Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Last post of the year for Wordy Wednesday. Lots of books read this year, 177 at current count, but may get one more in before the year ends. 

I can never pick just one book as the best or what interested me the most as all of them either give me a good story to read or let me learn about other places and times. 

I hope that perhaps you have found a few books to add to your list of books to read. Just keep reading, so many books, so little time.

Bad Day Breaking main character is a female sheriff in a fictional Wisconsin location dealing with a cult. I think that is why I put the book on my TBR list since it was set in Wisconsin. However, the book is a bit more violent that I like to read. Didn't finish.

Something Read Something Dead part of the Lighthouse Mysteries. Josie wants a quiet, small wedding. Then her grandmother arrives with various cousins who consider themselves to be event planners. Things go from bad to death!

Jacqueline in Paris a work of historical fiction it relates the year Jacqueline Bouvier spent in Paris as a student. Written from the standpoint of first person with Jackie doing the telling of the story. Many of the people mentioned in the story are real people, but hard to know how much is fact and what is fiction.

The Body a decent book that covers the human body. Its form and function and written in easily understandable language. Chapters on the various topics, so you don't have to read it all. If you want to read about the heart only then only do that chapter etc. Published prior to the pandemic.

Happy Reading!

Merry Christmouse! Plus Mini-ManCat Monday!

 
Yeah, Christmouse is on a Monday, so my day to post and I am going to post. We had a no white Christmouse, heck it was over 50F degrees! Plus rain, not snow. 

Me and mum watching the feetsball game yesterday, plus you see the blankie she was working on. Good thing cuz it was down to the last seconds and she got the blankie done during the game. She was even saying words off the HBO list at times.

Mum did give me a treat last night, something she has saved for a month! She brought home some duck from her TDay dinner at her furiends. Don't worry, it was properly frozen and she says there is more for today! It was yummy. 

 

Here is the finished blankie and me inspecting the finished goods. You done good mum. 

Feetsball Report

The Pack - as mum put it they snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat! Started good and towards the end the defense nearly gave the game away like they had the past few weeks. Officially they still might make the playoffs but mum says they aren't good enuf for that. 

Last post of this year, next Monday will be a new year!

For unto us a Child is born,

Unto us a Son is given;

And the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David,) to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. Luke 2: 1-20 (KJV)

Meow

Merry Christmas

God Bless You All.

 Ducky,
Angel Derby
Virginger, Glimmer, Trouper and Fleur
and 
Mum

Yeah, Christmouse is on a Monday, so my day to post and I am going to post.

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Last post before Christmas! No snow on the ground and none expected either. Around here a white Christmas happens less than half the time. They are predicting rain on Christmas Day. 

That is OK, I have a nice meal planned to make for myself plus an invite to friends for Christmas Eve. After what happened at Thanksgiving I'm being careful! No major partying for me.

Broken News is how the media now is actually dividing America. Right, middle and left all pushing their own stories. The following quote from the introduction puts it best. "A nation that doesn't have reliable access to impartial information is in trouble". Plus no report or journalist can be perfectly objective but they should aspire to be fair.

One by One is another thriller by Ruth Ware. A small but successful internet company has a executive retreat to the snowy Alps. A private chalet, lots of skiing, and maybe a little business thrown in. However, Mother Nature throws in excessive snow and avalanches. Then the deaths start. Think Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.

The Complicities is the story of a woman who is trying to put her life back together after her husband commits financial fraud. How her life evolves afterward, through her, their son and the victims of the fraud.

The Emerald Mile is the true story from 1983 of the fastest trip through the heart of the Grand Canyon. Following an El Nino winter and lots of winter snow runoff, the Colorado River was raging from the runoff and overflow from the Glen Canyon Dam. Amazing these guys survived.

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

 Cats do care. For example they know instinctively what time we have to be at work in the morning and they wake us up twenty minutes before the alarm goes off. - Michael Nelson 

I no longer need to wake mum up for day hunting. She gave that up years ago. Now she gets up when the sun comes up. So at this time of year that is around 7 AM or a bit later. 

