hate the cold? Mostly because of that, plus wanting to get away from a bad relationship. There was also the cool California vibe, like a siren song to me (I was in my early-20s and particularly susceptible). I miss it, though it's no longer the Paradise it was back in the 70s.

Ruby tested positive for Covid (probably Omicron), which means I've been exposed to it too. Even if I don't get sick, I probably won't be around for awhile as I'll be upstairs most of the time helping take care of her or the baby, in case anyone wonders why I'm not posting here or on others' threads.

We've been so careful. For two years, we've been so very careful. We got vaxxed and boostered. We've worn masks, pretty much isolated or at least kept our distance. The vax is so close to being approved for under-5s.

This just sucks, and I'm so afraid for Ruby and the baby.

Well, that stinks, Mary. I had close contact with my DH when he had Covid last summer and didn't catch it from him. I hope you get lucky. I also hope Ruby gets over it quickly and that Rowan gets a "pass" card along with the rest of the family. (((Hugs)))

Oh hell and damnation Mary, this just rots on ice! I am terribly sorry to hear you've been exposed, but as you're jabbed and boostered, I don't worry much about you becoming seriously ill.

This bloody bedamned plague.

I am sorry to hear your news.

Sending you all best wishes for a swift recovery for Ruby and that baby and the rest of the family stay well.

>128 Storeetllr:
All the very best for this encounter with the bug. I hope it passes quickly.

>128 Storeetllr: Sending you good thoughts and wishes that you all stay safe.

>128 Storeetllr: I am so sorry to hear this. Hang in there, try to think positively, and let us know what's going on when you can.

>128 Storeetllr: Very sorry to hear that, I hope you are all well soon!

Hi, everyone! Thanks for all the well wishes.

We got the baby tested this morning, and he has it too. Ruby seems to be over it already, and the baby just has a fever that is controllable with Tylenol, a stuffy nose, and a little cough. My rapid test came back negative, but I'm going to wait for the PRC results before getting too excited. I mean, the baby's been drooling all over me, and Ruby has sneezed in my face more than once in the past week (before she got tested - now I'm wearing a mask when I go upstairs). Anyway, I just have a little sore throat, stuffy nose, and fatigue, so I'm going back to bed for a couple of hours.

Thanks for keeping my thread warm while I'm dealing with this.

>137 Storeetllr: good news, the new variant is more like a mild cold for most people.

I hope you all feel better soon.

>138 fuzzi: ...if you've been vaccinated

>138 fuzzi: >139 jjwilson61: Yes, that's what I'm feeling - mild-ish cold symptoms. Although now I remember why I used to take time off work and whined a lot when I had "just" a cold. My PCR test came back positive, so I definitely have it. :(

We all (except the little ones) have been triple vaxxed, so I'm not so worried about me, my daughter or my son-in-law. The kids, though... So far, Ruby still seems to be over it, and the baby's got cold symptoms but doesn't seem to be suffering a lot.

Thanks for your well wishes, fuzzi.

Fed the bird, had some soup and toast for breakfast, talked to the Health Dept., sent a message to my PCP, and filled the filtered water pitcher (I've been really thirsty). Going back to bed now.

>140 Storeetllr: *smooch* to all in the home

>140 Storeetllr: I hope the good trend continues and everyone is over it very soon.

Glad to read your bout of COVID is so much milder than the cases that killed so many in 2020-2021. Do get your rest.

>139 jjwilson61: actually, no. It's mild for most, vaxxed or unvaxxed, with complications for some people with comorbidities.

>144 fuzzi: Not completely accurate. From WebMD:

"According to Jennifer Nuzzo, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 'The unvaccinated, people over 75, and people with underlying medical conditions are the groups most endangered by Omicron.'"

"With the Omicron variant now accounting for almost 100% of COVID-19 cases in the United States, the seven-day average of daily COVID-related deaths hit 2,600 recently, the highest rate in about a year, The Washington Post reported."

Personally, I'm beyond grateful to be vaccinated and boostered, since I am within touching distance of two of the categories named above, and I have so much to live for.

>145 Storeetllr: that's what I said, mild for most.

