Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

I remembered to write the intro here before this actually posts. Yay for me!

Through the holiday weekend here. It was a rainy and cool weekend so lots of time to read and other good things. Sunday was a day to watch various car races: Formula 1 from Monaco, then Indy 500 and the Coke 600. Weather affected the last two, the first one had a major incident early in the first lap. So everything got stopped to clean the track, no one was hurt. 

Lots of rain here this spring, so lots of mowing of lawn. I can't do "No Mow May", my lawn is too healthy and grows like crazy. Plus I have minimal dandelions in my yard. I also have lots of other flowering plants for the pollinators.  

Lots of severe storms around here too, thankfully not right at my location but my weather radio keeps going off. The state has had 18 confirmed tornadoes this year, normally we get 23 for the entire year! If I don't get much sleep overnight I get a nap during the day.

June and summer starts on Saturday!

The Golden Spoon baking show contest meets murder. Someone has been sabotaging the contestants, one of whom has a secret that will rock one of the hosts.

The Windsors at War cover in detail the relationship between the two brothers who both were king of England. One as Edward VIII and the other as his successor George VI. The title implies that they were at odds with each other and also the British government. The book covers the run up to World War II and ends with it. It does not cover at after. Having done some more reading over the years on the British royal family, I am convinced that they are and have been for decades a dysfunctional family.

The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece. Phew, long title, and for me a short read! This is the second book I have tried to read that actor Tom Hanks wrote. Neither of them drew me in, I am not sure why. Should he write any new books I will skip them!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Reading.

Memorial Day

 

Honor and Remembrance 

to those who gave the 

ultimate sacrifice for our country

Mini-ManCat Monday will return.

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

 I didn't get to this on Tuesday night. Severe storms most of the evening and into the early AM. Didn't t urn on any electronics that I didn't have to. Thankfully the worst of the storms stayed to the north and west of me, but it was very late before the storms got to me at all, so thunderstorms after midnight. 

I got my newest stash of books from the library on Monday. I am set with reading material for the upcoming holiday weekend. Plus two books that hadn't arrived for pickup are now ready. So I can read a couple and then go and get the other ones. 

Be safe this holiday weekend everyone. Drive safely, party safely. Ducky and I want you back.  

Simply from Scratch I didn't get into this, read the first and then last 50 pages or so. Zell is a young widow who is trying to win $20K in a baking contest to help out victims of Hurricane Katrina, which is where her husband died. Zell is not much of a cook or baker. Nearly sets her house on fire to start the book. Zell also gets involved with a young neighbor girl whose mother left when she was very young.

All That is Mine I Carry With Me story is that a young girl comes home to find her mother gone. Did she leave on her own, taken alive or murdered? Who exactly did it? The husband or someone else? I found the story interesting but confusing to read since different parts were written from the perspective of different people.

Primary Solution a proposed solution that we have more competitive primary elections in order to get better people elected. Not sure this will work, but you never know!

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

 Intelligence in the cat is underrated. - Louis Wain 

HA! We is way smarter than you think, you underestimate our smarts. We can out think you humans! 

Another quiet week here, weather was nicer so more open windows. I like that. I got to snoopervise the guys who came to take away mum's pile of brush. 

They were efficient and didn't leave much of the little stuff either. 

Mum also got her planter boxes ready and planted. She can't find the correct size liners, so she has improvised with garden cloth. 

Line the basket, fill with dirt and plant the plants! Plus the big tire thingy with plants too. 

I'm taking next Monday off. It is a holly-day, so I don't need to work. Actually I've been thinking of retiring from blogging. I don't have much to say, so.... Just thinking for now. 

Have a happy week or two.

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Spring cannot make up its mind. One day nice, then a cold, icky one. My best shot at seeing the northern lights was stymied by clouds. Had a line of showers go through on the best night. Clouds didn't clear out until well after I was asleep. I didn't want to get out and drive to find a darker spot to possibly watch from. 

Should get going and get my annuals for planting from the garden store. Get them before they get picked over and beat the Memorial Day rush. I think I may just do coleus again this year. Lots of immediate color, no waiting for flowers. 

Theses posts are about a month behind from when I actually read the books. Had a few longer non-fiction books lately, so hopefully my next batch will be lighter and easier reads.  

Hey, I actually remembered in advance to write this! Hurray for me!

The Curse of La Fontaine our two main characters are now married and adjusting to married life. One of their favorite restaurants is closed by the police when a body is found buried near the fountain. The fountain stops running, curse or something else?

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers I just didn't get into this book at all. Barely started, didn't finish! Can't even tell you the plot!

Death by Beach Read part of the Lighthouse Library mysteries. Lucy and Connor have moved into their rehabbed beach house. All is well until they come home and find a dead body in the kitchen. Doors were locked, so how did they get in? Who done it?

The Mystery of Albert E Finch an installment of the Victorian Book Club Mystery. Lady Amy and Lord William marry and there is a death during their wedding breakfast. Because of the death the police don't want Amy and William to leave town delaying their honeymoon. So the two of them start to investigate so they can get on with their wedding trip. The culprit? Not who I suspected!

