Strange how taking the picture from this angle – in the hall upstairs – makes everything look slightly distorted. Certainly in terms of size – the needlepoint looks very tiny and it isn’t – but also in alignment. Eventually, I want to add some things to this wall.
It’s sunny out there, but colder. We have two nights coming up where the temperatures will fall below freezing. Enough, already! For heaven’s sake it’s almost May 1st! I feel very behind on everything. I haven’t purchased any plants yet because I have nowhere to store them while I wait for the weather to settle down. I had planned to go outside today and do some work, but it’s turned windy. With so much pollen out there, that’s a no go. It seems as if it’s always windy around here. Much more than it used to be.
I’ll just have to dip into my reserves of patience. But it isn’t easy for yours truly.
I reserved some books from the library – two of them came in late in the day yesterday.
I’ve already started The Dark Hours. It came out last fall when I was working in the city, and I never got around to buying it. I love Michael Connelly; I’ve read every book that he’s written. I’ve also read all of Anthony Horowitz’ mysteries, save for his newest, which you see here. I have two more books on order; Elizabeth George’s newest, as well as Susan Hill’s newest. I suspect they will arrive at my local library today.
I’m trying to save money and get what I can from the library, especially as I have lots of books sitting in my TBR pile already, not to mention, limited space! All four books are by favorite authors, so I’m really looking forward jumping in.
Stay safe.
Happy Wednesday.
Yes the library is a great way to save money. Our homeowners insurance really went up this year. Taxes, house repairs , food , gas it is a lot. I still am blessed and thankful for all we have.
Looking at Ukraine I truly have nothing to fuss about.
Exactly. I feel the same way.
Stay safe.
I stopped buying books when I realized one book could buy us enough food for cooking one dinner or a bag of produce at the farmer’s market. Our auto insurance for two cars is now $4000.00 a year in Detroit, MI. Where is it possible to cut corners anymore? Gas is now $4.00 a gallon here. So what is our alternative? Stay home, cook every meal, no take outs and no more buying books. Most of the Detroit libraries have closed or have very erratic hours and poor book selections. Now that I have complained, I will complain no more. We have enough. We don’t need anymore. I will find joy and peace in my lovely garden. That is if it doesn’t snow here again.
We never go out to eat. We always cook at home. It saves a great deal of money.
I’d like to find joy and peace in my garden, hopefully, I will once the temps are back to what they should be.
Stay safe.
This is bananas! The end of April and it’s freezing and blowing snow flurries everywhere!
Mother Nature,go back on your meds!!!!
It seems like March instead of May!
Stay safe, Pat.
I’ve had it with the weather. We’re having the same as you and I’m done with it. Just done. I don’t need it 80. I just need it warmer than the low 40s — and no freezing at night!
I read my first Horowitz “Hawthorne” book this month and loved the conceit of it. I’m looking forward to reading them all. I have a few authors where I have bought all the books in one form or another (often used, till I caught up!) and keep — Hill is one; Crombie, Winspear, MacNeal. I like my own copies but I know I should use the library more. I’m lucky in that I have a friend I do book trades with when we are done, and that’s always good!
Are we going to bypass Spring and go straight to summer??
I like my own copies, as well, and usually buy them, but funds are tight right now, so I’ll gladly take the library copies!
Stay safe, Jeanie.
I love your arrangement on that wall. It is always fun to change things around though.
I won’t tell you about the weather here. Nothing to complain about! My annuals of
petunias, pansies, roses are all going crazy. I am enjoying them before the 100 degree
weather kicks in. It won’t be much longer. Then we escape to San Diego where my older
sister lives. Our whole family gets together for 4th of July. Their house overlooks Lake
Miramar so we can see all kinds of fireworks in the distance. It is a lot of fun. We especially
enjoy it even more after not having it because of Covid. I also have nothing to complain
about after seeing Ukraine. Pray for them. Take care.
Exactly. My heart is with Ukraine. I have nothing to really complain about, though I’m human, just like everyone else.
Stay safe, Deb.
Absolutely love your staircase wall! Thanks for the book recommendations. I’ve read some Anthony Horowitz so looking forward to the latest one.
He’s such an inventive writer, Debby. Glad you’re enjoying him.
Stay safe.
that’s a very nice and personalized gallery wall!
like so many other people, i’ve been looking at my budget. also, before officially retiring, i’ve been re-organizing supplies (household, crafts, etc). i have lots of books, cross-stitch and paint supplies, yarn to last a long time. :)
been off-and-on rainy here lately and mostly super-windy. love the rain, not the wind.
hope you are all having a good day.
kathy
Very, very windy here, as well. It makes me edgy and my allergies flare up, so I will be happy to see it leave.
Stay safe, Kathy.
Oh, it is so nice to have favorite authors to look forward to. A lot of mine are yours, too. I really like the (relatively) new Connolly character Renee Ballard and enjoyed that book last fall. I just hate it when I get to the end of a series, so far as it’s been written. The latest Elly Griffiths came out last fall, I think, and still my library doesn’t have it! Got the newest Donna Leon and the Susan Hill and am now wishing there were more.
I feel the same way. Then I have to wait another year or longer for the next book. Crombie, especially, takes a long time between books.
I have the latest Griffiths, but I have to start it again. I was in the middle of reading it when I moved to Brooklyn and it got put aside. Now I can’t remember the plot.
Stay safe, Shanna.
I have a friend who likes to read and, during the earlier stages of the pandemic and locked down at home/retired, her TBR pile diminished and she was beginning to panic a little as to having nothing to read (she doesn’t order stuff online; brick & mortar stores in the area all closed at the time; no libraries open). So, simple enough to do, and generous of me (! ! !) back in 2020 (although I’d ‘owed’ her for a couple of reasons [such that this was a good solution, and it was my pleasure]), I had Amazon send her the first six Louise Penny books, in hardback which she prefers. She’d never heard of Louise Penny and I never heard another word in two years. Then, this weekend, she told me out of the blue as to how much she is now c-r-a-z-y over the Inspector Gamache series in the Three Pines, Quebec setting, how she has now read ALL of the books I sent her and, since the libraries are open again, she’s requesting each subsequent novel from them (and the wait list isn’t long). Bottom line, she’s in Louise Penny heaven. A new fan.
Is all because of amazing reader/reviewer-you, Claudia; I thought it was something my friend could sink her teeth into; something without a lot of gore. Jackpot! Before you, I’d never heard of Louise Penny!
Oh, this makes me smile! And how lovely of you to give her those books, Vicki. So kind.
I love spreading the word about Louise Penny!
Stay safe.
I would appreciate a couple of those freezing nights. We’ve already had temps in the 90 s but mostly it’s in the 70s and 80s. We may not see rain until Nov. or Dec.. My happy thought is fall is less than 6 months away.
Claudia, I’ve received so much pleasure from reading your blog I would like to gift you my copy of Hail Mary. It’s by Andy Weir. I bought it new and it’s a hard back in excellent condition…..no smoking here. If you email me your address, I will mail the book tomorrow.
This is very kind of you, Patty. You don’t have to do that, of course, but I’ll send you my address. Thank you so much! (I’ll edit your email address out of your comment so that it isn’t accessible to others.)
xo