BTW, "Covid deaths" is anyone who dies with confirmed Covid, not necessarily OF Covid. Look up how Dr. Deborah Birx defined it. If you test positive and die in a car accident your death is counted as a Covid death.

I'm still alive, still congested and fatigued, but I feel better today. Ruby seems to have recovered fully, and the baby is doing fine. My son-in-law also seems to be recovering. My daughter got tested again today and remains uninfected, which is a miracle considering her close interactions with the kids. Unfortunately, her father-in-law - who is 80 - tested positive, as did her dad (my ex), who is 76 and has been visiting from L.A. Their conditions are more worrisome, as those over 75 are more at risk from Omicron.

For anyone who is interested, the CDC has posted this transcript that discusses how a death is attributed when the deceased has Covid.

>147 Storeetllr: *smooch*

just cuz

Thanks, Richard. Needed that!

>147 Storeetllr: Just take it one day at a time. Hope everyone weathers this particular February spell of the virus.

Happy Sunday, Mary. I have been out of the loop for nearly 2 weeks so I did not hear about your battle with Covid. I am glad to hear you are feeling better. We were all elated that we managed to avoid catching Covid on our trip. Whew!



^One of my favorite sightings.

>147 Storeetllr: I'm glad you're feeling better, that's the most important thing.

>147 Storeetllr: I'm so sorry you're family is going through this, but I'm glad most of you seem to be doing okay. I hope the two older guys fare as well.

Thanks, clam. The littles recovered quickly, my son-in-law in 5 days, but us older guys are taking a bit longer to feel up-to-snuff. I'm still stuffed up and tired, no sense of taste or smell (tho that's what I always experienced with colds and got back as soon as the colds left), and still a bit weak. My daughter's still having a hard time believing she didn't get it. Me, I'm grateful she didn't. She's the one who keeps it all together. With her down, we'd have been in an even more dreadful mess.

drive-by *smooch*

>154 Storeetllr: Sorry about the older ones among you having a rougher time. :o(

Maybe your daughter was one of those lucky people that the vaccines gifted with full immunity. Or perhaps her symptoms were so mild she didn't realize she was infected. Please keep us informed, when you have time. I will continue holding you and yours in my thoughts.

>154 Storeetllr: I hope all of you continue to heal and the symptoms remain manageable. I'm glad you were vaccinated and boosted, as that is making a world of difference in outcomes!

>156 clamairy: Thanks, clam. My ex and I are almost over it, though I still have cold symptoms and he's still shaky and coughing. Not sure how my daughter's father-in-law is doing, though she said he told her he's doing fine - while coughing like crazy. My daughter's had 3 PCR tests so far these past 2 weeks, so she'd know if she had it. I know I've read that there were those during the Black Plague and other epidemics who didn't get sick even though they nursed those who did.

>157 libraryperilous: Thank you! I'm glad too. It's not a guarantee, but then nothing in this life is really. I'm just hoping none of us get any of the lasting effects like long covid or MIS.

Well, I seem to be in a book slump - none of the books I've tried reading in the past week or so have appealed, and I've ended DNFing all. (Not the fault of the books, I don't think. Just my state of mind. Although a couple of the audiobooks have awful - to me - readers.) So, I've ended up rereading comfort books (which I don't count unless at least a year has passed since the last time I read/reread it).

Last night I downloaded Truman, and I'm going to try that today after I've done my babysitting stint so my daughter take a zoom meeting. Wish me luck!

>159 Storeetllr: I have Truman on my list but I've been putting it off while finishing another history.

>160 Karlstar: I haven't read any McCullough biographies (or histories) yet, but Truman was president when I was born, so I thought his story might be something I could get into. Not sure, because these days I've been reading for comfort rather than expanding my horizons, but we'll see. What history are you currently reading?

Back from hanging out with Rowan. In just 45 minutes, he wore me out!

We had a lovely half hour of playing, then 15 minutes of non-stop crying. No matter what I tried (walking, rocking, offering toys/bottle), he wasn't interested. I was sweating and exhausted by the time my daughter got back. But he sure is a little cutie!



First thing he did when he saw me was smile; when I picked him up, first thing he did was pat my cheek very gently. I was all *meltmeltmelt*

>161 Storeetllr: I just finished The History of the Swedish People Volume Two. I'll probably read Truman while reading something lighter in parallel.

