Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Things were busy here last week with the GOP in the area for their convention. I stayed out in my own little area in the next county and stayed away from all of the hoopla, security mess etc. Didn't even watch on TV, although all of the local channels broadcast their evening news shows from the convention. I watched enough to get the weather and turned the TV off. Weather was quiet enough too with no severe storms I needed to keep track of.

I got nearly four books read last week! Very little to watch on TV with all the political stuff, plus baseball was on its All-Star break. Didn't watch that either! I did have a few shows on PBS from Sunday night, so I could get some entertainment.

Already two books this week and starting on a third. The books you see pictured here I read a month ago. I have to keep reading to stay ahead of what I am posting about!

The Deepest Map relates the task of mapping the sea floor. ALL OF IT! The usual shipping channels are well documented but not much of the open areas. Also recounts the expedition to get to the lowest portion of the five deepest areas in the oceans. Interesting book but I wish the author had included diagrams and maps.

The Paris Daughter is a lovely book, historical fiction and woven into true events. Elise and Juliette are US expats living in Paris, France, both young mothers as World War 2 breaks out. Elise must leave Paris to hide from the Germans and she gives her daughter Mathilde to Juliette to care for while she is gone. An errant bomb hits Juliette's home and only she and her daughter survive. Elise and Juliette reconnect many years later in New York with a delightful twist.

Before She Finds Me another thriller. Julia is a mom dropping off her daughter on college move in day. Ren is a trained assassin as is her husband who does a job at the move in day. Their lives are intertwined now and both need answers defending their families to the end.

Jackie: Public, Private, Secret recently published I read this mainly to cover the last few years of her life. While much has been published over the years up through her marriage to Onassis, the final years I hadn't read much. I wasn't aware of her relationships with her mother and sister not being the best either. Plus her relationship the Maurice Tempelsman.

And more yarn too! I can never have enough yarn. I see a good sale and I buy more. Even when I have a two year supply on the shelf!

Add in a cat too, a glass of wine or some tea. Whatever makes you happy!

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

 The cat is domestic only as far as suits its own ends... - Saki (H. H. Munro) 

It suits me to be pampered and waited on! To be waited on paw on paw, cuddled, fed and worshiped!

 Mum went off to play with racy cars but she came home at night. This was a special racy day. The CAT! Specifically the Meowdi Grass race!

Mum dug out all of her beads to wear, plus she got more and she didn't have to show anything purrsonal!

She didn't even take any pics of the racy cars, said she was too bizzy doing what she had to do with the cars. Plus trying to keep cool and stay out of the sun as much as she could. 

Mum toes up resting!

Have a happy week.

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Well half of the political world has descended into my area which means lots of time for reading. I don't need to watch political speech drones going on and on about how great they are. The actual action is 15-20 miles away from where I live. My little corner of the world is quiet!

So far this week I have read two books and have five more in the pile I just picked up from the library. I am good to go until next week and the weekend will be racy cars! Coming home overnight to be with Ducky. 

Weather is getting nicer again. Less humid and sunshine. Rain in the last week but the weather guesser is saying dry for the next week. I have to mow the lawn again, at least once a week. Usually by this time of the year you can go two weeks between mowings. I know drought isn't good but sheesh, enough rain. I would like a break from mowing.

The Cracked Spine, Delaney has been downsized from her museum job in Kansas. She sees a job advertised to work in a store that handles books and rare manuscripts. One thing, the job is in Edinburgh, Scotland. A murder occurs and a rare Shakespeare manuscript disappears. Can Delaney and her new friends figure out who done it? This is the first book in a series and it didn't really catch my interest, so I will skip the rest of the series.

Maybe in Another Life is a book I read about 5 years ago and for whatever reason ended back on my reading list. Book is about Hannah returning to her home in LA and goes out with an old friend and also runs into her old boyfriend. The book follows two paths, one she leaves with her friend, the other with the old boyfriend, with different endings.

Summer Reading Samantha and Ben meet on a ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard, both going for the summer. Sam to her family's home to supervise her teenage step-brother and Ben as the interim library director. Only issue, Sam isn't a book person, being dyslexia and neurodivergent. Can these opposites attract or not? Interesting is that the book is set in a typeface that is friendly to those with dyslexia. 

I am a reader who likes quiet, some music is fine as background. I don't do well reading in public. I see people at the Y reading as they workout. That is not me!

And a cat in the lap!

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

The smallest feline is a masterpiece. - Leonardo da Vinci 

Yeah, I am small but I am still a masterpiece! Don't you forget that, ever!

Mum got a fishy fry on Friday and she shared it with me! Lots of nommy fish to nibble on. Plus I gots some ham too!

 

 Mum was watching CRASHCAR this weekend and one of the cars had Best Friends on it! Zooming for zoomies1

The poly-tic people are in town this week. Me and mum won't be going anywhere near things. She plans to stay home and read books. I will stay home and nap.

Have a happy week.

 

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

 Into July and made it through the holiday and my first race weekend in over two months. Small group but mother nature wanted to provide fireworks on Sunday AM, so we had to stop because of lightening and heavy rain. Rest of the day was fine. Drive home ended up on the backside of a storm. Brief heavy rain while driving, but when I got home I had no rain at my house. 

Megan mentioned in a comment that if it rains I need to come home. Rain alone doesn't stop us, just lightening. Plus I get to see all sorts of friends that I normally don't see otherwise. Although the older I get, the fewer events I do anyway.

