Babbi the Entertainer (Babbi the Cat has Marvelous Imagination. Picture eBook. Book 1)

I thought that would mean that she would contact my siblings for more assistance but she decided instead to make arrangements for home care services - another support that is provided as part of the program. She has an RN coming to the house to check in on things so, yes, I feel better know that so many professionals are keeping tabs on her, even though we have had to resign ourselves to not making any immediate plans to relocate her to a single level dwelling.

As you have personally experienced, at some point the clean out of the house has to occur. Sometimes the timing is not the best but we will just have to deal with that the best we can. I do have my fingers crossed that maybe in the New Year Mom will be more receptive to a change. I am working on the "be kind to me" bit. I can down with a dodgy stomach Sunday night.

I ended up taking a sick day and slept most of Monday. Kind of reminded me that I can't keep rushing around like the Energizer Bunny, so plans are for some early nights this week and pacing myself. Adding that one to my library request list! I have Cloud Atlas still waiting in the wings. One of these days I will get around to reading that one as well. I know Mom was super upset when she was informed by the family that she could no longer drive, but she has been able to maintain her independence in other ways and she does now realize why we made that decision when we did, so here is hoping she will come around to other decisions as we need to make them.

Set in Lartin America or Asia Source: September 27, Page count: An orphan raised in Valparaiso, Chile, by a Victorian spinster and her rigid brother, vivacious young Eliza Sommers follows her lover to California during the Gold Rush of Entering a rough-and-tumble world of new arrivals driven mad by gold fever, Eliza moves in a society of single men and prostitutes with the help of her good friend and savior, the Chinese doctor Tao Chi'en.

California opens the door to a new life of freedom and independence for the young Chilean, and her search for her elusive lover gradually turns into another kind of journey. By the time she finally hears news of him, Eliza must decide who her true love really is. A solid historical fiction piece with a strong, independent-minded heroine set against the wonderful backdrop of 19th century Chile and the California Gold Rush of This story has all of the trappings of a satisfying historical fiction read: Allende keeps the story grounded with the focus trained on her handful of key characters, given a more intimate, personal impression of the historically expansive California Gold Rush and the three continents the story is set in.

A delightful historical fiction read and I now understand why Allende is considered to be such a gifted novelist. In Tears of the Giraffe she tracks a wayward wife, uncovers an unscrupulous maid, and searches for an American man who disappeared into the plains many years ago. In the midst of resolving uncertainties, pondering her impending marriage to a good, kind man, Mr. Matekoni, and the promotion of her talented secretary a graduate of the Botswana Secretarial College, with a mark of 97 per cent , she also finds her family suddenly and unexpectedly increased by two.

McCall Smith continues to enthrall me with this second book in his No. I really like how he manages to weave connected stories together, allowing the reader to enjoy the mysteries while at the same time obtaining a better insight into the day-to-day lives of the characters against the Botswanan backdrop.

It is this focus on societal and familial bonds that makes these such a joy to read. I also like how McCall Smith maintains a theme of morality through the stories, having Mma Ramotswe face moral dilemmas when assessing potential harm that may occur if a certain course of action is taken, or not taken, as a result of the investigation.

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As you can imagine, some gentle directional input from Mma Ramotswe is usually required. These stories are not stories of high-flying suspense or riveting chase scenes, and I like them for that very reason. If I want high suspense, I will pick up a thriller to read. Book 72 - A Month in the Country by J. May 13, Page count: Tom Birkin, a veteran of the Great War and a broken marriage, arrives in the remote Yorkshire village of Oxgodby where he is to restore a recently discovered medieval mural in the local church.

Living in the bell tower, surrounded by the resplendent countryside of high summer, and laboring each day to uncover an anonymous painter's depiction of the apocalypse, Birkin finds that he himself has been restored to a new, and hopeful, attachment to life. But summer ends, and with the work done, Birkin must leave.

Now, long after, as he reflects on the passage of time and the power of art, he finds in his memories some consolation for all that has been lost. What a wonderful, soft spoken novel. A perfect read for a lazy, hot, sunny August afternoon. The stories has a gentleness to it, dwelling on the idyll, even when fleeting memories of the horrors of war past are evoked.

It is a story of a summer of contentment, of making that turning point from scarred past into hopeful future. In a world where the most vivid heavens and hells are of our creation, Carr suggests, paradise and purgatory are deeply personal. What we value in life, then, may also be the most difficult to share. The Ninja Chop looks very cool! We have a Pampered Chef version of the "Slap Chop" which isn't quite as user-friendly in that you have to keep hitting the button to make it chop. Also, it's very loud! We live in an apartment so I feel like everyone in a three-apartment radius can hear when we're chopping carrots for meatloaf which is its primary function.

Glad to hear your mom has a good support network with lots of professionals and that she is enjoying the chair lift! Hope Being Mortal is of help to you when you read it.

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Great that you got the stairlifts at least! I've never read A Month in the Country , but I remember being quite enamored with the film when I saw it some 30 years ago So glad that you have been able to arrange so well for your mother's care with chair lifts and professional help in conjunction with the family network. I hope it relieves some of your own stress. You have accomplished a lot. Then I found the movie that I could view on the internet. Yes, Colin Firth was great, but I enjoyed the book even more.

Great review of A Month in the Country. I loved it too, and you described it so well. Hard to believe that we are now in September but there is no stopping the march of time. This weekend was spent doing what I usually do on the "end of summer" long weekend: Carpets have been cleaned, windows and curtains have been washed and I can now face autumn with a "clean slate', as it were. On the non-reading front, I have taken a slight detour in my Midsomer Murder Mystery viewing to watch season 1 of the BBC period-drama television series Lilies.