>162 Storeetllr: awww...

>162 Storeetllr: And a very energetic little cutie, it seems.

I am glad he is doing so well

>162 Storeetllr: I can understand the melting.

>162 Storeetllr: *baaawww* bitty pweshus! They're so much fun Before.

>161 Storeetllr: I started Truman, I'm about 130 pages into it, quite good so far.

>168 Karlstar: Yes, isn't it! I'm listening to it, so I'm not sure what page I'm on, but I've read up to Chapter 6, when he was in D.C. after winning a seat in Congress. It's very interesting how politics was as dirty then as it is now, but in a different way. Or at least I guess it's different. I'm not very up on how it all works down at that level.

>169 Storeetllr: I was a cleaner dirty... LOL

Harry Truman is the only politician I ever sent a birthday card to. I was seven or eight, and he was long out of office.

>170 clamairy: Oh, wow, that's a lovely memory. He was president when I was born, so I have a special interest in him. I read a biography of him many years ago, Give 'Em Hell, Harry by Mark Goodman, but I don't remember much about it.

ETA It wasn't so much a biography as a compilation of writings by Truman. (I looked it up on Amazon.)

>169 Storeetllr: >170 clamairy: Right or wrong, I think the author was trying to tell us it was worse back then. The political machine in KC controlling jobs and candidates, people voting multiple times in each election, ballot box stuffing, etc, Klan involvement, etc.

I think I'm a little behind you, I just got past the county judge part.

>172 Karlstar: Yikes! I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

Mary, sorry you and your family have had a bout with covid, and hope you all are continuing to recover without complications! My nephew's family all had it at the end of January, early February, but my mom and I haven't had physical contact with them since Christmas. Then there were two active cases in Mom's residence last week, but no one, again, with whom she's had contact.

Yay for Maia love!

Thanks, Roni. Everyone seems to have recovered completely, except I still don't feel quite up to snuff. Hope you and your mom stay safe and don't get it, because even mild it isn't fun.

LOTS of Maia love.

Reading Truman; up to the part where he, Churchill and Putin Stalin meet at Potsdam to figure out how to carve up German territory after the war. What struck me most was how much Stalin reminded me of Putin (to the point I typed Putin's name by mistake). This is such a fascinating biography, even though I was born only a few years after the events in the book (so far) happened. Another thing that got to me was the credulous nature of Truman in the face of evidence to the contrary (Russia's behavior) as well as the warnings of others like Churchill and even some of Truman's American advisors. Some of it was the way Roosevelt withheld information from Truman who was his VP, even though he knew he was dying. Honestly, I hate to say it, because I respect FDR for a lot of what he did for Americans and America, but in this he reminded me of Trump for the way he withheld information from president-elect Biden.

>176 Storeetllr: I'm as far as early 1941, after he was (spoiler alert!) re-elected. I'm finding the investigations into the pre-war spending and the massive graft and theft interesting and discouraging at the same time. I'd bet very little has changed.

>177 Karlstar: Only gotten dirtier and more high tech, I'd say.

Happy Saturday, Mary. Love that Rowan. We had a Jack Day yesterday. We love it but it can be exhausting at times. I don't know how Bree does it and working too.

Truman is one of my very favorite presidential bios. I am glad you are enjoying it.

Happy (Retiree) Monday, Mark! Glad you are enjoying your Jack Days. I know I love being able to climb the stairs and be with my two, but I also love being able to descend back to my relatively quiet apartment when the activity gets to be too much for me. I don't know how Bree or Meg do it.

I am enjoying Truman, though it can be a bit intense, especially now with all that's going on in the world. I keep flashing on the Potsdam chapter and the description of Stalin, and how much he resembles Putin. I didn't read any Truman yesterday; I needed a break. Back to it today.

It's so hard to sit by and do nothing, but other than donate to groups that are helping Ukrainians, what can you do?

I decided to paint a sunflower, the official flower of Ukraine. I hope you like it.

This is a fascinating war to watch! They're really fighting on the cyberfront more than ever...billionaires losing access to their money, possibly losing some of their expensive toys and as a result pushing Little Vladdy Pu-Pu to stop this idiocy now before it hurts *them*.

