Wed. night

Has no one posted since before Father's Day?  Seriously?  Are you all OK?  Gee, and I thought I was the one with the problems, like we've had terrible storms the last three days, including today, producing small tornadoes and waterspouts in my county, though not near me, praise God.  The lightning has been like strobe lights though.

Yesterday, Monica McCarty's latest Highland Guard book, "The Hunter," came out.  I've been waiting for several months for it to come out as I've loved this series about Robert the Bruce's secretive Highland Guard since the beginning.  Also, Stephanie Lauren's latest book in the Cynster series came out; this one is the last one in the Bar Cynster series but she says there are plenty more Cynsters around.  I seldom buy two books at a time but did since they are two of my favorite historical authors.  Monica McCarty's books are so well-researched and Stephanie Laurens is well, Stephanie Laurens.

I had my follow-up with the doctor on Monday.  He said he got all of the stone (fantastic).  Then he said, "No more salt and no more ice tea."  Huh?  No more tea?  Yes, he said, No more tea!"  B--but, I said.  He said, "I said, no more tea.  Only coffee or lite soda."  Coffee? I said.  "Yes, you can drink coffee or lite soda.," he said.  But I can't drink diet soda.  "I didn't say diet soda; I said lite soda."  Do you know how many tea bags I have? I said.  He said, "Thousands?"  Un-huh.  "No more tea."  How about herbal tea?  "I said no more tea.  That means tea of any kind!" he said. "The Carolinas are the king of kidney stones because they drink so much ice tea.  Now no more tea!"  waaaaayy!

I hope everyone is doing well.

Trudy

Happy Father's Day to all of your hubbies out there!

Well, the surgery went well but......I'm so sick!  Had a severe sore throat and ulcers in my mouth from whatever they shoved down it.  That transformed into some sort of upper respiratory infection.  I'm convinced that the antibiotics the hospital sent home with me are the wrong ones.  I'm going to go to my primary tomorrow.  I've been running a low-grade fever too.

I read everyone's posts and what you all have been up to have made my head spin!  Maybe it's because I'm sick but gosh, so much energy?  I left that behind a long time ago.

Yes, I want to read the rest of the Lost Lords series by Grace Burrows.  I just hope that I can find them.  If they are as good as this one, I can't wait!

My Irish friends left on Friday.  I couldn't take them to the airport because I was sick; neither could my friend or a neighbor friend and another neighbor finally took them.  I felt so sorry for them as they must have felt like wet baggage or something.  But all of us who were supposed to take them ended up sick!  I will miss them a lot.

I've been waiting for Monica McCarty's latest Highland Guard book to come out on the 25th.  Only a week to go!  I love this series.

Pic of  T.S. Andrea in front of my condo.  You can see the water pouring out of the openings in the carport roofs.  This was the height of the storm!

Trudy

I'm Back!

Margie, I know it’s been a long time since I posted, and I might get there as I read posts, but in case I don’t did you like Whiskey Beach?  I enjoyed it, but not as much as The Witness, which was last year’s book.  Did you read that one?  How did the Autism classes go?  Did you learn anything?  Do you think what you learned will help you to relate better to Gavin?  Did your sister take them also?

Donna did you ever get the insurance thing with the bank straightened out?  Our bank made a mistake with Richard, and now he has to pay the IRS!  It’s so annoying, and he can’t afford it, but it must be done.  Hopefully he can make payments.  How is your DIL feeling from the back surgery?  I sure hope she’s up and about and feeling less pain.  A good friend just got diagnosed with something I’d never heard of and is commonly known as arthritis of the ribs.  She’s in a lot of pain, and even riding short distances in the car is unbearable.  What are you reading now?  It never ceases to amaze me how fast you can read!

Mary are you finally done with the dental work?  It’s painful in the mouth and in the checkbook!  How did the dance recital go?  Was this her first year in dance?  Will she be doing it again?  I know it’s awful but I’m totally addicted to the show Dance Moms.  Have you watched that?  Has anyone?  Mike can’t stand it when I watch he really hates Abby the dance teacher.  How is the library boycott working for you?  Making good progress on the TBR?  I need to get started /on Karen Rose.  I haven’t read her, but I am convinced I would love her!

Amanda, they get their class rings their sophomore year?  I think here they get them their junior year.  Richard has one, but Brian didn’t want one.  They even have a dance to pass them out?  That’s something I never heard of.  Thanks for sharing the pictures!  Did you ever finish the book club selection?  I had finally read one (didn’t get it done in time) for my book club, but then we had to cancel because of some personal issues the host was having, so I was able to finish it and we’ll have the author in July.  We have book club this week and the author guest is Robyn Carr, so of course I’ve read that book!  In fact I’ve been lucky enough to read all the books in her new series that are coming out thus far. 

