Greatest global online bookclub in town

It has been a long time since we’ve heard anything about Leah from NYC.  I wonder if she has e-mailed and I have just missed the contacts.

First of all, belated Happy Birthday, Jo.  And as Darlyne, says “anywhere you hang your hat is home”.  I understand Colorado is beautiful  and I have enjoyed the years I spent in California, then Alabama and now Idaho – all different, but it is interesting and exciting to learn new things, see different scenery and meet people with diverse backgrounds.  You might check into a retirement community such as I am living in.  We are part of Leisure Care. They have facilities in lots of places in the west.  I am so glad I moved here – have made many friends, staff is very congenial and helpful, lots of activities which you can participate in or not as you choose.  It is also a good way to see  a new area – we have weekly bus tours and I have seen many more places than my daughter.  I don’t look forward to winter, but life is much easier living here than in an apartment.

I vote for ABQ – all kinds of great stuff there.

Moving: get rid of everything you don’t need, haven’t used in 9 months, grown out of, don’t like. Donate books to the library, schools, etc. Clothes can go to Goodwill. KEEP THE COMPUTER!!!!

LOL

I have to tell you, Darlyne, I would love to see a video of those kittens trying to help you knit. I think it would be so cute but I also think it would be frustrating for the knitter.

Jo, good luck. I loved Colorado. Keep us posted on what you find out and what you decide. I still know we need to make a move but still don’t know where or exactly how to do it in a sensible fashion.

Georgianna

ROFLOL, Darlyne, I’ve had the same problem when mine were small. I’d say, in a firm voice and all one level, no inflection at all: “YOU’D BETTER NOT!” Didn’t take ‘em too long to figure out what that meant. Then they’d sit on the floor and look longingly at that moving thing that was soooooo intriguing. Their expressions were priceless. But they were kind of fun, too, when they were trying to snag it.

It is really very hard to knit when you have two four month old kittens on your lap. They think the yarn and needles are for them to play with. I am kitty sitting my grand-cats until Tuesday. It took them a while to feel at home here but now I think they are too much at home.

I’m watching it here and there; I’ve been rereading Elliott Roosevelt’s Eleanor Roosevelt mysteries. She makes a creditable sleuth. And he writes lovingly of his parents.

I saw that Ike made landfall – my word, Louisiana is flooded again. And electricity is out – my gosh! What a tough time for those folks.

Jo, I think you would like CO. I think you are like me, “home is where I hang my hat”. I do love living here but wish for a mid western time zone. I am sure that is why I watch very little TV. The programs I might watch come on too late for me. When one awakens at AM bedtime comes very early.

I have been watching Ike and see that Houston is out of electricity and may be out for three weeks. I really feel for them and hope it isn’t true.

I am seriously considering moving to Colorado. My youngest daughter and her husband live there and it was her husband who came to visit me that one Saturday about a month ago. At any rate, my kids have discussed this amongst themselves and finally let me in on what they were thinking !!!!! I wouldn’t mind that at all, truth to tell. My granddaughter is so busy with her job — she manages a hair salon — and with the five kids, and school and such like, she is tooooooo busy. I remember being that busy and while I loved it, I am sure glad I don’t have to do that anymore.

But I digress. I would love to be closer to one of my daughters. She has been scouting around to see what’s what, besides looking for a job, and thinks it would be good if I went to CO for an extended period to see what it’s like when it’s almost but not quite winter. I’m going for the month of November. I checked the weather in their town and it’s 47° there, 87% humidity, and visibility is some 10 miles. It was 62° here when I woke up. I am rather anxious to see what is available for seniors in the way of housing, medical, senior center and activities, etc etc.

I also MUCH prefer the mountain time zone as opposed to the eastern time zone (apologies to all the easterners here in GGOBIT). But I’m a big sports fan and all the events I would watch come on at 9:30 pm. Come that time of day (night!!), I’m ready to get horizontal, not starting to watch a sporting event of some sort.

So – we shall see what we shall see, as my grandmother used to say.

I hope everyone is staying dry.
Jo

The b’day was good – after the email b’day cards and the patio plant and all, g’daughter called me to come to the mall for lunch. She’s manager of a salon there and so over I went. It was a nice lunch and fun being able to chat for a while with her.

The plant is called Fleurette and is a small bloom chrysanthemum, like the floribunda rose, it has multiple flowers. The color is the yellow/peach/gold combination that I like so well, more pastel than brilliant colors.

I too hope the hurricane blows itself out quickly. good luck to all in the hurricane path.

Jo

Jo, it’s technically after your birthday by a few minutes–I’ve been pretty occupied today and checked in before heading for bed. Hope you had a good one. Now I recall yours being on the 11th.

Tomorrow will be interesting.

Candace

Happy Birthday, Jo. I don’t have a birthday calendar anymore. I hope you had/have a great day and can celebrate being around another year.

Candace, I think having a similar book/computer for seniors would be great. I am so glad I can use the computer, although it is in a limited fashion. I think it is so important to stay involved and challenged. I did get the book and sent it on to my grandson. My dil ask if I thought I could keep our son from playing and I told her I knew that would be impossible but hoped father and son could have fun together.

These hurricanes are something. I know evacuating on a regular basis would be a hassle. All of you, take care and do what seems to be in your best interest.