Happy New-Month's reads.

>182 richardderus: Yes, I have been "doom-scrolling" since Thursday. I have to be firm with myself to stop and do other things or I'd be on Twitter 24/7 (notwithstanding how painful it is to my eyes to be online that long). It's fascinating and infuriating, and also a bit scary. I hate that the nuclear bomb is again a distinct possibility.

I don't think I'll finish Truman today, so it will be on March's pile of books to finish. Also on the pile: The Writing of the Gods: The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone by Edward Dolnick, Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest, and Arcadia by Iain Pears. I had a number of DNFs of promising books in February, perhaps due to the fact I disliked the readers. It's too damn bad because they might work in print but I just don't have the capability to do that much print reading anymore; otherwise, I'd probably have tried them on Kindle.

Have a wonderful week, Richard!

Hi Mary, I’m just now seeing your sad Covid news. :( I’m so sorry that you and the kids got sick but relieved to hear that everyone is bouncing back. How are you feeling today? Thank goodness for the vaccines!

I keep meaning to read Truman.

I love your sunflower/map picture. I, too, have to tear myself alway from twitter and my doom scrolling. Those poor people.

>180 Storeetllr: >181 Storeetllr: I'm working my way through it, I think I'm into 1947 now. So much great detail about his struggles with the Cabinet, the economy and the Russians. Stalin and Putin have the same negotiating style - none.

>181 Storeetllr: I've put a spoiler, because it might be considered political, but nationally: You can call or write your elected officials and the White House and ask them to lift the refugee cap, plus ask them to include Ukrainians and Russians in TPS and DED. If that is something you support, of course! Congress also is considering a 6+ billion aid package for Ukraine. You can let your members of Congress know you support that, too, if you do. You also can ask your state and local officials to make a plan for welcoming refugees. The refugee resettlement program in the US typically is run by nonprofits and it often relies on these orgs finding temporary homes and jobs for groups of refugees in individual communities.

>184 Copperskye: Hi, Joanne! Yeah, it was sad - and stupid. I mean, we, and especially I, have been pretty much isolating for 2 years, wearing masks when out, staying safe distances from all strangers, avoiding crowded places - or, come to that, any places. I think Ruby brought it home from preschool. Me, I wouldn't have started her in school yet, but Meg was going nuts with the new baby and Ruby really needed more stimulation than she was getting at home. Anyway, we are all over it, except I still feel a bit more tired than before, but even that's getting better.

I think you'd love Truman. I'm surprised and in a few cases shocked by some of what I learned, even though I pretty much lived through it (after his second term started, anyway, though just a baby then).

Thanks. I'm just so freaked about what's happening in Ukraine. It's like reliving the 50s (60s, 70s, and 80s) all over again.

>185 Karlstar: It's a lot to process, isn't it, but worth it. As I told Joanne (>187 Storeetllr:), much of it was surprising and some of it shocking. The part with Stalin is chilling, especially coupled with what's going on today with Putin. I'm in 1948, after he won reelection, and, although I was just a baby then, I swear I remember my grandparents talking about the Dewey debacle. Perhaps it was them reminiscing, after I was a little older.

>186 libraryperilous: Thank you! Good ideas there. I am fortunate to live in New York State (lower Hudson Valley), which is friendly to refugees, at least as far as I can tell. Mostly.

Well, not a stellar reading month. Not a stellar month in general. War, plague, horrible weather, reading slump. What's next? Anyway, I only managed four books in February, and one was a reread. I'm not sure what happened, but part of the dearth of reading was a bunch of audiobooks that I just could not finish due to either the subject matter or the readers. Also, I'm currently reading - and have been reading for a couple of weeks now - Truman, which is a monster of a doorstop of a book at over 1,000 pages/56 hours. It's really very good, but it's so dense that I've had to take occasional day-long breaks from it.

Genres:

Mystery-2
Alt history urban fantasy mystery-1
Pre-apocalyptic dystopian mystery-1

Ratings:

4 stars-1
3.5 stars-3

The Angel of the Crows by Katherine Addison. 3.5 stars. Audio. See >118 Storeetllr: and >124 Storeetllr: for my thoughts on this one.