A solid 's Liverpool England set drama with a lot of heart, some grief and even a little bit of Downton Abbey -styled mixing of the classes. It is from the creators of Call the Midwife. Personally, I find "Lilies" to be a better drama piece that "Call the Midwife" - maybe because I got a little tired of all the birthing drama in "Call the Midwife". Good show I can recommend, if anyone is on the look out for a period drama.

My other half tends to use my "stay at home and fool around in the kitchen" days as the perfect opportunity for him to venture off with his buddies, but he is always very appreciative of the meals that he comes home to so he never questions any cash outlays when they relate to the kitchen. I cannot wait for my next trip home to see the chair lifts in action. Apparently my nieces - both in their early 20's - and my Dad have tested the chair lifts so the overall opinion is a good one.

I saw mention of the movie, and that it stars Colin Firth - obviously, a much younger Colin Firth - so I will probably track down the movie and watch it sometime this winter. I like to get a good movie watching list prepared for when the damp, stormy winter months descend. I am also very happy that all of my siblings live closer to Mom and Dad than I do and they have been able to also step up and attend medical appointments and the like.

I think a strong support network - both professional and family - are key for these situations.

Love your comments comparing the book to the movie. Now I am curious to see which I will prefer more! Sep 12, , Book 73 - Tulipomania by Mike Dash Challenge s: May 15, Page count: In the s, visitors to the prosperous trading cities of the Netherlands couldn't help but notice that thousands of normally sober, hardworking Dutch citizens from every walk of life were caught up in an extraordinary frenzy of buying and selling. The object of this unprecedented speculation was the tulip, a delicate and exotic Eastern import that had bewitched horticulturists, noblemen, and tavern owners alike.

For almost a year rare bulbs changed hands for incredible and ever-increasing sums, until single flowers were being sold for more than the cost of a house. Historians would come to call it tulipomania. It was the first futures market in history, and like so many of the ones that would follow, it crashed spectacularly, plunging speculators and investors into economic ruin and despair. This is the history of the tulip, from its origins on the barren, windswept steppes of central Asia to its place of honor in the lush imperial gardens of Constantinople, to its starring moment as the most coveted--and beautiful--commodity in Europe.

Historian Mike Dash vividly narrates the story of this amazing flower and the colorful cast of characters--Turkish sultans, Yugoslav soldiers, French botanists, and Dutch tavern keepers--who were centuries apart historically and worlds apart culturally, but who all had one thing in common: The trading of tulips was outside of the regulated stock and futures markets of the time period, and its frenzy was in part fueled by the fact that any one from the wealthy to the common artisans and workers could get involved, even in a small way, in the hopes of cashing in a profit.

The lure of making cash in such a simple way must have been too good for many to pass up. With that information in mind, I was only somewhat surprised to learn that the Dutch artist Jan van Guyen had invested, and lost almost everything but the shirt off his back, in the tulip crash. He had given up painting during the tulip mania and it was only because of the financial straights he found himself and his family in that he returned to painting, leaving behind a legacy of brilliant landscapes that, in the words of the author, "many of which would have probably never have been painted had he made his fortune in the tulip trade".

I was saddened to learn that some of the rarer tulips that helped fuel the tulip mania, are lost to us forever, except in preserved paintings, like this one of Semper Augusta: Interestingly, the vivid colorful markings of the highly sought after tulips like the Semper Augustus, were not a product of cultivated hybrid breeding. They were a product of a broken tulip infected with the mosaic virus.

While the bulb industry has managed to wipe out the mosaic virus, as the author notes, " The infinite variety that each broken tulip could display is gone, and with it much of the flower's capacity to fascinate and astound. Sep 5, , 8: December 10, Page count: Rajkumar is a young stateless orphan helping out in a market stall in the dusty square outside the royal palace in Mandalay, when the British force the Burmese King, Queen and court into exile.

Haunted by his vision of the Royal Family and Dolly, a child attendant of the royal entourage Rajkumar encountered being escorted under armed guard into exile in India - and with the help of an itinerant merchant from Malacca - Rajkumar will make his fortune deep in the teak forests of upper Burma. Now and adult and wealthy, Rajkumar travels to the obscure town where the Royal Family has been exiled, and his family and friends become inexorably linked with theirs.

This is one of those sweeping saga stories that has appealed to a number of readers here on LT. Sadly, while there were sections that I found made for excellent story telling, for the most part, I think it is a book filled with too much: Too much time span coverage the story spans years and three generations , too many topics the story covers everything from cultural differences, colonialism, war, political ideology, lumber enterprises, photography , too many characters the story jumps around between immediate family, friends, neighbours, in laws , too much attention to minute details I don't really need to know the make and model of every single vehicle and camera used in the story.

Maybe I am going through a bit of historical fiction burn out, but I found this story jumped around too much, tried to be too grand and over the top and as such, became a chore to read, even as I enjoyed the wonderful descriptive details of Burma and India. It has been a busy but good week and weekend. On Saturday, I went venturing downtown.

Came across a new Italian bakery in the lower Johnson area near Fan Tan Alley that I will probably be frequenting on a regular basis. Had the most amazing shiitake mushroom quiche in a very thin crusttata crust that was wonderful! I also was downtown as I had read a news report that the last Christmas store in Victoria, The Original Christmas Village, will be closing on September 15th after 27 years of business on one of the tourist attraction streets of downtown Victoria: I came away with some wonderful additions to my Christmas ornament collection and the following story to relate: While I was standing just inside the doorway to the shop, a mother and two daughters - roughly years of age - entered the store, all carrying drinks from the Starbucks just up the block.

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Mom lead the girls in and I was amused when one of the daughters read the "No Food or Drink" sign at the entrance and informed her mom that they cannot bring drinks into the store. I noticed the mom ignored the girl, and wasn't surprised when the girl said again, in a louder voice, "Mom, drinks are not allowed in the store," while continuing to stand in the doorway, not following their mom into the store. Imagine my surprise when the mom's response, while continuing to browse the store offerings, was that her daughters can stay outside.

