Sunday, November 8, 2015

Weekly Update: November 8, 2015


Weekly Update, take two...

I don't know how it happened, but I somehow just deleted this post instead of saving it. To make matters worse, blogger's "undo" option doesn't appear to be working today. Grrrrr!

Anyway... I've spent most of the week trying to adjust to last weekend's time change. I'm ready to go extra early in the morning and then dragging by dinnertime. It's been unseasonable warm all week, with a couple of record-breaking days in the 70s. The sunsets have been extraordinary, too ... just wish they didn't happen until after  5 PM.

Tuesday was Election Day. There were no big races, and a change in polling place was the most remarkable feature of the day. I have voted at the local high school for as long as I can remember. This year, amidst growing security concerns, voting was moved to a nearby church. It seemed very strange. Do people still vote in schools in your area?

This weekend has been extremely quiet. I started feeling sick after book club on Friday and have spend the last two days on the couch - reading,  watching football, listening to audiobooks, and mostly just dozing. Nothing serious, just a slight fever, cold, and sore throat. Back to normal activities tomorrow...

Current reading//


The Last Chronicle of Barset by Anthony Trollope
I'm about a third done and enjoying this book very much. Several characters from previous novels have reappeared. I've also found some laugh-out-loud funny passages, but will not share them here as they aren't very funny unless you know the characters. However, the term "brazen-faced virago" may have been used to describe Bishop Proudie's wife.


Finished this week//


Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates (audio, narrated by the author)
This book is based on a letter the author wrote to his 15-year-old son containing his thoughts on what it means to be a black man in America today. The audio is completely mesmerizing. The book is excellent and should be required reading for everyone.  I plan to write a review soon, but if you're looking for a short book for Nonfiction November, I cannot recommend this highly enough.

New books in the house//

Guaranteed to Bleed by Julie Mulhern (Country Club Murders #2)
The first book was so much fun. I'm hoping to read this one over Thanksgiving weekend.


For our December readalong, I couldn't resist the temptation of this beautiful edition.


On the blog//


The week ahead//

Thursday is my husband's birthday. We will celebrate with dinner at his favorite restaurant and then head to NYC for the weekend on Friday... assuming he doesn't get sick with whatever I have now. Fingers crossed.

How was your week? What are you reading?


This post will link to It's Monday, What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.

56 comments:

  1. Happy birthday to your husband! I hope you have a lovely time in NYC and that you stay feeling better and he doesn't get sick! It sounds like you did exactly what you should have about feeling sick and probably kept it from getting worse! I'm so glad you enjoyed the first Julie Mulhern and hope you enjoy the 2nd book just as much! Have a great week!

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    1. Katherine - I know I'll be better by the weekend, but I sure hope my husband doesn't get this. Men can be so difficult when they're not feeling well ;)

      Looking forward to Guaranteed to Bleed. Think it will be a perfect holiday weekend read.

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  2. I think I've adjusted to the time change. It's been warm here, until today, but awfully wet. We are sick of rain.

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    1. Kathy - We had some rain yesterday. I'm just glad it's not snow!

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  3. Hope you're feeling better! I loved that edition of Emma; it's always fun to see what there is to learn behind the scenes.

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    1. Lisa - I don't think I've read an annotated edition before. This will be a new experience.

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  4. I started the Chronicles of Barset last year and I need to finish the last two books. Also, Emma. I keep meaning to re-read that. Where does all the time go? (This is Amanda from Fig and Thistle, btw)

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    1. Amanda - I'm just loving this series! When you're ready to go back to it, you will be in for a treat with The Small House at Allington. Will hate to see The Last Chronicle of Barset end. Maybe I'll attempt the Palliser series next...

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  5. I've loved this warm weather this past week...just wish it stayed light long enough to really enjoy it in the afternoons!

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    1. Sarah - What a treat the past week has been! Looks like it's all downhill after today though... rain, cold, yuck!

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  6. Hoping this warmer fall weather holds on just a little longer! Hope you are feeling better and your hubby doesn't catch it. Have a great week.