Abandoned in Death by J.D. Robb. 3.5 stars. Audio. Entitled man is mad at mommy for disappointing him when he was a child, so he kidnaps and kills two women, because that evens the score. Eve, along with Roarke, Peabody, and the rest of her posse, figures it out in time to save the third.

An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helen Tursten. 3.5 stars. Audio. I haven't checked, but I think the reader was different from the first book, and I didn't like her style enough that it took me an entire month to finish this short novel. I finally resorted to speeding up the recording, which helped. This one wasn't quite as enjoyable as the first, perhaps because it was a lot more laid back. In this one, Maud escapes the cold winter clime and also the continuing interest from the police by going on a safari in South Africa. While on safari, a young girl is found injured, and suspicion briefly falls on the tour group. Nothing comes of it, though, and the tour group continues on to Capetown. The feel-good ending, which shows Maud in a completely different light, was a bit too pat for me, but I did like the warm fuzzy feeling of it.

The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters. 4 stars. Reread. CDs. It was maddening, using the old portable CD player (we used to call them walkmans) to listen to this. Supposed to be anti-skip, but if I even set a cup down on the table it was resting on, it would skip. And I couldn't figure out how to move forward or backward on the CD. I wasn't thrilled with the reader, either: he made Detective Palace seem whiny and over-dramatic. Also, just a little complaint for authors, I'm so tired of listening to characters chastising themselves for not having saved someone/some situation when it's really not within their power to do so. It makes them sound like they have a God-complex or something. The story, though, was as good as I remember it being.

>190 Storeetllr: Here's to hoping that March is a better month all the way around.

*smooch*

>188 Storeetllr: It is a lot, the amount of detail is amazing. It just read the part where McCullough pointed out that there was no Cabinet infighting, no backstabbing and no expose books written later. I had to actually laugh at that part, compared to what has gone on the last couple of decades.

>192 Karlstar: Yes, it was a different world, although - I'm at the part where the Korean War just began as a relatively small and winnable conflict, and how it got turned into such a long, bloody war. Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. it's definitely a cautionary tale for today.

Finally finished the audiobook of Truman by David McCullough. I was born when Truman was president. Although I was very young, I remember hearing about a lot of the events described in the book - Dewey's spectacular defeat in 1948, the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the Cold War, Korea, McCarthyism. Actually, I was old enough in 1953 to be aware of Korea, as well as McCarthy's communist witchhunt. Yet, I learned so much by reading this biograhy, some of which were shocking (though a firm believer in civil rights for Black people, Truman used crude and denigrating language that made me cringe; though he respected women, his attitude toward women in positions of power was positively Medieval); some of which were inexplicable (his acceptance of questionable election practices like ballot-stuffing, rigged caucuses - all of which were commonly accepted back then); some of which were surprising (his liking for Stalin as a person, even as he deplored Stalin's practices; his mismanagement of McArthur during the Korean War). Yet it left me thinking highly of Truman as a man and as a president. I wonder what he would have made of what is going on in the world today, though, come to think of it, much of what we're going through is eerily similar to what was happening back during Truman's life. It's a really long book and an equally long audiobook (56+ hours) was totally worth the investment in time.

>194 Storeetllr: I'm glad you enjoyed this one so much. (I think I would also be happier listening to this than I would be reading it.)

I guess he was a man of his times, regarding the sexism and the casual racist comments. At least he wasn't molesting his female staffers.

>195 clamairy: He wasn't, and not only because he didn't have any female staffers. His personal secretary was a female, though, and he had nothing but respect for her. She apparently adored him. No hint of impropriety ever attached to him in that respect, apparently.

ETA I'll be interested to know your thoughts if/when you read/listen to it. (Yes, it was a good listen. I liked the narrator.)

>194 Storeetllr: I'm about 750 pages in and still enjoying it. I was also surprised at his attitudes, but he was a person of his time and place, I guess, being born on the frontier in the late 1800's. Everyone seemed to respect him as President though and he seemed to earn it.

>194 Storeetllr: Quite an achievement. The book, and that really long ear-read. But I'm not tempted because he was so very, very far back in History to one born in the second Clinton Administration. Such as I.

