pontalba

LOL It does get better and better.....I'm about 2/3rds of the way through. Fourth go-round...

Thanks bookworm, it's really one of my all time favorites. Thanks VF, I've now read the third of the series, but haven't done a review. I should. The series improves with each entry. I really loved the third one, Morgue Drawer for Rent. The author really made me want a 4th installment.

Found it! started.

Sounds yummy Kell. Café au lait

I've started Replay by Ken Grimwood.

Forever Amber by Kathleen Winsor 5+/5 Young and fairly innocent Amber St. Clare knows she is destined for better and higher things than the sleepy hamlet in which she is raised. Amber is the product of a secret union between two young people from opposing families...Royalists and Rebels, Oliver Cromwell's rebels. We all know where that led. Amber is unaware of her antecedents, only knowing the family that kept her after her mother died in childbirth. No one knows what happened to the father, he most likely was killed in the war. In any case no one knows who her real family is. But she is as a beautiful flower in the middle of a field of weeds in her beauty and natural carriage. She is 16 years old and ripe. When the Royalists make their return, groups of Cavaliers make their way through her village, one in particular, Bruce Carlton is taken with the beauty. She persuades him to take her with him. Her story is entwined with the Restoration Era...a hellions ride in history. Winsor combines the events of Charles II's return of the monarchy to England with the insanity that overtook London. This chapter beginning takes place after the Great Fire, the Plague, and war with the Dutch... At heart Forever Amber is a love story, but not only Amber and Bruce's story....it is London's story, London's turbulent love affair with both Charles II and itself. The details Winsor includes of class struggles, the aristocracy, and the palace intrigues make fascinating reading. It's always the details that make a book, and this has a plethora of detail. Perfection. Highly recommended!

The Last Day on Earth by R.M. Allison is a novella detailing a young woman's last day on earth. A meteor is scheduled to strike the earth at an unknown location, one that is reported to be bigger than the one that destroyed the dinosaurs. So. Even if there is anything left in parts of the planet, it certainly will not be close to "normal". The population is told of the meteor about a month before it is due. The background is told in flashbacks, chronicling how various ones react to the news. One family in particular is zeroed in on, located in Australia. It's interesting to see different reactions of city dwellers, and the rural population. The novella is fairly Young Adult imo, and well worth the read. Recommended

Really, that is the way you want them to be, imo. Zazu would have helped a robber carry the silver out! A watch dog is a great thing. But cats let us know, in their own way if someone strange is about. Thanks Athena and emelee, they were my babies!

I have Replay in the stack, somewhere. I only saw it the other day. hmmmmm

I didn't get her till she was 9 months old. My first husband brought her home as he'd gone to see her from a newspaper ad I'd read. When he got her home, she was afraid of me. I found out it was because the woman that had her before raised Dobermans and was evidently mistreating ?/screaming at any other dog. Don't know why or how she had the Shepherd. Anyhow, Satin was afraid of any woman's voice because of that woman. It took me weeks to overcome that fear. I'd drag her up on the couch, pet and cuddle her, talk sweetly and feed her. She finally came around and we were inseparable after that. She lived to be 13 and stuck with me through thick and thin. She was a fantastic dog. I do have a weakness for Shepherds though.

LOL, yes, she is a bit more serious in this pic. She tended to be a bit moody, although generally she was pretty happy go lucky. She is the only dog I've ever had that liked people! It was a strange sensation for me I can tell you! I had a black German Shepard years ago and she was rather fearsome. She'd stand at my side and just look at someone....waiting. And not in a nice way. If a dog can glare, she could!

Thanks Athena! I am some better today, every day a little bit better. Just lazing around the house today, reading, mucking. No actual cooking going on, just picking at this and that.

I've finished Forever Amber....wrenches my heart every time. Not sure what is next, yet.

Oh no! That is sad, I hope she doesn't need surgery, and the dogs can be friends again. that she loses her fear and Boris understands that was wrong. Oh! Thanks frankie, good looking dogs! I miss having dogs, I've had them for most of my life. It's only in the last few years I've been without. But, 6 cats that don't get along is enough for the time being. One of the cats is downright militant, hates dogs. I always had to be careful, watching he didn't scratch an eye. I can't remember if I've ever posted a picture of the last two I had...so here goes. The little one is Little John, and the big girl on the ottoman is Zazu. He was sooo in love with Zazu! Followed her everywhere.

Thanks Eleonora! It should be in a couple days.

LOL, on my way to fill that prescription.

I, Claudius and Claudius the God are in my top 10 ever, favorite books. If, after reading them, try to catch the Masterpiece Theatre series based on them. It followed pretty closely and was excellent. Lydia (Claudius's grandmother) has to be my top villainess of all time.

I've just ordered it Tim, looks lovely! I also ordered Graves White Goddess. Thanks so much for mentioning it.

black tea

Gorgeous, only partly cloudy, blue skies mostly. It's 87F. Is this still Spring??? Feels like summer to me!

All is about the same, although I've decided not to stay strict on the diet till we get back from our proposed trip to San Francisco. Should be pretty soon.

We were looking forward to going to the huge Louisiana Philharmonic Symphony annual book sale this weekend. It started Thursday actually. So, what happened? /steaming/ I threw my back out and had to go to the chiropractor to be adjusted. Its still sore enough that I can't stand any length of time, and walking is not fun. I'm sitting here with ice on my lower back to ease the inflammation. There would be lots of standing, walking and worse, stooping and bending. So, we are missing it this year. gak. OTOH, it's gorgeous weather here. Bright sunshine a gorgeous day/week. And my cold is almost gone completely. So, good stuff too.

Ahhh, thanks.

There are some I've temporarily abandoned, but they are in a stack in the living room. Won't list those. However, two that I've abandoned, permanently are: The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Mostly on account of the philosophical outlook, and what seemed to me to be a rather narrow stereotyping of characters. and The Crimson Petal and the White. I know most people seem to really like it. Maybe its a marmite book. I couldn't stand the 3rd person omniscient narration style. It isn't that I don't like omniscient narrators, I do. It was the clipped, flip, rather nasty tone/style the narrator took. I found it belittling. But that's only me.

I love the football analogy! And yes, I believe it certainly applies to anyone in Henry's orbit. I also agree that this has been my favorite discussion.