Greatest global online bookclub in town

I was also born and raised in Michigan. Born in Saginaw, went to school and graduated from St. Andrews and then went into the army for four years. Spent about three years in Europe and came home and went to work for Consumers Power Company in Saginaw. After four years went to Grand Rapids and then to Jackson, where I now reside. Jackson is equidistant from Lansing, Battle Creek and Ann Arbor. Anyone else a Michigander?
Huggz all,
Jerry

I was born in Flint and, thanks to the depression and dad’s moving all over the state to make some money, I can recall Bay City, Saginaw, Grayling and a cabin out at Lake Margarethe (?) and other places I can’t recall cuz I was so young. I recently wnet into googleearth and put in my Grandmother’s address. I would not have recognized the area - most of the homes are gone and it looked like a park of some sort. They say you can never go back and I guess it’s true.

Sigh.

I’m also a former Michigander. I grew up in Battle Creek and Saginaw and after we married we lived in Midland for a few years. My son now lives near Detroit so we get back there with some frequency. I went back last summer to Michigan State for my 50th college reunion. Now I have a grandson at Michigan State.

Thats very interesting Jo. I have enough on my “to read list” that I want to get through before I add any more. Our blog master and her sister were born in Owosso, Michigan. We lived there about four years. It was my husband’s first job after college.

Do let us know about COMPLICATIONS, Darlyne.

My bro/SIL borrowed some books I got thru Amazon: BURMA SURGEON by Gordon Seagrave, the sequel BURMA SURGEON RETURNS (or some such inane title), and lastly, PETTICOAT SURGEON by Bertha Van Hoosen, who is either a relative or else a good family friend. At any rate, after my dad died and we went back to Michigan, Dr. Bertha operated on my mother and gave her an autographed b opy of the book. Mother donated it to the Flint (MI) library (I hope!!!!!!!!!) before she moved to CA to share a duplex with me. She had had both books (not the sequel) and I really did like them but she left both. Sigh. Seagrave wrote several books about his Burmese adventures during WW II but most were a recapitulation of the first two. If anyone is interested in reading any of the above, let me know and I’ll make a list. My bro/SIL have had the books long enough; it’s time they came home - at least for a bit.

I finally got the last ice scraped from my back enterance. It gets very little sun and even salt didn’t help until today. I decided I had better make a trip to Ace Hardware for more salt.

Julie sent me a new book titled Complications by Atul Gawande a surgeon. The book came just in time as I had finished my last book, the one about the neck, and had nothing to read except the pile on my bedside stand which are half read and I really don’t want to finish them. Apparently this new book is about true patients and medical complications with the patients names disquised of course.

“Tis said that we’ll have some ‘weather’ coming at us tomorrow. I’m ready for SPRING, not weather. It has only just been the last day or two that getting around is easier.

I’m adding a PS to my previous post.

This story, and I can still recommend it, is reminiscent of the Mitford tales in that it has a religious overtone. It didn’t really appear in the first story but does so in the succeeding ones.

I thought I should mention this.

She has written a book with what I thought was an intriguing title — THE BLUE BOTTLE CLUB. I had been browsing in booksfree.com and saw this. It is the tale of 4 teenage girls who, at Christmas, vowed to be friends and support each other ‘forever.’ On a piece of paper, they each wrote down their dreams and put the papers in a cobalt blue bottle and then put the bottle on a rafter in the attic of the girl’s home where they had been pledging their devotion to one another. Sixty-five years later, the house is being demolished and one of the workers presents a cobalt blue bottle to the reporter. Letitia, whose home is being demolished, is still living in the area and Brendan Delaney, the reporter, goes to visit her. From that time on, the chase is her primary focus.

Stokes has developed her characters in a very believable manner and I was immediately drawn to the story. She has written other books and I will definitely search them out, too.

I can heartily recommend this tale.

I went with your advice, Darlyne, and went to the October sidebar and read the comments re: Elephants.
Thanks for the tip.
JOY

I just discovered a search thing at the bottom of the archives in the side bar on the right of the screen. I entered Water For Elephants and found what I had written about it last October so if you go to October you can find it. It brought up all the entries with Elephant.