Mum finished her latest blankie. I got in on the official picture too. You know I have to inspect all of them to give my approval. Plus put a few furs on them too. As usual mum has another one started to keep her hands bizzy during the feetsball game. You can see the new color below, I didn't watch much of the game with mum. She only yelled at the moving picture box once too.

Mum had to fix my sparkly tree. I got all acited and knocked it over and the light wasn't shining in the right spot. So she got out her tools and made it all nice again for me. The past couple of days have been dreary so mum has been lighting up the trees early in the day. 

Mum also finished making all of her peanut brittle. All she has to do now is finish giving it away. 

Auntie Kellie made a surpize visit last week. She had mum fill up jugs with water since her water wasn't working at her home. Auntie Kellie played with me while mum filled the jugs, she didn't stay long enuf to mooch treats!

Feetsball Report

Last week on Monday night they losted to the Giant players. Mum said they shoulda won but the defense got tired at the end. They didn't play as good as they had for the last few weeks either, just not as sharp.

Sunday's game with the Buc's they showed they need more work to play together well and for the full game. So they losted to the Buck-An-Ears. 

Have a good week, Santa Paws will be coming soon!

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

 Busy week with lunches with friends, haircut and such. Above average temperatures, no snow on the ground either. That is OK by me, then I don't have to shovel! I am no longer of the opinion that you must have snow on the ground for Christmas. 

Plus making a few more batches of peanut brittle to hand out when I see people. Plus working on Christmas cards. I'm slow at them this year.

Murder on the Rue Dumas, I enjoyed this second installment more than the first. Maybe because I knew the main characters now and could just follow the story. In this case they are investigating the murder of the head professor of the theology department. Was someone impatient to get his job or was it related to the fake art glass that he had?

Halloween Party Murder the physical book had three short stories in it, but I was only interested in the one by Leslie Meier. They weren't related stories. A woman is murdered by overdose while being a participant in a charity haunted house. Who supplied her the fatal drug?

A Pretty Deceit is the next Verity Kent book and brings the storyline from the previous book into this one. What happened to that boat that was missing and will Verity's aunt survive all the craziness of two deaths at her house.

The Spook in the Stacks it is Halloween season at the Lighthouse Library and some weird things are happening. Are they for real or is someone faking them?

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

The cat could very well be man's best friend but would never stoop to admitting it. - Doug Larson 

Well I am mum'f best furiend. Yes I am. 

Quiet time here. The weather has been good but mum hasn't been opening any windows for me. I think she could have as she was outside without a heavy coat or jacket on. 

I think mum's ticker is working OK, at least for now. Last weeks she finished doing the leaves in the back. She was working on this when her heart went wonky. So that is a good thing. Plus she went to the Y to do a very gentle workout on Sunday. That went well too. 

Mum's latest blankie. She has been doing crow-shay and reading lots too. Plus lots of appointments. 

Mum got some of the Christ-mouse stuff out too. You can see her little bright tree above. For me she got the little sparkly tree out. She says that is enuf for this year. 

Feetsball Report

I don't have one! The Pack doesn't play until Monday night. Mum wishes they would just play on Sunday and make it easy to amember when the games are. 

Have a good week everyone!

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

November was the month I read the fewest books in a given month in ages. Only 8, but then I was a little bit occupied with being in hospital for a few days. Yes, I did read some while I was there, but probably not as much as I would have at home. Plus holiday time and all that good stuff. 

Just one book, someone to drool over!

Paul Newman: Blue Eyed Cool is a collection of photos by six photographers that were taken at various times in Newman's career and also during some of his off screen time, like when he was doing his race car stuff. I can say I met him at Road American in the 1980s, with photographic proof!

That is me in the center front. How this came about was that the men on the grid had gotten hats from Pioneer one of his racing sponsors. So we ladies went down to the Pioneer bus and the guy came up with these visors. We asked his crew chief if he might agree to a quick photo and he agreed. I have never heard so many camera shutters going off before. It was probably all over in 15 seconds and then we went back to working the grid even, albeit with huge smiles on our faces!

