Marie H Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Little Pixie, I hope that you don't have any flood damage. *fingers crossed* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Just had a cold caller - asked them if it was urgent `cos we`re flooding downstairs atm - they just went straight into their spiel. One of the flood pumps has stopped working but the other`s okay, should keep most of the river out of the house, hurray. Good grief! On both counts. Sorry you're going through flooding....hope it doesn't get worse. Re the cold caller, use the Seinfeld Method. /evil grin/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yor0jd33mow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 ^^ Just a quick pop-in - the water`s out of the house now, but there`s more flooding on the way. Gusts of 76mph yesterday but no damage, phew. Hope everyone else is okay, `cos there`s much stormage in the UK and in NE of the US... and bushfires in Australia. It`s the Apocalypse ! Everyone evacuate to your designated spot ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 One of my friends near me had to evacuate their house, when they got back they said the fire had reached right up to their back fence. The helicopters were water bombing around homes to protect them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 One of my friends near me had to evacuate their house, when they got back they said the fire had reached right up to their back fence. The helicopters were water bombing around homes to protect them. Frightening. Hope they`ll be okay of rht enext few weeks while the `season` lasts. Fire and rescue boat was out again today. Nothing on the news yet about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Be careful Pixie and Devi ! Sounds like you're both going through some difficult situations right now ! I guess I shouldn't complain about all the snow. It isn't dangerous, just irritating , Stay safe ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Hope you're doing OK with all the flooding, Pixie. Stay safe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thanks Julie and Kylie. Quick update - the river`s coming in again, should peak overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 So behind with reviews - here`s a quick catch-up... Then it`s back to admiring the ducks in next door`s garden. Book # 17 The Body in the Kelp - Katharine Hall Page Not the strongest mystery, but I enjoyed reading about a little town in Maine and how people live over the Summer, and some nice bits about quilt-making. The very major drawback was the Baddie using A Very Bad Word Indeed ( ) to describe a woman, in what was ( till then ) a sweet cosy mystery. So nasty and unnecessary in a cosy mystery. Book # 18 Three Day Town - Margaret Maron This was around book 15 in a mystery series, and I want to read more of them. Southerner, Judge Deborah and her husband The Sherriff go for a quick break in New York in an old friend`s flat... and find a body. The mystery portion is excellent, there`s a bit of action, and the Couple`s relationship is nicely told. Book # 19 Red Velvet Cupcake Murder - Joanne Fluke Not much of a mystery, but nice to `meet up` with the same characters again. This is around book 20 in the series and it`s flagging somewhat, but still an okay read. Book # 20 The James Joyce Murder - Amanda Cross Good read. Whilst the mystery portion is relegated to the background, there`s still a well-told solution which had me fooled. The charm is reading about Professor Kate on holiday in the NE of the US and her household full of academics and hangers on. It`s like eaves-dropping on some excellent literary conversations. Book #21 Friends in High Places - Donna Leon Inspector Brunetti is visited by a bureaucrat about possible illegal alterations to his flat ; later on, he reads in the paper that the man has died in an accidental fall from a building... Except that while at Brunetti`s home, the man refused to even go near a window because of vertigo. The Inspector investiagtes on his own. There`s a cracking ending, and lots of nice scenes with Brunetti and his wife Paola. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted February 16, 2014 Author Share Posted February 16, 2014 TBR 753 New Books Bought : 41 Total Cost : £114.62 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 ^^ Just a quick pop-in - the water`s out of the house now, but there`s more flooding on the way. Gusts of 76mph yesterday but no damage, phew. Hope everyone else is okay, `cos there`s much stormage in the UK and in NE of the US... and bushfires in Australia. It`s the Apocalypse ! Everyone evacuate to your designated spot ! The worst of it just missed us this time. Hey, I think this is the designated spot, come on down! One of my friends near me had to evacuate their house, when they got back they said the fire had reached right up to their back fence. The helicopters were water bombing around homes to protect them. Whoa!! I can't imagine that, how terrifying! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Congrats on reading so many books so far and congrats on the new books ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) The worst of it just missed us this time. Hey, I think this is the designated spot, come on down! << Hands round cake >> 1/2 inch of the river in the house this time, but at least half a foot on the other side of the flood wall. So, no exciting snow for you then ? Boo. Edited February 17, 2014 by Little Pixie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Congrats on reading so many books so far and congrats on the new books ! Thanks ! I`m hoping to get to 41 books read by the end of March, which would equal my `books bought this year` total. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) They were the lucky ones, some other families in the areas lost their houses in the fires. There has been a collection going around for any food stuffs, clothes, blankets and anything else you can think of for the families who lost everything. I donated some food and clothes. I always think of you and all the others when I see the bad weather going on in the UK. It must be very scary. I hope you are all keeping dry. Edited February 17, 2014 by Devi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 << Hands round cake >> 1/2 inch of the river in the house this time, but at least half a foot on the other side of the flood wall. So, no exciting snow for you then ? Boo. Ouch! Hope it dries out fast! Hah! Not this time, but a couple of weeks ago, we had ice! Not much, but OH was thrilled. They were the lucky ones, some other families in the areas lost their houses in the fires. There has been a collection going around for any food stuffs, clothes, blankets and anything else you can think of for the families who lost everything. I donated some food and clothes. I always think of you and all the others when I see the bad weather going on in the UK. It must be very scary. I hope you are all keeping dry. How awful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 1/2 inch of the river in the house this time, but at least half a foot on the other side of the flood wall. x Wow . x Thanks ! I`m hoping to get to 41 books read by the end of March, which would equal my `books bought this year` total. x That'd be great ! x They were the lucky ones, some other families in the areas lost their houses in the fires. There has been a collection going around for any food stuffs, clothes, blankets and anything else you can think of for the families who lost everything. I donated some food and clothes.x How terrible ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Another quick drive-by...Stoopid, stoopid shoulder. Just back from the Save the Kitties shop with vast armfuls of cheery-up books : I spent £17.50 and got... 24 books. Huzzah ! Disco for the Departed - Colin Cotterill Any Human Heart - William Boyd A Blunt Instrument - Georgette Heyer If Morning ever Comes - Anne Tyler The Various Flavours of Coffee - Anthony Capella A Parliament of Spies - Cassandra Clark The Shakespeare Secret - JL Carrell Full Stop - Joan Smith Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris They Found Him Dead - Georgette Heyer The Crossing Places - Elly Griffiths A History of the World in 10 1/2 Chapters - Julian Barnes £17.50 A new Dominion - Ruth Prawer Jhabvala From the Land of Shadows - Clive James The Elegance of the Hedgehog - Muriel Barbery The darling Buds of May, A breath of French Air , When the Green Woods laugh, Oh! To be in England, A little of What you fancy - HE Bates The Memory Keeper`s daughter - Kim Edwards The Spellman Files - Lisa Lutz A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian - Marina Lewycka Quentins - Maeve Binchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Congrats on the new books! Two are on my TBR (Quentins and Dead Until Dark but I haven't read them yet. I hope you enjoy your new books (great price btw for 24 books!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted March 6, 2014 Author Share Posted March 6, 2014 Congrats on the new books! Two are on my TBR (Quentins and Dead Until Dark but I haven't read them yet. I hope you enjoy your new books (great price btw for 24 books!). Thank you ! I was really excited ; there are lots of books in the list which were on my ` get round to buying at some point` list . Shall get round to updating my `read list` soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 I was wondering where you were Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 I was wondering where you were I`m going to try getting on more regularly and taking painkillers afterwards ; I usually just take them at night and try not to use the arm, `cos that makes it hurt more - but then I don`t do anything at all. Grr. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 (edited) TBR 768 New Books Bought : 67 Total Cost : £138.23 A couple more funny whodunnits books by Nancy Pickard - No Body and Dead Crazy. Edited March 10, 2014 by Little Pixie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 They were the lucky ones, some other families in the areas lost their houses in the fires. There has been a collection going around for any food stuffs, clothes, blankets and anything else you can think of for the families who lost everything. I donated some food and clothes. I always think of you and all the others when I see the bad weather going on in the UK. It must be very scary. I hope you are all keeping dry. We`ve had some nice - 12c - weather lately, so fingers crossed, that`s the last of the flooding and we can all dry out. We *might* be getting some Govt. money to help with better defences, yay. Some flood pics : Madam Xiao-Xiao notices her garden`s underwater : Those big trees at the back are on the far side of the river bank. The other bank is by the dovecote, 3 trees in from the left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Pixie Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 And now, catching up with all the books read. Book # 22 Poetic Justice - Amanda Cross I know they`re described as mysteries, but they`re really about Prof. Kate and the machinations at a NY University in the 60`s and 70`s. This one involves WH Auden`s work, an adult ed. college affiliated with the main University and how it`s perceived by the ( sometimes ) snobbish tutors at the `real` University and a clever mystery involving a tutor. Book # 23 The Treehouse - Naomi Wolf Bits resonated for me, bits didn`t. It`s a memoir of Naomi Wolf`s poet father and a course he taught at college on being an artist. Book # 24 Fox Tracks - Rita Mae Brown NY and Virginia in Winter, and a murder plot involving Cuban emigres. There`s lots about tobacco`s history in the US ( more interesting than it sounds ). Book # 25 Silent on the Moor - Deanna Raybourn Yorkshire 1889. Lady Julia goes to visit her on again/off again beau and tumbles into a mystery. There`s much about the status of women in Victorian England, though you don`t feel like you`re being preached at. The characters are fascinating, though the mystery has some obvious bits ( and some very clever twists, too ). Book # 26 Death and the Maiden - Frank Tallis Turn of the Century Vienna. A Jewish psychologist and a humble-background Police Inspector are friends who team up to solve murders; this looks like it could be the final one in the series. Hugely evocative. Book # 27 Fatal Remedies - Donna Leon Another Inspector Brunetti cracker, involving his wife in a mystery. Book # 28 Say No to Murder - Nancy Pickard Amusing whodunnit set in New England. Book # 29 Paw Tracks at Owl Cottage - Denis O`Connor Memoir involving cats . Some nice stories, but also bits about animal cruelty - too upsetting. Book # 30 The hen of the baskervilles - Donna Andrews Book 15 of the Meg Langslow series, and my favourite series of the moment. Subtitled ` The curious incident of the hen in the nighttime`, this involves the kidnapping of rare breeds chickens at a county fair. Excellent mystery and very funny. Sample line, talking about the local dry cleaner, Daphne : Around here, Daphne`s so good, that we say if she can`t help you, God must want you to wear that stain. Book # 31 Murder a la Mode - Patrica Moyes Inspector Henry investigates a murder at a fashion magazine. A clever variation on a locked room murder. Book # 32 Visions of Sugar Plums - Janet Evanovich Amusing enough, but not her best book. Diverting enough, though. Book # 33 The Moonspinners - Mary Stewart Not as good as her previous books ; this goes straight into the action without giving the reader time to get to know the heroine, so you don`t feel invested in the character. Still, the ending is a real page-turner, and I`ll watch the Hayley Mills film of this the next time it`s on. Book # 34 Miss Phryne Fisher Investigates - Kerry Greenwood I really like the TV series, and the book didn`t disappoint. It fills in bits about the characters, and the plot is sufficently different to keep your attention. Quite short at around 170 pages, but a fun read. Book # 35 The Theban Mysteries - Amanda Cross This one centres around Antigone and the Vietnam war, with Prof. Kate returning to her alma mater to teach a seminar for teenagers. Book # 36 No Body - Nancy Pickard Jenny Cain attends a funeral and finds two bodies in the coffin. Lovely, funny heroine. Book # 37 Flying Too High - Kerry Greenwood Phryne investigates a murder and kidnapping in 1920`s Melbourne. Book # 38 Tom Brown`s Body - Gladys Mitchell Couldn`t get into this one at all. I didn`t find it funny like her other books, and most of it involved shcoolboys instead of the usual heroine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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