Book a Week 2019 - BW33: Song for the Last Act

[Robin M]

Happy Sunday and welcome to week thirty-three in our 52 Books rambling roads reading adventure. Greetings to all our readers, welcome to all who are joining in for the first time and everyone following our progress. Visit  52 Books in 52 Weeks where you can find all the information on the annual, mini and perpetual challenges, as well as the central spot to share links to your book reviews. 

 

Song for the Last Act

 by

Louise Bogan
(August 11, 1897)

 

Now that I have your face by heart, I look
Less at its features than its darkening frame
Where quince and melon, yellow as young flame,
Lie with quilled dahlias and the shepherd's crook.
Beyond, a garden, There, in insolent ease
The lead and marble figures watch the show
Of yet another summer loath to go
Although the scythes hang in the apple trees.

 Now that I have your face by heart, I look.

Now that I have your voice by heart, I read
In the black chords upon a dulling page
Music that is not meant for music's cage,
Whose emblems mix with words that shake and bleed.
The staves are shuttled over with a stark
Unprinted silence. In a double dream
I must spell out the storm, the running stream.
The beat's too swift. The notes shift in the dark.

 Now that I have your voice by heart, I read. 

Now that I have your heart by heart, I see
The wharves with their great ships and architraves;
The rigging and the cargo and the slaves
On a strange beach under a broken sky.
O not departure, but a voyage done!
The bales stand on the stone; the anchor weeps
Its red rust downward, and the long vine creeps
Beside the salt herb, in the lengthening sun.

 Now that I have your heart by heart, I see.

Find out more about Louise Bogan through the Correspondence of Louise Bogan, my Poetic Side, and the Poet who Wrote about Love.

 Link to week thirty two

[Robin M]

@Lady Florida.  Happy Birthday to Emma.  She's such a cutie

I'm currently reading James Rollins's Crucible # 14 in his Sigma Force series. 

"In the race to save one of their own, Sigma Force must wrestle with the deepest spiritual mysteries of mankind in this mind-expanding adventure from the #1 New York Times bestselling author, told with his trademark blend of cutting edge science, historical mystery, and pulse-pounding action.

Arriving home on Christmas Eve, Commander Gray Pierce discovers his house ransacked, his pregnant lover missing, and his best friend’s wife, Kat, unconscious on the kitchen floor. With no shred of evidence to follow, his one hope to find the woman he loves and his unborn child is Kat, the only witness to what happened. But the injured woman is in a semi-comatose state and cannot speak—until a brilliant neurologist offers a radical approach to "unlock" her mind long enough to ask a few questions.

What Pierce learns from Kat sets Sigma Force on a frantic quest for answers that are connected to mysteries reaching back to the Spanish Inquisition and to one of the most reviled and blood-soaked books in human history—a Medieval text known as the Malleus Maleficarum, the Hammer of Witches. What they uncover hidden deep in the past will reveal a frightening truth in the present and a future on the brink of annihilation, and force them to confront the ultimate question: What does it mean to have a soul?"

Edited August 11, 2019 by Robin M

[mumto2]

In search of an E and a new to me Nordic Noir book I checked out Killed by Thomas Enger https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35960953-killed.  I really enjoyed it and had no idea it was the fifth and apparently last book in a series.  Henning Juul is a newspaper reporter as opposed to the usual detective. The references to the past were so well done I missed that there are apparently whole books about them😉. Sometime in the future I want to read the rest of the series but definitely need to wait.......

I am on a Ilona Andrews marathon........partway through reading the Innkeepers series and just started listening to the Hidden Legacy series!

I am almost done with The Book Charmer which is a Kareni recommendation.  I will be in the car for most of tomorrow so will hopefully manage to get some reading done.

[Negin]

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.

[Lady Florida.]

I finished The Duchess War last week but found it entirely unbelievable even for a genre that requires suspension of disbelief. I won't read any others in that short series.

Currently reading: 

Fantasyland: How America Went Haywre: a 500 Year History.
The Everglades: A River of Grass
A Moment in the Sun

And listening to Bolivar: American Liberator

 

On a personal note, we celebrated Emma's first birthday yesterday. Yes, it's been a whole year! I posted pictures in this thread on the Chat Board

[mumto2]

24 minutes ago, Negin said:

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.

