After much research, I got this one a few years ago and love it.

Happy Anniversary, Robin!

One of my dh's favorites. I like it very much also, but not nearly as much as he does. I haven't read anything all week. Two weeks ago I finished Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine - 4 Stars - This book is sad, sweet, and uplifting. Eleanor Oliphant was irritating to me at first. Her social awkwardness was oftentimes so annoying and bothersome to read, that I would have to put the book down for a while. It didn’t help that I knew someone a bit like that many years ago. Anyway, Eleanor grew on me, and I was completely won over towards the end. I loved Raymond and his mother also. If you like contemporary fiction and books like “A Man Called Ove”, then you’ll probably enjoy this. I do look forward to reading more books by this author whenever she comes out with them. I love her writing style. This book was a pleasure to read. Some of my favorite quotes: “These days, loneliness is the new cancer–-a shameful, embarrassing thing, brought upon yourself in some obscure way. A fearful, incurable thing, so horrifying that you dare not mention it; other people don’t want to hear the word spoken aloud for fear that they might too be afflicted, or that it might tempt fate into visiting a similar horror upon them.” “Time only blunts the pain of loss. It doesn’t erase it.” “Some people, weak people, fear solitude. What they fail to understand is that you don't need anyone, you can take care of yourself.” “You can't have too much dog in a book.” “I find lateness exceptionally rude; it’s so disrespectful, implying unambiguously that you consider yourself and your own time to be so much more valuable than the other person’s.” MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

I love all things McVitiess and anything English! Love Jaffa Cakes. Your posts always make me so nostalgic for England. Thank you. Unfortunately, I hate audio books. I don't mind them if I'm on a drive, but I can't seem to focus when at home. I wish I could. My dh loves them. Thank you again everyone. My dh and I believe that it may very well be Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. We hope it is anyway. I'm already doing lots more stretches, specific ones for TOS, as well as using our massage machine. I may also get massages on a hopefully regular basis. The stretches and the massage machine seem to be helping a bit. My dh says that I should still not read while lying down for several more weeks. I don't want to have my elbows in that position, lift weights, or do anything to aggravate it. I will be seeing a doctor on Monday. I will also see a visiting neurologist that comes to the island every so often. Not sure when that will be. I had a horrible night earlier this week, but hopefully things are looking up. Kindle book on sale today - autobiography/memoir/food

Kindle books on a a sort of sale today. Dave Barry's Greatest Hits Gertruda's Oath: A Child, A Promise, and a Heroic Escape During WWII

Junie, thank you so much for the links and for taking the time to reply. I'm so sorry to hear about all that you've gone through and continue to go through. Hugs to you also. I will keep you in my prayers. I will see a doctor about mine soon. Most likely, we will have to travel, since none of the ones here have been particularly helpful, which is often typical. Thank you also. We have also wondered if it's a pinched nerve or disc issue. It's frustrating to not know. I've seen three doctors here already. No help. As I said above, we'll probably need to go to Trinidad to hopefully find the answer. The book prop you linked is so pretty! Since none of us sew here, I may eventually order the one that Robin linked. My issue right now is to find a good chair that will fit in our bedroom. Once again, thank you all so much.

Yes. most of my books are on my Kindle. I'll try your suggestion to lie on my side. Thank you! It's gotten so bad that sometimes holding that causes my hands to tingle and get numb. Forget the phone. I can barely hold it anymore. I have been propping the Kindle on my pillow, but I just feel uncomfortable sitting up in bed. I ordered a hand brace, which should hopefully arrive by the end of this month. First of all, Emma is darling! I'd love to know what it is. I know that I will most likely have to go and see a specialist in Trinidad eventually. I've been putting it off. This has been an on and off again thing for over a year. I've seen a few doctors already and have had months of physical therapy, all to no avail. I have ordered a wrist brace to wear at night. Sorry that your dh suffers from all this also. Junie, thank you so much. I have so many questions to ask you. I don't know where to start. I'm worried that I may have RA. I think I'm going to have to start a separate thread, one of those Dr. Hive ones. With RA, what were your symptoms? I honestly don't know much about RA at all and need to do some reading on it. Again, I've had this tingling and numbness for over a year. It seems to get exacerbated during stress and after lots of kitchen work. Holding a phone is almost unbearable. Holding a tablet also. It gets worse when I'm inactive and when I sleep. It sometimes wakes me up. I tend to sleep on my wrist. Training myself to sleep on my back. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's the absolute worst for me. I wish that it was easy to become a back sleeper. I've read and do all the tips for doing it properly, but I struggle. Thank you for your kind suggestions. Interestingly, I have little to no symptoms when we travel. That's when I don't cook, don't do dishes, don't type, and am most relaxed overall. Robin, thank you. I was about to order that book prop. It's been on my wish list for a while, but I may not need it as yet. I'll wait and see if not lying down and reading helps at all. I'm willing to give it a go for six weeks or so. Marking my calendar. I'm fine with reading on a nice, comfortable chair or couch. I wish that we had room in our bedroom for a reading chair. We don't. I don't want to read downstairs, because everyone is either watching something or doing something. Reading is my time to be alone and I need quiet. Also, if I were to read downstairs, I know myself, I'd be wide awake by the time I head upstairs to bed. Part of the reason that I love to read in bed is to help me sleep. I hate sitting up in bed and reading. Hate sitting in bed altogether. Oh, I'm so sorry to keep complaining. I've started to make this change in the past few days. I've only been able to read a page each time. I figure that I'll just give up on reading for the next six weeks. Such a depressing thought! 😞 Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts and suggestions.