Killer in the Family one that kept me guessing until the end. Next installment of the DCI Jonah Sheens books. Likely serial killer in the area, but a break when the perp's DNA is discovered at one of the killing sites. The DNA matches someone in one of the genealogy sites which leads to multiple suspects. Plus one of the police team is in danger.

Mastering the Art of French Murder Paris 1949, Tabitha has left Detroit to live with her French grandfather and uncle in Paris. Her neighbor just happens to be Julia Child. After attending a party at Julia's apartment she finds a dead body, one of the people at the party. The murder weapon, one of Julia's knives. Who really did it and why?

The Marlow Murder Club, Judith is skinny dipping in the River Thames when she hears her neighbor across the river yell and then a gunshot. The police don't seem to interested, even after they find a body. Suicide. Judith thinks no and with the help of friends finds the guilty party.

Coronation Year is historical fiction centered around Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953. It centers on the Blue Lion, a small hotel that the carriage procession will pass by on its way to the Abbey. The hotel is hanging on but barely. But then threatening letters are being sent to the papers on hotel stationary. Is the Queen in danger or is it something else. Very good read. 

Mine is "It Could Take a While". It is shorter as I went through and removed a few duplicates and removed books from authors I didn't care for, or books that had topics I didn't want to read about, i.e. domestic violence. 

 

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

A dog will flatter you but you have to flatter the cat.- George Mikes 

Sheesh, mum took off this weekend and left me all alone. I had more than enuf foods, but no mum to snuggle with! She got home on Sunday evening and did sit down to snuggle with me. 

Mum still has her red white blue shirt on that she wore to the racy place. It was the Firecracker race. They did have some mother nature fireworks too. They had a long pause to stay safe. 

A big puddle which got smaller during the day. Plus sitting in the car waiting out the wet. 

One car that broke and others waiting to go. 

Super happy mum is home and she says it will be months before she has to be gone overnight again. 

Have a wonderful week everyone.

Happy Purrthday America!

Happy Purrthday America. I don't have enuf paws to count how old the USA is but mum says it is lots and lots of years, 248 by her calculations.

Mum joins me in wishing all of you Mericky kitties and your humans a good day. Safe and hopefully not too noisy with the fireworks. Cellybrate but do so safely. Me and mum will watch the moving picture box, fireworks and other holly-day stuff from the safety of our home. 

 

 

Mum ordered these special fireworks as usual, in that they don't make booms to scare kitties. They are pretty but won't scare you. Mum skips the local fireworks, says the people just get crazy. She watches the stuff on the moving picture box, no driving, no crowds and the noise isn't so bad that it scares me. 

  Now to honor America, please join in and sing a few songs with us. Sing them from your heart.

God, bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, And guide her
Through the night with a light from above. 

From the mountains To the prairies  

To the oceans white with foam, 

God, bless America, My home, sweet home.

 God bless America Land that I love
Stand beside her
And guide her
Through the night with a light from above
From the mountains To the prairies  

To the oceans white with foam
God bless America
My home sweet home
God bless America....
My home sweet home!

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!

America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self the country loved
And mercy more than life!

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!

America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Happy 4th of July eve! Hope everyone has a safe holiday. I plan to spend it safely at home with Ducky. Nothing special, no fireworks here and my neighborhood is reasonably quiet. A few fireworks are set off but they quit early enough that people can get to sleep at a decent hour. 

Will grill out some good foods for me and Ducky too. Need to get a few things from the store today, so will find corn, eggplant and something else to grill. 

Plus reading, always time to read.

Every Last Fear another thriller, yes I like thrillers. Matt Evans older brother is in prison for a murder he didn't commit. The remainder of his family are killed while on a vacation in Mexico. Those deaths look like a contract killing. Lots of twists and turns until the true story comes out.

The Wishing Game is a cute story. Lucy has been estranged from her family for years and grew up wishing she could be part of a true family. The author of her favorite childhood book series announces a contest, one by invitation only and Lucy is invited. If she wins she will have enough money to provide a home to an orphan, to make a family she always wanted. 

We all need to think these days. Far too much going on with the world to be accepting of whatever is being spewed at us by people and the media. Take time to evaluate what is best for you and our country. 

 

Or Ducky does his best to distract me! As I write this he is on the arm of the chair, snoopervising. 

I joined up with five fellow cat people to form a team in which we have to walk, swim, run, bike or whatever to get to 2024 miles this year. We hit that milestone on June 30, so now we go for 4048! I have my own personal goal for the year and I am happy to say I am on track to meet my goal. 

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

Dogs come when they're called; cats take a message and get back to you later. - Mary Bly 

Thanks to all who visited for my purrthday. Greatly appreciated. Mum was nice and shared some of her yummy foods over the weekend too. Fishy shrimps, ham and gyro meat too. All good stuff. 

We had some hots but Sunday was super nice and mum had the windows wide open. It was so nice and she did her outside work and I snoopervised while she used the grass eater. 

Our naybors have a small pool for their little sticky things. Do you see the size of that flamingo? Plus there is a smaller flamingo too, you can just see the neck!

Hey, it is a new month too. Happy July. So far we haven't had much in terms of fireworks making lots of noise. 

Have a wonderful and safe week.

Sweet Sixteen

 Who is Sweet Sixteen? ME!

Today is my purrthday according to mum, so we are celly-brating! Mum pulled out some of my earliest pics that she took of me. When I arrived here I was already a year and a half old.

Me as I first checked out the 'puter that had Derby's face on it. One of mum's fav pics of him.

Her first ever pic of me meeting me at the shelter!

As you can see, mum pulled out the stops for today. Lots of good foods, drinks and cake too. 

Thanks for coming to celly-brate with me.