Remember, mom is carrying a drink in her hand! Daughter did not forget that fact and said in a really loud voice this time, "Mom, you have a drink in your hand! I am usually a "live and let live" kind of person, but seriously, I was ready to take the mother to task myself, if anything to chastise her as to what kind of role model are you for your kids, but the very harassed store clerk had managed to raise her head from the chaos at the till and pointed to the sign. Would you believe the transgressor gave a expression of disgust and loudly informed her daughters while exiting that they were walking on?

All I can say, is I pity those poor girls, having to put up with a mother like that. On the good news front, my mom is scheduled for a minor surgical procedure to have a feeding tube inserted next Friday. Trust me when I say, the family is over the moon with this news, as mom has been struggling and has been more than a bit difficult when it comes to what she is able and willing the emphasis on the willing to eat orally. She was originally scheduled for Sept 2nd for the minute procedure that involved a 48 hours stay in hospital but as that was a long weekend, apparently the health system wasn't up for the doing the procedure on the Friday and keeping mom in until the Tuesday after the holiday Monday which rolled the procedure to two weeks out.

I promise not to get frustrated with the health system's procedures but it just blows my mind that it really comes down to a fixed 48 hours in and they have no wiggle room for holidays. Brings me back to my belief that health care in Canada should be federal - just like the NHS in the UK - and not a provincial matter. At least she is getting it done and we have our fingers crossed that a more regimented feeding schedule that isn't dictated by what she can inject orally will be positive, for how ever long it can be.

On the reading front, books continue to be read. Having a bit of a frustrating experience with my read of Annabel by Kathleen Winter. I own a trade paperback copy but I also borrowed the CD-version from the public library. I am starting to get rather tired of the whole posturing of Lovelace, moralizing of Belford and continued virtuous-expounding of Clarissa. Best bit of eye-rolling entertainment was reading the over-the-top letters by Mr.

Brand… a perfect example of someone who thinks waaaaay too highly of themselves, their literary knowledge and their writing prowess! Good news, there is only one more volume to go. The end is in sight! When a mysterious letter lands in Hallie James's mailbox, her life is upended. Hallie was raised by her loving father, having been told her mother died in a fire decades earlier.

But it turns out that her mother, Madlyn, was alive until very recently. Why would Hallie's father have taken her away from Madlyn? What really happened to her family thirty years ago? In search of answers, Hallie travels to the place where her mother lived, a remote island in the middle of the Great Lakes. The stiff islanders fix her first with icy stares and then unabashed amazement as they recognize why she looks so familiar, and Hallie quickly realizes her family's dark secrets are enmeshed in the history of this strange place.

But not everyone greets her with such a chilly reception? And then there's the grand Victorian house bequeathed to her? When I am in the mood for a bit of escapism reading — like I was this past week — I sometimes gravitate towards mysteries with a touch of romance and saturated in gothic atmosphere. I really enjoyed the family history stories the housekeeper tells Hallie over a series of days, unveiling the secrets, one relative at a time. I also really like the whole Great Manitou Island setting — a fictitious island vacation spot where the locals all get around by horse and buggy no cars allowed on the island.

This, and the November time period, gives the setting a quaint effect, enhancing the feeling of isolation. A enjoyable bit of escapism reading, especially if read during a stormy fall day. Sep 11, , 7: Kilometers walked this session: Prawda - not to be confused with Prada the shoe folks - was originally settled by Ukrainian, Polish and Russian settlers in the early 's. I have never visited Prawda, but my Ukrainian heritage already has me salvating at the thought of cabbage rolls, perogies, Polish sausages and sauerkraut!

Roughly 50 KM to go to the Ontario border! Glad the end is in sight for you! It sounds like the read is becoming "painful. Great to hear that the surgery is scheduled - sending all my good thoughts that it goes well! My Australian friend will be sorry to hear about Christmas Village in Victoria.

She spent a lot of money there last year and will be returning to Victoria in April , no doubt planning another major shopping trip. Wishing you and your mother all the best for her surgery. How fascinating, and how interesting to learn about lost varieties of tulips. Sorry I have been rather absent from LT and my threads for the past two weeks. Mom's feeding tube surgery on Sept 16 did not go according to plan. She was prepped for the surgical procedure and everything was a go until the 11th hour when the surgical team decided that Mom's bowels had not been voided enough in prep for the surgery, so they sent her home, with no mention of when she would be rescheduled for.

Mom has been ready for the procedure since mid-August. As you may recall, the first date - Sept 2nd - was put off by the hospital because of the long weekend apparently the procedure is usually done on a Friday, patient stays in hospital over the weekend and on the Monday, when the incision area has healed enough to allow the patient to resume food consumption - orally or through the feeding tube - they are sent home.

Apparently, the hospital staff felt that keeping Mom in over the holiday Monday wasn't a good idea, which is why she got scheduled for the 16th. I was annoyed by the news, especially as Mom's prep sheet only mentioned that she was not allowed to eat anything after midnight Sept Mom did call the neurosciences team late Friday about this new development but it was after hours so no response was expected before Monday. This made for a rather stressful weekend as Mom has been losing weight and has been finding it a lot of work to consume food orally.

The good news is that suddenly late Monday afternoon my parents received a call from the hospital where the feeding tube procedures are performed and were informed to bring Mom in at 8: They met with the senior doctor's resident who informed them that they were going to run a series of tests and make sure that Mom would be given the green light for the procedure. The green light was received Wednesday morning and the procedure was done early that afternoon.

On Friday afternoon Mom was cleared to come off her fast and could now eat what she would like orally or be fed through the feeding tube. Mom has been kept in over the weekend and on Monday morning my dad and siblings will be present at the hospital for instruction on the use and cleaning of the feeding tube. The physiotherapist will also see Mom to make sure that she has sufficient mobility to be released from the hospital and return home. Overall, things are looking good but one always wishes that drama like what happened the weekend of the 16th doesn't have to occur.

