Old year out, new year coming in!

Well 2016 is winding down. Christmas was fairly quiet with my children and their dogs (three that get along pretty well). Tree hasn't lost many needles and is still drinking. Always a good sign. New Year's Eve will be quiet. Not my favorite holiday. Busy catching up and trying to organize papers and calendars. I did manage to make my Goodreads challenge this year. I am currently reading The Bronze Horseman, another book on the Leningrad siege. Historical fiction, romance. So far so good. It is a long book and it is due January 4th so I really need to read steadily (not sure I can renew it as it is from another library).

I did finish Lab Girl the next book club selection. I had a difficult time getting into the book. Having done molecular biological research for many years it was interesting and the set up was unique. But the story itself I found slow. Glad I read it. It is on so many "to read" lists of 2016. I will continue with Her Spyness series

and found another mystery series set in England at the start of WWII- Mr, Churchill's Secretary.

There seems to a theme here!

Holiday party 2016

My book club always does a holiday party in December. Several times we tried to discuss a book with little success. Too many distractions! We always have a potluck dinner- my group loves to cook and eat well. One year we even had a little carol sing. But usually we just gather and have a great time and relax. Oh and we do a Yankee Swap. There is always a gift that makes the rounds. This year it was a pair of earrings- a book and a wine glass! I made a pomegranate cheese ball (thank you How Sweet It Is food blog!)

and apricots with blue cheese which seemed to be well received. Beautiful festive table.

. We had a few desserts including red velvet cupcakes and rum soaked, chocolate covered cherries!

. We have a couple of the group who had to cancel at the last minute but here is a picture of the rest of the merry makers!

. I am trying to catch up on the newspapers and I read the Wall Street Journals Books of the Year in the Review section (Dec 10-11). So many books. I am reading our next selection for book club- Lab Girl.

. Interesting. It was on many to read lists for 2016.

Gearing up for the holidays

Some how I missed November. Totally flew by. This year is quickly coming to an end. Have been reading a lot. Enjoying the Her Royal Spyness series. Yes, light and easy to read but fun. Right now I need fun. Thoroughly enjoyed City of Thieves and our discussion in our book group was very energized. I did request another book on the Siege of Leningrad- The Bronze Horseman. Will see how that works out.

. Our next meeting is simply our annual Christmas potluck and Yankee Swap. Always a good time. Have had a few cold days and even a dusting of snow. Today is a catch-up day for me as we have some trees being cut down and I am home dealing with that. Going through papers, mail, email. Stuff I don't like doing (does anyone?) so it piles up until I can't stand it anymore. Actually I am feeling like I am making progress in de-cluttering, my holy grail.

Fall

After last week's mini heat wave it is starting to feel like fall. The leaves are turning and the foliage has been beautiful. More than I expected considering the lack of water all summer long

This picture really doesn't do justice to the colors of this tree on the Tower Trail at Sleeping Giant State Park (in Hamden CT). My husband and I have been trying to walk the trail as often as possible. I started The Gentleman in Moscow. Impulsively took it out of the library for a week. Slow to start and as I couldn't renew it, because of a hold on it, I had to return it. Only got to page 175. Not sure if I will try to finish it. I then read Amy Schumer's book Girl With The Lower Back Tattoo. Funny, crass, sad, disturbing and many instances timely (i.e. her telling of how she lost her virginity, her abusive ex husband in the current political presidential race). I am not one to watch stand up comedians but she does hit on current events. Now reading a light mystery set in England at the beginning of WWII- a member of the royal family (Georgie, 34th in line to the throne) becomes involved in a murder. Fun.

. I believe I will search out the next in the series. Of course I should probably choose a book from the pile next to my bed or one of the many in the bookcase in my bedroom!My book group meets Monday night to discuss Hillbilly Elegy. Should be a good discussion.