I loved that book. For me it was a real page turner. Much of it was taken from true life.

Glad to see even a short message, Jacky, one-handed typing is HARD. Hang in there.

Water for Elephants was indeed a strange book, as bookworm (who forgot to sign her real life name) mentioned. I read it and even though it is far from the kinds of books I usually read, I did like it.

I’ve read a couple of Fern Michaels’ books, Annie’s Rainbow and Seasons of Her Life. SEASONS takes us through the years of a young woman’s life as she finds a job in WW II Washington DC after leaving home and her abusive father. Her grandmother does help her maintain her sanity however. She falls in love, of course, but true love never runs smoothly and it’s proven here. This is a romance but only in snatches. I can recommend this one.

RAINBOW is a good story, too. Anna Daisy finds a bagful of money which she knows is part of the loot from a bank robbery. She keeps it and uses it to launch herself on a career. What happens after that is page-turning. I can recommend this one also.

Jo

It was kind of a strange book, but rather good actually. Just be patient with the waiting list, check out something else, and when WFE gets in, then enjoy it!

There is an excellent movie with this title too. Alan Rickman plays the scientist/doctor and his black assistant is played by, of all people, Mos Def, the rapper and what a job he did of it too. Rent this, you won’t be sorry.
Huggz all,
Jerry

JACKY: What do you think about Water for Elephants????
I have been on the local library wait list for it FOREVER, and would like to know if it is worth the wait.
JOY

for the well wishes! typing with just the left hand is slow, but tomorrow i get this big bandage off, and a brace on and the therepy starts. its gone quite well so far.

lots of reading helps! reading WATER FOR ELEPHANTS and watched SOMETHING THE LORD MADE on dvd. the true story of the first blue baby heart surgery, and the 2 men who did it. an hbo rental

jj

I’m with you, Darlyne. I didn’t care for the last Precious book as much as I did the earlier ones.

I meant detective.

I finished this book by A. McCall Smith but it was a struggle. Imho he used his previous books and just changed a few things. I did a lot of skimming. I hadn’t read about Precious Ramotswe and her Dective Agency so thought I would enjoy reading about her again. I was wrong,

Well, what happened to the format again?  Must be like the one game site; changes its mind.

Anyhow, I know kitty litter doesn’t melt anything but it is a non-skid if that’s really necessary which it rather is here.  I usually come up a concrete paver walk to my patio but right at the patio/walk joining is a VERY icy patch.  and it doesn’t get warm enough to melt it yet.  Much care is required.  Even going on the patio can be hazardous.  Like Darlyne, I’ll stay inside.

Lunch time.  Take care everyone.

I don’t think kitty litter melts ice but it does provide traction so you don’t slip.  I have heard that it is a good thing to keep in the trunk of your car in case you get stuck. I don’t plan to have to use it for that purpose.  I will stay home.

I have some of the ice melting stuff and have used it.  But when we had the last ice storm, I tried the kitty litter on my steps.  All it seemed to do was to be tracked into my living room!  I had to vacuum any time I or anyone else came into the house.  That got old really fast.

It is cold here now (11 degrees) and it snowed some last night.  A good day to stay inside and make a big pot of chili and read a good book.

Judith

The ice melting stuff doesn’t work when it is 13°.  Is there something besides salt.  I have that but hate to use it too much where there are growing stuff.

My side bar is where it used to be.  That used to happen on another blog but it goes back later.

Well, I’ll have to look at it for a while - I guess putting all that sidebar stuff at the bottom is OK — have to think about it.   LOL

It is icy here, too, Darlyne and cars stuck in their parking places because of the ice.  Interesting times, eh wot! 

Have you got any of that so-called ice melting stuff?  That works pretty good - kitty litter is good after you get the top layer off - keeps ya from slipping at least!  or so I’ve heard.  haven’t tried it myself - there’s a tub of the ice-melting stuff in the foyer!