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    1. Nise' - I'm on the mend today and so far no sign of hubby getting sick, Hope it stays that way!

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  7. Finished "Grace-A Memoir" by Grace Coddington. Now, about halfway through "The Green Road" by Anne Enright. One word I would use to describe her writing would be mesmerizing. Also, maybe erudite. (Practicing here with some big words, don't'cha know!) Hope you get rid of the bug so you can enjoy the birthday celebration with the Hubby and then on to the Big Apple. I will celebrate here if and when it ever quits raining. Seems like it has been going on forever and then some.

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    1. JudyMac - Enright writes so beautifully! I've enjoyed several of her short stories and The Forgotten Waltz. I picked up The Gathering at the library sale, but haven't read it yet. Hopefully, soon...

      Hope your rain stops soon. It's supposed to start here tomorrow and continue all week. At least it's not snow!

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  8. I hope that you feel better soon and I hope that your husband has a great birthday.

    That looks to be a very impressive version of Emma. It is hard to believe that Emma is now 200 years old.

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    1. Brian Joseph - I couldn't pass up that new edition of Emma! Don't think I can read two classics at the same time, so must finish The Last Chronicle of Barset by the end of the month.

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  9. Wow - Emma is 200 years old! What a lovely edition of it you have to read. Have a great week, especially celebrating in NYC!

    Here's my Monday reading list: http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/2015/11/what-im-reading-november-9-2015.html

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    1. Kym - Hard to believe Emma is 200 years old! It's the only Austen novel I have not read,

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  10. It's snowing for us today. A good day to stay indoor to read. I admit I've not read Trollope before. If you're to recommend one must-read Trollope, which title would that be?

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    1. Arti - Oh, no... not snow! The Barchester Chronicles is my first experience with Trollope, but I don't think the first novel in the series (The Warden) is necessarily the best place to start. The ones that follow are so much better. I haven't read any of his standalone novels yet, but The Way We Live Now seems to be the most famous.

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  11. it looks like you have a lot of good books. I plan to read Between the world and me whenever my turn comes up in the library. I have heard so many good things about this book.

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    1. Hillary - Hope you don't have to wait too long for Between the World and Me... it is excellent!

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  12. That edition of Emma looks beautiful!!

    I hope your husband has a wonderful birthday and you're able to make it to NYC for a little adventure.

    Happy Reading!

    Reading With Jade

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    1. Jade - I couldn't leave that edition of Emma behind in the bookstore, lol! Looking forward to the readalong :)

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  13. I love that edition of Emma. Hope you have a great week, and get adjusted to the time change. I've been having a hard time adjusting, mostly due to my toddler not wanting to adjust. Happy reading!

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    1. Jennifer - Time changes were a nightmare when my girls were toddlers! It seemed to take a couple weeks to get adjusted. Hope you have a good week :)

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  14. I don't mind it getting daylight earlier, but I hate it getting darker earlier. We live in a little dinky town so we vote at the community center. Guaranteed to Bleed looks good, I'll have to check out the 1st in the series.

    Happy Birthday to you husband. I hope you feel better soon and that he doesn't get it. Have a great time in NYC.

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    1. Vicki - Too bad we can't have it both ways, right? The first Country Club Murder was a lot of fun and I loved the 70s setting.

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  15. Sorry to hear you've been under the weather, and hope you're on the mend. I find Austen to be one of the best comfort-read authors ever.

    Enjoy your trip to NYC--we had a great time on our recent visit.

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    1. JaneGS - Finally beginning to feel better... and ready to plan some activities for NYC this weekend!

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  16. Oh no, I would so spit if I lost a post like that. Sometimes my little finger hits something and I lose a comment, but would really hate to lose a post. When slightly sick it's nice to cosy up and take care. Hope you're feeling really great soon.

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    1. Kathryn - I haven't lost a post like that in ages - so, so frustrating! I'm still coughing a lot today, but feel much better:)

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  17. NYC for the weekend sounds great- hope you guys have a great birthday weekend. Beautiful pic by the way. I always seem to have trouble with the time change, adjusting to it... and the early evenings are not my favorite, in spite of the fact that I love this time of year.