September planning weekend in RI

Another summer comes to an end and another weekend is spent in RI with my book group planning our year. Always a good time with good friends and lots of wonderful food. We started the day with a lunch spread of various salads- egg, tuna, ham and chicken (with cranberries and walnuts), three bean and wild rice salad and a yummy fruit salad. Chocolate chip cookies finished the meal. We then went to the beach which was quite nice for about an hour. Then the clouds rolled in. The waves were of good size and fun to jump. When everyone was chilled we went home for showers and happy hour. We started with a special drink - peach nectar with prosecco and blueberries and raspberries.

. It was a big hit and I think it will be the signature drink for our annual September gathering. Then we had our appetizers- cheeses, fruit,sliced pepperoni, stuffed sweet peppers (another hit- thank you Pinterest!)and kettle corn. One of our group always makes California rolls which not only looked beautiful but were incredibly delicious!

. There was a wedding at the Weekapaug Inn and we could hear the music which was a nice touch! When we finished our special drinks we sampled a couple of wines- strawberry rhubarb from Prince Edward Island, a chardonnay, a sauvignon and a rose. I loved the rose bottle and it has a home on my shelf with other wine bottles with intriguing labels.

. After my husband took the "annual" group picture we moved inside to a yummy meal of BBQ chicken (courtesy of my husband), a variety of salads and fresh bread. For dessert we had two pies, a cake and a peach galette. Stuffed! We did get our books selected and hosts determined and talked books. I had ordered book marks for each member and had tucked them at each napkin. Well received. There were even fireworks at the Weekapaug Inn which was a great way to end the evening. My husband was not only cook but waiter and dishwasher and made the weekend so easy for us. After stuffing ourselves we relaxed a bit before heading off to bed. Breakfast was carb loaded- ginger scones, apple cider donuts, fruit and yogurt and an oatmeal coconut blueberry bake dish. We decided that the oatmeal dish was good but would be even better with vanilla ice cream (for dessert).

. Another great, fun weekend with wonderful friends, food and conversation. We started our group in 1998- 18 years. Here is to another 18!

Summer is winding down

Hard to believe and hard to accept is the end of summer. Here in Rhode Island it has been hot and dry. Very little rainfall the entire summer- great for going to the beach and lying in the sun reading and drinking icy cold water. But today is the first time it is cool and I need to don a light sweatshirt while eating on the screened in porch. Getting ready for my book club's annual RI weekend for book selection and discussion. Not sure what our extracurricular activities will be this year. It is all weather depending. One year we visited a winery and sampled local wines. Most years we go to the beach and swim. Last year we had a little wine/beer tasting on the deck. A new independent book store has opened in Westerly and perhaps we will take a little trip there or maybe to the local brewery. I am trying to find several books to offer as part of our selections for the upcoming year. I asked for some suggestions from my walking buddies and here are a couple to consider for next year: 1. House in the Sky 2. Sound of Gravel 3. In The Garden of Beasts 4. Lowlands 5. Hillbilly Elegy 6. Circling the Sun Now supposedly to suggest a book one must have read it but lately we have ignored that rule if we have heard good reviews about a book. I need to do a bit more research before I make my suggestion(s). While in RI I try to walk every morning. I have a loop which is about 4.8 miles. I carry my phone with me and listen to the news and snap a few pictures of flowers, wildlife ( there are usually lots of turkeys in the nearby fields) and the beach.

August

Hello, I'm back. Lots of fun stuff going on. My book group met in July (for our June potluck meeting). It was great seeing everyone and catching up with lives and books and trying to stay cool. In case any one has forgotten how hot it has been this summer.

. I went to a wedding in Burlington Vermont one weekend. I arrived early Friday afternoon and had a chance to explore Burlington. Lovely college town with beautiful Lake Champlain. There was a popular walking section of the town with lots of stores. Discovered this little book shop.

It was a "barn wedding and was so much fun. It turned out to be a beautiful afternoon (the morning was grey and dismal) and there was a gorgeous sunset. Perfect.

