I read this book last year and loved it! I've never read any other Louise Penny books, but maybe I should give one a try.

I am also reading A is for Alibi right now! It seems like a good book to start the year with and it's been on my to-read list for decades. I'm also reading Very Good, Jeeves by PG Wodehouse. I appreciate Wodehouse's writing more with each book in the series.

My 9 year old has hypermobility and has been diagnosed with EDS. She also has low muscle tone and femoral torsion with that. She has done several stints in physical therapy. We also have to avoid sports and activities that have a greater chance of causing sprains when she overextends her already loose joints. No trampolines for her, but swim club has done wonders to help strengthen her muscles and gain endurance while still being easy on her joints. One interesting thing is that she also did pediatric pelvic floor therapy, as EDS can affect the pelvic floor. (She had issues with constipation and incontinence). We still don't have everything figured out for her, but we first went to her primary dr. We ended up consulting with an orthopedic surgeon, physical therapists, urologist, orthotist, and physical medicine doctor throughout the process. The physical medicine doctor was the best for figuring out what she has, but the physical therapists have been invaluable in teaching her how to use her body safely and properly.

I second the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village. If you go from NY through Canada, you can stop at the Stones and Bones Museum in Sarnia before entering Michigan at Port Huron. The Stones and Bones Museum is an amazing privately owned little museum that is like a cousin to the Field Museum in Chicago. It's more natural history, but so, so cool.

I do travel as part of my job and we book at the Microtel Austin Airport. It's fine. Not great, but the guys have never had any problems there and they all have flights to catch, so it works ok. The management is very responsive. The LaQuinta in Kyle, TX is another place we stay if we want nicer, but it's farther away. The talent stays at the Hampton Inn Austin Airport South, but it's too expensive for the regular crew. (They're in Austin 2-3 times a year for a week, but it's been several months since they've been there)

I didn't realize until last week that some people actually enjoy traditional church services. I've gone my whole life and just assumed everyone else was there due to obligation, too. Turns out some people actually like singing in a group and sitting still listening to someone talk. I absolutely do not.

Mine doesn't mind. He'd prefer I wear a ring, but he's ok with it not being the set we were married with. My replacement set fits my current style much better and I get lots of compliments on my ring, which I think helps make it a positive thing.

I bought a new set from the pawn shop. As well as outgrowing my original set, I also developed an allergy to white gold, so it made sense to replace it.

I use Airbnb for work and VRBO for personal travel and it's been fine with both. I have a slight personal preference for VRBO, but for no real reason but that I like it better. However, when I book for work, I'm booking in areas where a lot of people are coming to one area all at the same time and AIrbnb seems to have more options for that. A lot of people have their properties listed on both and I check the reviews for each property on both sites, if possible.

Last week I finished The Long Weekend: Life in the English Country House Between the Wars by Adrian Tenniswood. It was fine and had some interesting bits, but it was overall unexceptional. I also finished The Mystery at Lilac Inn by Carolyn Keene (Nancy Drew #4), which was pleasant. I had to abandon my "I" book, which was I Fired God: My Life Inside- and Escape from- the Secret World of the Independent Baptist Fundamentalist Cult by Jocelyn Zichterman. There was just too much descriptive abuse for me to stomach. This week I'm reading Jesus Feminist by Sarah Bessey for my "J" book and Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy Sayers.

Last week my "G" choices didn't work out very well for me. I started Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World, but just couldn't get into it. I'll try it again another time. Then I tried The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, but really disliked the writing style and had to abandon it. It's been on my to-read list for a long time, so at least I get the joy of crossing it off. I requested Graceling from the library, so I'll see if that one is any better for me. I did finish Cultish: the Language of Fanaticism by Amanda Montell. It was an interesting (although a little fluffy) look at how religious cults, fitness groups, MLMs, and QAnon all share some of the same language uses. This week I'm reading The Heirloom Gardener by John Forti and dreaming of what I'll plant this year!