Hugs!

I know you read on an e reader at least some of the time......I have a case that lets me put the book on my nightstand and I lay on my side.  Maybe a new case or stand would help

[Liz CA]

I am on a "Miss Julia" kick - will try a few more.

Reading:

"Code of Valor" by Eason (almost done)

"Miss Julia Speaks her Mind" by Ross

Also dipping into a refresher of "Choice Theory" by Glasser.

Audiobooks:

Miss Julia to the Rescue by Ross, read by Cynthia Darlow - finished this one

"Miss Julia hits the road" by Ross read by Claudia Hughes - cannot decide which narrator I like better, Darlow or Hughes. Both are good in their own ways.

I am waiting for "The Killing Tide" by Pettrey to appear on my Overdrive - so far it has not. When it does, I will snag it asap.  🙂

 

 

Edited August 11, 2019 by Liz CA

[Kareni]

57 minutes ago, Negin said:

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...

How very frustrating, Negin. I hope that the pain will soon diminish and that you'll find a short term solution.

Happy birthday to Emma, and belated good wishes to your son, Robin.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

For today only, free to Kindle readers ~

Anton Chekhov's The Lady with the Dog: And Other Stories

Also, a number of Dorothy L. Sayer's mysteries are on sale, individually and in collections. For example, 

The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Volume One by Dorothy L. Sayers for $3.99

 

 

 

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

1 hour ago, Negin said:

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. 

 

How frustrating. I'm sorry to hear it. I hope you find out the cause and are able to treat it. Dh has had several carpal tunnel surgeries and has arthritis in his fingers. He finds a Kindle easier to hold than a printed book. 

[Kareni]

Some bookish posts ~

I enjoyed this from the Word Wenches site: Introducing Nevil

https://wordwenches.typepad.com/word_wenches/2019/08/introducing-nevil.html

Finding Fantasy Inspiration in the Executioners of Medieval Europe  by Margaret Owen

https://www.tor.com/2019/08/05/feeding-the-crows-finding-fantasy-inspiration-in-the-executioners-of-medieval-europe/#comment-820486

7 Books That Look at Nature Up Close

https://electricliterature.com/7-books-that-look-at-nature-up-close/

Regards,

Kareni

[Lady Florida.]

20 minutes ago, Kareni said:

For today only, free to Kindle readers ~

Anton Chekhov's The Lady with the Dog: And Other Stories

 

Thanks @Kareni. I've read several of the Russian greats but Checkov is not among them (mostly because I'm not a fan of short stories). Hopefully I can fix that with these stories. 

[Kareni]

20 minutes ago, Lady Florida. said:

Thanks @Kareni. I've read several of the Russian greats but Checkov is not among them (mostly because I'm not a fan of short stories). Hopefully I can fix that with these stories. 

You are quite welcome, Kathy!

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I read an enjoyable nonfiction book; I'm trying to get some ideas for my monthly art gathering tomorrow.

Helen Cann's  How to Make Hand-Drawn Maps: A Creative Guide with Tips, Tricks, and Projects

 "With wonderful examples and easy-to-follow instructions, this beautifully illustrated how-to book makes it simple and fun to create one-of-a-kind hand-drawn maps. Helpful templates, grids, and guidelines complement a detailed breakdown of essential cartographic elements and profiles of talented international map artists. From city maps and family trees to treasure maps, palmistry charts, platformgame maps, and more, the wide range of projects collected here will satisfy first-time cartographers as well as veteran mapmakers inspired by the popular map art trend."

**

I also enjoyed  The Mage on the Hill (The Web of Arcana Book 1) by Angel Martinez. This is a romance featuring two men and is, I believe, the start of a series; I'd happily read more. (Adult content)

"A young magic user who wants desperately to live. A jaded recluse who has forgotten what living means. They’re each other’s only chance.

Toby’s wild magic is killing him. The mage guilds have given up on him, and it’s only a matter of time before he dies in a spectacular, catastrophic bang. His only hope is an exiled wizard who lives in seclusion—and is rumored to have lost his mind.

The years alone on his hilltop estate have not been good for Darius Valstad. After the magical accident that disfigured him and nearly drowned Pittsburgh, he drifts through his days, a wraith trapped in memories and depression. Until a stricken young man collapses on his driveway, one who claims Darius is his last chance. For the first time in fifteen years, Darius must make a choice—leave this wild mage to his fate or take him in and try to teach him, which may kill them both. The old Darius, brash and commanding, wouldn’t have hesitated. Darius the exile isn’t sure he can find the energy to try."

 Regards,

Kareni

[Junie]

5 hours ago, Negin said:

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. 

 

(((Negin)))

BTDT.  I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and there was a period of time that I couldn't read because I couldn't hold a book.  😞  I hope that you are able to find a good solution.  And I especially hope that you can get some relief from the pain and a solution.

[purpleowl]

Last week I finished-ish Learn from the Masters, which is a collection of articles on using history in teaching mathematics. I say finished-ish because I skimmed the second half of it, which was focused on postsecondary math instead of K-12 math (my interest). But it's no longer on my TBR pile, so I count it as read.

Currently reading J. Gresham Machen's The Christian View of Man. I'll also be focusing this week on another of John Flavel's sermons from All Things Made New in preparation for the monthly book study I'm leading on it.

[Mothersweets]

Sorry to hear about your hands, Negin, hope you feel better quickly!

And Happy Birthday to Emma! What a sweetie!

 

Last week I read The Book of Essie by Meghan MacLean Weir. Contemporary story about the teen daughter of a preacher in a hugely popular reality tv family - a family that has secrets to hide. I gave it 3 and a half to 4 stars. I liked the main characters but found the parents to be caricatures. 

I just started listening to a cozy mystery with a charming premise - Three Bags Full by Leonie Swann. The narrator is ok so far - I may have to find this one in print. From CrimeReads: 

Herd mentality…The crime solvers are sheep who try to figure out who killed George, their beloved shepherd. Some think a wolf killed him, but the cleverest among them, Miss Maple (a tip of the hat Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple) notes, “even the most sophisticated wolves didn’t drive spades through the bodies of their victims.” Their muddled notion of justice derives from a mystery novel George read to them but didn’t finish because they found it too scary.

 

 

[Kareni]

I just finished a very enjoyable fantasy novella. Someone just recommended another novella by this author ...ah, @JennW in SoCal

Brandon Sanderson's The Emperor's Soul

 "WINNER, 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novella!
Nominee, 2013 World Fantasy Award for Novella!

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Emperor's Soul showcases a fascinating magic system as the clock ticks down for a condemned criminal.

When Shai is caught replacing the Moon Scepter with her nearly flawless forgery, she must bargain for her life. An assassin has left the Emperor Ashravan without consciousness, a circumstance concealed only by the death of his wife. If the emperor does not emerge after his hundred-day mourning period, the rule of the Heritage Faction will be forfeit and the empire will fall into chaos.

Shai is given an impossible task: to create—to Forge—a new soul for the emperor in less than one hundred days. But her soul-Forgery is considered an abomination by her captors. She is confined to a tiny, dirty chamber, guarded by a man who hates her, spied upon by politicians, and trapped behind a door sealed in her own blood. Shai's only possible ally is the emperor's most loyal councillor, Gaotona, who struggles to understand her true talent.

Time is running out for Shai. Forging, while deducing the motivations of her captors, she needs a perfect plan to escape…"

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

On 8/11/2019 at 12:31 PM, Negin said:

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. 

Ouch! I'm so sorry. Have you found any reading stands that will work for laying down.   Will something like this work? 

[Kareni]

Today I read/used a very short book for my monthly art gathering. It showed a fairly straight forward process which I used to make a couple of cards.

How to Draw NeoPopRealism Color Abstract Images: Ink Background by Nadia Russ

 

 ""How to Draw NeoPopRealism Color Abstract Images: Ink Backgrounds" by Nadia Russ teaches artists how to execute abstract drawings. It offers easy-to-follow guidance how to draw NeoPopRealism abstract backgrounds with multi-color ink pens, using line and repetitive patterns. The drawing of repetitive patterns is meditative process, practice daily and you will discover new you. Step-by-step, you will learn how to create the complicated-looking compositions with easy-to-draw details.... "

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I read a book in its entirety today that I will recommend ~

When All Is Said: A Novel by Anne Griffin

 

 "“Beautiful. Intimate. Tearful. Aching and lyrical. So simply and beautifully told.” –Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author

"I'm here to remember–all that I have been and all that I will never be again."

If you had to pick five people to sum up your life, who would they be? If you were to raise a glass to each of them, what would you say? And what would you learn about yourself, when all is said?

At the bar of a grand hotel in a small Irish town sits 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan. He’s alone, as usual ­- though tonight is anything but. Pull up a stool and charge your glass, because Maurice is finally ready to tell his story.

Over the course of this evening, he will raise five toasts to the five people who have meant the most to him. Through these stories - of unspoken joy and regret, a secret tragedy kept hidden, a fierce love that never found its voice - the life of one man will be powerful and poignantly laid bare.

Beautifully heart-warming and powerfully felt, the voice of Maurice Hannigan will stay with you long after all is said and done. "

Regards,

Kareni

[Negin]

On 8/11/2019 at 4:58 PM, mumto2 said:

I know you read on an e reader at least some of the time......I have a case that lets me put the book on my nightstand and I lay on my side.  Maybe a new case or stand would help

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. 

On 8/11/2019 at 5:33 PM, Lady Florida. said:

How frustrating. I'm sorry to hear it. I hope you find out the cause and are able to treat it. Dh has had several carpal tunnel surgeries and has arthritis in his fingers. He finds a Kindle easier to hold than a printed book. 

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. 

On 8/11/2019 at 10:22 PM, Junie said:

(((Negin)))

BTDT.  I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and there was a period of time that I couldn't read because I couldn't hold a book.  😞  I hope that you are able to find a good solution.  And I especially hope that you can get some relief from the pain and a solution.

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. 

13 hours ago, Robin M said:

Ouch! I'm so sorry. Have you found any reading stands that will work for laying down.   Will something like this work? 

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. 

 

[Junie]

3 hours ago, Negin said:

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. 

 

Here are a couple of links for you:

https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html

https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/tools-resources/expert-q-a/general-arthritis-questions/numbness-in-fingers.php

https://www.emedicinehealth.com/carpal_tunnel_vs_arthritis/article_em.htm#whats_the_difference_between_carpal_tunnel_vs_arthritis

 

It really doesn't sound like RA to me.  Or more accurately, it doesn't sound like my RA.  I very rarely have the tingling that you are describing.  For me it started with pain in my toe.  I thought that I had broken it.  Four doctors, some x-rays, and some bloodwork later, I was diagnosed with RA.  My pain moved to other joints fairly quickly -- in just a couple of weeks.  Within a couple of months the morning stiffness was so bad that I couldn't walk up a flight of steps unassisted.  This all happened shortly after the birth of dd12.  So my kids were newborn, two, four, and six.  It was not a good year. 

After trying out some medications and tweaking my diet, I had about 10 good years.  The diet was only able to help to a certain point and I didn't realize that since I had given up my meds that my joints (although not particularly painful) were destroying themselves.  😞  The last several years have been rough.  My wrists are permanently locked (which is both good and bad -- they don't hurt anymore, but they also don't move particularly well) and I am walking with a cane when I'm not home.  

While what you are describing *might* be RA, it doesn't sound like it to me.  Maybe it's carpal tunnel?  I would definitely go to a doctor (or doctors 😞 ) to try to get it figured out.  Hugs to you and I hope that you're able to get some relief soon!

 

 

 

[mumto2]

@Negin  You aren’t complaining!  From your symptoms I wonder if you have a pinched nerve or disc issue.........I have seen several DIY book props linked on craft sites lately and thought I would post a link to one in case you or your daughter want to make one to try.  http://www.simplysewingmag.com/fast-fat-quarter/how-to-sew-a-tablet-holder/. 

[Negin]

6 hours ago, Junie said:

Here are a couple of links for you:

https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html

https://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/tools-resources/expert-q-a/general-arthritis-questions/numbness-in-fingers.php

https://www.emedicinehealth.com/carpal_tunnel_vs_arthritis/article_em.htm#whats_the_difference_between_carpal_tunnel_vs_arthritis

 

It really doesn't sound like RA to me.  Or more accurately, it doesn't sound like my RA.  I very rarely have the tingling that you are describing.  For me it started with pain in my toe.  I thought that I had broken it.  Four doctors, some x-rays, and some bloodwork later, I was diagnosed with RA.  My pain moved to other joints fairly quickly -- in just a couple of weeks.  Within a couple of months the morning stiffness was so bad that I couldn't walk up a flight of steps unassisted.  This all happened shortly after the birth of dd12.  So my kids were newborn, two, four, and six.  It was not a good year. 

After trying out some medications and tweaking my diet, I had about 10 good years.  The diet was only able to help to a certain point and I didn't realize that since I had given up my meds that my joints (although not particularly painful) were destroying themselves.  😞  The last several years have been rough.  My wrists are permanently locked (which is both good and bad -- they don't hurt anymore, but they also don't move particularly well) and I am walking with a cane when I'm not home.  

While what you are describing *might* be RA, it doesn't sound like it to me.  Maybe it's carpal tunnel?  I would definitely go to a doctor (or doctors 😞 ) to try to get it figured out.  Hugs to you and I hope that you're able to get some relief soon!

 

 

 

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. 

6 hours ago, mumto2 said:

@Negin  You aren’t complaining!  From your symptoms I wonder if you have a pinched nerve or disc issue.........I have seen several DIY book props linked on craft sites lately and thought I would post a link to one in case you or your daughter want to make one to try.  http://www.simplysewingmag.com/fast-fat-quarter/how-to-sew-a-tablet-holder/. 

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. 

[Kareni]

A free historical romance for Kindle readers ~

@mumto2, have you read this one? I liked it. 

Thunder & Roses (Fallen Angels Book 1) by Mary Jo Putney

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

A limited time offer for a free book from Tor.com

Download a Free Ebook of The Necessary Beggar by Susan Palwick Before Aug. 17, 2019!

Regards,

Kareni

[mumto2]

3 hours ago, Kareni said:

A free historical romance for Kindle readers ~

@mumto2, have you read this one? I liked it. 

Thunder & Roses (Fallen Angels Book 1) by Mary Jo Putney

Regards,

Kareni

I have been carrying Thunder and Roses around on my Kindle for about a year now but haven’t started it.  The series is actually one of my best friend’s favorite historical series so I know when I start it I need to read the whole series because BF is waiting for me to read them all!  I think needing to read it all makes it a bit intimidating. @Kareni have you read more in that series?

I finished One Fell Sweep which is the third in Ilona Andrews Innkeeper Series.  I must of read it very quickly the first time because my memory of events in that book was spotty at best.  I have the new book Sweep of the Blade ready to go......

 I need to start reading the books I have set aside to finish the Detective Spelling Challenge and am planning to start The Golden Hour https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42282946-the-golden-hour today for my G.  It’s a book I suspect I will either love because of the Edward and Wallis Simpson connection or abandon quickly!  

[Kareni]

8 hours ago, mumto2 said:

have been carrying Thunder and Roses around on my Kindle for about a year now but haven’t started it.  The series is actually one of my best friend’s favorite historical series so I know when I start it I need to read the whole series because BF is waiting for me to read them all!  I think needing to read it all makes it a bit intimidating. @Kareni have you read more in that series?

I looked at the descriptions of the other six books, and indeed I have read them all. I suspect you'll enjoy them; while there are overlapping characters, the stories themselves are quite varied.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

For today only, free to Kindle readers ~

Winesburg, Ohio  by Sherwood Anderson

"The classic story collection by a great American master

Sherwood Anderson’s unforgettable story cycle has long been considered one of the finest works of American literature. The central character is George Willard, a young
artist coming of age in a quiet town in the heart of the Midwest, but his story is no more extraordinary than those of friends and neighbors such as Kate Swift, a lonely schoolteacher whose beauty inspires lust and confusion; Wing Biddlebaum, a recluse whose restless hands are the source of both his new name and the terrible secret that led him to abandon the old one; and Doctor Reefy, who hides his personal suffering by pouring it onto scraps of paper.
 
