Counting books

 I made a book count...I had to know...how many was I hoarding?   Can you guess?  How many books are in your home on your list to read? 

I try to get them out of the house as soon as I am done with them or right after the book club discussions.  I give them to my sister in law or donate them to the local little library. 

So many books so little time. 

I did not count books that I plan to give away!

This one is headed to Great Grandson Hey Mikey a 4th Grader!

Good memories as Adam and I read chapters in these books when he was little.  The books made us laugh!  

Oh yes that book count...68.  Last time I counted it was 62...I am slipping!

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Books

 I finished one of my inbetween books.   It is a Sandra Dallas book called The Diary of Mattie Spenser. 

A journal set in the 1860's of a newly married couple homesteading in Colorado.  It was a book I really enjoyed.   I give it a 9.5 out of a 10.  But then I like all Sandra Dallas books. 

Onto the next book! 

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Book Club 2026: September

 We read Looking For Jane by Heather Marshall.  

I give it an 8 out of 10.  It is not a book I would have picked to read.  That is the beauty of belonging to a group...you are challenged to read different books.  It is all about women and their struggles in homes for unwed mothers, obtaining illegal abortions, and motherhood.  

It was sometimes a very sad/mad read...it was presented by a good Author however her last plot twist seemed a bit like it was pulled out of the hat to suit her story line. 

What's cooking?  Chicken cordon blu, sweet potatoes and yellow beans. 

 

Minnesota weather: Cool and a few sprinkles of rain.   High was 63F or 17C   Low was 54F or 12C.

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A Puzzling Book

 Jen had a book and showed it to me.  Needless to say I ordered a couple from Amazon...one for me and one for my friend Susie.  I hope she is still talking to me after working in the book.

It is a murder mystery with clues and 46,600 possibilities.  

Jen solved the puzzle...I have not...it is all consuming...but I put it down a couple of days ago to give it a rest!  Noah also has a book.  

The Wildfire Smoke is awful. It gave me a headache. We are lucky to have Air Conditioning and two air purifiers in our home. 

Far Guy had his weekly infusion and I ran errands...paint for the trim around the new screen door, to the accountant for tax advice, Aldi, gas and a car wash, the bank, Walmart for a grocery pickup and the Meat Market.

I saw a gal holding a sign that said 20 ribeyes for $39.99 on a street corner.   There was a truck in a nearby parking lot...called Backyard Butchers.   Well they try to upsell you from the tiny paper thin ribeyes...dinkiest rib eyes I have ever seen.   If it sounds too good to be true it probably is...lesson learned.  What a waste of time....I know where to buy good meat at the local meat market.

Minnesota weather:  Smoky air.  High 87F or 31C   Low 71F or 22C

What's Cooking: Far Guy made eggs and potatoes:)

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Little Golden Book

 Do you remember The Little Golden Books?  Did you or your children have a favorite? 

We had one special one that we could recite over and over. 

I found it for sale.

In 1973 it was 69 cents and it along with a few other story books were gifts for our oldest daughter's 1st Birthday. (Gifts from Snuffer...our much loved dog)

Far Guy and I read that book over and over on our trip home on leave from Lowry AFB and then again on the long trip to Mac Dill AFB in the Summer of 1973. 

As Trica got older and was able to turn the pages she would turn them as you recited the book and would make you go back and say it right if you messed up. 

Anyways...I have a copy of the book...in todays prices the book would be valued at $5.50  well it is kinda rare...so I payed a tad bit more than that for it. 

"Wake up baby this is your special day" 

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In between Snow and a book

 Some of our snow has taken on a dingy brownish color...snow and good old North Dakota soil makes the snow look yucky.

Here you can see the strip of dirty snow. 

I ventured out for my PT appointment, Andy was up at o'dark thirty shoveling and snow blowing.  I came back after my appointment and got Far Guy to drop me off at the grocery store door and pick me up again...much better than walking across an icy parking lot.

I finished an in between book. It is a Sandra Dallas book called Little Souls.  It is historical fiction. It takes place in Denver Colorado during the Spanish Flu epidemic.  I give it a 7...mostly because I think sexual abuse can be in a book but I do not want it to fuel the whole book.  I would have written it differently...but you all probably guessed that already. 