Health care where my parents live has been very compartmentalized. The neurosciences department is located at a hospital in the south end of the city while feed tube procedures are done in a different hospital in the north end of town. Given that the procedure was suddenly scheduled for mid-week and completely outside of that hospital's usual scheduling I think the neurosciences team pushed the buttons to stop this "wait two weeks" scheduling insanity.

I love Mom's neurosciences team of specialists. Sep 25, , 5: Anyone who follows news about the British royal family or, if you are in Canada, just watch the nightly news, will know that William, Kate and the children are in BC for the next 7 days. While I am not a royalist, even I could not pass up the opportunity to get an in-person viewing of the Cambridges, Justin and his wife Sophie as well as David Johnson, the Governor General of Canada and his wife.

I had no desire to join the crowds on the legislature lawn. For one thing, we have had rather damp weather and I am not a fan of standing on a "squishy" lawn and possibly wrecking my shoes in the process , and I also did not want to be trapped in for the entire ceremony. If you were on the lawn, you were going to be corralled in and not allowed to leave until after the Cambridges and the various dignitaries had left.

The spot proved to be ideal. I knew there was going to be a commemoration ceremony at the cenotaph, but I didn't expect to be at the location where the official "meet and greet" would occur: From left to right: Will and Kate being greeted by the Governor General and his wife Will and Kate being greeted by Justin Sorry the pics are a bit blurry. I forgot my camera at home so had to make do with my smart phone for pics.

On the reading front, I continue to make progress with Clarissa and can now report that I am pages away from the end to this behemoth of a read. I have plowed through some other books - Yes, I was on a bit of a "one word title" reading jag as I was working to finish one of my categories for the category challenge. Continue to enjoy watching episodes of Midsomer Murders and almost finished Series I hope everyone has been having a lovely weekend.

Now for those responses, reviews and walking update I have to say, I can understand why some readers find Clarissa to be such a fascinating read. There is an awful lot of content that lends itself to conversations, but it is a rather long-winded story! I like to think your good thoughts were of great help while dealing with the procedure snafu! Thank you so much for the good wishes I know our schools like to focus on things like wars and changes in politics when teaching history, but I would have paid more attention in school if the topics had included tulip mania!

Book 77 - Annabel by Kathleen Winter Challenge s: May 5, Page count: In , into the devastating, spare atmosphere of the remote coastal town of Labrador, Canada, a child is born: This review is going to be more of a compare-contrast of Annabel and Jeffrey Eugenides's Middlesex , a book I read earlier this year. Both tackle the rather sensitive topic of intersexuality, which has also been called hermaphroditism.

The two books couldn't be further apart, IMO, in their delivery of the topic. Eugenides tackles the topic by anchoring it in a sweeping family saga, with a dark humour perspective and a fair bit of detailed scientific facts thrown into the mix. Winter takes a very different approach.

I want to call the Eugenides and Winter books the epitome of American and Canadian story-telling. Eugenides sweeping immigrant family saga is a testament to what has created America. Even the violence that occurs in the story is muted I liked that approach. It provided for a consistent overall feel of the story. Some readers may not agree, but I think the larger theme in Annabel is how Winter displays the slowly developing awareness of Wayne - and the reactions of his family and close friends - as he embarks on this journey of self discovery. This was captured really well.

I think it also speaks to why it is wrong for adults, both parents and medical professionals, to make decisions - even when they think they are doing so in the best interests of the child - without fully understanding how their decisions can have an impact on the child as they develop. Overall, a beautifully written story. Book 78 - Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco Challenge s: It begins with a body. On a clear day in winter, the battered corpse of Crispin Salvador is pulled from the Hudson River. Gone, too, is the only manuscript of his final book, a work meant to rescue him from obscurity by exposing the crimes of the Filipino ruling families.

Miguel, his student and only remaining friend, sets out for Manila to investigate. I really struggled with this one. The narrative mechanisms used include everything from excerpted sections of fictionalized published works, transcribes of interviews, to reproducing emails and blog postings to communicate the story. Quite the jumbled mess that made listening to the story a bit of a challenge, kind of like listening to someone reading aloud a journal article and making a point of reading aloud each footnote in turn, disrupting the flow. He had to go and further complicate matters by free flowing the story backwards and forwards through time and place.

Overall, one of the most ambitious debut novels I have ever read. I just wish I had the patience to try and understand the deeper meaning I am sure it contains. Book 79 - Home by Marilynne Robinson Challenge s: May 12, Page count: The Reverend Boughton's hell-raising son, Jack, has come home after twenty years away.

Artful and devious in his youth, now an alcoholic carrying two decades worth of secrets, he is perpetually at odds with his traditionalist father, though he remains his most beloved child. As Jack tries to make peace with his father, he begins to forge an intense bond with his sister Glory, herself returning home with a broken heart and turbulent past. Trust me, I am wondering the same thing! The themes of judgement, salvation, redemption, grace as well as whether or not people can change, ripple through the pages. What I find fascinating is that both books — Gilead and Home — are set in the same place and time: I found Home to be a better read, for a number of reasons: Having personally experienced the return of a wayward family member - wayward in the sense of distancing themselves from the family for a number of years - I found the conversations between Jack and Glory, and Jack and his father, was a poignantly moving experience for me.

While there is a lot of sadness in Home , a lot of kindness and gentleness also shines through. On the whole, I found Home to be an emotionally demanding and deeply satisfying read. Definitely one I know I will re-read at some point in the future. Lila, homeless and alone after years of roaming the countryside, steps inside a small-town Iowa church-the only available shelter from the rain-and ignites a romance and a debate that will reshape her life. She becomes the wife of a minister, John Ames, and begins a new existence while trying to make sense of the life that preceded her newfound security.

