pontalba

Oh, cheese cake is a Good Thing. For example, blueberry cheesecake........ Creamy and ever so delish! BTW, lazy sod that I am, I haven't and very likely won't ever make one. The bakery has perfectly lovely varieties..........

Love the article! Especially this..... Perfect! Never had a cat poo or pee in that situation, dogs.....yes. Cats. No. Hope baby is feeling better by now, how's the eye?

It is, too bloody long, I can tell you! Although oddly enough this particular cat, the black one Twinkletoes named so on account of her occasional white toes, was quiet the whole way in. Not a peep out of her. She was a really teeny kitten when someone dumped her here, and was absolutely terrified of everything, truly feral. I had a terrible time catching her. If I'd lock eyes with her, she'd disappear in an instant. I was finally able to trap her, but still couldn't get close to her for several months. Now she is pretty much a lap cat. So, the antibiotics are going in, and I think she finally realizes I am implacable. heh Most cats scream the entire ride. Oy.

Oh dear. I get a page unavailable screen...drat. Will try later. But, congratulations again!

Gaia and Virginia, hope you both feel better very soon! Anna, beautiful copy! Just gorgeous. Best of luck to everyone starting school! Wow! Vixen, what a great vacation....have a wonderful time, and take pictures. Ahhh, itsmeagain.....I can't wait for some cool breezes down here....still in the 90'sF, hot and humid. The forecast? It's gonna be hot, and it might rain.

Oh Boy! Thanks so much Michelle!! Have sent particulars via P.M. to you, just now. Sorry for not responding yesterday, I didn't see it. Thanks very much, y'all! FYI, I've chosen I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes.....I've been curious about it for a while, and husband agrees, so there will be two readers over here.

I've read both the Claudius books a few times, but it's been a long time. Will reread asap. Mostly to separate the books....what happened when, and all that. One thing I'd like to do is investigate Livia. Last year I read a bio of her, and the author (have to pull the book from shelves...) says that Livia is much maligned. Hmmmmm. Possible, of course. Feuding ancient historians and all that. I loved the Claudius of Graves books, but don't think he was as benign as Graves seems to intimate. heh He was a crafty little fella, and a survivor. Kell, you've called it right, greatness was surely thrust upon Claudius. If ever there was a prime example, he is IT! I will answer one question though, it was the first book by Graves I'd read and I blush to admit the two Claudius books are still the only two I've read, although some others are on the shelf here, staring at me quite reproachfully. Also, as far as I've been able to ascertain historical events in the book(s) are accurate. I've not run across anything contrary.

I know, I wish we could make them understand how important it is, for them to get the meds. Funny though, I think they do understand some of it.....or maybe it's the soothing talk accompanying the meds. I did have a cat with conjunctivitis years ago. What a nightmare. He eventually had to have surgery on his eyelid.....drops forever, it seemed. My Aunt was alive then, and it took both of us to accomplish the feat, twice a day. For the pills though I have one of those suture things....long, scissor-type tongs, blunt ended, and curved at the end to push the pill down the throat. Can't trust my fingers in there! lol

They are, thanks Gaia. In fact, the little devilcake caught a teeny mouse night before last, so she is hunting again. lol We are very fortunate, I've known and used this vet for almost 20 years, and he is a doll. Interestingly enough, his daughter has followed him into his practice, and is a gem herself. So, the Next Generation is fixed! She is about normal now, but the pills must continue for another week. They are crushable, I could put them in her food, but she wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole if I did! Canny little thing, she is. You know, just the other day, after I'd posted above I saw a review and I'm not so sure I'd like it now. I'm wondering if it is to "magic realism" for my taste. Drat. I'll wait for a cheap second hand copy I suppose. I think I'd love some sections, and not others. It is a little over 20 minutes away, in light traffic. About 14 miles. If it is the time the schools let out it takes at least a half hour though.

Crikey! Marvelous, Gaia! Great review, I have it on the shelf, glad to read you enjoyed it so much! Very encouraging.

Oh, Gawd. Sorry you're going through all that with this knee. Miserable. All fingers and toes crossed that the two weeks in the doc's office does the trick and no more surgery is needed. I'd hoped you were driving about, tearing up the countryside. But fear not, that day will come!!

The Fitzgerald sounds very interesting, great review. I've added it to my ever burgeoning wish list on amazon....

We have a double recliner, and that is where we can be found, feet up reading. I usually draw up my knees and rest the book on my legs to read, with a pillow in back of the book, do bring it closer to me. It's funny, my father took a picture of me reading when I first started, at about age 5, in exactly the same position.....some things never change!

