Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Happy Thanksgiving Eve here in the US. I will be spending the day with friends and enjoying a wonderful meal and terrific company. I have my appetizer dip all made and ready to go. 

Also working on making my usual batches of peanut brittle to hand out to friends. This year also making peppermint bark. My kitchen counters are a mess! Oh well, only for a few weeks each year do they look this messy. 

Finished up the outside yard work as well this past week. Now I can relax and read more. I have been slacking off on reading lately and doing other stuff. I also haven't been pounding down the books this year. Will read significantly few books this year and that is by choice. 

Did a trivia night with my library friends this past Monday. Not a good night for us, we barely got half the possible points. We oldies are not up on 90s music and films, high fashion stuff or new age things. 

Bruno's Cookbook this is based on the author's, Martin Walker, description of meals that he has featured in his book series Bruno, Chief of Police. Drooling as you read about the cooking process. However, I don't cook or eat this way, but still yummy to read about. All of the pictures taken by the author and they were not staged by professional photographer like many cookbooks.

Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook depends on how much you already know about cooking. I can't think of anything new that I learned.

Behind the Seams a large and heavy book by Dolly Parton looking at her wardrobe. Sequins, rhinestones and all. Lots of insight as to why she dresses as she does and lots of picture. A fun book.

I try to keep those obstacles to a minimum.

 

Only have to clear snow if it actually snows and keep the bird feeders filled.

 

Around here the snow removal is very good, so unlikely to be snowed in for days. Could get to the library within a day or two tops.

 Happy Reading.

 

Mini-ManCat Monday

 A kitten is so flexible that she is almost double; the hind parts are equivalent to another kitten with which the forepart plays. She does not discover that her tail belongs to her until you tread on it.- Henry David Thoreau 

Yep, that is me draped all over the scratcher S thing. Maybe not totally twisted all over myself. 

Mum finished the outside work for this year and thankfully managed to not put herself into the human stabby place this time. Yeah, a year ago she spent a few days there getting her heart beating like it should. Working fine now! Not to worry, I was nicely cared for by Auntie Kellie!

It snowed one morning last week and it was melted by the next day. The weather guessers aren't guessing we will be getting more in the next week. 

Mum started on making all of her holly-day goodies. Which means I have buttered pans to lick the butter from. I have to be very stealth to get at it cuz mum usually knows where I am! I did get a little bit on Sunday. 

Sports Report

The Pack - done good this week. They scored lots of points and beat the team from Catifornia. Those old Niner's didn't stand a chance!

Happy week. All my Mericky buddies have a good Turkey Day. Hope you get lots of good foods!

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

The weather is turning more from our mild fall to a bit more winter like. They are talking rain with possibly snow mixing in. I still have to mow the lawn and chew up the last of the leaves, but otherwise the outside work is done. 

Which means I can have more time to read. I really slacked off for nearly a week while I was on my big crochet project. I usually crochet for an hour to two on any given day. I wanted to get done quickly so I was probably working 4-6 hours a day. So much that I developed a sore thumb on my right hand where I hold the hook. I backed off my crochet for a few days but have started on my next project. 

My friend is home from the hospital as of Monday, but waiting on the pathology report. She is in good spirits and ready for whatever comes next.

Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant a memoir of the author's early life up through graduating from the University of Michigan. His family has run a very large Chinese restaurant in Detroit for many years. Multi-generational as he and his siblings navigated the racial and cultural divides of their youth and the exploration of wider horizons and personal growth.

Oscar Wars is a look at the history of the Academy Awards over nearly a century of history. Book is not a year by year recital, but focuses on significant occurrences of goofs on the telecast; specific head to head competitions between films or actors and how some films got to be on top whiles other faded. A good recap of the history of Hollywood with the Oscars as the focus. 

Happy Reading. 

Mini-ManCat Monday

 Two cats can live as cheaply as one, and their owner has twice as much fun. - Lloyd Alexander 

Hmm, mum got me to play with Derby way back when. I don't know if mum  had more fun but Derby and I sure did. 

 Mum worked super hard over the past week, Caturday to Friday and finished this blankie in record time. It got sent off to her furiend on Friday and hopefully it will be there today. And her furiend is supposed to come home from the human stabby place today too. 

She sent a message to mum to thank her for everyone's purrs and prayers. 

Mum got a movie of me with the blankie too. Never mind her singing. I'm exhausted from all of her efforts and purring so much!

Mum has been doing winter prep stuff. She got the snow eater started so she knows that will work. Plus she put the Christ-mouse lights up outside while she had a warmer day. They won't get lit up for good until after Turkey Day next week. Yikes, Turkey Day is almost here!