    Our polling place is a fire station.

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    1. Greg - I'm still hoping we get t NYC. If I'm not much better tomorrow, I may head to to doctor :(

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  18. I don't like the time change because of how early it gets dark.

    Gorgeous cover on The Chronicle of Barset.

    ENJOY your week...looks like a good one.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My It's Monday, What Are You Reading

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    1. Elizabeth - I love those Oxford cover on the Barchester Chronicles... so attractive!

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  19. Don't you just hate it when Blogger eats a post? Our polling place is at the high school still. Come see what I am reading here. Happy reading!

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    1. Kathy - I liked voting at the school much better, but I suppose keeping the voting public out while school is in session is probably safer.

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  20. Now I think that is why I have been up early and sleepy in the afternoon...I hate it!

    The time change. I am reading Lucy Barton and loving it...not sure what to do about the review...I can't find any instructions about it! Can you help? Thank you!

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    1. Patty - There just too little daylight and sunshine this time of year :(

      I commented on your blog today that in the front matter of the Netgally Lucy Barton book , Random House asked to hold reviews until the publication date. BUT is seems like it was buried in there and I'm not sure how many people will actually see that...

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  21. I'm sorry you've been hit by a bug and I hope your husband stays healthy so he can celebrate his birthday big time. You have a great variety of reads here. You lauded the Country Club Murders so I had to go back and take another look. I added the first to my TBR. And that Between the World and Me...I listened to a sample and it hit me that I am cushioned most of the time in this life, especially since I don't watch the news anymore since we gave up cable. I need to read something like that to be more aware of what's happening in our society and walk in another person's shoes.

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    1. Srefanie - My husband has not gotten sick, but I'm afraid I may have bronchitis now. Yuck :(

      I think Between the World and Me is an important book because many of us are cushioned like that... Not sure where else I, a white woman in rural upstate NY, would encounter a voice like Coates. It's a great book!

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  22. Fingers crossed your husband stays well so that you can celebrate! I hope that you are feeling better as well.

    This time change is hard for me too - I never adjust quickly. And we still vote in the schools. It does seem weird that it is in a church? I wonder if they did it as part of a safe schools initiative, to keep strangers out of the schools. Our schools shut down for the day for voting, but maybe your district didn't want to lose a day of school?

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    1. Erin - That's probably a good idea to have the schools closed on Election Day... definitely safer anyway. I'm sure they could make it a teacher inservice day if they didn't want to close.

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  23. Happy Birthday to your husband, hope he stays well. Love the sun setting through the window ... gorgeous photo!
    We vote in schools in Australia, always on a Saturday, but we don't have the security issues that the US does. Hope you are on the mend, happy reading.

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    1. Teddyree - That's so interesting that you vote on Saturday! I wonder if it leads to a better voter turnout...

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  24. I hope you are soon feeling all better. The time change has been odd for me too. Not sure why, I'm not up anywhere near dawn! We still vote locally in our schools. Happy early Birthday to your husband, and I hope you are both healthy and enjoy your weekend!

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    1. Anita - I'm afraid I may have bronchitis now... this week hasn't gone as planned. Thankfully hubby has not gotten sick.

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  25. I didn't realize that voting in schools was considered a security issue. My polling place is our local public elementary school and other schools in our area are also used for voting, but the schools themselves are always closed on election day.

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    1. Patience_Crabstick - I didn't either, until they moved our polling place. But our schools don't close on Election Day and the kids are in the building, so it does make sense. Still,this is a small, rural community...

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  26. I hope you are feeling better. Happy Birthday to your husband. We vote at our nearby middle school. School was in session and I wondered how safe that was. Your sunset photo is beautiful! Enjoy the rest of the week!

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    1. Pat - We ended up going to NYC and having a great time, but I am still coughing! Have a feeling most places will move away from voting in schools before too much longer...

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  27. Your liking the Coates book makes me want to listen to it on audio too. Thanks for the recommendation!

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    1. Thecuecard - The audio is amazing! I think you get so much more of the author's feeling and intent when listening to him read his own work.

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