*flees lightning bolts*

>181 Storeetllr: I love love love your sunflower painting, Mary, and the thought behind it. It is so hard to watch what is happening in Ukraine. Just when things are relaxing a bit on the Covid front we have this atrocity occurring. So sad.

I really enjoyed Truman when I read it years ago. Shame on me for not visiting his library in Independence. It seems when I am up in the Kansas City area it is all about the grandkids' events. I need to make a special trip sometime for a history fix. I went to Jefferson City in November with friends just to visit the state capitol and really enjoyed it.

Sorry about your reading slump. I had one, too, after Covid mainly because of the headaches that took awhile to recede. I still get more than I used to. I hope that March is a better reading month for you.

Mary, I have decided to go with straw bale gardening as my no-till method for my Kansas garden bed this summer. Since I know you did this on a small scale in Pueblo a few years ago, I wonder if you have any words of wisdom for me.

Bales are $7.50 at a local farm supply store. Deal!

>199 Donna828: Thank you, Donna! It's so hard to sit by and be able to do nothing much about the Ukraine situation, except donating to groups that help the people. Painting the sunflower (the Ukraine national flower, I might have mentioned) is one way I was able to lessen the stress a bit.

I have never been to the Truman Library either, nor to Jefferson City, though I used to visit St. Louis every summer and sometimes winter when I was a kid. (My uncle lived there, and my grandma took me a few times a year to stay with him, and he took us on drives to see a lot of places in that part of the country.) I hope you get there and will let me know your experience when you do. I think it would be quite a moving experience!

Yes, my reading slump is partly based on my state of mind, which is not easy, and the books I've chosen to try. It takes a really compelling read to get me into a book, but, when I do get into it, I am able to focus just fine. (Witness my finishing Truman - although I did take days off from it every few days.) I was lucky not to have gotten much in the way of headaches from my bout of Covid. Lingering fatigue is what I'm dealing with, but, so far, nothing worse, and for that I am grateful.

>200 ronincats: Hi, Roni - I loved straw bale gardening! $7.50/bale is a good price, if it's a full bale. If you can get "spoiled straw," that's even better, and might be a bit cheaper. Just make sure it's straw and not hay.

I followed Joel Karsten's advice on straw bale gardening, and it worked out pretty well. He has a book out, you might be able to get it from the library, but there are numerous articles and YouTube videos online.



I really liked it that, once you prep the bales and get the seeds/seedlings in, there isn't much else you need to do except feed and water, and stake the climbing plants. I really enjoyed putting herbs and flowers in the sides of the bales so the whole thing was full of green and color! Also, keep track of the way the sun shines down on the bales before you set out your bales. You don't want tall plants blocking shorter ones (but that's for any garden).

One thing that surprised me was when, after a huge rainstorm, I discovered a mother rabbit had hollowed out a little burrow in one of the bales and birthed a litter of kits. Unfortunately, the rain washed them out and none survived. I had a grim time, burying the little critters. If I ever have another straw bale garden, I'm going to surround the bales with chicken wire fencing to prevent such a thing from happening again.

I look forward to reading about your adventures this spring and summer!

Edited to correct a typo.

To all who celebrate it, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Happy MidSpring Day on Monday! *smooch*

Happy Sunday, Mary! Are you over your book slump? Fingers crossed, my friend. And hooray for Truman! A wonderful bio.

>204 richardderus: Hi, Richard!

>205 msf59: Thanks, Mark. I'm still having a bit of a problem finding a book that works for me. Truman was an exception - and exceptional! Currently dithering over what to read next.

The baby started on solids a couple weeks ago. He's tried (and loved) sweet potato fries (oven baked), spaghetti with meat sauce, and avocado toast. He's game to try whatever's on our plates. Today, he scarfed up a cheese enchilada. Our little foodie.





ETA (The green things on the tray are kiwi.) (Yes, much of it ended up on the floor, but he did get some, plus he is getting used to all the different flavors and textures and learning hand-mouth coordination. It's not the way I started my kid on food back in the caveman days of her babyhood, but it seems to be working just fine.)

There would appear to be no worries about his appetite. It is great to see him taking so well to the different foods.