. Before the wedding I had the morning to explore the area. I toured Ben and Jerry's ice cream factory.

. After that I "found" a quilt shop and just had to buy a Vermont fabric. I picked out one with cows.....Have been reading a lot. My library offered an adult summer reading program this year. It was created to get adults not only involved but to discover sections of the library that one might not be familiar. It is set up as a Bingo style card with a "free" center square and then each square is a different type of book or reference material or some other item (magazine, puzzle etc) to take out. Well I actually won a prize the second week simply for registering. But I am struggling completing a row. I have one more square to cross off in one row but I need to finish two books before I take out one for that last square. Luckily the contest is over the end of August so I have a little bit of time. The one book that I picked up on impulse that has stayed with my was The Guest Room by Chris Bohajalian. Really scary/creepy. But good. Getting ready for next year. Have made the calendar and planning our Rhode Island weekend. To end on a pretty note. This is a picture of the Rubrum lilies in my front yard. This year there were many blooms and the plant grew so tall I had to double stake it.

Delinquent...again

Well here it is July 10th and I have not posted since May. Wow. Where has the time gone? I have been reading, playing a little golf (although sometimes I give new definition to the game of golf), hanging out in Little Rhody with family and friends, visiting my mom (and we visited the CT DMV one morning- now that was a good time!) and even done a bit of sewing. What have I read? Well, A Man Called Ove (loved this one even though it was a bit sad), Dead to the Last Drop (Coffee house mystery this time set in DC), Heat and Light (fiction based on the current fracking dilemma, also a bit depressing), The Summer Before the War (historical fiction), The Japanese Lover, Murder at the 42nd Street Library and Career of Evil (JK Rowling aka Robert Galbraith) to mention most of them. Phew. Currently reading The Dig which my cousin gave a really good review - enough to pique my curiosity. Our local library is having an adult summer reading program, bingo style, which I enrolled in. And guess what? I won a raffle basket which includes a backstage tour of the Schubert Theater in New Haven. I rarely win so this is a bit exciting. And I have seen quite a few shows at the Schubert so it will be interesting. Fourth of July was a busy weekend family-wise. My daughter, her partner,their two dogs (Maddy and James)and two friends. My son also was with us with his dog (Nellie) and two of his friends. Wild and crazy times but fun. The weather was beautiful and the dogs loved running around chasing the chipmunks. We couldn't see any fireworks but could hear them which drove Nellie crazy. She was pretty scared. Maddy and James didn't seem to mind.

. This is Nellie basking in the sun. Here is a not so great picture of the three dogs waiting for food.

. So I am almost caught up with news. Wednesday my book club meets for a summer potluck. We couldn't find a date in June that was convenient for most of us so this is technically our June meeting. Will be fun to see everyone and get caught up on the latest news.

May post

Well, it has been almost four weeks since my last post. Just not making the time to keep up with blogging. Book club meets tomorrow night to discuss Euphoria by Lily King. I struggled with this book. It has gotten great reviews but I just wasn't hooked. I liked the writing although it did take me awhile to get used to who was narrating. It did spike my interest in learning a bit more about Margaret Mead as I know little about her besides the basics. I have started reading the Granchester mysteries

after watching the PBS series. And I do enjoy reading Louise Penny and Inspector Gamache

. My badminton season is over. My golf season has started. Gearing up for the summer. Been on a cleaning binge. Have thoroughly cleaned two of the garage bays and have started to go through and organize the storage area under the eaves. This is where we put everything we couldn't bare to part with from the kids' earliest art work and school papers to the hundreds, literally, of books that we have. I did find three boxes of books that we moved 28 years ago and that we will never re-read but my husband is hesitant to donate them. Working on that. I have to get rid of piles of magazines etc. Just don't want to leave all this clutter to my kids. Not saying we are hoarders but we do accumulate stuff.

Sunday fun day

Had our book club last week. Great discussion. So glad we had postponed and waited until most of us could get together. Our next book Kitchens of the Great Midwest I read back in the fall. Will need to review it before our next meeting. I started a new mystery murder series last week- One Foot in the Grove. Ugh. Set in Georgia, I really struggled with this for about 4 days. Just had so much trouble liking any of the characters and all were annoying. So, something I don't usually do- stopped reading it. It goes back to the library tomorrow. Interesting that some people gave it 5 stars of Goodreads and loved it and then there were many who gave it two or one and just couldn't get into it. Too many books to waste time on those that are not interesting to read. I then started Secrets of Midwives and so far am finding it a good read. Waiting for the UConn women' basketball game at 6 pm tonight. Should be a good game. And opening day for baseball is today or tomorrow depending on which team you follow. For me it is the Red Sox as my daughter lives in Boston.

Best laid plans....

Last weekend was a pretty busy one for me. Friday night we went to a surprise birthday party for one of our friends. When we turned onto the street I was "Whoa, look at all the cars!". There had to be 30 cars parked. Lots of family and friends gathered. When our friend turned onto the street a group lined up with the letters spelling "happy birthday". Totally surprised. Tons of food. Even a roast pig! That took 10 hours to cook. Amazing. I told my husband we just don't know how to throw a party. Saturday we had friends for dinner which was long over due and was quite nice. Easy, casual. Sunday afternoon my niece had the family birthday party for her daughter( my great-niece) who turns six. Nice get together. Sunday night took a turn for the worse. I started feeling a little queasy and by 9:30pm was really sick with flu-like symptoms which lasted all through the night. Ugh. It was awful, and I was miserable. Totally exhausted. I spent all day Monday sleeping and sipping on flat Coke (I almost never drink soda). I made my husband sleep in another room so hopefully he won't come down with this horrible bug. I felt much better by Monday night.Luckily it seemed to run its course in about 16 hours. Monday night my book club was supposed to meet but at least two of us were sick (or recovering) and two had work commitments so we all agreed to postpone the meeting until next week. It sounds like everyone has been reading Americanah and enjoying it- or at least want to discuss it. I think it will be a great discussion. I really enjoyed reading it- well written, lots to think about- the challenges that face people transitioning to a new country and culture. Cant wait for next week. Have started The Little Paris Bookshop. Not sure about it. Not hooked right away but will give it a chance as I have heard a lot about it.

Daylight savings, sewing machines, socks and other things

Can't believe how quickly the days go by. First up, Americanah. Really enjoying this book. Very interesting, well written and it is giving me some insight to the trials, feelings and behaviors of immigrants and their perspective on American living. Can't wait for next Monday for our book club discussion. At the last meeting one of our group had on a pair of banned books socks-

. Very cute. Upon returning from Florida and after doing some laundry I discovered that the ceiling in the linen closet had collapsed due to a leak from the toilet (no worry- only clean water) from the third floor bathroom which my son uses. Every towel, sheet, pillowcase was soaked. It took almost three days to wash everything because the spin cycle on the washer machine didn't work (unless going through an entire cycle). I had to have an emergency visit by our contractor (who is also a good friend) and then meet with not one but two insurance agents to assess the damage to file a claim. Frustrating as we have never filed a claim before..... Hopefully the work to fix everything will start tomorrow. But, because everything is 28 years old it looks as if the bathroom will be a total redo except for the shower. Ugh. On a happier note while looking at houses with my son I stumbled upon an series 15 Singer sewing machine at an estate sale. The sale started Friday and went until Sunday. Well Saturday afternoon no one had bought this beauty. So fearing that it might be put on the street if not rescued my husband and I went back Sunday morning. It was in very good condition and worked. So we made an offer and now I have another machine.