Georgianna

Happy birthday Jo from me also. I also hope the hurricane isn’t as bad as they are predicting.

How nice to awaken and find a new flowering plant on the patio. That is a thoughtful granddaughter.

Thank you Julie – When I opened my vertical blinds this morning, my g’daughter had been here (probably late last night as she is NOT a morning person). She left a pretty little chrysanthemum called Fleurettes or something similar – rather like a floribunda rose with multiple little blooms at the end of the stem. And a luscious color too – a kind of yellow gold, very soft color.

Ike is proving to be as bad as a three year old, isn’t he. We wish all of our TX friends, and everyone else too, truth to tell, good fortune and that, if they must lose something, may their losses be small.

Happy Birthday, Jo! And many happy returns of the day.

And, Candace, I hope you get through whatever part of Ike comes your way with a minimum of fuss!

Julie (Darlyne’s daughter)

Georgianna, I read something about this and thought it sounded very interesting. I don’t know any youngsters who have it. I wonder if there is something similar for seniors–some interactive thing to keep the old neurons and synapses revved up–if not, might be a market opportunity. I enjoy some online word and memory challenges.

Candace

Did any of you hear about this children’s book? The 39 Clues is also a part of the title. It is by Rick Riordan. I saw this on TV and the hope is this book will encourage children to read and appreciate it. This book is interactive with the web/computer. It is also supposed to teach children about the world. I thought it sounded great so I bought it today at Barnes & Nobles. Our grandson will be 11 in October so I thought it would be a good gift and also I get to look at it first. I have just established my user name, etc so I will go and try to find a clue. I really don’t know at what point in the book you are supposed to try to go on line. I’ll be intereted to hear is any of you try it or have grandchildren that try it. Georgianna

Ike is the first storm I’ve heard compared to Carla in recent memory. It got my attention this evening when they described the similarities between the two. Of course, since Katrina there is extra attention given to all possible areas that might be affected. Forecasts are even predicting high winds and heavy rain as far in as Austin. I guess we’ll find out around noon Friday what we can expect here.

Candace

I guess the one coming over the weekend is gonna be a big one – thunderstorms Friday thru Sunday. Hmmmmmmmmm. I’m not too sure I’m ready for that. I’ll have to go to the store before then. Don’t need much but – I do need a bit.

It is rather strange but there is a lot about the guy that is the hermit gets along in the wilderness and his explanations of why he is there and the guilty thoughts of his friend who lives a normal life in what they call the hamburger world. The last chapter is the father of the hermit speaking and he explains much of the reason his son opted out of society.

We are getting your storm now Jo but so far it isn’t that bad. There are watches out until this evening though.

I’ll have to think about that one, Darlyne; it sounds rather strange.

Whew, we had a cloud-buster earlier this morning. I had just signed into our site when BOOM! – a humongous thunder clap right over my head and barely a second after a flash of lightning. So, I shut down the computer and pulled the plug on the whole thing. It was blacker’n the ace of spades outside so it really didn’t surprise me. And did it ever rain. It appears to be over now, for the moment at least.

Possibility of storms the rest of the day, nice tomorrow, cloudy Thursday and thunderstorms Friday thru Sunday. Don’t know WHERE this is coming from, but as long as I’ve got my roof and a full fridge and pantry, I’m OK. Ebony would have HATED it this morning.

My car got washed!

I picked up this book at the new book section of the library because I really liked Snow Falling on the Ceders which the author also wrote. I had a hard time getting into it at first and thought, just another coming of age story but it really wasn’t.

Two 16 yr. olds meet when they compete in track. John William Barry is from two very wealthy Seattle families, while Neil Countryman is blue-collar Irish. They are brought together by their love of of the outdoors which takes them together often. They graduate HS and by this time have become blood brothers by cutting their hands and mixing blood. After graduating from college Neil takes the usual path that he becomes a devoted teacher and family man. His friend John moves to a remote part of the area and becomes a hermit. He talks his friend into helping him disappear by driving his car to the Mexico boarder and abandoning it there, making people think he took off for Mexico.

Over the years Neil tracks into the woods bringing John supplies and visiting him now and then. He is careful that he isn’t followed. He helps his friend cut out a cave even further into the wilderness. Over 20 years later Neil finds his friend dead. It is a tragedy that breaks open with a wholly unexpected life-altering experience. There is much more to this book than I have written but I do recommend reading it.

We too had a mild day – although it did rain most of the day as I said, the ground soaked it up – we had been 2 1/2 weeks with no rain. Hardly anyone waters their lawn but it was maybe getting close. I don’t know as I don’t have that chore anymore. We got some 2 1/2 inches of rain which all soaked it – there was runoff of course, our driveway had a stream running down the middle, but as far as puddles in lawns – none that I could see around here. The cows next door loved it!

A beautiful, cool Texas morning– started at mid-60′s and comparatively low humidity. Must enjoy it before the afternoon heats up and the next hurricane looms.

Candace

Hanna gave us over four and a half inches of rain which we really needed. The ground must have really soaked it up because my sump pump didn’t even run—and it is working. there was no water in the hole. We had some wind later when most of the rain was over but I have seen worse. It is nice and sunny here also and the humidity is low.