Four medical appointments this week, my one is done...Far Guy has three to go. We must travel to appointments in Fargo on Wednesday so we hope for no stormy weather. 

Progress continues on the photo album project...I am on 1994.  

Supper is Tacos, Far Guy's Chili Cheese Dip, fruit and some Rice Krispie bars that I just finished making!

Minnesota Weather:  High 3 F or 16C  Low was -11F or -24C   Wind Chills were in the -40's.

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Books, Blue Sky and Back

 I read Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson.   It is about the Yellow Fever Epidemic in Philadelphia through the eyes of a teenager.  It is Historical Fiction.

It was an easy read.  I give it an 8 out of a 10. 

I made vegetable beef soup for supper.  It was really good.  

It was a nice day with blue skies and sunshine. 

Minnesota weather; High 36 F or 2C Low was 23F or -5C eh!

My MRI results are back and there is nothing wrong in my back that requires surgery.  I will continue with PT and I have an appointment with a pain management Doctor.  The PT says I should never stand still but shift my weight back and forth when standing. At the present time I am taking 10 mg of Prednisone every day as recommended by my Rheumatologist.  I failed the Methotrexate that he prescribed last month...it gave me tremors. What can I say I am complicated. 

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In between book

 I started this book back in the Spring...April I think.  Jen gave me the book and said "It is best read in snippets here and there."   So that was my approach.

The Life Impossible by Matt Haig.

I give the book a 7 out of 10 on my reading scale.  It was a very different read for me, however the last 20 pages were page turners.  

The book is full of different thoughts on life.  My favorite being...

"Reading helps you live lives beyond the one you are inside.  It turns our single-room mental shack into a mansion."

Now onto the next book...perhaps another in between book before I start the next book club read.  I got a Thrift Books order last week:)

We are in a blizzard warning.  Lots of time for puzzles and reading.  

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Book Club : December 2025

 I had Book Club on Thursday afternoon.  The book was The Switch by Beth O'Leary

On my scale of 1 to 10  I give it a 4.   It was a lot of fluff and not much substance.  I enjoyed the 79 year old woman in the book and her outlook.  However I would not read the book again. 

Seems like it has been forever since I have read a page turner!  

Recommendations are always welcome!

Friday was a quiet day, toward evening Jen and I went to Michaels. Far Guy waited in the car. He people watched and talked to my sister on the phone whilst we were in the store!

No yarn was purchased just watercolor paper for more cards. 

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Book Club: November 2025

 This month for Book Club we read Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas.

I enjoyed it very much!  It is historical fiction set in the Civil War from a young bride's view that she writes in letters to her sister.  I give it a nine out of a ten.  Parts of it I would have written differently...but that is just me being judgy. 

All of the gals in the book club liked it...it was one of my suggestions. So far I have liked all the Sandra Dallas books I have read.  Persian Pickle Club, Westering Women and true sisters all were excellent reads. 

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Book Club 2025: September

 For book club this month we read The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger.  All of the ladies enjoyed the book.  I give it a 9 out of a 10.  I did not like two parts of the book and I cannot see why he wrote them the way he did...so it is a 9 not a 10.   Three fourths the way through the book I wrote the ending in my mind...and it was nothing like the way it ended. Go figure.

It was still a good read.  One of the gals in book club went to the book signing by William Kent Krueger in Park Rapids last weekend and she said it was very interesting and that he talks just like he writes. 

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Book Club 2025 : May

 I missed last months Book Club because we were traveling to a Doctor's appointment.

April's read was a mystery called Still Life by Lousie Penny, the book takes place in Canada.  I give it a 7 maybe...I usually don't read mysteries.   All the gals liked it.

May's read takes place in Minnesota.  A story well written although there were many characters to keep track of...there were some very memorable characters which include a young man in high school.  I gave the book a 9 out of a 10.  I think I will try to read something else by this author.  Lorna Landvik wrote Chronicles of a Radical Hag. Everyone enjoyed the book. 

Now I will begin reading something totally different by Debbie Macomber...the Rose Harbor Series before I read the really heavy depressing but uplifting June Book Club read...I have read it before and have heard the Author speak. 

