bookmonkey

I picked up Standing in Another Man's Grave by Ian Rankin from my library yesterday. So far so good.

I hope the next two weeks go quick for you Talisman.

It was my birthday yesterday and my kids gave me the best gift by choosing to spend the day with me. Their dad (who I'm not with) said they could go to his house anytime from Mon-Wed, both decided to go Wed so they could be with me. Not something I'd expect from teens, especially DS who I know was looking forward to computer games (doesn't get to do that here). We had a quiet day, but a good one. In other news, my study this semester isn't going very well. I'm really struggling with understanding/liking the paper I'm doing, so it's very slow going. I'm hoping I'll be able to get back into it a bit more now the holidays are over.

I agree with the Potato Peel one. I read that on a recommendation from here and loved it.

I have but it was years ago and I can't remember what it was like. Sorry.

Finished Two Caravans, by Marina Lewycka on Wednesday night. Not as good as We Are All Made of Glue. I'll try and find A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian next time I go to the library.

I put my series on yesterday. I'm sugarmonkey. Off to see who I can find.

Well, it's Saturday night here, and as I expected nothings happened. Except we're expecting a cyclone on Christmas Day. We don't get them very often down here. I did read an article somewhere last weekend about someone who had supposedly killed themselves because of this.

I'll have to have a look at that. I get sick of getting books from the library then get home and discover they're the second or third in the series. There's nothing on the book saying this. I read quite a few series so it'll be really useful.

Happy belated birthday Echo. My kids are away at the moment. They left early Monday and don't get back till next Monday. It's the longest I've been without them. Had a few texts and sounds like they're having a good time. We've also got some summer weather. It's been about 23c all this week. It's great. Hope it keeps up. Those pics are beautiful Chesilbeach, but I'll keep my summer now we've finally got one.

We've just had a tummy bug go through the house thanks to the kids dad. My son nearly ended up in hospital on Thursday because of it. He has diabetes and tummy bugs are bad news with that. Their dad was sick last weekend, then had kids Monday and Tuesday. Didn't tell me he'd been sick. We're still struggling to keep P's blood sugars from going too low, and could still end up in hospital, but his dad just says 'Everyone gets bugs, it's no big deal.' He doesn't get that it is. Sorry for the rant, I'm just really p'ed off. Hope the time till your new job starts goes quick Talisman.

Congratulations Echo. I've had a few different jobs. Checkout at a supermarket, cleaner at a department store (that was the worst), cleaner at a hotel, and call operator for emergency services. I enjoyed that one, although it was stressful at times. I've also been a volunteer at an op shop, which I loved, and done various volunteer roles at my local library, I still deliver books to housebound people. Currently, I'm mostly a single, full time mum to my two teens, who both have health issues. I'm also studying for a degree in library studies when the kids and my health allows. I've wanted to be a librarian since I was 4.

I probaby average about 2 books a week. Sometimes more if I'm going through an insomnia phase. The kids are going away for a week next month, and I'll probably be reading a lot to keep my mind occupied.

Finished 'The Comfort of Saturdays' - Alexander McCall Smith last night. Not sure what's next on my list.

Neither have I. I have never been out of my home country (or my home island really either).

Kreader - I do that with some series, but there are some I find can only be made sense of in order. It really frustrates me when I get a book and discover later it's part of a series and not the first one.

I get all my fiction from the library so it's usually not possible to read a whole series at once. I usually end up waiting a few weeks/months in between. I prefer to read something else between each book too. Sometimes I've got an omnibus of a series and I'll read one book in it, then something else, then go back to the omnibus.

Congratulations Talisman.

I don't really have a preference. I'll read either. What I hate is when a book switches between which characters perspective it is, but doesn't do it clearly. I tried to read one recently that sometimes changed with the chapters, but not everytime, and most of the time you'd get halfway through a chapter before you realised it was from someone elses perspective. That was so annoying I gave up, and it could have been a good story.

We've had some beautiful weather here the last couple of days. Hot and sunny, and no wind. Hopefully that means we'll get the summer we missed out on last year. I babysat my gorgeous 2 1/2 year old nephew this afternoon. He's so adorable. Had great fun with him playing trains, cars and balls. He rung me up before hand to ask me to get the train set out. Amazing he remembered it when he was last hear in Jan or Feb and that was the first time he'd seen it.

I put a sign on the door, so I don't get anyone knocking. I see a lot of kids (12-14ish) walking around our street without costumes on and knocking on doors. Ive heard from friends who get kids with no costumes demanding (not asking) sweets. thats partly why I don't like it. If you're going to take part, do it properly. I have no problem with Halloween parties, but trick or treating is not part of our traditions. Its just another money making thing here.

I hope I've put this in the right place. I think this is the first time I've started a thread on here. Anyway, on another forum we were discussing trick or treating and whether we let our kids do it or not. Here in NZ some do some don't. It's got more popular in recent years. I know when I was a kid, no one did it. We had Halloween parties, but not trick or treating. My kids don't do it, as I see it as an American tradition, not a Kiwi one. We don't really know our neighbours, and I don't like the idea of them asking strangers for treats. So it got me wondering, what do people in other countries (other than America) do? I know in Britain at this time of year Guy Fawkes is kind of big. Do you do trick or treating too?

Reading this thread has made me want to check out these books. Have just requested the first one from my library. I'll probably have to read it before the others that are waiting. I didn't watch the TV series when it was on here. I meant to, but kept forgetting to set the video and missed it. If it's like Bones and ends up not like the books I don't think I'll bother. I liked Bones at first, but not anymore. Much prefer the books.

We're up to episode three. My teen son has got into it too.

If I really really liked it I'd persevere, but it would annoy me.