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Tuesday, August 06, 2024

Filling My Summer Days with Crocheting, Audio Books, and Walking

 

Fire cracker in the works.  I'm over half done with sizing the squares, so it's coming alone.

One twin lives on Nantucket, one on Martha's Vineyard.  These two take sibling rivalry to a whole new level.  Does a family emergency bring them together...or not?

The wild night life associated with fast money in the restaurant/bar business.  Love vs friendship.  The gamesmanship of who sits where and why, money talks.
The year I graduated from high school, so naturally I had to read this one.  The story of the chaos of the times experienced through one family.  Oldest granddaughter pregnant with twins stranded in Boston, 2nd granddaughter in the midst of civil rights demonstrations, the only grandson fighting in Vietnam, and the youngest grandchild at age 13 lonely and angry and coming of age.  Ted Kennedy and Chappaquiddick.  Perhaps no other year in history experienced so much.

Recommend all 3 of these Elin Hilderbrand books.

You're not in Kansas anymore Todo.  Failed marriage...maybe?  Corruption and lust in a small town, government only for a few.  Who's having an affair with who?  Lots of action.  I rated this book a 3 out of 5.  It's a summer read, as it takes place at the beach.  I wouldn't put it tops on your list; but if you're running out of summer books for fun.

Super disappointed in this book.  It received The Good Reads Choice Award, but I don't know why.  As I read the reviews, people either gave it a 5 or a 1.  I gave it a 1 because I couldn't give it a zero.  James McBride sees love in this book and the people in the neighborhood.  I saw deceit, lies, violence and all around shameful behavior on almost everyone's part.  I forced myself to finish the book, even though I didn't want to.  I kept thinking it was rated well, won awards, perhaps it will get better.  From my perspective, it did NOT!.
I thought this was a powerful meme.  

During one of my walks through the neighborhood to a park, I spotted this hideous Pepto Bismol pink car.  I've never seen anything like it and wonder why anyone would buy and drive it.  I've seen some pink Mary Kay cars, but they weren't like this.
Speaking about walking, July's average miles per day is 3.73 which is down slightly from June at 3.85.  My best day was July 4th with 8.20 miles.  I mentioned Fitbit has ruined the webpage by removing the dashboard and the backlash is huge.  The number of complaints in the forum grows daily.  It remains to be seen if they will make their people happy but bringing it back, or sending the people to other platforms like Garman, Apple Watch, and or Samsung Watch.  Many have said they will leave Fitbit if it's not reinstated.

I've been removing some folks from my blog list.  Some that don't seem active any longer, and others who don't return blog visit.  But, I happily have added some new bloggers to the list as well.  I find it fun to meet new bloggers.




42 comments:

  1. Hi, I always appreciate your book reviews.
    Oh my that PINK car. Ha!

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    1. I know, I've never seen a car that color. I had to take a picture.

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  2. Good for you, Sandy, with the removing of bloggers from your list! I'm rather lazy about that.
    There were some very good bloggers in the past. Some 'deserted to Facebook, some stopped blogging.
    As for those who don't return visits - that's very rude on their part. Blogging is a matter of reciprocity and dialogue.

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    1. Totally agree about the dialogue and reciprocity. Thanks for popping in, always appreciated.

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  3. Good book reviews. I've been reading Jane Casey, she's an Irish writer and has several good books out with Maeve Kerrigan as the lead detective. Nice job working with your squares. Have a great week.

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    1. Making a note about Jane Casey, tend to love all things Irish. Thanks Bill, chipping away with the squares.

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  4. A disappointing book is not a good thing, but at least you have the others that you enjoyed. Your firecracker afghan is looking good.
    Enjoy the remaining summer
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Right you are about the books, every now and again you hit one that just isn't good; but most of the times you're on the winning side of things. Making good progress with firecracker.

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  5. Interesting how often a book highly praised and winning awards turns out to be a disappointment. I don't make myself finish a book if it's not keeping my interest ( but I do go to the last pages to see the end.)

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    1. I don't normally make myself finish a book, but because of this books rating, and author; thought I would play through...thinking it would get better and it really really didn't.

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  6. Great list of recommended books. I sure need a good read right now.
    Kudos on the walking! We are the same age, I think, and I know I would struggle right now to do a quarter mile. Maybe after my new knee in October! Here's hoping.