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

 The cat seldom interferes with other people's rights. His intelligence keeps him from doing many of the fool things that complicate life. - Carl Van Vechten 

Yeah, we cats ignore all the stupid stuff like polly-tics and such. We concentrated on the good things in life such as love, affection, food and treats!

Mum had a slight bump in the road last Wednesday, ticker going too fast again. Thankfully it was a quick trip to the fix it place and back in a few hours. Mum has lots of pills to take now too. 

Feetsball Report

I missed reporting that The Pack won on Turkey Day! Yay!

Then last night they played the reigning Stouper Bowl champs the Chiefs and ...... they WON! They were ahead the whole game and it came down to the last play and the last seconds!

A famous singer, Ms Swifty, showed up too but didn't sing. Plus her boyfriend losted.  We have our own famous spouse, Mrs Jonathan Owen, married to one of our players. A gold medalist and world champion in gymnastics! Thanks for showing up Simone Biles and being classy!

Have a good week everyone.

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Hello and happy to be home after my hospital stay. I took one book with me thinking it would amuse me if I had to sit in the waiting room. If you are a cardiac issue, no waiting! Plus when did try to start it it didn't grab me. I had a friend bring me one of my other books and I will see if I can get into it now that I am home.

From Saturday Night to Sunday Night, author is Dick Ebersol who worked for both ABC and NBC as a TV executive. Heavily involved with the Olympics, NFL football and many other sports. Along with Lorne Michaels he had a hand in developing Saturday Night Live.

The Forest of Vanishing Stars is a fictionalized account of the Jews who during World War II escaped from the ghettos and lived in the forests of eastern Europe. The main character Yona was stolen as a two year old from a Nazi and grows up to be a leader of those in hiding. She meets her father again during her life with deadly consequences.

Elizabeth: Queen and Crown a short bio of the late Queen. Lots of pictures but nothing new. I suppose it will be a few years before a definitive biography comes out on her life, once scholars are allowed to look at private papers that wouldn't have been released during her life. 

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday on Tuesday

Yes, something went wrong on my post yesterday. Mum was not home to take care of the technical part. 

She abandoned me! She was working in the yard on Friday afternoon after being at furiends for Turkey Day. Then she threw a couple of things into  her carry bag and jumped in someone's car. 

She is back home but I found she wasn't far from home. She was in the human stabby place for four days. Seems her heart wanted to beat way too fast and wouldn't slow down!

So yesterday (Monday) they zapped her heart to make it work all good again and they let her come home to me. So I can work my purr therapy!

I was well cared for, Aunty Kellie was over to make sure I got my foods and loves every day. Plus she brought mum back home to me. 

Gotta to purr on mum. Later!

Mini-ManCat Monday

 If you are worthy of its affection, a cat will be your friend, but never your slave.- Theophile Gautier

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

 Happy Turkey Day Eve!

The weather is finally turning cooler and cloudy. I just need to do one final mowing of the grass before the outside fall chores are done. Then we wait for snow to shovel. 

If you are in the US, have a pleasant Thanksgiving. Count your blessings, not calories, carbs, sugar, fat etc. Have nice civil conversations, not fights. I will be spending the day and overnight with long time friends. Ducky gets to hang out by himself.

The Librarian Spy a story set in World War II. Ava is working at the Library of Congress when she is recruited to go to Lisbon, Portugal to help cull news from unofficial newspapers published by the French Resistance. Helene / Elaine is part of the Resistance who is putting out the news. Risking their lives to keep the real news out their and communicating in code about sensitive matters.

The Manhattan Girls is a historical novel with Dorothy Parker, Peggy Leech, Winifred Lenihan and Jane Grant. Set in the 1920s they are writers and an actress and has their careers, romances flourish and fade they remain friends. Not being aware of who these women were made this a harder book to get into, but entertaining nonetheless.

The Secrets She Keeps characters Agatha and Meghan are both pregnant and Agatha is wishing she had Meghan's life. Both have secrets and their paths cross in dramatic fashion. The secrets continue even after the book ends.