Margie, I’m glad that you’re getting some good resources and learning more about Gavin’s needs and what to realistically expect.  I recently went to a meeting with the Texas Dept of Rehabiliative Services.  It was so inspiring, and I met a lady I really liked, and if circumstances would have been different I could imagine being friends, she wanted me to help her get a job, but unfortunately because of her disability I can’t!  She can’t see and has a seeing eye dog.

Donna what cream did you get?  My friend sells Arbonne too.  I got some cream for pain, but I know I didn’t spend that much, and it’s in a tube not a jar.  I too haven’t really suffered from allergies in the spring, but boy now that the weather is warming I am suffering!  Donna, I really hated my Sony reader for the reason you said…could never remember how to get books from the computer into the reader.  So when they came out with the Kindle I bought!   Love my Kindle!  This was not the first time I had met Robyn Carr.  I had met her several years ago when I went to RWA.

Trudy, I know that brother and I don’t really get along, and I know that I worry about how Richard and Brian feel about our relationship, but I have to hope that if the chips were down and I was sick or in need they would be following up with me.  I’m sending happy thoughts your way.  Too bad you missed the Richard Petty experience.

Mary, I agree with you about the Fifty books…Not awful, not great, but glad I read so I could find out what all the fuss was about.  I have only read one Allison Brennan book, and really need to get more of those read as well as starting on Karen Rose!  I recently found out that Allison Brennan has 5 kids!  I can’t imagine!  Are you going to read the rest of the Rebel Ridge trilogy by Sala?  Did you know she also wrote under the name Dinah McCall.  That name has been retired for about 8 years, but she is bringing it out of retirement soon. 

Amanda what is the book club selection for this month?  You did horror two months in a row?  Amanda I suppose it’s great to be so busy at work, but not when you need to try to schedule doctor and dentists appointments.  Summer is a slow time for us, and we’re allowed to have summer Leave of Absence.  I’m taking a day and a half.  I wish I was taking more, but that’s really about all I can afford.  Hope you get the root canal scheduled soon.  Why can’t your dentist do it?  My dentist does…at least I think he does…fortunately it’s been awhile since I needed one, and I remember him doing it.

Trudy, I’m not much of a water park person at all, but I do agree…love the Lazy River.  Glad you enjoyed the Grace Burrows book.  Will you be reading the rest of the series?  Glad to hear you were safe from TS Andrea.

Last week the book club had our annual Boas and Tiaras Tea.  Nalini Singh was the keynote.  We don’t do a real speech, but a special interview with the guest of honor.  There were several other authors there, and we had a private book sale and signing.  I have decided to finally give up getting books signed, and get my kindle cover signed instead.  I have decided that it’s as cheap to buy a new cover for more signatures as it is to buy those print books and have to find space for them.  I can figure out a way to hang my covers.

After the tea several of us were going to have dinner with Nalini, but it turned out that it was a much smaller group than planned, and I got to have some pretty good one on one with her.  Too bad I don’t like her books!

I’ve done some reading, but at the same time it feels like I’m not!  I did read The Hero by Robyn Carr, which is the third book in her new trilogy.  I’ve now read them all, and this was my favorite.  I miss Virgin River!  I have also read all the books in the new series by Sherryl Woods.  I read the first book in a series by Debra Webb, and was disappointed that it ended with a cliff hanger!  I was glad that I had the second book on my Kindle, but haven’t read it yet.  I sure do hope that all the books in that series don’t end with cliffhangers!  I also read the upcoming A Seaside Christmas by Sherryl Woods…it’s a Chesapeake Shores book.  I listened to several things…12^th of Never amongst them.  It sort of ends with a cliff hanger too!  I wonder when the next one comes out.  Now I’m listening to Defending Jacob by William Landay.  I am enjoying this, and hope to get it finished this week. 

Ok…I’ve dragged on and should go so you don’t get tired reading my droning.  I will attempt to do better at coming back sooner! 

Happy Father's Day!

Hi Ladies,

Does anyone have plans for today?  David didn't say what he wanted to do, so I guess it will be a lazy day at home.

Trudy -- Good luck with the surgery!  Glad the storm missed your place.  We got tons of rain, always fun to drive in - ugh.  Was glad when it was gone.  Had a beautiful weekend and then more rain on Monday.  What is up with that?  Not hot this week, so I won't complain.  And today was gorgeous.

Mary -- I know, what is up with the Phillies?  Win 5, lose 5.  Yesterdays comeback was good.  Too many to do that today.  On the Lenape discussion, the Nature Center in Churchville does a Lenape tour.  Amelia's 3rd grade class did a school trip there and I went.  Really interesting - I enjoyed it greatly.  The kids get to do some hands on things and Amelia enjoyed it more than I thought she would.

