vodkafan Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 (edited) Hi Julie glad to see you back Edited July 1, 2012 by vodkafan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Hi Julie glad to see you back Here, here - I second that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 Thank you VF and Chrissy ! It's good to BE back ! How are things with you guys ? VF-- I DID see some vacation photos. Looks like you had a wonderful time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Hi Julie! I was thinking of you the other day and wondering if you'd found any of the Downton Abbey style books you'd been looking for. Nice to see you here again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Lovely to see you back Julie .. I didn't want to hassle you but you know .. was worried Hope things are much better for you now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 Hi Claire Yes, I have found a few of the Downton type books but have yet to read them. Life kinda got hectic lately and don't think I have finished a book since I was in last. ( shame on me !!! ) Hi Miss Poppy You wouldnt be bothering me a bit if you popped in to ask where I've been . It's ok . I always enjoy your posts . I have been MIA ,first because we went to our family reunion ,then had a Dr appt and ended up having surgery this week,so it's been hectic lately. Could be why I havent been able to focus on reading . Hoping that will change soon,though . Thanks for stopping in ,you guys ! Nice to see you all . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 Hey there Julie! Happy to see you back. BACK!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 Hi there Pontalba Great to see you too . Thanks for all the warm welcomes to all of you ! Finding any good reading material lately ? I have to get on the stick and get busy again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 1, 2012 Author Share Posted July 1, 2012 Moonlight Murder on Lover's Lane by Katherine Ramsland This "book"was a quickie on my Kindle. Not exactly a full length book,but I'm way behind on my reading list, so will :cheat" just a little and use some shortened stories to fill in a few gaps on occasion. This book was a re-examination of a Cold Case which happened back in the early 1920's . It is officially called the Hall-Mills Murder and has been in many unsolved true crime books I have read . It is about a minister who was having an affair with a married parishioner. He was also married. There are questions as to whether the other spouses were aware of what was going on. They both claimed they knew nothing in the beginning,but their stories changed throughout the entire buildup to the trial,and for long afterwards. They took 4 years to bring this to trial,the police had MANY suspects they thought for sure were the right ones, then later, changed rheir minds and chose new ones. In all, they called 145 witnesses to the trial .They tried convicting the minister's wife and her brothers as co-conspirators in the trial,but the story also brought up many others with an equally good reason to kill the pair. It seems the most brutality was on the lady ,so from that, it makes snse that it was someone who was angrier with her than with the minister . Anyhow, I wont give away the ending, other than to say it remains unsolved. The lady who studied this case and wrote about it brought up a REALLY interesting little piece to the puzzle that no one else ever noticed during all these years. It's still in the evidence box at the police station . Makes you scratch your head and wonder how the police missed this . It seems they blundered everything else,so I guess maybe it's not so hard to figure out how they'd blunder this one too. I have an opinion that they tried the wrong people for it and didnt let innocent people off ,but they needed to try some of the other key players . They may have found the real killer if they had . I'll give this a 4/5,although being so short. I have already read quite a bit on this so wouldnt want to read another big book on it,but the person who studied this gets a 4/5 for finding that TINY little missing piece that no one else has since 1922 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Great review Julie, sounds fascinating! Makes one wonder if they missed that bit of evidence "accidently-on-purpose", and more importantly, why if that were the case. Hmmmm interesting. Hi there Pontalba Great to see you too . Thanks for all the warm welcomes to all of you ! Finding any good reading material lately ? I have to get on the stick and get busy again. Welllll...... I've read some good, and not so good lately. There has been quite a hullabaloo regarding the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy (on several forum I frequent), so of course I had to read it to see what the fuss was all about. Wrote some posts on my book thread with short reviews. You might want to investigate the thread devoted to the trilogy elsewhere on the forum. Quite varied reactions. To say the least. /evil grin/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 I was thinking about you the other day, wondering what you've been up to, I haven't seen you in a long time! I hope you are on the mend from the surgery, and that it wasn't anything serious. I hope you are doing better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 2, 2012 Author Share Posted July 2, 2012 Hi Pontalba Yea, I like reading about those old cold cases like that and wondering who actually did it and how they were able to go through the rest of their life without such guilt .It'd seem for sure as if one of the spouses of this murdered couple were guilty,but if I were guessing, I'd say they weren't . As for the 50 shades set of books, I've also heard of them ,but am probably unfairly judging them by not even reading one to see how I'd like it . Knowing how my reading tastes run, I probably wouldnt enjoy them,since I really don't like any type book that leans in a romance direction,and from what