With its uncompromising realism and unique narrative structure—twenty-two short tales linked by their setting and by a large cast of recurring characters—Winesburg, Ohio inspired an entire generation of writers, including William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and forever changed the depiction of small-town life in popular American culture. "

Regards,

Kareni

[Violet Crown]

Late again. I'm heading back into the (part-time) work force, and it's eating up all my time trying to get up to speed, so reading and posting are going to be sparser than usual. I think the 10x10 challenge may have to be a two-year plan. But meanwhile, last week I finished two plays: Ben Jonson's Volpone (1606) and Sophocles' Philoctetes (409 BC), the latter in part because Middle Girl was reading it and in part so I could read Edmund Wilson's famous essay "The Wound and the Bow" and have it make some sort of sense. (But I didn't finish because Wilson started getting all Freudian and I long ago decided I have no time for Freudian literary approaches.)

Volpone was chosen at atmospheric random and so goes into the "Plucked From the Air" 10x10 category; Philoctetes is going to give me Greece for the "Brexit Special." 

Now reading a quick-if-boring YA Landmark history book, The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt; and for my own entertainment, the century-old, awfully strange, oddly compelling Scottish science fiction classic A Voyage to Arcturus. I love how the protagonist prepares for his flight to the distant planet by knocking back a large amount of tea-and-whiskey. (I will try not to get the two confused at crucial teaching moments.) Thanks, Sandy!

[mumto2]

6 hours ago, Violet Crown said:

Late again. I'm heading back into the (part-time) work force, and it's eating up all my time trying to get up to speed, so reading and posting are going to be sparser than usual. I think the 10x10 challenge may have to be a two-year plan. But meanwhile, last week I finished two plays: Ben Jonson's Volpone (1606) and Sophocles' Philoctetes (409 BC), the latter in part because Middle Girl was reading it and in part so I could read Edmund Wilson's famous essay "The Wound and the Bow" and have it make some sort of sense. (But I didn't finish because Wilson started getting all Freudian and I long ago decided I have no time for Freudian literary approaches.)

Volpone was chosen at atmospheric random and so goes into the "Plucked From the Air" 10x10 category; Philoctetes is going to give me Greece for the "Brexit Special." 

Now reading a quick-if-boring YA Landmark history book, The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt; and for my own entertainment, the century-old, awfully strange, oddly compelling Scottish science fiction classic A Voyage to Arcturus. I love how the protagonist prepares for his flight to the distant planet by knocking back a large amount of tea-and-whiskey. (I will try not to get the two confused at crucial teaching moments.) Thanks, Sandy!

I hope your return to the workforce goes smoothly.......and I will look forward to your posts, so  stay in touch!😉

I am glad that A Voyage to Arcturus is enjoyable!  So now I am wondering if the tea and whiskey is a mixed drink or does he drink them separately? 😂 Sometime this fall I will find out.......trying to wrap up things and make the jump to the other side of the pond.  My Kindle is currently well stocked with quick reads.....

 btw The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt was so boring that it stands out in my home ed memories,  for some insane reason I tried to use it as a read aloud.  Tried is the important word in that sentence!

I finished Sweep of the Blade the fourth and last book in Ilona Andrews Innkeepers series.  Loved it!  Now I am waiting for the next book.......

[Negin]

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

   

 

[Violet Crown]

3 hours ago, mumto2 said:

So now I am wondering if the tea and whiskey is a mixed drink or does he drink them separately?

He's in a long-abandoned house and finds the tea, but since there's no milk he does the obvious thing and cuts it with whiskey. Right before he goes out for a nighttime coastal walk to peer over the cliffs. Because Scotland! No mention of jaffa cakes or chocolate digestives, both of which, I was recently informed, were shockingly absent this summer. 

Edited August 15, 2019 by Violet Crown

[mumto2]

31 minutes ago, Violet Crown said:

He's in a long-abandoned house and finds the tea, but since there's no milk he does the obvious thing and cuts it with whiskey. Right before he goes out for a nighttime coastal walk to peer over the cliffs. Because Scotland! No mention of jaffa cakes or chocolate digestives, both of which, I was recently informed, were shockingly absent this summer. 

😂 Well I am out of milk and never even considered adding whiskey to my tea this morning.  What was I thinking?  Such an obvious solution!  I am drinking a sugary Latte mix I found in my cabinet..........So, Jaffa cakes........ I would offer to bring you some but Dd would eat them on the plane!  Seriously, hoping to travel as light as possible so she may be dependent on snacks everyone likes!  I haven’t had a digestive all summer........We did drive by the McVities factory the other day,  I almost took a picture for you!

 

[Kareni]

For today only, free to Kindle readers ~

The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot

Regards,

Kareni

[Miss Tick]

I wonder if I have a hole to fill in my mythological background, maybe you can help?

Last night I finished the very enjoyable, Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik. "The novel follows Miryem, a Jewish girl who possesses a magical ability to turn silver into gold. The plot is an updated version of the German fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin, in which a miller convinces a king that his daughter can spin straw into gold."

There is a parallel winter kingdom peopled by a race called the Staryk, which reminds me of the "Winter is coming" Starks from Game of Thrones, and makes me wonder if these are both referencing a Polish, Russian, or British fairy tale that I haven't read?

[Robin M]

@Violet Crown  Congratulations on your new job!   I have Voyage to Arcturus in my ebook stacks.  I'll have to dive in sooner than later. 

Finished James Rollins Crucible which is a roller coaster ride with loads of science about artificial intelligence thrown in with history.  I love his Sigma Force series. Each one is unique and thrilling.   

From there I jumped  into Shelley Adina's Steampunk series Magnificent Devices and read Lady of Devices which I've had for quite a while and never got around to reading.  

"It’s 1889, and Lady Claire Trevelyan is expected to do nothing more with her life than catch a rich husband. Unfortunately, her talents lie not in the ballroom, but in the laboratory, where her experiments have an embarrassing habit of blowing up. When her father gambles the estate on the combustion engine despite the fact that everyone knows the world runs on steam, Claire finds herself out in the street with nothing to her name but her steam landau and her second best hat.

But the embarrassments of her old life might be the talents that save her now … if she can stay alive long enough to barter her skills for a street gang’s protection. It’s not long before a new leader rises in the London underworld, known only as the Lady of Devices … a double life Claire must keep secret if she is to achieve her dream and become the assistant to a world-renowned scientist …"    

Great fun read and downloaded the next three which were  equally entertaining as well.  There are 14 books in the series but I am over budget so using audible credit for book # 5 A Lady of Resources.  

Last night started reading Menna Van Praag's The Lost Art of Letter Writing which is so very good.  I love her writing and the magical elements in her stories are very endearing. 

"In a forgotten nook of Cambridge stands a little shop. Thousands of sheets of beautiful paper and hundreds of exquisite pens wait for the next person who, with Clara Cohen’s help, will express the love, despair and desire they feel to correspondents alive, estranged or deceased.

Clara knows better than most the power a letter can have to turn a person’s life around. So when she discovers a cache of her great-grandmother’s wartime love letters, she follows the faint trail of a life lived, and starts on a profound journey of her own."

[Violet Crown]

3 hours ago, SusanC said:

There is a parallel winter kingdom peopled by a race called the Staryk, which reminds me of the "Winter is coming" Starks from Game of Thrones, and makes me wonder if these are both referencing a Polish, Russian, or British fairy tale that I haven't read?

I don't recognize any fairy tales in particular, and I've never played this game you refer to, but could 'staryk' be related to the Russian word 'stariy,' meaning old/ancient?

[Pen]

On 8/11/2019 at 12:31 PM, Negin said:

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. 

 

Audio books?  I find audiobooks a big help .

I hope your pain will lessen soon.  

 

[Pen]

I read (listened to) the Chalk Circle Man .

I haven’t quite processed it yet.

 

Anyone want to discuss it?

 

[melmichigan]

@Robin M I loved Crucible.  It leaves one with a lot of scary thoughts!

@mumto2 I haven't really looked at the Innkeeper series, I may have to do that. 🙂 

@Negin I'm sorry to hear about your hands.  I hope a solution is quickly found. 

I am lost in curriculum planning, but managed to finish the Shattered Bonds ARC.  Wow!  I'll write a review closer to release date.  Anyone following the series will find this a must read, and boy is it packed with action, emotions, and lots of Beast. 

 

[Kareni]

On 8/14/2019 at 6:04 PM, Violet Crown said:

I'm heading back into the (part-time) work force, and it's eating up all my time trying to get up to speed, so reading and posting are going to be sparser than usual....

I'll look forward to seeing your posts when they show up. Best wishes with your return to work. Do you care to share what that is?

1 hour ago, melmichigan said:

I am lost in curriculum planning, but managed to finish the Shattered Bonds ARC.  Wow!  I'll write a review closer to release date.  Anyone following the series will find this a must read, and boy is it packed with action, emotions, and lots of Beast. 

Good luck with your planning, melmichigan. I'm curious, who is the author of Shattered Bonds?  ETA: Ah, Faith Hunter.

Regards,

Kareni

[Kareni]

I finished two very quick books which I read as art group inspiration. The author is from Russia, and the books are in dire need of editing; as proof, the first title is complete as given. Also, in the first book which is clearly written for children, the author spends several pages lambasting two people who she believes did her wrong. (And how often does one get to use the word lambasting?!)

How to Draw Without Eraser by Nadia Russ

How to Draw Advanced NeoPopRealism Ink Images by Nadia Russ

Regards,

Kareni

[Robin M]

On 8/15/2019 at 5:58 PM, Pen said:

I read (listened to) the Chalk Circle Man .

I haven’t quite processed it yet.

 

Anyone want to discuss it?

 

Hey Pen. Would love to discuss it.  I feel like I should read it again because there was a lot to process. The characters are all quite unusual  plus the culture is different from what you'd find in an american police station.  At first I sort of got a Columbo vibe from Adamsberg, but that changed pretty quickly.  

[Pen]

Okay.  I now have also listened to Seeking Whom He May Devour. I’m not sure if it’s number 2 in series—seems to be 5 years later.

[Robin M]

I started reading Blood Truth #4 in the Black Dagger Legacy series.  James and I watched the Pokemon Detective Pikachu movie last night and it was really really good, Considering we never involved in the Pokemon craze. so I knew nothing about any of the characters  Well done.   Has anyone heard of the tv series Younger?  I saw a few short youtube videos which intrigued me enough to watch the first two shows in season one.  I'll probably binge on it for a while.  I think they are on season 7 so have a long way to catch up.  

[Negin]

On 8/15/2019 at 8:56 AM, mumto2 said:

😂 Well I am out of milk and never even considered adding whiskey to my tea this morning.  What was I thinking?  Such an obvious solution!  I am drinking a sugary Latte mix I found in my cabinet..........So, Jaffa cakes........ I would offer to bring you some but Dd would eat them on the plane!  Seriously, hoping to travel as light as possible so she may be dependent on snacks everyone likes!  I haven’t had a digestive all summer........We did drive by the McVities factory the other day,  I almost took a picture for you!

 

I love all things McVitiess and anything English! Love Jaffa Cakes. Your posts always make me so nostalgic for England. 

On 8/15/2019 at 9:56 PM, Pen said:

 

Audio books?  I find audiobooks a big help .

I hope your pain will lessen soon.  

 

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

 

[Mothersweets]

Thanks for the memoir suggestion, Negin, I just bought it. Also, hope you can get some relief!

[mumto2]

On 8/15/2019 at 8:34 PM, SusanC said:

I wonder if I have a hole to fill in my mythological background, maybe you can help?

Last night I finished the very enjoyable, Spinning Silver, by Naomi Novik. "The novel follows Miryem, a Jewish girl who possesses a magical ability to turn silver into gold. The plot is an updated version of the German fairy tale Rumpelstiltskin, in which a miller convinces a king that his daughter can spin straw into gold."

There is a parallel winter kingdom peopled by a race called the Staryk, which reminds me of the "Winter is coming" Starks from Game of Thrones, and makes me wonder if these are both referencing a Polish, Russian, or British fairy tale that I haven't read?

I wanted to check with my Dd before I posted, neither of us can think of any.  We both connected Staryk to stark which a word for strong in German.

I did finish the latest Nora Roberts release this morning.  Under Currents was a book which was definitely a page turner but filled with a theme of spousal abuse, so a trigger for many.  I read it very quickly......

@Negin I Hope the exercises work.  My BF has suffered from a similar issue ( the diagnosis for her is disc related) and physical therapy has helped greatly which for her was basically supervised exercises.  I am glad you are enjoying the pictures......I have collected enough to be able to post on Saturdays for several more weeks.