Coursera also has a "Learn to Program: the fundamentals " from the University of Toronto. Supposed to be for beginners. It started on the 19th. I would enroll him if he can work on it this week and see what he thinks. Because they are free it is definately a give them a go attitude at our house. :lol: We haven't tried that one. Dd thought about it but she is doing 3 classes through Coursera already this fall. Ds has done quite a bit on codeacademy and really loves it. He wants to finish as much as possible there and move on to python so lacks time. Ds just read my post. His opinion is to just try codeacademy. Not sure what else to say.

All the time! Really glad many of those posts never happened.

Coursera is another option. Ds is doing the Python? Class from Rice this fall.

Sounds lovely, your description reminded me of a hotel we stayed at in Canterbury years ago for our first anniversary. I wondered if we could have been some long ago pilgrims. ;) My practical dh said there are alot of 15th century pubs with beams, which is somewhat true. Glad you had a great trip. We love visiting that area.

I have to ask this, does your pub face a roundabout near the city walls?

I always try to finish something and save it for the new thread. That way I can find the thread easily. :) "Unseen" by Karin Slaughter -- I have read her books for years. This was very satisfying in the sense that an old character or two returned so I got an update. ;) Not great and not bad, simply a good next in an ongoing story. "The Beekeeper's Apprentice " the first Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes book by Laurie R. King. It was enjoyable. For those of you looking for books for "young" teens the first of this series meets my criteria. Not as fun as Flavia imo. Looking forward to seeing what dd thinks of it.

Dd just picked Viridian. Viridian.....not sure I can manage this challenge. For those who are wondering blue/green color. Never should have asked an artist to pick a color, any color. :lol:

http://www.rantingdragon.com/top-20-steampunk-books-an-introduction-to-the-genre/ I am trying to wrap my mind around what the term "steampunk" really means in terms of a catagory. I found this list and thought others would enjoy..... This means the "Angelmaker" is steampunk apparently...so confused. The setting is current London the mechanical things WWII not Victorian.

We use Aldi quite a bit. There isn't one near us or we would be there more! About the items in the center,I have no patience but dh looks. Some fabulous bargains can be found cheap...

Welcome!

Happy Birthday to VC!!!

The Wizard of Oz books were our favorites. The original Boxcar Children were great too.

I have noticed some odd unintentional connections in my reading lately. Almost all new (not part of a series/author that I always read) are set in the UK. I normally don't know until I start reading. Even my paranormal type books seem to be moving to England! WWI seems to be in the background of a large number of my books....Maisie Dobbs, Daisy Dalrymble, Mary Russell and Sherlock(currently reading) to name the latest. The result of enjoying Downton Abbey? If given a historical setting choice I would normally pick Tudors. I spent months reading Tudor settings a couple of years ago. Not one recently! The thing I find the oddest is when I read a stack of suspense novels where the basic crime is the same. Depressing at times. Or my null/soulless paranormals. Never even heard of the concept then reading two in a row by accident! Not the deepest analysis but thats what came to mind as unusual in my current choices.

I hate the thought of returning unread what I have waited so long for! Then there is the issue of what if they discard it before I manage to get it back! I have my piles....my big problem is dh. We are in the process of moving we think. House buying in England is ridiculous -- you can back out up until contracts are signed, either party. We have been doing this since June and are hoping to move in to a vacant house end of September. Anyway DH keeps hinting no piles at new house please....trying to read before crazy sets in and returning seems like a good plan. I have alse been looking at Vernes Antarctica Mystery. It certainly looks to be the most appealing imo. My big fear has been that Pym should be read first. No real problem with that (especially after your reviews) other than time and the pile. Did I mention 6 new holds were picked up yesterday. We returned 7 so progress.

Praying

Dd doesn't remember but read it quite along time ago. Probably at 10 or 11. Didn't make a huge impressision if did. I used to preread many of their books. I think I did the first one in the series.

This doesn't mean that they are high quality but dd15 has been reading them from the start. If she sees a new one at the library she gets it. Ds13 has read them too. My kids like fantasy novels with dragons....

I think I took the PSAT during the school day and for free. One of my friends, who had not been college bound (family attitude), ended up eventually being a National Merit Semi Finalist because of that exam being free and accessible. The school staff were shocked that she did so well, really sad they didn't know how bright she was. She did get a scholarship because of it. I think the SAT for free to all has more potential to change a child's future then some of the other programs I hear about. A decent score might encourage someone to continue their education.

:grouphug: Not there yet but dd is really looking forward to being 17! Just the thought upsets me.

I love Juliet with the one t. It was on the list years ago. Might as well make life easy for the person getting the name. ;) My dd has a popular first name (I didn't know when I used it because several spelling variations so it doesn't rank high with any one spelling) and she is very tired of correcting people. We used the traditional Scots spelling. I wish other people did! Two middle names.....family tradition for the whole name so my mom has two, I don't FYI. Hers is easy because she is Mary Ann Elizabeth. She frequently drops the Elizabeth or uses Maryann Elizabeth. I love the name Joseph. I think it is pretty popular in England right now. Two recent births in my circles have used it.

Thank you!

Update on my challenges for the year... 52 books is completed Continental just needs Antarctica -- I say "just" but keep looking at lists and can't seem to pick anything! Hopefully soon..... Dusty I have read 5. Bronte-- the plan was to read five before Hedgehog(yep a boardie) take the kids to Haworth in September. I have them all ready on the kindle -- Does that count? CS Lewis -- not done but dd has Screwtape Letters up next. Prelandra trilogy is in stack. I might manage this one. British and Church history. 5 each. Not likely to happen unless my current interests change substantially and I return most of the stack to the library! :) Dewey decimal abandoned. I haven't done great with those goals but to be honest my main goal by joining this group was to read some more interesting books. Last year at this time I was reading free kindle books (whatever I had downloaded recently that looked acceptable) with the occasional best seller or book for the kids thrown in. I don't remember much of what I read because no list. ;) I think my main goal has been met. My stack is great, just needs to be read! Thank you for helping me with the "main" goal.

I am slightly embarrassed to admit that I have never read Moby Dick and honestly didn't want to. All that fun "swag" makes me think I should. So many love it. I won't hide when dd gets to that one now.

I answered your other thread too. But I plan to give ds credit. He is doing codeacademy and has learned so much. He has also (his choice) read a stack of how to code books from the library. Just so you know coding is ds main interest, his career choice so he does love it! Coursera has several courses starting soon, ds plans on doing some from these. Depending on the level of your ds interest one of those could be helpful. They are free and you need to sign up but after that you can use as much or as little as you want.

My ds loves codeacademy. It has built in incentives, badges I think, which he enjoys earning. It suits the inner competitive male in him. He is not at all intrigued by Scratch FWIW and considers codeacademy far superior.