Not too busy this week.  Today we went to a surprise 70th b'day party for my dad's oldest cousin Bill.  It was nice to see some of the family, as we don't get together often.  He was surprised!  Always a plus:)  We stopped at Ikea on the way home and the girls now have new dresser - or they will once we put them together - lol.  The girls finish up school this week, so they are pretty excited.  I so miss summer vacation.  Why can't my job have that?  We have shutdown the week of July 4th, which I can't wait for.  I sooooo need some time away from that place.  Didn't do the root canal yet.  Ironically, my tooth hasn't hurt since I went to the dentist.  I am sure I need it, but figure I can put it off for awhile. 

Not a lot of reading.  Did finish the book club book.  It had some scary parts, but most of it wasn't, which is great for me since I don't do scary.  I actually liked the book minus the creepy parts.  Still have to finish 11/22/63, so I will be back to reading that.  I believe chick lit is next for book club, which is this Thursday.

Ok, off to bed.  Hope everyone has a good week!

Amanda

Tues. night

Mary~~Thank you for the name of the book.  I'm going to see if I can get it and read it.  I've always been interested in the Native Americans who inhabited PA.  I grew up hearing people talk about the White Squaw who supposedly lived somewhere near Carlise and thought it was a figment of my imagination until I went down memory lane with my bankruptcy lawyer whose grandparents were from where my grandparents were from and who knows the story too!

Well, my surgery is scheduled for Thursday at noon.  I have to go to my neurologist's office first to have my VNS turned off and then have to go back there to have it turned on afterwards; the neurologist will wait for me to come back.  Fortunately my friend can work around her schedule to take me and bring me back.  My neighbor's Irish cousins are willing to take my dog out during the day too.  I'm blessed!  Just pray that everything goes according to plan (a rarity for me).

Trudy

Sunday evening

Hi everyone!

Trudy--the name of the Lenape book is Buttons and Beads: Lenape Princess Wynonah and the future President by Gretchen Hardy. She self-pubbed the book. If you want any other info on it let me know. I have the address of her publishing co. I know it is available at the Reading Museum and Goggleworks in Reading. I was fortunate to get it from one of the local libraries but might buy a copy at some point. It is only 40 some pages but contains a lot of information and beautiful illustrations. Good luck with your surgery. I understand your concerns. Glad this first storm of the season was not bad.

Donna M--I read and enjoyed the Ash trilogy by Shiloh Walker.

Amanda--what a nice picture of your dd! The weather is nice again today after the rain cleared out. Good luck with your root canal. I feel for you. What is up with the Phillies!? Once again they started to look like they were getting it together and then they lose 3 in a row. Frustrating!

Margie--I hope the classes are helping you understand about autism and that Gavin is doing well.

I hope everyone is well. We are doing ok here. We had Don's birthday dinner yesterday. His actual birthday is on Thursday but everyone was able to come yesterday. We had his favorites--lasagna and chocolate cake and ice cream for dessert. I got some nice pictures of him and the kiddos. Some day I will figure out how to post them online. I have not read a whole lot this week. I am reading an older book of PD James--The Black Tower. I am almost finished.

Have a good week everyone and check in!

Mary

Sat. night

Mary~~What is the name of the book about the Lenai Lenape Indians?  I'd love to read it!  Born in Philly, grew up in York, lived in Reading before moving to FL.

Well, I survived T. S. Andrea.  How'd you all do?  It really wasn't too bad here, except for the tornado that missed me by a minute!  Seriously, they kept saying that one was coming up from St. Pete and would hit Safety Harbor in 8 mins and East Lake Woodlands (where I live) in 9 mins.  It hit Safety Harbor but never hit here; don't know what happened to it either.  It was one of four that hit Pinellas Co. too and there was damage to my south, including the Humane Society.  However, the sun was out by 2 p.m. but the wind didn't die down until Friday.  My neighbor's Irish cousins will have a real story to tell when they get back!

I finished reading "Darius" by Grace Burrows now.  It is the first of her Lost Lords series and is a story of bad decisions and redemption.  If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it; it will haunt me for quite a while and it's going on my "Keeper Shelf."  I reviewed it on Goodreads.

On Tuesday, I go to the new urologist.  I hope that things work out for this surgery.  I'm getting a bad feeling about it, maybe b/c it's become convoluted and I've had to a lot of second-guessing.  People I'm dealing with seem to be working with blinders on, can't deal outside of their own little box; it doesn't make me feel good about the surgery!

Another pic of my trip to Daytona Beach.  That Lazy River ride was so relaxing I could have stayed on it all day!  The problem was trying to get off!  LOL!

Wednesday night

Hi Ladies!