Babies seem to be prepared to try almost anything, and to like most of it. Even if you limit "anything" to "things that are properly food". One of my favourite pictures of my elder son is of him in his high chair at the age of (maybe) 18 months with pesto all over his face. I had made the pesto from home-grown basil, and it was serious stuff--no compromises about garlic and olive oil.
In other words, keep showing him the right way to go.

I remember being thrilled that my kids ate everything I gave them when they were little. Apparently taste buds don't develop fully until 2-3. After that age I had one that ate almost everything and one that didn't. (Now as adults they both eat everything. All it took for my son was a few years of dorm food...)

>208 pgmcc: Nope! No worries at all! He was reaching for food by the time he was 4 months or so. His sister, otoh, wasn't quite as enamoured of eating food when she was a baby. She liked to be spoon fed, while he insists on doing it himself. I love that he loves to feed himself.

>209 haydninvienna: Haha, pesto face must have been as funny as marinara face or, in the case of my granddaughter, yam face.

>210 clamairy: Haha, my daughter was the "I hate everything mom offers me" kid. I'll never forget making chili one day, and her refusing it. The next week, we were at a friend's house for lunch. She ate every bit of the chili in her bowl and asked for more. It was the exact same recipe as mine. Hahahahahahaha.

>207 Storeetllr: So sweet, thanks for the pictures!

>210 clamairy: >211 Storeetllr: Mine started out eating just about anything, then slowly got pickier, but never to the point where it was a problem. We do joke that the younger one changed her preferences every 2 months in her teens. They do change over time. I always feel sorry for those folks with extremely picky eaters, what can you do?

>211 Storeetllr: I found the picture—the subject himself had a copy. Trouble was, it wasn’t of elder son David but younger son Philip—Son who Cooks now. He is still serious about pesto. Now I just have to work out how to post it from this iPad.

>211 Storeetllr: I have a photo of my daughter with yogurt face.

I always had extra milk left over at the end of the month (we were on WIC) so I made yogurt. It's actually quite easy, and a good way to get extra calcium into little mouths.

Bad-wifi-driveby *smooch*

>212 Karlstar: Glad you enjoyed them! Yeah, mine was one of those extremely picky eaters. All she wanted to eat was pasta with butter and parmesan. She didn't even like pizza. (Although, see >211 Storeetllr:, she would eat things at friends' houses that she refused to eat at home, and that included pizza. Brat. LOL) Eventually, in her teens, I just left her to fend for herself, stocking the fridge with good food which I prepared when necessary. She was in drama class and choir in h.s. and often had late rehearsals so wasn't home for dinner. (I would pick her up from rehearsal most nights unless she got a ride from one of the other parents, but it was usually 7 or 8 pm., sometimes even later the closer they got to the performances. The drama teacher would buy pizza or some fast food for the cast; I don't know what the choir teacher did.)

>213 haydninvienna: I'd love to see it when you figure out how to post it!

>214 fuzzi: Haha, love it!

I used to make yogurt too! With goat milk as well as regular milk. I wonder what I did with that yogurt maker I used back in the '70s and '80s.

>215 richardderus: Thanks for stopping by, Richard! Hope your wifi is fixed soon!

March stats:

books read (1 a reread)

Non-fiction: 2

Fiction: 6
-Mystery 1
-Fantasy 4
-Scifi 1

5 stars - 2
4.5 stars - 1
4 stars - 1
3.5 stars - 2
3 stars - 2

Best reads:

Truman by David McCullough - non-fiction
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - scifi (reread, or, rather, listen after read)

>217 Storeetllr:



I still have the feeling that there is a picture of elder brother David doing much the same, but I could well be wrong.

>219 haydninvienna: HAHAHAHAHA! Classic! I love it. (He was an adorable baby - those curls! Those eyes! Those chubby little cheeks!) Thank you for sharing!

>220 Storeetllr: Thanks! I’ve posted a link to this thread in the family group chat, so that he can be suitably embarrassed.

Hah! Blackmail Pix. Love it!

Actually, I asked her once if she minded my posting one of her in a poodle skirt that I made for her, and she told me I could post pretty much any pics of her from her childhood; she thought they were fun. Here it is: