Welcome to Fall and a Meme to Share

Welcome to Fall. Yes, the clock continues in its' never-ending move forward and we're entering our next season in the Northern Hemisphere - we're moving into Autumn. Fall is actually one of my top seasons - I love the colors, the vibrancy, and the harvest that Fall signifies. Of course, it's usually a bit truncated here in the Frozen Northlands, but I'll take what I can get. I've been enjoying the turning leaves I've been seeing over the past week or two, and it's almost time to take a drive and shoot some pictures for personal enjoyment and inspiration. 

TJ Klune's latest released yesterday and I'm pushing it 
up my TBR list and making it my next read after finishing 
the series I'm currently deep into. The reviews came 
in at 4.5 to 5 stars across the board, so it's another hit for 
TJ - an author I've followed and recommended for more 
than a decade. 

TJ Klune's newest book released yesterday, and it's getting stellar reviews - exactly what I had expected. It's in my TBR, and I'll be pushing it ahead of a LOT of other books and making it one of my next two books to read. There's nothing better than a good book to settle down with over the winter months, and winter is knocking at the door up here. I know I'm going to love it already. 

Who better for this short Meme than one of my 
absolute favorite actors in one role he played 
to perfection? Love me some Gene Wilder. 

I'm stealing this meme from Bleodswean, a friend of mine who is a talented writer and photographer. It looked like a fun one, and I've been meaning to do it and share with all of you, so here goes ...

1 - When did you last stay in a hotel, and where?

    I actually think it was in 2019 when I attended what would be my final Bead & Button Show. The 2020 show was cancelled, and the corporate went out of business in late 2020. My summer this year was empty and vacant without meeting with my fellow beaders in Milwaukee. I'm finding that I am really missing that shot of creativity I got from that show every year (although my pocket book was happier with the saved cash). 

2 - Have you ever had any teeth pulled? 

I had all four of my wisdom teeth pulled when I was in my mid-teens. I was petrified, and it wasn't the greatest experience, but I didn't have to repeat it, so I was quite grateful in the end. My Dad agreed to get contact lenses for me as a reward, a true win/win. 

3 - What is one of your favorite comedy movies? 

I don't do a lot with movies in general - I guess I'd have to go with any of the Minion movies, I adore Gru and the girls, and the Minions just make everything perfect. I love animated movies in general, and really don't pay much attention to other movies except LOTRO and Harry Potter. 

4 - Do you have a crush on anyone you haven't really talked to before? 

No. I'm quite far beyond crushes. There are certainly people I would love to talk with, but I'm not crushing on them. 

5 - What is your least favorite Sour Patch color? 

Ummmm ... all of them? I don't like candy much, and really don't like sour candy. I know ... I'm barely human. LOL 

6 - Have you ever won a competition? If so, what was it and what did you win? 

I have the blue ribbons on my wall that prove I've won in some of my beading competitions, but I also have quite a few reds and a white or two. I think the thing I loved the most was my beaded hobby horse winning People's Choice at the gallery. I didn't "win" anything except bragging rights for that one, but I was delighted that other people loved "Horse" as much as I did. 

7 - Did you ever take classes for a musical instrument when you were younger? 

I started out learning piano, but after a few years (and several different teachers) I knew that wasn't the instrument for me. When I was 10 years old, however, my elementary school was getting all of us fitted out with instruments for the school orchestra. Although I wanted the French Horn, they put a cello into my hands and it was magic. The cello was my instrument for the next eight years, until I graduated from High School. I was first chair in the City, as well as the State for my age group, and fought hard with a frenemy for the position. She's currently still playing and we're still sometimes friends, in contact on Facebook. 

8 - How often do you walk around barefoot? 

I don't. My feet are quite flat and I really need my orthotics for comfort. I have outdoor shoes, which I switch to indoor shoes at the entryway. I'm not even barefoot in my shower - preferring to wear shower shoes (flip flops with holes throughout the soles purchased at Target for cheap - but perfect for their intended use). 

9 -What architectural style was your childhood house? 

It was a tract house from the early 1960's with a main floor and a full basement. My Dad ran his accounting business from half of the basement, my Mom taught piano in one of the other basement rooms, and we had a playroom/sewing room and a small spare bedroom next to the furnace room. Upstairs were three bedrooms, 1-1/2 bathrooms, an open living room/dining room and a small kitchen, leading out to a nice backyard with a sheltered porch. The garage was detached with barely enough room for the two cars - my Mom's Chevy and Dad's Plymouth. Laundry was line-dried behind the garage and the incinerator was also located there (while that was still an option). We lived in that house through elementary school, but moved when I started Middle School. 

10 - To whom to you usually say "Good Morning" to first? 

Hubby, if he's awake. Otherwise, Chickie when she arrives at work, or the delivery guy from FedEx who's usually at the door at about 8:30 am if he has something to drop off. 

11 - When was the last time you visited the park? Who did you go with? 

That's been a long time. I drive through them a lot, but rarely stop to park and enjoy. Probably because parking can be a PITA. When I do go, I prefer to go on my own. I hate to rush through, and would rather look at things as they take my attention. 

12 - What language did you take in High School? 

I took German because I was lazy. I grew up with parents who spoke German regularly, so it was a way for me to coast through a language requirement. 

13 - Have you ever been to a drive-in theater? 

Absolutely, and I remember them with great happiness. 

14 - Have you ever been on vacation with someone other than your family? 

Sure. For many years, my Bead & Button roommate would fly into the Twin Cities from her home in California and we would drive out to the show together, spend the week there, then drive back to the cities and I would drop her off at the airport for her flight home before returning home myself. Poo and I had wonderful times together for many years doing that routine and it worked out great for both of us. 

15 - Do you think doctors should be able to prescribe vitamins? 

I think it's good/bad, let me explain. My doctor already does, in essence. She tells me I need to take Vitamin D and C for my bones, so I do. I don't, however, want to have to get an actual doctor's prescription for a vitamin. That would be nothing short of ridiculous. 

OK, so, there you go.  A longer than usual post because of the meme, but I enjoyed this one and hope you did too. Have an excellent Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow. 

Finishing the "Me"me and What I Did On My "Day Off"

I want to finish this "Me"me and have only a few more questions, so here I go. 

What do you like to do with friends?

It's probably terrible to admit, but I don't really have a lot of in-person friends. When I was younger and worked in offices with lots of people around, I had a lot of friends. But I'm much older now, and self-employed, so my physical circle of friends is quite limited. I do have a lot of cyber friends, and they are quite dear to me, but I can't invite them over for coffee or meet them for lunch. I prefer to spend my time on my own, but do go to see films with Chickie on occasion (obviously NOT since COVID, but hopefully once again sometime in the future). I'm no longer the life of the party, but my life is pretty good. 

What's your dream job?

I never really envisioned myself working in my own retail business, but I've been doing that since the mid-1980's. I would love to work in the art field, though - museum curator, even in a museum gift shop (although that wouldn't be as fun as actually working with the artwork). But, looking back over my life, I really can't complain too much. 

At what job would you be terrible?

Although I do very well behind the scenes in hospitals and have worked in hospitals in the past, I could never be directly in patient care in the health care industry. I don't do well with sharp and pointed instruments, pain, and sickness. I fully admit that I'd make a poor apprentice in Elrond's House of Healing. 

I want to see Abu Simbel in person. I want to wander 
through the Valley of the Kings, and marvel at the 
pillars at Karnak Temple. I want to walk up the 
steps to Hatshepsut's Temple and marvel at the 
Great Pyramids. I hope to someday stand in Egype 
 and close my eyes against the grit of sand spurred
up by a stray breeze. 

What's something you say you'll do, but never will?

I suspect traveling the way I always wanted to - long stays in a variety of countries and cities around the world. I'd still love to do it, but with the world as it is today and my age, it's highly unlikely. I still want to go to Egypt, that's at the top of my bucket list, and I'd love to ride a horse into Petra (shades of Indiana Jones), it brings a smile to my face just to think about it. There are other places I would love to visit for good memories or for a visit of extreme heartbreak (Auschwitz comes to mind for that one since my family was killed there), but my Hubby is very much a stay-at-home guy, so it's likely that any travel I do will be minimal, and mostly domestic. 

I've been in love with Egypt since I was a small child. It 
was my love of Egypt that pulled me into Anthropology/
Archaeology as a college major and a profession in the 
first place. To see the monuments in person would be 
the culmination of a life-long dream. 

How would you describe your style?

Boring - long-sleeved t-shirts in warmer weather, turtlenecks with pullover sweaters in colder times. Leggings or long skirts, also climate dependent. Sorrel snow boots in winter, pull-on flats in summer, and hats - lots of hats. Yeah - boring. I adore fashion, but I'm no fashion-plate. 

The Temple of Hatshepsut is stunning, placed against 
the Egyptian cliffs. The architecture is superb, something 
even Frank Lloyd Wright would love. 

What are your hobbies?

OMG, almost too many to list. Beading, of course. Fiber arts - weaving, knitting and spinning. Metal working - soldering, etching, enameling, making jewelry and assemblages. Then there are my boxes - that's where I allow my multi-media side to really play. I love combining things into new things, so I remake boxes and give them new lives and purpose. Eventually I'll set up an Etsy store for my creations, after I've retired and can actually work on projects for more than three hours a week. I write too, but I suspect mine will be a novel that never actually sees print. 

This is the knit side of the sweater. I made 
one error in the ribbing, and I bound off 
the shoulders incorrectly (but I won't lose 
stitches, so that's OK). It's far from perfect, 
but I'm having a lot of fun. 

So ... that's the end of the "Me"me. I have a couple of pictures to share of what I did on my "day off" this week. As you may know (unless you've been under a rock for the past month), I have a knitting machine that I've been trying to get comfortable with. On Wednesday I cleared the few things out from in front of Sewing Cabinet #3 and pulled out one wing of the table that I have in that area, setting my machine up on top of it. I started knitting a specific project and got a LOT done in my three hours of time. 

This is the pearl side of the sweater. When 
working with a knitting machine, it's this 
side that is facing you. I do know how to 
hand knit, but I wouldn't have gotten farther 
than a few rows in three hours. Here I 
managed the entire back of the sweater - 
almost 100 rows of actual sweater, not 
counting the bottom "waste yarn" or top 
shaping yarns that only hold things 
together. 

I've been working on a beginning project - a size 2 sweater for my nephew's baby who was born in May. It looked like a reasonable project to tackle and I'm learning a lot by doing it. I did the back of the sweater on Wednesday, and I'll tackle the front of the sweater next week. It's not perfect, but I wouldn't expect perfection in a first effort. I'm gaining confidence with the equipment, though, and knitting this much in only three hours is amazing to me. I'm having a BUNCH of fun! 

So, as always, I plan on being back tomorrow. Please be kind, stay safe and wear your mask. I'll be back tomorrow. 

Elections, Flying and Family - More "Me" Meme

I went to bed early, already burned out by election coverage, but DH was up until 1:45 am watching the results. He'll be dragging today, and I'd feel sorry for him, but it's my day off and I have a million things to do, so sorry is a bit down on my list. Although my state (Minnesota) went blue (Biden), there are many votes around the nation that will still need to be tabulated. My state allowed mail-in ballots to be tabulated starting two weeks ago, so we weren't held up badly by mail-in results, although they will be added as long as they were postmarked or dropped off on time. 

I'm sick and tired of elections and election 
coverage by now. This sqwaking duck is 
just about perfect for anyone silly enough to 
want the position of President. 

Enough about elections for a while. I'm sick and tired of them and well nigh done. I think I'll continue on with the "me" meme because it's got to be an improvement over red vs blue results. 

How do you define success?

This is a tough one, because I have never really considered it before. I suppose success is happiness with the results of one's life - short term like making a from-scratch recipe and having it turn out perfect; - mid term like raising a family and watching the kids turn into wonderful human beings you're pleased to call friends and family, - and long-term like looking back down the years and not flailing over too many poor choices made. Since I can't cook worth a damn, and don't have kids, I'll have to focus on that long-term structure. 

For some people success is winning an award. I've won 
a few of those in my life, but haven't really equated them 
with "success". I'm not sure success can be garnered 
from anyone except yourself. 

If you could know the absolute truth to one question, what would it be?

I don't thing there are any absolute truths to anything, so I'm passing on this one. 

What's your decision-making style?

There's that old saying of rushing in where angels fear to tread that all too often describes my style. But I also tend to do a lot of research and thinking about things before diving in blindly. As an example, this year's holiday cards feature some cutouts and embellishments. But one part of the card where I want to do that is too large for my equipment. So, I've spent several days running alternatives through my head. I'm not sure I can stick with the original plan, but I'm willing to give it a go, once I get one small piece of equipment today. If Plan A doesn't work, then I'll shift gears and go with Plan B. Steering blindly, but with background and years of practice. 

I think the old expression was "Flying by the seat 
of your pants" and that's what I tend to do a lot. 
Fortunately, I usually bounce pretty well when 
my wings give out. 

What do you believe to be true about the world?

Unfortunately, that man has an infinite capacity to be cruel to anyone/anything perceived as "different" than himself. 

What color palette do you like most?

I'm totally into the autumn palette - olive green, yellow, orange, rust, brown, sienna. Every time I choose a new bead or new fabric, it's those colors I linger over first. 

I've never been fond of family or extended family, although 
I think quite highly of my nephews and nieces by marriage. 
Still, I actually do have quite a large family in Europe on 
my Dad's side, and some relatives on the East Coast on 
my Mom's side. I'm barely in touch with either, but they 
are there. 

Do you have family?

I'm adopted, so I assume I have a birth family out there somewhere, but I don't know them and I don't care to find them. My adopted family was wonderful, but quite small, most of them are deceased. My father's half-brother was quite well known in academic circles, and one of the side relatives decided to hunt all of us up for a large family tree he calls "Alexander's Children". It's nice to be a part of that - there are a LOT of relatives on that side of the family and we have gatherings every five years. The first two were in Europe, but the next one is scheduled for 2023 in New York City. I'm planning on attending that one. It might be rather fun. 

That's enough for today. I have to get the garbage bin to the curb and start my day. Have an excellent Wednesday and I'll be back tomorrow. And please, be kind, stay safe, and wear your mask. 

Voting - Do It! - and Some "Me" Questions

Hubby had me awaken him at 5:00 am today. He wants to be at the polls by 6:00 am or so, hoping to be out of there in a reasonable time. He's determined to vote in person, although he might hop onto the early voting or the vote-by-mail (or dropoff) options in the future. No matter what, though, he's going to vote. We've never missed an election, even municipal or primary. I voted early, so I can stick with my usual schedule and not worry about time frames. My ballot has been received and counted and will be downloaded along with thousands of others after the polls close tonight. 

Please vote today if you haven't already placed 
your vote through the mail or in early polling. 
Every vote counts, and you are entitled to cast 
your vote - a hard-won right if you're female. 

Tempers are running high this election, so I'm urging all of my friends across the USA to be cautious today. Vote, if you haven't already cast your ballot, but be careful. You don't want to be injured just because you believe in democracy. 

Vote and be patient with those waiting in line alongside 
you. Politics aside, all of you are involved in something 
quite special - you are deciding the direction of this 
nation for the next four years. 

I'm in a mood for some meme today, so I'll grab the "me" meme bleodswean posted the other day. 

I'm not necessarily good with memes, but I enjoy reading 
them if they're not too long. This one wasn't horrid, and I 
can easily split it into several days. So here you go - 
Day 1 of 3. 

What's on your bucket list?

Retirement. I want to have my days to myself again after years and years of working. I want weekends where I don't have to be in the shop, and I want time for my personal projects instead of just a few stolen hours every week. 

If you win 5mil dollars tomorrow, how would you like to spend the rest of your life?

It wouldn't really change much for me. I'm pretty content with my home and my life just as it is. The house could use new siding and windows, and an updated HVAC would be lovely, but that's a drop in the bucket of 5 million. 

What person has given you the best advice about your life?

I can't say it was advice as much as a lifestyle choice - my father adored books, he always was reading and when he retired, he wrote them. I also love books. From the moment I could read I always have had a book in my hand, and having ebooks on my phone makes that even easier. 

If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?

Probably flying, I love to be in the open air, listening to the trees and the birds. 

What happens when your alarm goes off?

I get up. Isn't that the purpose of an alarm? I get up, change into my exercise clothes, and hit the treadmill for 1.5-2 miles before getting into the shower and starting to catch up on my emails and orders. 

That's enough for today. I have two more days of the "Me" questions meme, so I'll continue with another 5-6 questions tomorrow. I'm pretty easy to understand, though. Highly scheduled, well educated, well read and passionate about the things I love. What's not to like - LOL. (On the other side, I do have a temper, I'm stubborn, and I'm very detailed oriented so mess bothers me even though my house defines the word "mess".) 

Have an excellent day, please vote if you haven't and if you are able to, and I'll be back tomorrow. Be kind, stay safe, and please wear your mask. 

366 Meme - I Have a Lot of Catching Up To Do

I've gotten into the 366-Day-Meme very late. After all, the year is 1/2 over. But an on-line friend sent me the link to the entire list, and I think it might be fun, so I'm going to start with January and work through the listing, but I'm going to group them into larger groups, and post once a week, until (hopefully) I catch up. Maybe next year won't be so hectic, or I'll find a meme like this earlier. But, here I go with the first group ... 

I refuse to do bunches of the 366 Day Meme at a time, but I will
group them one or two times a week until I'm caught up. 

JANUARY 1 - What is one thing you'd like to accomplish in 2020? 
My goal has been to retire in 2020. Of course, events of the Virus have put a serious kink into that dream/schedule, but I really would like this one to happen. 

JANUARY 2 -What would be the first sentence of your autobiography? 
She lived an unapologetic life. 

JANUARY 3 - For every day of 2020, you will be required to wear a t-shirt with the same one word on it. What word will you choose? 
FIERCE

I could totally go for wearing a t-shirt that says "Fierce". I don't
back down easily, I stand my ground. But I'm also willing
to learn, and I have learned the benefits of apology. I might
be fierce, but I also like to cuddle. LOL

JANUARY 4 - What one thing are you looking forward to in 2020? 
Retirement - as stated in January 1. 

JANUARY 5 - What's your favorite way to spend a Sunday morning? 
Pretty much like yesterday morning. Sitting on the patio with my cup of tea, and reading the Sunday comic pages while the sun rises above the trees. Then breakfast and a relaxed day ahead. (For clarification, I don't get this often - LOL.) 

JANUARY 6 - Tell about an "Aha!" moment you've had. 
I'm not sure I ever had one of these, or if I did, it didn't have much of an impact. 

The "Showy Lady Slipper" or Cypripedium reginae, is the
state flower for Minnesota, my Frozen Northlands. It actually
grows wild in our woods, but can be grown in gardens
as well. It's quite lovely, isn't it? 

JANUARY 7 - In the US, each state has a "state flower". If you're in the US, what is your state flower? 
The state flower for Minnesota is quite lovely - one of our wild orchids, the Showy Lady Slipper. It's quite pretty (even though I'm not an orchid aficionado). 

JANUARY 8 - Would you rather live in a deep-sea station or a space station? 
Neither, please. I think my claustrophobia would count me out on both stations. 

I don't even do well in small rooms or elevators. I'd go
totally mad in an underwater or space environment. 

JANUARY 9 - What's your favorite "comfort food" when you're feeling down or unwell? 
Macaroni and cheese or celery with peanut butter are two of my absolute favorite comfort foods. 

JANUARY 10 - What was the last film you saw at a theatre/cinema? 
I don't remember clearly, but I'm quite sure it was a kids animated film, because those are the films I most adore. 


So, there's the first ten days of January. I'm not going to do this every day, but I do have quite a lot of year to catch up on, so I will be doing it at least once a week for a while, in groupings of "bordering on a realistic amount" - LOL. Have an excellent Monday and I'll be back tomorrow. 

Stay-at-Home Day 29 - I'm Off Schedule, So a Sunday Meme

I'm totally off schedule - Friday and Saturday were quite busy, and it wasn't that I was not at my computer, I was, but I totally forgot to post my blog. My bad. So I'll post a rare Sunday post and since I've seen this meme running around, I thought I'd grab an easy post for my "rest" day. 

1. Are you an Essential Worker?
No.

2. How many drinks have you had since the quarantine started?
We often have one or two on Sundays, except for that I've had a ton of herbal tea. 

3. If you have kids... Are they driving you nuts?
No kids, no pets, just a husband. Yes ... nuts. 

4. What new hobby have you taken up during this?
I've been spending my days at the computer, but I just got the final part for my Owl Project in yesterday's mail, so I have to buckle down and finish that. 

5. How many grocery runs have you done?
I go on Wednesdays, DH goes on Mondays. 

6. What are you spending your stimulus check on?
At least half was already spent to pay down a credit card bill. 

7. Do you have any special occasions that you will miss during this quarantine?
I miss just being able to be with other people, but no, there wasn't anything special that we missed so far. 

8. Are you keeping your housework done?
Pretty much. 

9. What movie have you watched during this quarantine?
I'm not a movie person, but we did watch "The Two Towers" from Lord of the Rings. 

10. What are you streaming with?
We don't stream, so nothing. 

11. 9 months from now is there any chance of you having a baby?
Heavens no! 

12. What's your go-to quarantine meal?
We've had Rigatoni with Italian Sausage every week, DH makes it really well. 

13. Is this whole situation making you paranoid?
I'm not really a paranoid person, but figuring out how the world will manage their overcrowding until a vaccine had been developed is a Rubik's Cube puzzle for humanity.

14. Has your internet gone out on you during this time?
No, thank goodness, although our power went completely out in my neighborhood for three hours early on in the quarantine. That sucked. 

15. What month do you predict this all ends?
This is our new normal. We may develop antibodies and limited immunity, and we may develop a vaccine, but this is Mother Nature shaking off an irritation and she's very effective. 

16. First thing you’re gonna do when you get off quarantine?
Go to the Y and use the pool!

17. Where do you wish you were right now?
I'm just fine here, I just wish this was permanent and that I didn't have to go back to work. 

18. What free-from-quarantine activity are you missing the most?
I really miss my mornings at the YMCA with my friends, but I've been getting extra sleep instead, and that's been rather nice too. 

19. Have you run out of toilet paper and hand sanitizer?
No, I have toilet paper, we found it when we needed it, and I can't use hand sanitizer, but I have plenty of soap and water. 

20. Do you have enough food to last a month?
Probably. My pantry and refrigerator/freezer are full, but they usually are. We'd probably be bored, but we'd manage. 

So, there you go. A rare Sunday post and an apology for getting everyone off schedule. Have a wonderful weekend and I'll be back on Monday - which is tomorrow! 

Answers To Your Questions - Books, Books and More Books

Several friends chose questions from yesterday's "book questions" list, so I'll spend today answering those. My anniversary date was actually very nice. DH and I brought the jewelry buffer home to its' new location in the workshop, and we were very busy with interesting customers at the shop (all of whom were extremely patient with me, since I was the only person working the sales floor). For my anniversary gift, DH promised me a dinner out at a restaurant of my choice this weekend (probably Olive Garden since I'm, craving Italian - all your fault, SeaIvy - LOL). He also promised to pay half of the cost of my head tattoo. Since I estimate that tattoo might cost as much as $1000, that's a very welcome gift. It also means he's approving the tattoo which will make my life a lot easier. Now ... on with the questions. 

Bookshelves. I have bookshelves in almost every room in my house, even
a small one in one of the bathrooms. I always have a book at hand too,
since I usually read e-books now and almost always have my phone handy
to read another page or ten. (This bookshelf is NOT mine - mine are a bit
better organized than this.) 

Shirebound chose: 

24. How many bookshelves do you own? Are your books organized in any way? (AND)

37. Have you read a book in a different language? What was it?

We have bookshelves in every room in the house - Sharon's room has three, the bedroom has one, the computer room has one, the den has a wall unit, the craft room - well, you've seen the shelving that he's built. There are also several others that stand from floor to ceiling creating a barrier between his crafting area and mine. Then we come to The Library. This room, a study and library, has shelving on three of the four walls, and one of the shelves actually swings open revealing a second shelf behind it (it's designed for paperbacks only). So yeah - a LOT of shelves for two people who adore books. 

I know I read the adventures of Till Eulenspiegel in German when I was young, but I wasn't entranced by the story. I've also read one or two books in Spanish, but I'm not really stellar at other languages, so my reading in them is minimal at best. 

There is nothing better for a child than reading a book. Books open the
universe of different thoughts, worlds, and interests to an open mind.
Encouraging reading is the BEST thing any parent can do for a child. 

cairistonia7 asked: 

50. What book got you into reading?

To be honest, I don't think it was a specific book, just a general feeling of frustration that Dad was doing something else and couldn't read to me, and Mom was also busy. So I sat down with a book I somewhat knew and started working out how to read on my own. Dad was quite surprised, sure I had just "read" it because I had memorized it, but we tried out some other books and I was able to work with them too. I took to reading rather like a duck takes to swimming and never looked back. 

My copy of "Atlas Shrugged" is old, tattered, and
held together with rubber bands. It's much older
than this edition, but that's OK, I'm older than
this edition too. 

greghousesgf asked: 

6. What is your favourite stand-alone book?
16. What book made you laugh?
26. What is your favourite non-fiction book?

My favorite stand-alone book? That's a tough one. I automatically turn to Tolkien's "The Silmarillion" because I've read it to death, but since it is somewhat in a series, I can't. So I'll go to my long-time favorite, also read so many times, Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". I know a lot of people have problems with her philosophy, but the book is a masterpiece and I've read several copies into tatters. 

I rarely read books that make me laugh - I don't like humor in books as much as I love angst and hearts clutched. I'm honestly unsure if I have a single book of comedy on my multitude of bookshelves! No ... I'm thinking and thinking and I'm not coming up with comedy at all. So, I guess that's a question I honestly can't answer. I do like some compilations of comics, that may qualify. I have a few "Peanuts" compilation books from my younger days. 

My favorite nonfiction book is any of Andy Goldsworthy's amazing books. I've pictured "Passage" below. If you're not familiar with him or his art, take a look. It's drop-dead gorgeous. 

So there you go - some answers for you. I'm open to more questions if you want, or we'll all discover a new tangent together for tomorrow's posting. In the meanwhile, have a truly excellent Tuesday and I'll be back tomorrow. 

Blue Skies, 40 Years and the "Meme" Found

DH and I spent much of yesterday at the Renaissance Festival. I had thought it was Irish weekend. I was wrong. It was "Pet Fest", so the grounds were shared with hundreds of dogs of all breeds and sizes. Quite fun, actually, but not what we had expected. My misread calendar means that this coming weekend is actually Irish Fest. I hope the weather will be just as wonderful as yesterday's. 

We've had a really cold spring and summer, so it was a joy to have a
day in the upper 70's and lower 80's for a change. Those blue skies
were very welcome and it was a joy to walk the grounds under sunshine
once again. 

The day was cloudless and our first nice warm day in more than a month. We soaked it in and enjoyed ourselves, leaving early so that we could sit on the patio with margaritas and enjoy the rest of the afternoon. Today is our 40th wedding anniversary and I'm sticking my virtual tongue out at all of the nay-sayers who thought we'd never make it. It's been touch and go sometimes, but mix a stubborn German with a stubborn Irish Catholic and you've got two people who won't budge. We've worked through the rough parts so far, and I'm quite sure there are other bumps and pits in the road ahead, but here we are - still a couple. I'm just as amazed as anyone else. LOL

Books - I love them. I love everything about them. Here's a "meme" that's
not really a meme. Comment or query with a number and a quote and
I'll do my best to answer. Ask more than one if you want, I have no problem
with multiples. Or, if you want, copy things over to your own post and
see what you are asked in return. 

Today I took a second hunt for the meme I had thought I remembered reading in a friend's blog. I did finally find it, and it's not really a meme, but it actually looks like fun anyway, so I'm going to post it here and open the doors up to some directed Q&A between my readers and myself. Who knows where this may take us - it might be crickets in the corner or a slew of characters on an electronic page. Let's take a stab. 

Comment with the # (or a few numbers) you want me to answer. 

(To make it easier for me and you, if you actually copy the number AND the query, I won't have to look everything up, and anyone else reading won't have to either. A win/win for everyone. In other words - PLEASE copy the entry you want me to answer.)

1. What is your favourite book and/or book series of all time?
2. What is the longest book you have ever read? How many pages?
3. What is the oldest book you have ever read? (Based on its written date)
4. What is a book series that everyone else loves but you do not?
5. What book or book series would you like to see turned into a film/ TV series?
6. What is your favourite stand-alone book?
7. What is a book that you feel glad for not reading?
8. What is a book that you feel guilty for not not reading?
9. What is a book you have read that is set in your country of birth?
10. What is a book that you own more than one copy of?
11. What horror book made you really scared?
12. What book do you passionately hate?
13. What is the biggest book series you have read? How many books are in it?
14. What book gives you happy memories?
15. What book made you cry?
16. What book made you laugh?
17. What is your favourite book that contains an LGBTQ+ character?
18. Have you read a book with a male protagonist? What is it?
19. Have you read a book set on another planet? What is it?
20. Have you ever been glad to not finish a series? Which?
21. Have you ever read a book series because you were pressured?
22. What famous author have you not read any books by?
23. Who is your favourite author of all time?
24. How many bookshelves do you own?
25. How many books do you own?
26. What is your favourite non-fiction book?
27. What is your favourite children’s/middle-grade book?
28. What is your next book on your TBR?
29. What book are you currently reading?
30. What book are you planning on buying next?
31. What was the cheapest book you bought?
32. What was the most expensive book you bought?
33. What is a book you read after seeing the movie/ TV series?
34. What is the newest book you have bought?
35. What three books are you most looking forward to reading this year?
36. What is a book you love that has a terrible trope? (Love triangle, etc)
37. Have you read a book in a different language? What was it?
38. What is a book you’ve read that is set in a time period before you were born?
39. What book offended you?
40. What is the weirdest book you have read?
41. What is your favourite duology?
42. What is your favourite trilogy?
43. What book did you buy because of its cover?
44. What is a book that you love, but has a terrible cover?
45. Do you own a poetry anthology? What is your favourite poem from it?
46. Do you own any colouring books based off other books?
47. Do you own any historical fiction?
48. What book made you angry?
49. What book has inspired you?
50. What book got you into reading?

So there you have it. The meme that really isn't a meme, found again and distributed into the aether. Have an excellent Monday and I'll be back tomorrow. 

A Book Meme Going Around

A couple of my on-line friends have posted this particular book meme. I'm tired and my thoughts are all over the place, so I thought I'd participate in this for today's blog post. Thanks to the LJ and DW friends who have been posting and reposting this meme over the past few weeks. I needed this lifeline today. NOTE: I did not bold books I've tried to read several times but put down unfinished (so sorry Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky). Here we go ... 

The BBC estimates that most people will only read 6 books out of the 100 listed below.
Reblog this and bold the titles you’ve read.


1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre – Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights – Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four – George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials – Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

11 Little Women – Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 – Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca – Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit – JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffeneger
20 Middlemarch – George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind – Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby – F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House – Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace – Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland – Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows – Kenneth Grahame

31 Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia – CS Lewis
34 Emma – Jane Austen
35 Persuasion – Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – CS Lewis
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha – Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh – AA Milne

41 Animal Farm – George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code – Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude – Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney – John Irving
45 The Woman in White – Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables – LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd – Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies – William Golding
50 Atonement – Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi – Yann Martel
52 Dune – Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm – Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy – Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities – Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez

61 Of Mice and Men – John Steinbeck
62 Lolita – Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History – Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road – Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure – Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick – Herman Melville

71 Oliver Twist – Charles Dickens
72 Dracula – Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden – Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island – Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses – James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar – Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal – Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair – William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession – AS Byatt

81 A Christmas Carol – Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas – David Mitchel
83 The Color Purple – Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day – Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance – Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web – EB White
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes – Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton

91 Heart of Darkness – Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince – Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94 Watership Down – Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice – Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers – Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet – William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

So, it's not just six, but not half either. I've heard of almost all of them, and I read - I read ALL the time - but I doubt the books I read would fall onto a listing like this. Still, I held my own on this. If you're interested in playing along, copy the list and bold your own "I have read this book" titles. 

I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully with a bit more energy. Time to head out to the gym, have a wonderful Friday.