I haven't gotten much reading done because my hands are in so much pain (carpal tunnel/arthritis/I don't know). I'm trying out reading only while sitting up. I've read while lying down in bed or on a couch my entire life. I'm trying reading while sitting up for several weeks to see if it helps. I hate it, hate it, hate it. It makes me not want to read at all. I read Well-Read Women: Portraits of Fiction's Most Beloved Heroines - 3 Stars - My daughter got this for my birthday. It’s the type of book that would make an ideal gift. There are gorgeous watercolor illustrations and quotes from fictional women. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Kindle book on sale today - nonfiction/mystery/true crime

Kindle book on sale today. Not the greatest of sales - let's just say that it's discounted.

I hope that you feel motivated to swim! Walking in the water is fun and good also!

I'm using their Niacinamide and love it. How exciting that The Ordinary is at Ulta! We visit the U.S. about once a year, so now there's even more shopping to look forward to!

In the past week or so, I've been reading mainly graphic books. I've had a hard time focusing on much, so it worked out perfectly, even though none of them were amazing or anything. I read The I Wonder Bookstore - 2 Stars - The illustrations are lighthearted and adorable, but the book itself didn’t do much for me. Third Watch - 2 Stars - This is a short story, sort of like a prequel to the Tracy Crosswhite series. It was okay, but not amazing or anything. I’m not sure if I will go ahead with the series or not. The older I get, the less I feel like committing to book series, especially the ones that are never-ending, where the author keeps coming out with never-ending new ones. My favorite quote: “If today is your worst day, then tomorrow is going to be a little better, right? And the day after that will also be a little better. Each day will get a little better … So right now, all you have to do is get through today. That’s not too hard, right? Just get through today. You can get through today, right?” Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story - 3 Stars - Many are familiar with the author’s lovely illustrations. I enjoyed this book at first, but I then felt that the whole introvert thing was being overdone and it started to get a bit repetitive. My Good Reads review with a sample page. The Joy of Swimming: A Celebration of our Love for Getting in the Water - 3 Stars - I’ve loved swimming all my life. Any time I see water, whether in a pool or an ocean, I want to jump right in. Water is where I’m happiest. Here’s one of my favorite pools that we recently visited when we were in Ronda, Spain. It was on the top floor of our hotel with the most incredible view all around and that right there is the oldest bullfighting ring in Spain. The art in this book is lovely with pretty watercolor illustrations. Reading about public pools in different parts of the world was fascinating. In Iceland, you must remove your shoes as soon as you enter the complex. Showers and soap are mandatory before putting your swimsuit on. Few people swim laps. Pools are more for hanging out, for dates, and even for business meetings. Swimming in Paris sounds like quite an experience. Pool hours are limited, and lanes are very crowded. One swimmer said that she once had to share a lane with 19 other people! In Japan, everyone has to wear a swimming cap, even those who are bald! All tattoos must be covered and jewelry is forbidden. Even though I am blessed to live right by a gorgeous ocean, and even though we have a pool, in the past several years I’ve gotten so caught up with life and have found a million reasons to not go swimming. I got this book to inspire me to start swimming again and to do so more regularly. It’s working! I’m now swimming far more often and loving it. I must have been crazy to not go for so long. Here's a link to my Good Reads review, along with more photos. Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Star Wars Little Golden Book - 1 Star - I should probably be more generous, but I didn’t care for the art at all, and this one is not nearly as good as the others in the series. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

Kindle book on sale today - classics/historical fiction.drama

Kindle book on sale today (history/nonfiction/biography)