Neglected as a toddler, Lila was rescued by Doll, a canny young drifter, and brought up by her in a hardscrabble childhood. Together they crafted a life on the run, living hand to mouth with nothing but their sisterly bond and a ragged blade to protect them. Despite bouts of petty violence and moments of desperation, their shared life was laced with moments of joy and love. When Lila arrives in Gilead, she struggles to reconcile the life of her makeshift family and their days of hardship with the gentle Christian worldview of her husband which paradoxically judges those she loves. This just didn't work for me.

Maybe I was expecting too much after having loved both Gilead and Home , but Lila really came off as a huge letdown for me. Granted, Robinson continues to craft an entirely new story from a completely different point of view without leaving the small town of Gilead or her handful of familiar characters, but I found myself getting rather muddled while listening to this one. I never got comfortable with Lila as a character. She always seemed ready to bolt, like some wild animal that discovers too late that they have left their comfortable and familiar countryside and strayed into the heart of a community.

Maybe that is the point Robinson is trying to convey, but I just never settled into this story like I did the other two, even though I did like getting glimpses of Ames and Reverend Boughton from a different point of view. Book 81 - Antoni Gaudi: Hardcover Original publication date: This book celebrates one of the most remarkable and idiosyncratic architects of modern times -- Antoni Gaudi's wonderfully bizzare yet romantic and intriguing buildings have imbued the Spanish city of Barcelona with a unique character and ensured his place in the pantheon of great architects.

An introductory essay exploring Gaudi's life and career is followed by a selection of sumptuous images of his buildings including Casa Batllo and the church of the Sagrada Familia. I love looking at architecture, especially when the design and materials push the boundaries of architecture and enter into the realm of art. This slim volume provides some good background information on Gaudi and some details about the Catalan influence in his visionary work. While I can appreciate the level of detail that went into the cathedrals he designed, my eyes will always stray towards Casa Batllo , Casa Mila and Casa Vicens as truly wondrous examples of what the author describes as "interpretation of architecture as organic structure which expresses the growth potential and evolutionary properties of nature.

Not enough to satisfy the Gaudi enthusiast in me, but enough to send me to the internet to look at more pictures. ON My current location on the map: Yes, I have Finally crossed into Ontario! There is a good chance I will be in Ontario for close to 12 months - This is quite the large piece of land to cross! Now if you are like me, you are probably staring at that flag for Ontario and thinking that it looks an awful lot like the flag I have been displaying while working my way through Manitoba.

You would be correct. Those two provinces have very similar flags: Flag of Manitoba Flag of Ontario. I'm glad that your Mom's surgery finally got done, and it's really too bad you had to go through all that stress beforehand. I'm very impressed you're so close to the end of Clarissa! I too am a big fan of Midsomer Murders and might consider doing a rewatch from the beginning myself, one day.

My husband and I have been doing a rewatch of the Inspector Morse series from the beginning. Sep 26, , 2: Glad your Mom's surgery was done in the end. And I hope all goes well with the feeding tube combined with oral food. As well as mathgirl40, I'm impressed with your reading - but even more impressed with your walking! It's amazing just how many kms you have walked. Lucky you getting to see the Cambridges as well as the Trudeaus.

I longed to be able to tell Hamish to take his hands out of his pockets. I haven't popped in here for a while. I'm pleased to hear that your mum has now got her feeding tube. It sounds like she has a pretty good support network. You have been reading some pretty good books too by the look of things. I'm glad everything went well with your mom and hope she continues to improve. I'm glad to hear things are on the up for your mum, after the stress of the initial cancellation.

I hope that she can adjust well and your family don't find dealing with the feeding tube too stressful. In my experience families soon become experts and can be every bit as good as a professional in dealing with the technicalities, plus of course they know their relative so much better. I'm enjoying reading your thread. I hope things continue looking up for your parents and mom. I'm hopelessly out of shape.

Thanks for sharing the royal family outing picture as well. Glad to hear the surgery finally happened. The compartmentalization and silo-ing in health care is so annoying. Lucky getting to see the royal family! I've been looking at the pictures online and the royal babies are pretty darn cute. Sorry to hear about all the stress surrounding the surgery, but I'm glad it worked out in the end.

Hope she continues to do well. Exciting to see the royal family. Although I'm not that interested in the day-to-day tabloid goings on of the royal family, I would probably have gone out to see them, too! Also, Annabel looks like a great read. Hi Lori, good to hear that your Mom finally got the surgery. Great pictures of the Royal visit, I expect the crowds were just as interested in seeing The Trudeau's as the Royals. I am looking forward to hopefully meeting you and Roberta next Wednesday.

My daughter Nina was there too--she was somewhere around that tree on the left of your top picture. You had a better view than her, based on your pics. I didn't even think to go see them in Vancouver, but then it's further to travel for me than it was for Nina. Can I just say that I am completely shocked that we are now into October?!? Where did the previous month s go? Life continues to truck along. Mom has now been home for a week and things are going as good as can be expected.

Still trying to get Mom to understand that her fear of developing an addiction to things like sleeping pills and her anti-anxiety drugs are really the bottom of the concern list, as both her family physician and the ALS specialists have confirmed that the doses prescribed to her are of no concern. Work has snowballed into a bit of a flurry so always surprised when the week comes to an end. At least the to-do list for this week doesn't amount to attempting to climb Mt. On the reading front, audio-books continue to be my salvation, but even then, I only have two two books finished with quick reviews for posting.

Oh well, fall usually is a rather busy time so the reading may slow down just a tad At least, I am getting some level of work-life-home balance, and it does show in that I am now back to getting 7 hours of sleep each night. Mom is doing well and I am very happy to see the end of Clarissa near at hand!