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    1. Good luck with knee surgery, hope that goes well for you.

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  7. I hate Pepto-Bismol and would never opt for a bright pink car. There's no accounting for taste - or the lack of it ;-)

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    1. Totally agree with you. I really couldn't believe it when I first spotted it. It's horrible.

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  8. Books reviews nice.
    Your crochet sorting is as you say coming along.
    That pink car - different, I guess.
    I have a clean up or out from time to time..

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    1. Thanks Margaret. A little here a little there. Rome wasn't built in a day as they say.

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  9. Sorry to hear you didn't like The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store. I haven't read it, but I read one of his other ones, Deacon King Kong. I really liked that one--but maybe I'll skip this one!

    There's a car around here--an old Mercedes but the owner has put a rack of longhorns on the hood. So weird, but you don't miss him coming down the road!

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    1. Oh my rack of longhorns on a car. People do the craziest things for attention.

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  10. Thank you for the book reviews; and also for your visit and for showing an interest in my book, "Don't let the devil win".

    God bless always.

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    1. Always nice to have you visit, and appreciate reading your blog.

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  11. I hate being disappointed in a book. I rarely give up on books thinking they'll get better but I don't know why I do that when there's so many great books out there that I could be enjoying. Oh my goodness, that pink car, someone wants to be seen!

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    1. I'm with you on the books. And yes the first thing I thought of was how badly someone must need attention to buy and drive a car like that pink one. Wow!

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  12. Firecracker afghan is gonna be gorgeous
    I agree about the hideous pink cars
    Years ago I saw a pink one with a black vinyl top

    Hugs Cecilia

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    1. Oh no, I think the pink car with a black roof would look even worse. Yikes. Thanks for your sweet words about Firecracker. It's coming along.

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  13. I love all things done by hand. All these granny squares get me itching to do it again, especially seeing yours and the interesting blocks you make. Love, love, love your meme. Thanks for the positivity.

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    1. Thank you, if you decide to crochet some squares do take pictures and share on your blog. I loved the meme also. It has me feeling more encouraged.

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  14. Sandy - thanks so much for faithfully visiting my blog! I am not posting much these days, or visiting other blogs, so you "waving hi" on your rounds is truly appreciated!

    I appreciate your book reviews since my daughter and I like to read books together. Hildebrand seems like the perfect fit for us.

    I love the meme!

    I have a Fitbit and I access the dashboard on my phone. Am I missing something?

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    1. Nice to hear from you. I agree, the Hilderbrand books would be a fun group of books to read together, you and your daughter. YOu can access stuff on your phone, it's just not as easy and doesn't have as many capabilities as the webpage did. Hope to see you blogging more.

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  15. Oh my! That car is hideous. Someone loves Barbie or perhaps it is a Pepto Bismol brand ambassador. Hope the FitBit gets squared away.

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    1. I can't imagine driving that car. So nauseating. No luck on the Fitbit, after reading through a lot of posts on the forum, we're now forced to use only the phone app. A real backward step.

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  16. I just heard an interview on CBC radio with Elin Hilderbrand. Apparently, after a lifetime of setting all her many, many books in Nantucket, her next book will be set elsewhere. Quite a departure for her -- a new beginning!

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    1. Oh, sorry I didn't hear the interview. I'm so enjoying her books. Will be interesting to see how she does with writing about a different location. I feel like I know my way around the island after so many of her books about Nantucket.

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  17. I agree with you about pink cars and am not crazy about baby blue ones either! We even have a couple of houses in the area those colors. Nice job on the walking!

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    1. I sure wouldn't want to live across the street from a house those colors, that would get really old. Thanks on the walking, I keep trying.

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  18. Appreciate the book reviews! Love that meme, too!

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    1. Thank you Nellie. Thanks for the visit.

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  19. The Blue Bistro was her first book I ever read and I was hooked!

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    1. You and me both. I've read one after another as I can get them from the library.

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  20. Firecracker is coming along so well and is so well-named. That is an unusual colour for a car!
    Best wishes
    Ellie

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    1. Thank you Ellie, some of these afghans are like pieces of a puzzle. That car...I really just couldn't believe it.

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