On the Ring Dance - its a basic sophomore semi formal but they have a "ceremony" prior to it for all the kids that purchased a class ring.  I don't remember them doing that when I was in school, but whatever.  She had a good time, so that's all that counts.

Mary --  Hasn't the weather been great the last couple days?  So bummed torrential rain is coming in tomorrow night and Friday - ugh!  David will not be happy to drive in that on Friday.  The weekend should be decent though.  Glad your dentistry is almost done.  I was at the dentist Monday and, lo and behold, I need a root canal.  Wanted to send me the next day.  Like that would happen.

DonnaH  --  That is definitely a long drive to then have to go sit at a recital.  Talk about being sore.  Glad they mixed up the kids so that it was easier to watch.  I had Amelia's recital last week on Thur and Friday - yeah me.  I guess you wouldn't like my office at work - a small space with no windows - lol!

DonnaM --  Great pic of the flag!

Trudy --  Sorry your family is still so unsupportive.  I always wonder why it has to be that way.  Love the pic of you at Daytona.  I have to download my pics from Dover and then I will post one.   I would've been bummed to miss the Richard Petty experience.  My dad did that one of the years he lived in FL.

Margie --  Glad the classes are working out for you.  Wow to the couple with 3 autistic children.  That can't be easy.  The caves sound neat, but I wonder how far I would get before feeling a bit claustrophobic.  I know what you mean about being close and never going too.  NYC is only two hours from me and I only went for the first time this year.  And I haven't done the historical tour in Philly since I was a kid.

I haven't been reading.  Still have to finish the Stephen King and I have this months book club selection to read.  I started that last night.  Horror is sooooooo not for me.  The first chapter gave me the willies.  The next one has been better, but only because its how the people involved end up in the haunted house (thats also the title of the book).  Not sure I will be finishing it, that's for sure.

Been pretty busy otherwise.  Had Amelia's recitals last week.  I think I'm jaded after watching DWTS and SYTYCD.  Not with the younger girls, but the teenagers - which seemed to be in every other dance.  Was not impressed by them.  Thought if they concentrated on 1 or 2 styles of dance they would do much better.  But hey, what do I know?  We also went to the race in Dover on Sunday.  My gf got all of us free tix and we went down Saturday night and stayed at her place.  Was at the track by 6:45 am (OMG - that is sooooo early for me!) so I could be included to volunteer to help pack food for older Delawareans.  For this, I was one of 300 people in a Q & A with Jeff Gordon (my fav NASCAR driver) - yeah me!  Will be the only time I am ever that close, that is for sure.  Had a good time except for the humidity - ugh!  That was soooooo the worst part of the whole day.  Next time I decide to go to a race there, it will be the September one.

Ok, off I go.  Trying to get to bed earlier.  It works on some nights - lol.  Work is crazy and I will probably  try to do that root canal next week (my dentist will call it in as an emergency - she said it will take to long for an appt if I call.  The bad part is she wanted it this week and its end of month at work.  So not a good time.).  Have to get stuff for closing done just so I don't have to hear about it.  My boss actually said to me today if I could schedule it during the July 4th week we are shut down.  Yeah right.  Pretty sure he wouldn't do that.

Hope everyone is having a good week:-)

Amanda

Monday evening

Hi everyone! I am finally here again! I have been having trouble posting. I have been able to read all your posts however. I am sure it is my computer. I am hoping to get a tablet sometime soon so I can get online, etc. more easily. Anyway I hope all of you are doing well.

Since it has been awhile I will try to catch you up. I have done a lot of reading but have slowed down the past week. I read Have You Seen Her? by Karen Rose and liked it. Not as good as her other books but still a good read. I read Fatal Secrets by Allison Brennan and as always with her books it was a good read. Next of Kin by Sharon Sala was a good start to her Rebel Ridge trilogy. I finished the 50 Shades trilogy with Fifty Shades Freed. It was probably the weakest of the books but an ok read. I am glad I read the books but also glad to be finished. ;-) I also read a very interesting book which was historical fiction about the Lenape (Delaware) Indians from this area. It focused on the women of the tribe and in particular Wynonah who was the daughter of a chief. She is reported to have met George Washington when they were both very young. It was self-pubbed but well-done with lots of great illustrations. Very short book but well worth the read. I am now reading Secrets of the Lost Summer by Carla Neggers and enjoying it.

My dental work is almost finished. I did not need any root canals but did need two more crowns which should be done next week. I will be so relieved!

I had a great Mother's day weekend and Memorial day as well. I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday weekend.

We have been watching lots of movies. We finally watched Silver Linings Playbook and really enjoyed it. The Impossible is also an excellent movie.

Our weather has been up and down, hot and cold. It is supposed to be nice the rest of this week.

I hope you are all reading some good books and having a good week. I will try to get back on soon again.

Mary