I am behind in posting, but here it is: D- As Death Draws Near by Anna Lee Huber: I like the Lady Darby mysteries and this one did not disappoint. E- 18th Century Embroidery Techniques by Gail Marsh: Interesting and I like that the book showed examples on extant clothing F- Free: A Child and a Country at the End of History by Lea Ypi: I'm still finishing this one because I need time to soak it in. It's the story of the end of Soviet-style Socialism in Albania told as experienced by a woman who was a child/teenager during that time period. In fact, she is that same age I am and It's been so interesting to compare my childhood viewpoint to hers. I still have a few chapters left, but I think this is one I'm going to recommend to anyone I can!

My eyes are the color green of Michigan State's green, with just a bit of olive in the center. When I cry they change to a bright green that looks fake, like colored contacts. My husband's eyes are a light sage green and our daughter has his color of eyes. DH and I are both of Irish/Scottish ancestry with green and blue eyes pretty much the rule in our families.

We've been sick this week, so I'm just getting to post. Last week I finished Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax. It was fine, but was published in 2005 and definitely felt dated. I think the changes in culture due to the pandemic and changing economy and labor markets will mean that the book is even more obsolete soon. However, my husband and I had several good conversations about priorities for our family as I read it, so overall, I'm glad I did. I also finished A Year at Clove Brook Farm by Christopher Spitzmiller. The pictures of the house and grounds are just gorgeous and I enjoyed looking at them. The text is a window into a lifestyle I have a hard time imagining. One particular segment begins with how "naturally" a pool needs a pool house and concludes with the handy tip that you should put a washer and dryer in the pool house so you don't have to lug all those towels back and forth to the main house. And what a lark to serve dinner outside with no table cloth! I found myself wishing I could hear from his farm manager or housekeeper what is it REALLY like to take care of a place like that. This week I can only handle fluff, so my "C" book is The Captive by Grace Burrowes.

Oooo, my daughter loves Studio Ghibli movies, but we haven't seen Arrietty. Thanks for mentioning it; I'm ordering it from the library now!

Last week for my "A" book I read At Home in Thrush Green by Miss Read. It is the 8th in the series, so I knew what I was getting and wasn't disappointed. It was a nice, pleasant read. I also finished The Borrowers by Mary Norton as a read aloud with the kids. This one is a favorite from my childhood and I was glad to share it with my children. I definitely identify more with the adult characters now than I did back then! This week I for my "B" book I am reading Boys Adrift by Leonard Sax. DH got it from the library and requested that I read it, so I am. He's going to listen to the audiobook and we'll discuss.

I love the All Souls Trilogy! And the TV show is very good, too. Although I eagerly awaited the release of the first three books, I've never read Time's Convert. I'm hoping to this year. (And to see the third season of the show!)

It's been 10 years (!) since I last joined this thread, but I'm ready to give it a go again. I'm still working on the to-read list I made back then in 2012 🙂 My first book of this year was Tuck Everlasting, which I also assigned to my DS. He mostly enjoyed the MBtP literature unit on it, but I didn't like the book at all. I really like books with cozy, satisfying endings- all the more so during this pandemic. I have much more faith in liking my "A" book: At Home in Thrush Green. I've been reading the Thrush Green series for a couple of years and they are so enjoyable to me!

My aunt with more or less this major worked in a nursing home. Another girl I knew with it was interested in working at camps (although I'm not sure what she ended up doing).

I had my Pfizer booster a week or so ago, after two initial Pfizer shots. I had no reaction to any of them except a slightly sore arm for a few hours. I go back and forth between feeling lucky that I tolerate the vaccine so well and feeling concerned that it isn't working. I don't have any conditions that would suggest a vaccine not working and I've had good immunity from other vaccines in the past, so I think it's just anxiety... but I still worry.