I've heard, these LEAN really far ... if you get my drift . I'll go in and read up on what some of the people commented about them. Should be entertaining to hear some other opinions . Hi Frankie Yea, I knew I had this Doc appt , I made it in Feb, and couldnt get in til June. This doc is a Cleveland Clinic doc, so it was a long wait to see him . They found some huge growths of some type on my thyroid .He sent me straight to a surgeon ,and a week later, I was in surgery .They removed my thyroid and are testing all the nodules and cysts in the lab. Both docs told me to be prepared for a possible cancer diagnosis, since some of them were really large. They said the larger they grow,they greater chance they are cancer . They both told me that if you have to have cancer, this is the place you'd want it,because it is slow growing ,usually stays in the thyroid,and is treated differently than other cancers. I won't have to do chemo or radiation,but some type of radioactive nuclear type stuff . It sounds like I will glow in the dark when done . Anyhow, I'm hoping to get an answer as to what they were ,one day this week, then my followup is next week,so I'm hoping the answers are good and I wont have to do that other crap . Thanks for posting. It's so good to hear from all you guys ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Oh Julie! .. I hope too that the answers are positive for you .. you've been through a really rough time, no wonder we haven't seen much of you. Hope you're resting up now and the hubster is looking after you and making the blackened toasties. I'm glad you've found some more murder cases to read about .. I know they're the sort of books that get your mind ticking I've had a sticky time with reading lately .. nothing much is grabbing me or I find I'm not as easily grabbed as I was before anyway. Bother! I hope this state of affairs won't last. Still it's nothing as compared to health worries .. hope you get good news soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 Hi Miss Poppy Thank you for all your kind comments . I'm ok with this .I've had so many health problems, I'm getting used to them by now . Luckily I have good docs for this,so they'll take good care of me . Still no news on the tests. They told me now it might be Thursday at the earliest .I just have to keep busy and keep my mind on other stuff as much as possible . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Hey Julie, the waiting is the worst. Sending good vibes and hugs your way, praying for all the good news in the world. Re 50 Shades...ennh, if it's not your cuppa, don't worry yourself about it. But it was a great thread, yes? I have to say that is the best thread, the most balanced thread on those books I've seen around. Some I've seen elsewhere are really vicious. I kid you not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 Pontalba Thanks so much for the good vibes. I DID get a call from the surgeon's office late yesterday. They dont have all the results in (they had to biopsy SEVERAL growths in there). They biggest one is still "uncertain",as to what they told me .They said now that Thursday might be the soonest I hear . I may even have to wait til my follow-up which isnt til the 11th . With the holiday this week, the doc's office will be closed for a couple days I think . I know the waiting is the worst .I had a bad mammogram a few years back and I was literally scared to death. They had to test it 3 times to make sure of the reading. It apparently was a type of cell that turns cancerous,and they wanted to make sure it hadn't as of them removing it. I was sweating bullets that time .It was a week before I got the answer. SCAREY . On to more pleasant topics : Yea, the Shades books do seem to bring out the viewpoints in people . It seems to be controversial enough to bring lots of opinions out . I WOULD believe this board would be much more polite than others . Everyone here seems to be respectful of others ,which would help when discussing these books . For the most part, the book groups I have been in , it seems people are much more opinionated and sometimes want to argue to get their viewpoint across. It's refreshing to be in a place where people respect other's opinions,isn't it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Know what you mean, I had cause to have two mammograms about 30 years ago, and was terrified till it was over. <<>> You're right, I even heard saw someone post that anyone that could read them is a moron, right after another poster had said she liked the books. Man oh man, even though I had not, and have not posted on there, I was sorely tempted I can tell you! Happily enough though, many later posters lambasted the guy for being so rude. Yays for that, at least. And yes, this forum is, I believe, the most courteous and kind forum I've seen. It isn't clannish, as some, make that most, are either. Anyone will talk to anyone, and a dissenting opinion is not ridiculed or ignored. Makes it nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 Pontalba Yep, I feel for you regarding the mammograms. Frightening when you get bad results .My favorite cousin in the world died ,age 50 from breast cancer . SO sad ... I'm sure we all have people in our families who have had it ,so it's a scarey thing to face . As for this board, yes, people do seem to be very polite and not judgemental to others about the books they like . I know what you mean about people being nasty on book group areas. I've seen many of those myself where people are so rude . I think our book likes and dislikes are the same as our tast in foods or colors,or anything else in life. We can all learn a lot from others by keeping an open mind and listening to their viewpoints at least. I myself wouldnt read a romance novel if my life depended on it ,but I have respect for anyone else who likes them . We all like different things, that's what makes it such an interesting place to be ! A colorful world ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 (edited) Lost Girls by Caitlyn Rother I started this last night and finished it today,so not a long book. It's another true crime,but was written differently than they usually are. I can't really say I liked the way it was written. It starts out by telling you the killer's whole life story in all its' sad and sordid detail. A boy who was probably born with lots of mental issues. It ran on both sides of his family,and it seems he got just enough of it to truly mess him up. On top of that, his mother seemed to overlook many things during his early years that were definitely NOT normal behavior . He was in trouble in school frequently, seemed to have a severe temper,and hard time controlling it. Was put on medications very early in life to try to keep him controlled, but many of them caused awful side effects ,so those weren't always good news either . Anyhow, the majority of the book seems as if the author is almost siding with him and his family,telling way more than you really want to hear about a psycho who ended up killing at least 2 girls. There could be more they never tied to him. The book took a very small piece to tell of the girls and what they were like,and then went right back with the killer again ,etc ,etc . Come to find at the end of the book that the author had been in contact frequently with the killer's family,and even him in jail,so it seemed to me as though she possibly made a deal with them to "tell his story" . By the time you have read a couple hundred pages on this dude, you get pretty sick of it . The poor victims got only a small part. The rest of the book told what it was like to be the mother of this killer, what his family thought of him,and all about his "episodes" throughout life,in which his mother seemed to bury her head in the sand and not see that she had herself one really unstable son .It says he tried getting him help,but in the background,you feel that she didnt try hard enough . Anyhow I have rambled on long enough about it . Just another serial killer who got caught too late ,and 2 beautiful young girls who could have made the world a better place. I'd say if you love true crime, read this if you dont have any other true crime book,but if you do ,read the other one first . 2/5 Edited July 8, 2012 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Good review Julie. Regarding the mother not trying hard enough, all I can think is that it's possible she simply wasn't capable (mentally and/or emotionally) of dealing with him. Or was in complete denial. It's pretty rotten that the victims were not considered more in the book, after all, that bum still has his life. Their's is gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 Pontalba Right you are, he is still alive and from the sounds of things ,has adjusted well to life in prison . He was sane enough to know what he did was wrong,but yet, he really doesn't seem to concerned about the things he has done . His mother, I think tried at times, and I'm sure it was overwhelming to have a kid like that ,but forgot to say, her CAREER was as a psychiatric nurse,so you'd think she would have been educated enough to pick up on these things quicker than others might . I dont think I have ever read a true crime book in which they made the criminal the main part of the story,and the victims were just little tidbits tossed in here and there . An odd story . Now trying to find something new to keep my attention .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted July 9, 2012 Share Posted July 9, 2012 Oh, brother, talk about the shoemaker's children going barefoot!! He sounds like a sociopath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kidsmum Posted July 10, 2012 Share Posted July 10, 2012 Thinking of you Julie hope you get good news on Thursday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 10, 2012 Author Share Posted July 10, 2012 Hi Kidsmum Thank you for the good wishes. I already had the appt with the Cancer doc (yesterday). Tomorrow I go back to the surgeon for a follow up . I went this AM for bloodwork to check my levels . Got a phone call this afternoon ( while I was sound asleep,which I seem to be doing lots of. ) Never felt this tired in my life . Feels like you are doing everything in a big bog of quicksand. All in slow motion . Anyhow, the Cancer doc was looking for a reading of 30 or more to do the nuclear radiation therapy,and they called this afternoon to tell me it is already at 27. The doc seemed very surprised that it's already that high. Anyhow, his nurse is supposed to call tomorrow to set up a possible hospital trip one day next week to get the nuclear stuff put in . After that, I cannot have any physical contact with anyone for 4 days . My husband cant be closer than 6 feet , we have to sleep in separate rooms , I have to wash all my clothes, towels, dishes separately from his,since I guess this nuclear crap is actually dangerous to others until it has a few days to sink in . 10 days after that,they do a scan to see what spots might still be affected -- they glow on the xray scan I guess. Sure will be glad to get that part done. It doesnt sound like much fun . Also,this no iodine diet is pathetic. I'm allowed to have RUTABAGAS and I wouldnt even know what one WAS if it hit me in the head. I'm also allowed ot have marshmallows,so I just grilled one of them on my stove. What a diet,huh ? Anyhow, thanks so much for the good wishes . It's certainly scarey to find out what you have,but at least they found it and are taking steps to get it under control and fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 For those that have been following my updates : Doc just called. They want me in the hospital for the nuclear thing Friday (YIKES) at 7:15 AM . This is all moving too quickly. SCAREY . At least I'm getting it all over with fast and I can eat regular food after that . What a waste of rutabagas . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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