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As for the Midsomer Murders - they are a treat to watch, even the episodes I had seen previously. We are all relieved that the feeding tube surgery is now done and Mom is back at home. Interestingly, a "feeding" can take anywhere from 45 minutes to over 2 hours, depending upon how fast the feeding flow is set at, although I understand Mom has complained of some discomfort during the faster feeds so it usually takes 1.

Always fun to get a glimpse of "celebrities" - be they Royal or political. All is well, based on the feedback I have received from Dad and my siblings.

1. Aundy: (A Sweet Western Historical Romance) (Pendleton Petticoats Book 1).
2. Star Trek - Rezeptionsverhalten bei einem Fernsehphänomen (German Edition).
3. Christmas Is Coming!?
4. Upcoming Events!
5. Babbi's Got Sense (Babbi the Cat is a Great Detective. Picture eBook. Book 5).
6. ;

It helps that my siblings are older 2 are retired and 1 is semi-retired so visitations occur on a daily basis to check on mom's well being, although we are still dealing with a struggle in that mom has her own views about certain things addiction to sleeping and anxiety pills continue to be a concern, even though they should be at the bottom of the 'worry' barrel and she doesn't seem to always be receptive to accepting the advice of her doctors. One of the hurdles that we continue to face. Apparently, the feeding tube is very easy to deal with, including its cleaning, so no worries on that front.

I completely ignored a second photo opportunity on Saturday when the Royals cruised a tall ship - I love tall ships! I know we are still struggling with eHealth records but Good Grief, at some point someone should be able to resort to low technology avenues like picking up the phone and making a phone call to confirm what is going on. I am more of a "give me a picture of what Kate is wearing" kind of person. I treat the Globe and Emmy awards the same way: Thank you for the well wishes. I am so looking forward to meeting you and Roberta this week!

I am sure she still managed to get some good shots of the Royals from her vantage point, given that she was physically closer Audio-book Original publication date: Eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable. Even more so when Kinsey Millhone's only lead is a grown man dredging up a repressed childhood memory-of something that may never have happened Not Grafton's best read, IMO but still a decent bit of escapism. I like the idea of Michael Sutton - Kinsey's client - having a checkered past when it comes to reliability of information.

This provides a nice level of complexity to the story. Grafton is now very comfortable with shifting timelines and narrators and while the "whodunit" crops up rather early in the story, it is the details like the "why" that are slowly revealed to the reader. I like how Rosie continues to provide a bit of comic relief to the stories and Kinsey's landlord Henry continues to be a reliable sounding board for the times when Kinsey finds the clues are just not adding up.

Trade paperback Original publication date: February 19, Page count: Instead of being executed, Lev and Kolya are given a shot at saving their own lives by complying with an outrageous directive: In a city cut off from all supplies and suffering unbelievable deprivation, Lev and Kolya embark on a hunt through the dire lawlessness of Leningrad and behind enemy lines to find the impossible.

One doesn't usually expect to encounter wry humour in a book with such a bleak setting like the Siege of Leningrad during WWII, but there is some humour to be found within the pages of this excellent story. I guess one needs to see the humour in being assigned such an unusual task - secure a dozen eggs in a city and countryside where people will loot and kill for even a shriveled, moldy potato.

A wonderful and horrifying coming of age story where 17 year-old Lev, surrounded by the dark and brutal side of humanity, learns the true strength of friendship, and the bonds that bring people together in times of struggle. A worthy and quick read. Still heading for Kenora. Yes, I have Finally Nothing of interest to report.

I had a lovely time this evening and I am already itching to start reading the books! Oct 12, , Happy belated Thanksgiving to all of my Canadian visitors! Time flies when one is: While I can only claim a partial stake in both scenarios - at different times over the past week and and bit - I wasn't ready for Tuesday morning to creep up like it did and remind me of the obligation to earn a pay cheque.

I hope your long weekend was filled with food and friends like ours was and that you did not have the deluge of rain we had on the Saturday although my family in Calgary had to settle for an unseasonably early snow storm - really, the first snow fall is supposed to happen at the end of October, to coincide with Halloween, not at the start and cause all sorts of travel havic for the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend! Before you ask, no there is no picture. You will just have to take our word for it that a meet up occurred. In the process of running errands during a rather heavy rainfall on Saturday, I discovered that my trusty rain boots had developed a "leak" - more like developed a gash I was not aware of in in the months since I had last needed the boots - so the holiday Monday saw me at one of my favorite shoe stores, purchasing new rain boots and good thing too as I understand the island is in for heavy rain and high winds starting tomorrow night.

For Thanksgiving my other half was all for a more "low key" dinner so I purchased a turkey breast roast as opposed to a whole turkey. OMG, I will never go back to buying a full turkey ever again! For the same price we managed to get the same amount of meat without the hassle of removing cooked meat from carcass, disposing of carcass or having my oven taken over by the cooking bird. We did full turkey dinner with all the trimmings on Sunday and Monday and tonight I managed to use up the remaining turkey in a curry over pan-fried cauliflower rice.

On the good news front, I was able to get in some solid reading time this weekend - didn't want to venture out in the weather more than I had to - so three book reviews are now ready for posting. I am trying to work through my backlog of LTER books so I am happy that I have one down, one on the go and one in the wings and one that was a "no show".

The short version is it looks like the family has decided that Mom would be better off in an extended care facility. I did get to provide my two cents - given the information provided, I believe the problems they face right now have more to with Mom's on-going issues with anxiety than with the ALS - but I feel that they had already made their decision and informed me after the fact, especially given that my suggestion to bring in qualified home care assistance was not even acknowledged.