Killers of a Certain  - Age four women are recruited in their 20s to be part of a clandestine assassination crew. Now that they hit 60 they are being retired, but it just might be a matter of them being taken out themselves. Will they just take this sitting down? No and what they do keep themselves safe is a wonderful read.

The Murder Book is the latest of the Alex Delaware series. I hadn't read any of the previous books. Alex is a detective / psychologist with the LA PD. I normally like thrillers but I just couldn't get into this one, the writing style wasn't such that I felt the story really moved along. Seemed ponderous to me. Didn't finish. 

For all those in the United States have a Happy Thanksgiving and weekend. Everyone else have a good weekend too.

Happy Reading

Mini-ManCat Monday

 Way down deep, we're all motivated by the same urges. Cats have the courage to live by them. - Jim Davis 

Yeah and when I want my urges satisfied I want it NOW. I know Skeezix used to blog about his urges. Mine are not X rated! MOL. 

We have been having super nice weather. Sunny and warmer than usual. Mum has been a good person and got her outside work done. Well, almost done. She says she still needs to mow the lawn one last time. Our last tree gave up its last leaves so mum got them all pushed to the street for pickup. You can see mum's pile and this is the third pile, they picked up stuff two times already.

Mum got a nice video of me sitting in the front window soaking up the sunshine. Mum has said that November is usually colder and cloudy so happy things have been better. It is even supposed to be nice on Turkey Day, but mum says she will be eating duck at her furiends. I am not expecting leftovers. 

Feetsball Report

The Pack - they won! They played the Bolts from LaLa Land and had a pretty good game. JLove and company seem like they are getting the hang of playing together. Only problem, injuries, on both sides. Short time they get to play a game on Turkey Day with the Lions. 

Happy week and Turkey Day to my Meriky furiends.
 

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

 Hello and welcome. I am late getting a few notes in here. It has been a busy week but with sunshine and warmer than average temperatures. The outside Christmas lights are out, but not yet lit up. Still working on leaves as my one tree is being stubborn about letting go! So outside and not inside as much reading.

Death at the Chateau Bremont, new author and series to me. Set in Aix-in-Provance France. The two main characters are Antoine Verlaque, an examining magistrate for the police and Marine Bonnet a law professor. The two are also ex-lovers. A childhood friend of Marine has died and Antoine thinks it wasn't an accident. When a second death occurs, he is sure both were murders. Involving the Russian mafia and a few other unsavory characters the two manage to work out the killer.

A Taste for Poison is written by a Professor of Physiology and Biophysics, he goes through eleven deadly compounds, relates how they work and provides real live cases where they were used. Real life criminals, not just fictional characters and crimes.

Drawn in Blood, former FBI agent Sloan Burbank is called to help solve an attack against her father and his partners in the art world. Aspects involve possible forgery, Asian gangs and love interest for Sloan.

Rock Paper Scissors a couple, Mr and Mrs Wright, are on a winter weekend trip to Scotland to celebrate their anniversary. Both are keeping secrets from each other and this weekend will make or break their relationship. This one didn't end like I expected!

I got nine of the fifteen. I don't buy books much anymore but I have checked out the same book that I have read before. I'm always happy when I know I am the first person to get the new book at the library (after being on a wait list for months). I will check a book out without reading the description if it is the next book in a series.

Yeah, books stores and librarians have the same issue. It had a blue or red cover etc. My library does a display in the main lobby and one time they did it will books that all had a green cover!

And I keep laughing until the next yarn sale. Although now I am into prime crochet season so at least I am using up the yarn I have already purchased. Although I probably have a 2 year supply on hand!

Happy Reading. 

Mini-ManCat Monday

Most cats, when they are Out want to be In, and vice versa, and often simultaneously. - Louis F. Camuti, DVM 

So did I get to play in any of those boxes from last week? NO! Once mum got them empty she smooshed them down and took them out to the recycling bin. The bin went out for pickup on Thursday. 

She did save one, but then she promptly put something in it, cuz she has to send it to the nephew. ::Sigh:: Although I am not a huge box kittie, she didn't even give me a chance. 