 

I thought I would pose nice for mum for a change too. Being my usual handsome self.

Sports Report

The Pack - they won, beating Da Bears, by a fingertip! The Pack was ahead by one point and Da Bears were going to kick a field goal to win. But one of our guys just managed to get a finger on the ball which made the ball fly funny and not get where it belonged! Phew, mum was sure they were going to lose. Have a little more faith mum!

Have a wonderful week everyone!

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Nearly mid-November and we are still having nice weather. I almost have the fall yard work done. Still have leaves to do, but those don't take me long to do. Plus I don't have to haul them off, just push them out into the street. 

Hard at work on the blanket for my friend. Making excellent progress which means I am not reading as much for this week. I did get one book done but it was a book that has other holds on it. Those I read and return as soon as I can.  

Stocked up on sunflower seed so I have lots for the winter to feed the birds. They were mentioning on TV here that some of the birds that normally would have migrated by now are sticking around since it is so nice. I got a picture of sandhill cranes in a field last week, they usually are gone by now. A few days later I drove by a house and they had three cranes in their front yard!

On to this week's book stack!

The first two books here are new to me authors. Neither one caught my interest enough to want to read more of the author's books. 

Trust Me When I Lie, based in Australia Jack Quick is a producer of true crime stories. He gets a conviction reversed based on minimal evidence, but then another victim is found. Did he help release the actual perpetrator?

Death Overdue Carrie starts a new job in a library as the events planner. The library comes complete with its own ghost. Carrie's first program involves the retired detective who investigated the murder of a former library staff member. Can Carrie, the ghost and her other friends figure out who done it?

Surely You Can't Be Serious is a funny recounting by the three guys who brought you the film Airplane! Done in interview style the book relates the story of the team from their early years in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to LA. ZAZ, David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker are funny in print too.

Mother-Daughter Murder Night, three generations of strong women. Lana, a high powered LA business woman; her daughter Beth, a nurse and grand daugher Jack. Lana after a cancer diagnosis comes to live with Beth and Jack in their northern California coastal town. Jack finds a dead body and becomes a suspect. Can the three of them work together to find the real culprit?

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

 

It is remarkable, in cats, that the outer life they reveal to their masters is one of perpetual boredom. - Robley Wilson, Jr. 

Bored? Maybe, maybe not. I will never tell. 

Thankfully the 'lection stuff is done. No more of the stupid ads, texts, emails. Mum is much less stressed these days not having to hear the constant vote for me stuff.

Doing my usual job of helping mum with her crow-shay and this blankie she says I need to purr on lots to put healing vibes in it. She found out that a friend has a two-more in her head. Oh, mum says that is tumor. She will get it taken out on this coming Friday and find out if it is malignant. Mum wants her to have a special blankie, plus a few hats as she recovers. If you have some purrs to spare, send them on to Chris. 

Also, today is Veterans Day. So thanks to all the guys and gals who help keep our country safe. Mum's money man is a vet. 

 

 Sports Report

The Pack didn't play this weekend and last weekend they lost to the Mitten Kittens. Next we they play Da Bears!

Crashcar, mum's fav driver won the championship, so concats Joey L. 

Guess that is it from here. Have a good week everyone. 

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Happy day after election day. As I finish this post I have no idea who has won, just happy all of the ads are going away! I spent most of Tuesday reading and bird watching out in my back yard. First day of Project Feeder Watch for me for the year. 

Some of the local state assembly and senate races have been reported. I am not staying up late to watch the results. I did watch some of the national results, but it all becomes rather repetitious after a while.

I voted last week, so didn't have to go out in the rain. Although it wasn't as wet and windy as they originally predicted. It was also rather warm for this time of year, temps in the 60s.

My TBR is down to 109 books. Amazing. First I have become more selective on what I add, scrubbed a few and have been reading a bit more too. I can read slower in some ways and enjoy it more. 

The Hidden Language of Cats: How They Have Us At Meow - author did her doctorate on the interaction of domestic cats. How cats react to each other and how they react to humans. Included are lovely line drawings of cats. Most of this I knew but she also had some interesting insights.

American Gun: The True Story of the AR-15, interesting reading from the development of the gun by one man, Eugene Stoner, to its numerous uses in mass shootings. The first part of the book is on the development of the gun mainly to sell to the US military for its killing power. Second part of the book is how it has been used by private citizens in mass shootings.

The Times written by a New York Times reporter, the books looks at the changing of the guard at the newspaper over a period of forty years. Changes in editors, the transition from purely paper edition, to a combination of paper and digital. Also some of the controversies that happened such as the plagiarism of Jayson Blair; the coverage that has won them multiple Pulitzer Prizes on various topics including the Challenger aftermath; and September 11 (for which they won seven Pulitzer Prizes). 