I find the decision of an extended care facility to be a little premature giving that Mom is still mobile and only requires what I understand to be limited assistance with certain functions but I am also not there to witness the day-to-day activities that have lead up to this decision, so I guess I just have to trust that they have Mom's best interest's at heart, and will hopefully discuss this with her and not just spring it on her like they did with Dad's idea of moving them both out of the house and into a condo which had its own disastrous consequences.

Not something I am easy with considering that up to now, my 81 year old Dad has been doing the majority of the care giving with my siblings providing some level of routine visits. As you can probably guess, I am not doing well with this decision. Definitely not trusting them to take care of me if something were to happen to me. Now for those reviews. A young Englishman journeys to Tuscany to rescue his late brother's wife from what appears to be an unsuitable romance with an Italian of little fortune.

In the events surrounding that match and its fateful consequences, Forster weaves an exciting and eventful tale that intriguingly contrasts English and Italian lives and sensibilities. I know I don't usually post up two cover images with my book reviews. I did this time because I absolutely love the cover on the right the cover of the audio book I listened to while the cover on the left is the rather 'blah" cover of the copy in my personal library. When it was published, Forster was only 26 years old.

I find that to be an accomplishment in itself. What is more difficult for me to communicate are my thoughts regarding this one. I tend to be a fan of books that tackle meaty topics of divisions caused by class structure, societal norms and mannerisms under the guise of troublesome family scenarios. I struggled a bit with some of the characters — in particular, Philip, Harriet and Mrs. This struck me as a bit odd as I got the impression that Caroline was the younger of the two. Harriet comes across as a little unhinged, even before the tragic events unfold and as for Mrs. Harriton, well, that woman has control issues.

Lilia comes across as I would expect for one who faces life with an exuberance that defies being contained. As for the writing, while good, I felt that Forster was still coming into his own as a writer. Not surprising given his youth at the time of writing. Overall, an decent read and I am now curious to watch the movie adaptation with Helen Mirren as Lilia Harriton. July 11, Acquisition date: July 27, Page count: Nathan Sinclair is a struggling architect, a gifted pianist and a mysterious French past who lives in two vastly different worlds of Victorian England: While performing at a gathering of London's elite, Nathan meets Jocelyn Charlesworth, a breathtakingly beauty but temperamental celebrity heiress of London high society.

At the same event, Nathan discovers and becomes enamoured with a mysterious, dark-haired woman. Nathan pursues the discovery of the mysterious woman, unknowing that his connection to the famed Charlesworth family will become more than just a fleeting event. Nathan must grapple with his heart and the ruthless society of Victorian England as he struggles to face his debtor, a jealous suitor and an enraged brother while he struggles to establish his name as an architect of note in a city where reputation means everything. I will start off my review by complementing Colton on his stunning focus on architecture and his meticulous research to create the Victorian setting for his book - from the music of the period, the plays being performed in London at the time, the existence of the fine French restaurant Verrey's, to the details of the creation of London's sewer system and the prison Coldbath Fields.

For that reason, this book may appeal to readers seeking historical accuracy or lovers of music in general, given the wealth of information contained in this book. I found it difficult to appreciate any of the characters at their face values: Jocelyn is too perfect, Regina to humble, the Duke of Wilmont too driven - seriously, the man's actions are of an obsessive - compulsive nature second to none! Yes, there is a rather interesting twist to the plot that I was not expecting but it only slightly elevated my thoughts on this one.

As an additional concern - that I hope is merely a technical glitch associated with the early reviewer e-book copy I received - Jocelyn and Nathan tend to revert to the French language for some of their dialogue. Lastly, the book could have used with a ruthless editor. The story could have been succinctly captured in half to the space and with less repetition of how wondrous Jocelyn is as a beauty and how "odorous" London as a city was a that time.

A story that has a lot of promise, but didn't really follow through on the execution for me as, under the direction of a good editor, this book could have been a tantalizing story in half the page count and as a more tightly woven story. October 23, Page count: Taking us back to a time that is half history, half myth and wholly magical, The Palace of Illusions gives new voice to Panchaali, the fire-born heroine of the Mahabharat, as she weaves a vibrant interpretation of an ancient tale. Married to five royal husbands who have been cheated out of their father's kingdom, Panchaali aids their quest to reclaim their birthright, remaining at their side through years of exile and a terrible civil war.

But she cannot deny her complicated friendship with the enigmatic Krishna—or her secret attraction to the mysterious man who is her husbands' most dangerous enemy—as she is caught up in the ever-manipulating hands of fate. Spin me a story that pulls its foundation from an ancient epic tale and I will either be completely enraptured or bored out of my mind.

This mystical tale is a rich tapestry of all things that make a story spellbinding: Of course, I am also a fan of epic tales where the lead is a strong female. Draupadi is a dynamic character, even if she does have her moments of self-serving pride and arrogance. The story never lets up, racing the reader along at a steady clip as Draupadi journeys towards her destiny.

A truly epic tale and a very worthy read! I note that the Wikipedia article about Mahabharata states that the Mahabharata is the longest known epic poem and has been described as "the longest poem ever written". Given that I am about to complete my read of what is considered to be the longest novel in the English language based on word count, maybe I should add the Mahabharata to my planned reading.

I find the decision of an extended care facility to be a little premature giving that Mom is still mobile and only requires what I understand to be limited assistance with certain functions but I am also not there to witness the day-to-day activities that have lead up to this decision, so I guess I just have to trust that they have Mom's best interest's at heart, I hear your concerns. One thing I've noticed from seeing this shift with many relatives and family friends, however, is that the transition out of the family home goes much smoother if it's not left too late.

People adjust better when they still have some ability to settle themselves into their new home. I've seen more suffering with people who left it as long as possible and then made the transition in a crisis situation. Just my observation, if it helps you come to terms with this. I do hope that the decision to move your mum to the care facility is indeed discussed with her at length and that the arrangement is acceptable to everyone. It's very hard to be at a distance from it and to feel unsure about how the decision was made.

