pontalba

Thanks, I hope they live up to expectations!

I've read and enjoyed all three. Have to say the first two were my favorites though.

Ahhhh! Thanks muggle! They both look good.

Agreed poppy, and to tell the truth, I'm such a basic, verrryyyyy simple cook, it's almost embarrassing! I suppose I should explain. When I was young, my mother did all the cooking, so I didn't know how to do too much. I went out to work, and she cooked. Later, my first husband cooked more than I did, and then when I lived with my Aunt, she did the cooking. So, really, I've not had much experience in the kitchen. I don't mind it, but feel inept as far as "real" cooking goes. Fortunately, Charles has simple tastes, or we go out!

Oh, goodie!! I'm so glad! And now, I'm afraid.......

Just adding my vote for Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow...aka Miss Smilla's Sense of Snow.

I really want to get to this one.... Awww, don't feel too badly about it, I ran into the same thing. Don't let it make you feel stupid, you're not, you are far from it. Faulkner can be a head banger, for sure. I have The Kraken Wakes on order, but it was second hand. Hope to get it soon!

Yup, and North Korea. Oh, and Paris......

On the north side of the house there is a row of crepe myrtle trees, and more pines (or course!) Pine country around here. Anyhow, we don't walk that side very often, and a spider will string across an intricate, and very large web across, between the house and the closest trees. It's a huge thing, I believe the local name for it is "banana spider", it's several inches long with long legs. Quite pretty actually, and from what locals have told me, poisonous. But I leave him alone, live and let live. But one kept weaving a web on the path to the carport, and after three times taking it down, it gave up. Awwwww....(not!)

Sabry, that's a bad time of night to have to get home from school. Is there any chance of shifting your schedule? We installed Windows 8 on my computer yesterday, it went pretty smoothly. It's great, I love it! I also caught up all the computers (that we don't always use, laptops) on Norton. grrrrr!

Thanks muggle. They wouldn't allow me to peruse the site though, wrong state. Gawd, Louisiana, one of the drinkingest states in the Union! Hah! Good for you! Drinking, thanks to muggle's idea.....a white Moscato. Not sure which one, but it's mild and good. Not too sweet.

Oh, the film and book are completely different animals. We've seen the film since we read the book, and enjoyed each in their own way. The book is superior, IMO.

Funny, most of my cats don't care for "human" food either, which is a switch from cats we've had in the past. Before, many times, it was a fight to have the counter to ourselves. LP, as a quick follow up on that amoeba thing, that Parish is running a chlorine burn through pipes for 60 days, and increasing their checks almost double. They say that that sort of treatment will eradicate all traces of it. /fingers crossed for them!/ Athena, you are right, some of those conditions are beyond horrible. But you are also right in thinking that there is some improvement, and more coming.

Great, glad to hear it! I've ordered two more of her books from Amazon, so I hope she holds up. I think she will.

Last night we went to see Blue Jasmine. Cate Blanchette, Alex Baldwin Amazing. The disintegration of not only a marriage, that's almost incidental. The disintegration of a woman. Quite a take off of Streetcar Named Desire.

By Blood by Ellen Ullman 5/5 A fascinating human study on so many levels. The narrator, a disgraced professor, flees to San Francisco, trying to put some form back into his life. We only receive dribs and drabs of reasons for his disgrace throughout the novel, but it is of a stalking nature. He rents an office space in a rather run down section of town, that turns out to be next-door to a psychotherapist's office. With paper thin walls our narrator is able to hear every word that is said in the adjoining office. Thus begins the patient's story, we are not told names, we read neither the narrator's name, nor the patients. For good reason. This is a story of identity, how we as humans obtain our identity, it's source, how we can claim our own version of life. Whether we choose to take the path of least resistance, or not. Ullman has an almost Nabokovian way of leading the reader to relish our unsavory narrator's actions. To sympathize, even empathize with his struggles against his worse self, and a struggle it is, no doubt about it. His victories against his demons are actually stupendous, his defeats equally horrendous. Ullman describes in detail a man in agony, and despair. The author's physical descriptions of the office building's architecture, the very changeable weather of San Francisco are all rendered in a painterly, emotive style. The novel takes place in the mid 1970's, so many of the political events of the time are woven into the tale. The fall of Saigon, Patty Hurst's kidnapping and finally her arrest. We vividly feel the times, and they are disruptive, colorful and frankly, scary as hell. Highly Recommended. I'm definitely looking for more of Ullman's books!

LOL, very true. And goodness knows the (Gulf) coast line is long enough! So narrowing it down was a success!

Well, it's a great marketing tool for Amazon, and you can be sure other book stores/companies will jump on the bandwagon as well. Amazon is just the first. We deal with Amazon quite a lot, so I'm happy for it. I'd bought a Kobo originally, before Borders went under, and although other stores have picked up on the Kobo I haven't used it. I found the ones I dealt with a bit unreliable. But that's just my experience with them. I know others have had much success with both the Kobo and Nook.

Whole thing sounds just perfect muggle! Gorgeous pictures, what great weather y'all had! Peacefield, glad the wrist is doing so well!

Oh, the attic shelves sound lovely! And, your pics are great. I have some knick knacks in front of some books, and a few on top of the books, like small stuffed animals, but that's it.

Oh my God. I've seen the film a couple of times, but it still has this visceral impact every time. Thanks for the link! I thought it must be. Although, who knows what really happened. So much was/is hidden from view.

Ahhhm Hah! Husband found an article in Forbes. Here 'tis... http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/09/03/with-kindle-matchbook-amazon-finally-bundles-print-and-e-books/ Here is a teaser from the article. There is a link within the quote directly to Amazon, with information.

Thanks so much for that Steve!

Last night, er, this morning, I got to almost the end of By Blood, a real page turner when I sit down with it.....but was so exhausted I just couldn't push to the very end. grrr