Haha, I'm here to suggest Apples and Pears. It has worked wonders for my DS who is a strong reader, but has a very difficult time spelling. I'll be honest, I don't really get the method that Apples and Pears uses, because my mind doesn't work that way. However, that probably explains why my DS didn't learn spelling from reading or any of the other spelling programs we tried.

If anyone is interested in Lansing's update to the gridlock protest: Lansing Mayor Andy Schor has issued a statement regarding this week's gridlock protest and includes guidelines for future gridlock protests. You can google Statement from Mayor Andy Schor Regarding “Gridlock” Protests. He addresses the fact that "While many people stayed in their cars to protest at the Capitol, some “gridlock protesters” went further and took their frustrations out on the entire City of Lansing by including our downtown, neighborhoods and corridors." He says that "Demonstrators not practicing social distancing put the safety of Lansing residents, first responders and their respective communities at risk." After listing what the city and MSU police will do to mitigate the future harm to the city due to protests, he also says "Lansing is proud to be the Capital City and I strongly believe in the right for people to protest their government. However, the right to protest does not include violating the rights of others or breaking local laws. Nor does it include preventing public safety from getting to emergencies." This was a protest that caused harm to a city of people trying to cope with the stress of job loss, school closures, loss of community, and a pandemic. It wasn't a peaceful protest of people making their voices heard.

Well, it would be nice if differentiating between the areas were possible. I assume that is how we are going to have to deal with the virus when we return to "normal" life. However, that is also why the restrictions regarding traveling back and forth between homes are necessary. To treat the UP separately, you have to restrict travel from the cities to the cottages up north. Right now the people in close contact with each other are on public transportation in Detroit. If you let people go up to the cottages, there will be crowds in little tiny grocery stores in podunk towns with few medical resources. I would also like to point out that Michigan has not demonstrated readiness for "opening up" even by the guidelines issued by the White House. Gov. Whitmer is following the recommendations even for phase one by minimizing non-essential travel. Vacation homes, motorboats, golfing trips- all seem to be non-essential travel. She's following the rules! I suppose that people may think travel only applies to going to other states or something?

I am appalled at some of the misinformation circulating about Governor Whitmer's actions. You can absolutely get seeds here, even following the restrictions. Many smaller places have them in store, you can get curb-side pick up, and, in Lansing, there is an organization who will mail you free seeds if you really want them! The traffic to the hospital was absolutely affected by the rally. Do you know how close Sparrow Hospital is to the Capitol? When you stand in front of the hospital, you see the Capitol down at the end of the same street when you look to the right. In other words, the main road leading to the Capitol from the east also passes Sparrow Hospital. People I know that were in the rally, posting during it, were unconcerned that some of the routes to the hospital were blocked, because "other routes were open." However, they didn't know which other routes were open and neither did anyone else who might need to get there! The concern isn't just if people were moving over for the ambulance, normal people also drive their cars to the hospital! The people I know who were involved were (are) angry that their "freedoms" are being curtailed in any way, to the point that they felt it was appropriate to endanger other people's lives because they want to stay in BOTH their vacation home AND their main home over the course of a few weeks, instead of picking one to live in. One guy doesn't even golf, but went golfing anyway, just because he didn't like his "freedom" to do so being limited! (Also, to reiterate what was said upthread, it is still snowing, cold and windy.) Also, if anyone wants insight into why people would protest even though the state has so many cases and so many deaths, it is because the vast burden of the numbers is concentrated in the Detroit Metro area. While I believe that Governor Whitmer's actions have helped prevent the virus from being so prevalent everywhere, others find it more easy to dismiss as Detroit's problem.

I don't really have any advice, but my daughter had mastitis when she was 3 years old. After antibiotics the fever and redness went away, but she was tender there for a long time and the swelling took many months to go away. While she hasn't gotten it again (she's 5 now), her tissue was obviously still recovering for a very long time afterward. It was easy to see on her because she was, of course, completely undeveloped and also often went shirtless.