And for those involved, it may be a perfectly logical decision to make, but emotionally it might take a while to come to terms with. I don't have any suggestions but can sympathize with the thought of being the out-of-town relative and unable to get involved directly story of my life with my grandparents at the moment. Good to hear that part is over with now anyway. Nice spot for taking pics! I've never read her and, although it doesn't sound like a book for me, I'm taking a BB for my mum - I'm prepping her birthday package and this will make a good addition.

Oh yeah, that one is still on Mt. I do hope all goes well with your mum - I have no advice to give, only virtual sympathy to offer. Hi everyone - Just poking my head in to report that I haven't fallen off a cliff or anything like that. The last couple of weeks have been a roller-coaster ride.

I am saddened to report that my mom passed away in the early hours of last Saturday morning. She had been admitted to hospital the previous weekend with symptoms of pneumonia, and thankfully I was able to fly home and spend mom's last 4 days with her, along with my dad and siblings. Mom experienced a more rapid decline in her health than any of us were able to stay on top of, so my thanks go out to the unit staff at the hospital for doing all they could to make Mom's final days as comfortable as possible. Even sedated during her last 24 hours, I believe Mom had a better handle on what was going on than the medical staff expected.

She caught them out with a couple of good zingers when they thought she wasn't registering comments being made in her presence. Even to the end she was on top of things! I am home in Victoria for the week and will be flying back next week for the service. Life is now a jumbled mix of work and helping the family with planning the necessary arrangements so I will continue to be absent from LT for the next couple of weeks. I am so sorry to hear this, my condolences to you and your family. My condolences to you and your family, Lori - I am really sorry to hear this news, but I am glad that she was able to keep a handle on her mind till the end x.

I'm so sorry for your loss. How uplifting though to hear how on top of things she was through the end. So sad to hear this news. My deepest sympathies to you and your family. So very sorry to hear the new, Lori. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers. Take care of yourself. I'm so sorry for your loss, Lori. And so glad you made it home in time. Oh Lori, I am so, so sorry. Thinking of you and your family. You and your family are in my thoughts. Lori, I am so very sorry to hear about your Mother. Lori I'm so sorry for your loss. I'll be keeping you and your family in my thoughts,.

I haven't been to your thread for months. While reading all the posts I've missed, I planned to write that I'm glad you enjoyed City of Thieves. But this seems so unimportant now that I've reached your latest post. I'm very sorry to hear you mom passed away. Losing your mom is always so difficult. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. We'll look forward to having you back with us when you are able.

I'm very sorry to hear the sad news. Sending lots of thoughts your way in this difficult time. Nov 14, , 6: Thank you so much for the condolences. It is still a struggle to get back to the previous normal routine. I tend to find myself distracted by images and sounds, with reading kind of on the back burner. A lot of going over memorabilia, including a lot of images of Mom that only recently came to light as I was cleaning her sewing room.

Babbi the Entertainer –

A lot still being digested but the over all effect is one of happiness and gratitude that Mom did not suffer, trapped in a body unable to communicate by vocal or physical gestation. That was a HUGE fear of mine, after reading the literature and other patient's stories, so as hard as it may be for someone who has not directly experienced the evils of ALS, I am so, SO thankful my Mom passed naturally, before she was trapped in a body that no longer responded to her, even if it meant that she left us sooner than expected.

Yes, Canada now has assisted suicide legislation but there was no way that we, as a family, could have broached the subject to my mom Would she have gone for it That is a truly horrifying story and I pray that no one ever has to experience the final days that poor Margot had to suffered through.

That is so, so wrong! On the reading front, I have been reading, although the reviews about to be posted below are reviews that were written prior to my mother's demise. I actually found solace in reading Willa Cather's Death Comes to For the Archbishop the week of my mother's service, even though I acknowledge that the book was chosen for me back in before my mom's health issues became known.

A wonderful book, and I do hope to find the time to write a review. I have also managed to finish my read of Clarissa and will at some point post my collective thoughts on that one. Walking has been a gong show in that I haven't been walking except for ventures out of the hospital during my mom's final days so I guess it is best to say that things are slowly and I do mean slowly getting back to some semblance of normal but it not easy.

Reading is not a priority with me these days. It probably will be again at some point, but not right now. Now onward to those previously written reviews. Hard Cover Original publication date: December 25, Page count: Late one night in August , following a yearlong spree of bank robberies across the Midwest, Jason and Whit Fireson - bank robbers known as the Firefly Brothers by an adoring public that worships their acts as heroic counterpunches thrown at a broken system - are forced into a police shoothout and die in a hail of bullets.

While they and the Firesons's stunned mother and straight-arrow third son wade through conflicting police reports and press accounts, wild rumors spread that the bandits are still at large. When the colder, darker weather of autumn comes along, I seem to gravitate towards stories with a slightly darker feel to them, be it Gothic, noir or something a bit on the gritty side. The title is an apt one, and provides the reader with a bit of insight into the story considering the story starts out with the Fireson brothers resurrection.

The story takes the reader on a Depression-era crime adventure in keeping with the myth, legend and lore of outlaw celebrities the likes of the Dillinger Gang and Bonny and Clyde. Open Preview See a Problem? Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Preview — Babbi's Cat Tales by Mystie. On Halloween with his first full moon, and new to the countryside, Babbi the Cat has a night filled with intrigues. This is a mild Halloween bedtime story for children and adults alike, who don't like being afraid of the dark, but for whom Halloween is special.

Although toddlers love Babbi the Cat, the Halloween story in this book may not be suitable for them. A beautiful On Halloween with his first full moon, and new to the countryside, Babbi the Cat has a night filled with intrigues. A beautiful picture illustrates every page. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. To ask other readers questions about Babbi's Cat Tales , please sign up. Lists with This Book. This book is not yet featured on Listopia.