I read The Rational Bible: Exodus - 4 Stars - I’ve been a Dennis Prager fan for more than two decades. I enjoy his articles, his books, as well as his You Tube videos. He has such wisdom and a knack for explaining things ever so clearly. This book is a commentary on the Book of Exodus, as well as its importance and relevance today. I can’t say that I loved this book as much as his other books. The structure was different here. Although his other books are ones that I hope to read again and again, this one which I liked just fine, will most likely not be a re-read. It was challenging for me to pick my favorite quotes. I’ve included a few here. Other quotes are shown at the end of my review on Good Reads. “A rabbi challenged his followers one day: “Where does God exist?” Puzzled by what almost seemed to be a heretical question, they answered: “God exists everywhere.” “No,” the rabbi responded: “God exists wherever man lets Him in.” “That’s the great question: Who sees the miracles of daily life? And the answer is: Whoever chooses to see.” “Gratitude takes effort; resentment is effortless.” “Fear of God is a liberating emotion, freeing one from a disabling fear of evil, powerful people. This needs to be emphasized because many people see fear of God as onerous rather than liberating.” Kindle books on sale today. Pachinko - historical fiction/Japan Becoming Mrs. Lewis - historical fiction Nine Essential Things I've Learned About Life - nonfiction/spirituality/religion Living a Life That Matters - nonfiction/spirituality/religion

You are so kind. Thank you for thinking of me. I've been so busy and wish that I had more time to catch up on so many threads here that I have bookmarked. I always enjoy your posts and hope that all is well with you.

I read Belonging: A German Reckons with History and Home - 3 Stars - This is a story in a graphic novel format about a German woman’s family during World War II, and her reckoning with her family’s past, as well as her feelings about Germany. I love graphic novels and whenever we visit a good bookstore they’re often the books that I go searching for first. I really wanted to love this one. The artwork and scrapbook-type design are splendid. The overall content however, wasn’t my favorite. I felt that it was slightly lacking in emotion, and the book dragged a bit. MY RATING SYSTEM 5 Stars The book is fantastic. It’s not perfect, since no book is, but it’s definitely a favorite of mine. 4 Stars Really Good 3 Stars Enjoyable 2 Stars Just Okay – nothing to write home about 1 Star Rubbish – waste of my money and time. Few books make it to this level, since I usually give up on them if they’re that bad.

No, you're not overreacting. I'm tired of hearing everyone's opinions about politics and quite frankly, I think that it's unprofessional for companies to get politics involved. My attitude: Stay quiet and sell the product or provide the service.

Love this! I wear those slip-on sock things, but I agree. Walking barefoot on that disgusting floor grosses me out. I'll tell you what is the absolute most disgusting thing ever. We were flying to the U.K. and the amount of people walking barefoot around the plane and to the toilets ... unbelievable! That was four years ago and I still cringe every time I think of it. So dirty. Now that you've shared that about hotel rooms, I think I'm going to have to rethink that! I'm going to start having to pack slippers. The older I get, the more OCD I get about these things.

I have never noticed a difference either way. I wear what I want. Some of my underwire bras often lead them to use the wand, but that's about it.

Oh, I'm going to look into all these! Thank you for sharing. No. When you say download, do you mean to have and to keep on your own hard drive? Or, do you mean just to watch. You can do either without a paid version of YouTube. I have downloaded many in the past, especially those that are not from well-known channels. If I like a video, think that it's worth keeping, and I'm worried about it possibly being removed by YouTube or whatever, I download a copy for myself. I use this link and download it to MP4 version. You can also google "YouTube to mp4" and see what comes up. I just want to add that I first heard from Fitness Blender here on these boards and am forever grateful! For the longest while, I paid little attention, incorrectly thinking that it wouldn't be my cup of tea. Now I love their videos. I pick and choose what I want. I subscribe to a few channels: Fitness Blender, Jessica Smith, and some yoga ones as well.

I'm not familiar either, but I assume that you're talking about strength training? Like you, I'm not a fan of monthly subscriptions. I agree about Fitness Blender. They're one of my favorite channels that I subscribe to on YouTube. They don't come out with new ones as often as they used to, but they have so many workout videos to choose from. Jessica Smith is another favorite of mine. She has lots of videos as well. She also has DVDs on amazon, etc. Most of her videos are walking-type workouts, but she also has strength training, If it is strength training that you're looking for: Cathe Friedrich, Jari Love, and Kelly Coffey-Meyer (she has lots of 30-minute videos and she has a few videos on YouTube, I believe) - are worthj looking into as well.

Kindle books on sale today. Not the greatest of sales, but a sale nonetheless. The Brontes: Wild Genius on the Moors Ordinary Grace

Kindle book on sale today.