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

 The phrase domestic cat is an oxymoron. - George F. Will 

Hope everyone had a nice mum's day. Me and mum did too. Just sorta chilled out at home. Mum did one chore, she washed my beddy since I yakked up on it. 

 All nice and clean and I was back inside it in a few hours. It was nice and warm during the day, so I really didn't need my heated bed. While it was being washed I hung out with mum. 

Mum got the griller machine going over the weekend too. Burger and taters on Caturday and grilled beast and eggy plant. Yep, I got some.

We didn't see any lights in the north this weekend like many others. One night we had clouds and all nights we have a guy living behind us who keeps lights on all the time and it makes it hard to see stars and other stuff in the sky. Mum has asked him why they are on all the time and they are not on a switch where he can turn them off.

Hope all of you have a good week!

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Busy, busy, busy. I feel super behind since I have been off with racy cars as Ducky says. Plus yard work, laundry and other important stuff. Oh, well, life is never boring and always something to do! 

PoppyQ's mum asked about the Marie Benedict book last week. Yes I like her books too and thought this was great. Most of her books are based on true life characters and situations, however things may not have happened exactly how the author puts things. Historical fiction. Another Marie Benedict book this week.

A Fatal Illusion is the latest Lady Darby book. Kiera and husband Sebastian are on their way to assist his father who was attacked by highwaymen. He was shot. Was this a robbery gone wrong or was their more to this attack?

Waste of a Life is a book in the Decluttering series. Ellen is helping out a man who is rather reclusive. When he dies it just seems natural, then the police says he was poisoned. Who done it? Could it have been Ellen?

All the Beauty in the World I would term this as a memoir. Author is in search of a solid job as his brother is diagnosed with a fatal sarcoma. He starts working as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. A job he keeps for ten years. He related his connections to fellow guards, visitors and even the art itself.

The Mitford Affair, the book centers around three real sisters. Diana, Nancy and Unity Mitford. Diana and Unity are supporters of fascism and of Adolph Hitler and the book covers their lives during the 1930s and 1940s. Nancy never saw the appeal that her sisters did with fascism. The book is written picking selected dates during the time period and telling the story from each sisters view.

Second Acts is about what Presidents do after they leave office. Covers Truman through Clinton and was published in 2006. What they did, the books they wrote etc. I had read another book by this author a few months ago. I think that second book came from research for this one. 

Hmm, I think I am and old lady. I have lots of books, a cat and yarn!

 

So did you guess or figure out what this is? It is a bowl cozy! Something you can put your bowl of foods inside, zap it in the microwave and then not burn your hands getting it out. Better than a regular pot holder.

So many thanks to Cindy! Love ya!

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

 We cannot without becoming cats, perfectly understand the cat mind. - St. George Mivart 

First of all I want to send comforting purrs to the blonde lady who was mum to Ernie at The Island Cats, Ernie went to The Bridge this past week and his mum will miss him lots. 

Mum did it again! She left me to go play with racy cars! Sheesh, twice in just a few weeks. She says she won't be going away again for a few months. Well, at least overnight, she says.

I did some modeling for mum. She always takes pictures of the blankies when she is done. Plus I have to inspect them as well. 

 This one looks good mum! I guess you can give it away at some point!

I will let mum show you some racy pics. The line on the right is the one of people waiting to get out to go home. The second pic the line stretches way far into the distance! Mum doesn't usually leave until EVERYTHING is done, so she doesn't have to wait in line to get out. 

One of her furiends who moved off to Tennessee sent something with her husband for mum. Mum was clueless as to what it could be. The little gift bag was cute, as was the card.

Do you know or can you guess what this is? Mum will let you know on Wednesday! PS Mum won't put the comments on with guesses, until later. No prizes either!

Have a happy week!

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Happy May! I have a run to the library planned for today. By going today I can pick up the new copy of Book Page. It is my main spot for finding new books to read. Not that I don't have any books to read! My list is about 150 books which is a year's worth of book. 

Weather is getting nicer, plus that means outside work. Fun stuff like mowing the lawn. Lots of rain, so the grass is all nice and green.

Over the first third of the year I have read 38 books, several of which have been longer non-fiction works. Maybe I can relax and read more fun fiction in the coming weeks and months.

The Wars of the Roses the continuing story of the monarchs of England. Takes up after the Plantagent rulers with the battles for control over the English throne by two rival branches, York (white rose) and Lancaster (red rose). Ultimately the throne ends up with Henry Tudor, who inherited the Lancaster claim and marriage to Elizabeth of York. His son, Henry VIII, would be the first monarch in decades to inherit the throne, versus fighting a rival for it.

Whatever Next? is a memoir by Anne Glenconner who served as a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret. She has previously published a book about her lady-in-waiting days and this book covers the rest of her life. Author is now 90 years old!

The Personal Librarian is the fictionalized story of Belle de la Costa Greene. She was the personal librarian to J. P. Morgan and after his death continued as librarian and then director of the Pierpont Morgan Library.

Shielded a study on how law enforcement officers are so difficult to sue or be held criminally or civilly accountable for their actions. 

Happy Reading.