Mum has been out playing in the leaves a lot lately. Plus she keeps looking at one tree and telling it to just drop your leaves already. The guy comes this week to clean out the gutters and roof and mum was hoping all the leaves would be down by then. Maybe not.

Mum also plans to put out the Christ-mouse lights this week. It is supposed to be warmish so mum won't freeze her hands while she does it. She won't like them up until after turkey day. 

Feetsball Report

The Pack - did better this week in terms of scoring early in the game but they still didn't win, but they tried. They played the Steel guys in the Steel City. The sporty guys said The Pack hasn't won there since 1970, Mum said she was still in high school back then. 

Everyone have a wondeful week.

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

 I survived the time change. I usually do OK, was nice to wake up early on Sunday, get the laundry done early and then spend some time at the Y before coming home to watch the Packer game.

My updated yarn stash after getting my two orders of yarn. The shelves are full and I had a one color I couldn't fit it. That one will be my next blanket. 

Here is the latest blanket, stripey yarn can be a pain to work with to make sure the color rotation stays like it should. I had one skein that had a break and it went from the lime yellow to the maroon. Had to switch things out but I have enough yarn to do that and still make a decent size blanket. 

On to the books!
 

Reading Up a Storm is an installment of the Lighthouse Mysteries. Lucy and Butch find a dead body on the beach. Who done it. The illegitimate child, the son or the younger girl friend or ???. Plus sparks start to fly between Lucy and her beau.

Slow Horses and the rest of the series tells the tales of MI5 agents who have been demoted from field work because of screw ups. This was made into a series that has aired on Apple TV for two seasons. I couldn't get into the book, so didn't read and won't read the rest of the books.

The Turn of the Key another Ruth Ware thriller. I liked the approach to this book, she writes it as the main character sending a letter to an attorney hoping they will take her case. Our main characters has taken the job of a nanny for a Scottish couple with four kids. She has taken the job under false pretenses and is then accused of murder.

Battle for the American Mind the authors take on the modern education system in saying it indoctrinates pupils into the left or progressive way of thinking. Since I don't have kids I can't respond to this. I know I was taught, reading, writing, math, history, social studies and religion. I went to a parochial school for grades 1-8, followed by public high school. Most importantly I was taught to think for myself. Although in terms of education, I was probably brought up in the dark ages compared to now.

Mini-ManCat Monday

One reason we admire cats is for their proficiency in one-upmanship. They always seem to come out on top, no matter what they are doing, or pretend they do. - Barbara Webster 

Yeah, we are the bestest at whatever! 

Over the weekend me and mum quietly celly-brated our blog-a-versary! Mum didn't even have to use fingers and toes to figure out we been doing this for 18 years! Wow. Yeah, Derby started it and I joined and continued. Plus I let mum show off her books and blankies. 

Speaking of which, I thinks I need an intervention for mum. First these two boxes showed up from JoAnn, whomever she is.

Then two more boxes and one of them was really big! Sheesh mum, even I can't play in four boxes at one time.

Should have known, mum got carried away cuz she saw not all of her shelves were filled with yarns. So she went crazy!

Now the shelves are all full and she even had one bit left over that wouldn't fit on the shelves. Plus it was a duplicate of a color she already had just got! Mum, you need to control yourself!

Yeah, this is good, just the two of us chilling and watching the outside. Mum also trying to read her book.
 

She is doing good on getting all the outside stuff done. Plants cut back, hauled off. Even the flowers that she planted were all deaded, so they went away too. 

Mum found the hour in all the clocks this weekend. She changed them early on Caturday morning and went to bed so she did get her extra hour of sleeps. She needed it after doing all of her chores.

Feetsball Report

 The Pack won on Sunday, WooHoo. Breaking their losing streak. They played another young team with a QB who hasn't played much either. Lots of penalties, mum said it was like anytime they did something good they had a penalty. Oh well. A W is a W. 

CrashCar is over for the season too. Mum's fav driver wasn't up to be the champion so she didn't care who won. 

Have a good week everyone.