. I have my grandmother's featherweight, another older Singer, my two Berninas and a serger. I think that is enough. Have not tried the new one yet because I need to read the manual to remember how to wind a bobbin. What I think is pretty neat using the serial number, you can find out the date the machine was made. Mine was made September 23, 1952. I posted a few pictures on a vintage sewing site on Facebook and lots of people made very positive comments. One last thing. I had sent out an email to my book group reminding everyone to set their clocks ahead last Saturday. I was the one who set all the clocks in the house BACK an hour. It was almost a complete disaster Sunday morning as I am on altar guild at my church and am responsible for cleaning up after the early service. I was almost two hours late for church! Luckily my husband figured out my mistake and I got to church just in time to set up the the second service. What a way to start my morning. Reminded my of the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland who kept saying I'm late, I'm late....

Rabbit, rabbit welcome Spring!

As a child I was told that if my first words of a new month were "rabbit, rabbit" I would have good luck for that month . Well usually I forgot until about noon time or later. And I still have trouble remembering.

I returned from my stay in Florida just in time to attend my book group. Our discussion was very lively and Same Kind Of Different As Me was fairly thought provoking. I read 10 books while away. I think my favorites were The Mapmaker's Children and Once We Were Brothers- both historical fiction. I managed to get hold of a copy of Americanah, which is the March selection for book club, at our library this morning. I also picked up a couple of other books. Of course. Today is very spring like- blue skies, cool breeze and temperatures are moderate. Sweatshirt weather. Now to catch up with the mail and laundry- the downside of being away!

Break from the cold and snow

Well my husband and I have been in Sarasota Florida for a little over two weeks. We left on a messy snowy Wednesday morning- lucky to leave the cold of Connecticut. Usually we spend time in Maui however this year because of health issues we headed for Florida. The first few days were a bit cool but sunny. And no snow! Then it gradually became warmer. We have spent time at Siesta Key beach and Caspersen Beach in Venice. Both are lovely and a bit different. Siesta Key has miles of beautiful white silky sand. Quite nice. Caspersen beach has black sand which is a little bit coarser. The beaches are well cared for and have great facilities. We have even seen dolphins which was pretty neat. Caspersen beach is famous for shark teeth and people have special screens with handles to sift through the shells and sand. I have found some pretty shells to put into the condo where we are staying. The seagulls are not afraid of people and will attempt to eat anything you are eating (ask me how I know!). In planning our getaway I of course packed a number of books planning on a book every one and a half days. Well good plan. My first book was The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud.

. Well it took me almost a week to slog through. Can you tell I didn't enjoy it very much? Didn't like the characters, thought the plot was weak and I wish I hadn't finished it. I then read Anne Lamott's Blue Shoe. I had not read her before and have heard so much about her and her writing.

. At least I could believe the characters and wasn't really annoyed by them alhough the main character, Mattie, certainly was a mess. I enjoyed it and will follow up with another of her books when I get home. Then I read The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, another author I had not read. I enjoyed this and remembered that I had seen the movie (and that is about all I could remember!).

. I then, having finished reading the library books I had brought with me, moved on to a couple of Goodreads wins. The first was Chasing Mona Lisa by Tricia Goyer and Mike Yorkey. Unknown to me this was the second in a series although it stood alone. Set in Paris and Switzerland at the end of WWII I thought I would love it. Historical fiction. However it was just okay and seemed a little too glib about the horrors of the war and events seemed contrived or just convenient. But entertaining. I did like the writing and might check out the first book The Swiss Courier.

. I moved on to The Mapmaker's Children, another Goodreads win, and more historical fiction. Set at the start and during the Civil War it is about Sarah Brown, daughter of John Brown the abolitionist. I couldn't' put it down. Well researched and very entertaining. Really a good read.