Crikey, two lemons in a row. Yuck. Better luck in the future!

Thanks, Gaia. Hah! Great idea. Have you seen the two covers of David Mitchell's book? http://www.amazon.com/The-Bone-Clocks-A-Novel/dp/1400065674/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1409294218&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Bone+Clocks and the UK one..... http://www.amazon.com/The-Bone-Clocks-David-Mitchell/dp/1471273210/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1409294218&sr=8-3&keywords=The+Bone+Clocks The latter is the audio version, but that's what the UK cover looks like, as far as I can tell. I'm waiting for the price to go down. I saw an excerpt the other day from The Bone Clocks.....if I find it again, I'll post it. But I loved it!

It's about time they're getting around to clamping down on those guys.. I started hearing about this sort of behavior at least 20 years ago. It's taken this long for someone to acknowledge the problem.

I'm really enjoying it, Anna. Haven't gotten past the Ian Fleming article in it though. One thing and another around here. I was caught by the Fleming article because we just watched The Man Who Would Be Bond...it was a film of Fleming's life. Quite the character he was. I'd read his bio about 25 years ago by Pearson, I think. Good stuff. This must be the week for cat problems, Little Pixie and myself. One of our cats developed a lump on her neck last Saturday night, and by Sunday night had doubled it's size, it was an absess. Got her to the vets first thing Monday morning and they had to sedate her and drain it. Fortunately I'd fasted her Sunday night, as I had a notion they'd have to operate on her. An awful infection had developed, they said it was positively green, and stunk to high heaven. She is on antibiotics now, after having an antibiotic shot as well. She is absolute hell to give pills to. She clamps her mouth shut, and stiffens her neck so it's practically impossible to get a grip on it. Oy. But she is fine and the wound is healing nicely. I think what happened was they were roughhousing and Goldie loves to grab her neck in wrestling.....and a tooth went in too far. But they are both pretty subdued right now. I think the whole thing scared them both. They haven't been apart in years, and she was gone all day at the vets, and he at home. Then the vet came out to the house yesterday and gave the rest their shots. One of them is 21, and I'm afraid to bring her out to the vets, as the last time it wore her out so much she was exhausted for several days. Kind of scared me. She is slowing down, but still eating and drinking fine. I haven't been getting much reading done, and still am picking up and putting down. But it's been so hectic around here, I haven't had much time or energy to read.

Poor baby! I hope it's clearing well so she doesn't have to go back to the vets.

Not this one. It has the open areas that show the color coded stripes representing the metro routes that are shown on the hard part of the cover. The book is smaller in size, about the size, but shorter than a trade paperback. Fairly thick though. Just has a lovely feel.

Is anyone else having problems with being (automatically) signed out on GoodReads? If I change tabs and then go back, maybe 10 minutes later and click to go to the "Home" page, I get the sign in page. It's happened about 4 times this morning. Annoying, to say the least, as I usually keep several tabs up and go back and forth. It's never done this before, and I haven't changed anything.

LOL Yup, if it hadn't been 40% off we wouldn't have popped for it. It's one of those books that once you pick it up, it demands fondling. It's just that neat.

Good grief, Anna! I'm just happy you and yours are safe and that your Mother has electric power. What a traumatic experience to go through. I can't imagine. I hope you will be able to get some solid sleep after all this horrible experience. Is there any type of warning system in place for this? I thought I read a while back that there was, but from what you have said, there was no warning at all. At least down here we can know when a hurricane is coming. Yikes!

Ahh, don't feel bad about it, I wasn't too interested in M&C either, tried it years ago, couldn't get into it. I think, for me at least, it was the casual cruelty inflicted that I didn't want to deal with. LOL It took me two tries over 7 years, but I finally loved it! I haven't read it yet, but my NY husband has, try Pete Hamill's Downtown: My Manhattan. Meant to add....started The Last Ship by William Brinkley last night. Good so far, terse prose.

Excellent reviews above, Anna. I'm quite interested in the series you've reviewed....Once. Sounds great! Regarding Winter's Bone...have you watched it yet? Saw it last year, loved it. Fantastic. I want to read the book too. Daniel Woodrell's Bayou Trilogy is excellent as well, that I've read.

One way to do it is to go to your Home page, look to the right upper corner. You'll see "Currently Reading" with a list of your current books. You can "update your status", "add a book", or add a "general update". Your Home page will list "discussions" on books on your shelves, or if you click the tab "updates", you'll get updates from your friends. P.S. I've added you as a friend over there, I'm Cateline on GR.