Read on!  Oh yes I ordered a few more books. Read 3 ordered some more...total is now 58.  I should be good for a while.  I order my books through Thrift Books because they have free shipping and occasionally I get a free book. 

BTW my book club is all wives of Veterans and it is virtual, it is headed by one of the VA Social Workers...we also have time to share about crafts we are working on. 

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Books and other "stuff"

 I finally made a list of the books that I have in the house to read.  I am only 52 books behind....but at least I know which books I have hidden away...just in case.  I had to order a few books for upcoming book club books.  That is what prompted the making of the list. 

We took it easy on Tuesday...because Monday was a busy day.  We made Jambalaya, salad and flat bread for supper guests.  Far Guy was the cook and I was the sous chef/dishwasher/bread baker.  Teamwork!  Tuesday morning we both said we are getting too old for cooking.  However Jambalaya freezes well and we froze some up for the summer...it will make a great side dish or main dish with a salad and fruit for the summer days we don't want to cook.  Far Guy follows the Cajun Ninja recipe for Jambalaya on You Tube. 

The flat bread was really good and made the whole house smell great!  No it is not perfectly formed but it tasted perfectly great! 

Supper on Tuesday was chicken thighs with skin removed in the crock pot with pineapple juice and soy sauce...salad and peaches. Easy cooking!

I have had a post it note floating around my desk space for a bit...it says...  

"Being popular on facebook is like sitting at the cool table in the cafeteria of a mental hospital" 

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Inbetween Book

 Jen passed a book down to me and I passed it to Far Guy. We all enjoyed the book.  I give it a 9 out of a 10.  Jen is reading it aloud to the Greats. 

The Eyes & The Impossible by Dave Eggers

It was a quick read for me, Far Guy read it over the course of a few days sitting in a chair by the window soaking up some sun/watching it spit snow. 

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Book Club: September

 We read The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom.

I liked the book as did the other ladies in the book club.  I give it a 9 plus...not a perfect 10.   It is another historical fiction read.  

What have you read lately?  Anything good that you care to recommend? 

I still order books from Thrift Books...I still like to hold a book in my hand even though I have many books on my Kindle.   I usually pass the books along after I have read them or donate them.

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Inbetween

 I read true sisters by Sandra Dallas.  It is historical fiction.  It is based on the Martin Companies Mormon Handcart Journey in 1856.    I give it an 8 out of a 10.  The conditions the settlers faced were very difficult.  Basically they walked 1,300 miles.  

This was my inbetween book club read.  It is heavy on the Mormon religion from a women's perspective.

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Book Club : August

 The Book Club gathered at a local park for a book exchange, snacks and a discussion of the book The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post by Allison Pataki.   It is historical fiction....that is the type of book I like best.

This was one of my selections to read.  I give it an 8 out of a 10.  It was an enjoyable read.  It might have gotten a 9 out of 10 but about 20 pages of the book were missing and replaced with a different book.  Frustrating for this reader...the other gals had to brief me about the goings on in those 20 pages.  I put the book in the paper recycling bin so it won't happen to anyone else. 

I took a few books to exchange and brought just as many back home. Not that I need another book in this house.  

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A book

 This book was a quick read and very entertaining.  I give it an eight out of a ten.  It is not the usual type of book I read, but it is this months book club read at the local library in East Grand Forks. 

Jen goes to book club there and I may tag along with her. 

Onto the next read for the regular book club that I attend via video. It is a short read also and one I am looking forward to. 

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What are you reading?

 I just finished a book I really enjoyed. 

I have not watched it in Netflix yet.  If you enjoy a book the movie is usually not up to the books standards.

I found out that there is a sequel ...so I ordered it from Thriftbooks.  

So that is what I am reading...how about you? 

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Book Club January

 We had book club on Thursday afternoon.  We read The Measure by Nikki Erlick.   I thought it would be a much better book that it was, I give it a five out of ten stars.  It was a struggle for me to finish it...but I finally just sat down and read until I finished it.  I just hate books that are hard to get through.  I would not recommend the book to anyone.  I passed it along to  Jen as it is a pick for her book club later this winter.   I can hardly wait to hear what they say about it. 

Friday I caught up with laundry and cleaned our bathroom.  I have several projects I am working on...crochet projects ...I think I have four projects going at one time...

It was frosty again.

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