Moving on to The Almond Tree which sounded very familiar. And as I read it it became more and more familiar. I was reading it at the beach and it was my backup book. Drat! I had read it in 2014. And I had lugged it to Florida. Then I figured I better read my book club selection Same Kind of Different as Me. I wasn't sure if I would like this- it sounded a little too evangelical and I was not sure how it would pan out. In the end- an excellent read and very interesting. Yes the author and his wife had a strong faith but it was a good story. So glad I read it. My husband had only brought one book with him (can you believe it?) and was counting on visiting the little lending library in the condo association. It is actually quite nice and has a good selection of titles. On the shelf I noticed one- Once We Were Brothers- which is on my to-read list (at Goodreads). So I grabbed it and told him he would like it. He could not put it down and that rarely happens. It was that good. So I have started it last night and was instantly hooked.

. Another WWII historical fiction novel. Will get back to reading once I finish this post!

More snow.... and more predicted through Weds

It's snowing again! Lots of school closings, cancellations. And snow is predicted for Tuesday and Wednesday. We hope to leave for Florida Wednesday morning so keeping my fingers crossed. It's not Maui but my husband and I both need a break. I went to the library to take out a few books just in case (as in I really don't want to buy any more books even if there is a Barnes and Noble close by). I started the second book in Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series- A Fatal Grace.

. So here is a question- when you are going on vacation what is the first thing you put out to take? I usually go through my stacks of books and pick out a couple. Or three. Or more.

Snow Day!

As predicted it started to snow sometime during the night and has continued through the morning ( well it is only 9:45 but still). So pretty. Four deer have gone through the yard. I filled the bird feeder and the birds are flocking to it.

Nellie, my son's lab mix rescue (from a TN kill shelter last year) LOVES the snow. Lazy morning. Finished Children of the Jacaranda Tree. Enjoyed it but I did find it hard to keep track of the characters. Very interesting read although sad. Started Blackmoore last night. I would classify this as romantic fluff.

. Not sure why I put this on my to-read list but I must have read about it on another blog. I did something I don't normally do. I read through several reviews. One was scathing-hated the book, the characters, the writing, the overuse of some of the words. Okay, romance is not everyone's thing. But it is an easy read and yes, the whole caged bird metaphor is a bit over done but it does work. About halfway through (does that tell you something?).

Picture of my backyard and bird feeder. My son nicely shoveled a path so I can refill when necessary.

February 1st already!

Well January went by quickly for me. Not sure why. Only the one big snowfall which has quickly melted and this week temps are supposed to read 60! I read Lullaby of Polish Girls

which took longer that it should. The books is only 212 pages but it took me much longer than I anticipated. Why? I guess I just was not driven or compelled by the characters or the story. After finishing I read the back jacket about the author and it sounded as if it was semi-autobiographical. Still. It wasn't one of my favs. Continuing on my book a week quest I started Children of the Jacaranda Tree

. Set in post-revolutionary Iran I am already hooked. Over the weekend I worked on a few sewing/quilting projects. One project I have been intrigued by was a fold and stitch wreath. I bought the pattern and supplies Weds and worked on it Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Clipped threads this morning.

I am pretty happy with how it turned out but I am not sure I really would want to make another one. I have enough supplies to make one more and I might make one for my church's holiday bazaar but I think right now I need to take a break. I did baste a square for my Hawaiian quilt. The pattern is of sea turtles which I love. And lastly eight deer wandered through my back yard early this am. I caught a few on a video. Will try to figure out how to post.

Snowy update

The snow finally slowed down late last evening. I would guess we have about 12-13 inches. Never made it to church. Our driveway didn't get plowed until 6:30 am and then we had to clear the snow off my son's car (which was in front of the garage) and remove the snow from the front of the car. Oh well. It is pretty- at least for a few days. I spent the better part of the morning sewing and finishing projects for the church holiday bazaar. I know it isn't until November but I wanted to get a jump start as I don't really sew during the summer. Then we watched the Patriots play the Broncos and lose. Always next year. Pats just didn't play well. I think I will head upstairs and read Brooklyn. Recording Downton Abbey, Madam Secretary and Mercy Street.