 Happy Reading

Dona Nobis Pacem -Blog 4 Peace

 

Mini-ManCat Monday will return next week.

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Happy Halloween Eve! The weather is looking good for trick or treating tomorrow. Last year we had snow! Record warm temperatures the past two days, but tomorrow will be cooler and more normal.

Election is less than a week away and I for one can't wait for all of it to be over. Most of my mail is election related.

Hitchcock's Blondes interwoven stories of the famed director and many of the women who were his leading ladies. Grace Kelly, Janet Leigh, Ingrid Bergman, Kim Novak, Tippi Hedren are just a few of the more well known actors to portray characters in Hitchcock's films. Relating of the women's lives as well as the making of the movies.

The Burning of the World relates the physical, psychological and political impact of the Great Fire of Chicago in 1871. How the city was affected and how this impacted its future. Folklore blames Mrs. O'Leary and her cow, but the fire was at the end of a long, hot dry spell and the fire was only contained after several days because it rained. Of note the large fire in Peshtigo, Wisconsin also occurred at the same time.

Hunting the Falcon a detailed book on the relationship between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. Almost too detailed for me! If you are into this story it might be worth it to you. 

Happy Reading.

Mini-ManCat Monday

 If a dog jumps in your lap, it is because he is fond of you; but if a cat does the same thing, it is because your lap is warmer. - Alfred North Whitehead 

Yep, gotta love the warms! Mum's lap is warm, plus the crow-shay makes it warm too. Then I have my hammick over the heaty vent and also my heated cat cup. 

 Me on mum's lap with the latest crow-shay. Supposed to be a few warm days this week, so mum still has her shorty pants on with her warm footy socks.

Next weekend mum will find the hour in the clock she hid months ago. She took a pic of the sun coming over the house across the street. It is now doing this after mum gets up for the day. Usually the sun is up afore mum gets out of her sleepy spot. 

Hollow-weenie is this week too. Mum said it will be nice enuf she can sit outside to give away candy. Unlike last year when it SNOWED! That means I can stay inside and be safe.

Sports Report

The Pack - they snatched a victory at the last minute again this week. Same guy, the kicker won it. They beat the Jag-u-ars in sunny Florida. Next week they play the Lion guys at Lambeau!

Plus bits of baseyball, crashcar and Bucky Badger feetsball. Plus mum doing outside stuff. 

Next week is Miss Mimi's Blog Blast for Peace. Mum has our Peace Globe ready! Plus you gotta go vote next week too. Vote for the cat people side!

Have a happy week, the election stuff will stop soon.

Wonderful Wordy Wednesday

Had a few more really nice weather days. Warm but windy. I was able to get the lawn mower out and chew up the leaves yesterday. Need to actually mow the grass in the back.  

Doing my best to avoid the political chaos on TV. I record my usual TV shows, then when I watch them I can fast forward through the ads. The other night I got through 5 hours of shows in just over 3 hours. The only thing I watch live is sports.

While I took over the accumulated blankets I am working on the new stash for next year. The first one is done and the second one is about a third done. I'm not the only one who does crafts for donation. I had lunch with a friend the other day who knits scarves for the homeless in her community. I even passed some of my extra yarn to her.

A Paris Mystery - really didn't get into this one. Charlotte (Charlie) James is an Aussie in 1938 Paris. Working as a reporter for the British newpaper The Times, she is working to establish connections with British expats including Lord and Lady Ashworth. The Ashworth's hold a blow out party for the summer solstice. This year a murder is included.

A Traitor in Whitehall Evelyne is recruited to work in the typist pool in the War Rooms during World War II. Her real task is to help ferret out the mole that is channeling secrets to Germany.

Requiem for a Mouse the latest Cat in the Stacks book. Charlie has some part time help in the archive and she is also working part time at the bistro. She was a bit of a loner but something or someone spooked her. She is killed in a hit and run. Why did someone want her killed? Why are people suddenly interested in Charlie's archive?

In Light of All Darkness very interesting book. Author relates the true incident of the Polly Klaas abduction, murder and aftermath. Reads more like a novel and the author is the daughter-in-law of the main FBI agent in charge of the investigation. She had cooperation and access to material that most authors might not have gotten. It also outlines changes the FBI and others made to handle child kidnapping and interviewing child witnesses.

Interesting that now waiting rooms at the doctor or dentist no longer have magazines to read. They went away during the pandemic and haven't returned. Places realized how much money was spent on subscriptions!

 

Let's elect a librarian as president or at least someone who reads books!

Happy Reading.