Guess I was wrong

Well it looks like I underestimated the amount of snow. It has been snowing since 8:30 am and it is not letting up. I would guess we are over 8 inches so far. My son's dog Nellie loves the snow. I will try to figure out how to post the video of her chasing her stick in the snow.

Happy girl.

Posted by Dave Schlesinger on Saturday, January 23, 2016

Wow it worked!!! I did get to the library budget workshop this morning. Nothing spectacular to report. The director asked for more money for books, a page or two, another librarian, money to paint the inside of the building and money for shelves. It is a fair budget proposal and within the recommended percent increase that the Finance Board suggested. Hopefully nothing will be cut. Right. Saw The Big Short last night. I still can't get my head around the shenanigans in the banking industry. And the lying and cheating and basically taking advantage of people. Ugh. Scary. And depressing. But the movie was quite good and entertaining. I should put that book on my to-read list. Stay warm and be careful with removing the snow.

Snow coming... maybe

Not to be cynical but with all the hype about the upcoming snowstorm I am doubtful about the amount of snow that is predicted. Sometimes the forecast is correct and sometimes not. We shall see. I am prepared for it. Went to the grocery story Weds and it was bedlam. Crazy. And the storm wasn't going to start until Friday night or Saturday morning (at that time). Also picked up not one but three books from my library that I had requested. Our library is in a new network for loaning and it is amazing how quickly you can receive books. Two of the books had over 5 "holds" (other people requesting) so I figured they would dribble in. But in this new system there are so many copies it takes little time to get a book. Well all three books came in a week. Surprise! So I am ready to for snow. I finished The Dressmaker. Can't decide about this one. It was slow at first and I really didn't like the characters. There seemed to be a stereotypical character of every kind- the bully, the crossdresser, the nasty mother, the snobby woman, the boy next door... Then the story took a somewhat unexpected twist and that caught my attention. But then it wallowed back into a dark, mean, sort of contrived ending. And in the end it was a bit depressing- nothing wrong with that but I was hoping for something a bit more upbeat after all the nastiness and depressing events that had occurred. At this point I am not sure I want to see the movie which was one of the reasons I had wanted to read the book. I started Brooklyn last night after coming home from my library board meeting.

My husband and I saw the movie and really enjoyed it. I really want to see how the book was adapted for the movie. Already (in the first 55 pages) there have been four changes- one the elimination of Eilis' three brothers. Two, Eilis is already studying accounting and book keeping before moving to the USA. Third, she met the priest who arranged her move while in Ireland not in the US. And fourth when she meets Anthony he is described in the book as "blond haired". Not to quibble but I am guessing the producers thought Anthony would look more "Italian" with dark hair. Not sure if these changes will significantly change the story but we shall see. But I really like the way it is written. My reading challenge for Goodreads if moving along nicely. Four books so far.

Sunday update

Last week my book club met to discuss The Nightingale. Great discussion, lots of interest in the book and it was well received. Our next book is Same Kind of Different As Me which will be interesting I think. I have read 4 books so far in 2016 which I think is pretty good- keeping on track for my goal of 75. I just started The Dressmaker which was made into a film.

Will try to get together the books for the PopSugar reading challenge today. Had work done on my foot Friday and really need to keep it up for two days and then limit my activity for about a week. A bit frustrating but getting caught up on computer stuff etc. Trying to get my sewing/craft area organized and getting together all the projects that need completing. HA! Always a challenge. Keep reading!

Wrap up of 2015 finally

Well I figured it was time to wrap up my reading challenge for 2015. My goal was 75 books and I read 72. Not bad. According to Goodreads my total pages read was 24,415. The shortest book was The Ocean At the End of the Lane - 181 pages.

All the Light We Cannot See was the longest book with 530 pages.

The book that was most popular was Gone Girl.

The least popular book I read was The Chalk Circle.

. So for 2016 I set my goal to 75 books again with the hope that I can accomplish that. So far I have read two, and working on a third by Jane Austen.