Royal Escape from the Topic - for off topic chit chat Showing 1,601-1,650 of 2,839

[Karlyne]

I always have an extra bag of coffee in the cupboatd and a quart of real cream in the fridge. For real emergencies like No Coffee to Drink with My Book in the Morning!

[Abigail]

We’ll take whatever we can get, QNPoohBear!

[Critterbee❇]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "You forgot to mention toilet tissue! The holy trinity of snow panic buying around here is milk, bread and toilet tissue. I suspect my local Safeway will be jammed around 5 pm today."

That's right! I had forgotten than. Also I remember in NC in summer and fall, when a hurricane is on the way, people run out for batteries and board games as well.

After one hurricane in the late 1990s I believe, we lost power for a few days in NC, and the entire neighborhood was outside grilling all their frozen foods. Rather a party atmosphere, and you often see the best of people at times like that.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Hi everyone! We have had a big storm combined with a king tide. We live in the hills so didn't flood but we lost power yesterday & still don't have it back. Hope to be back soon

[Karlyne]

I was just wondering, Carol! Stay safe! We've been having unseasonable (and gorgeous) weather here.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

We have just got our power back after more than 24 hours. Some fuse for the power box for our street had come loose. Nothing compared to what other people have been through. One of my husband's brothers lives on the flat part of town - his street flooded & the water got as high as the bottom step of his house. Serious damage in the rest of our area which I am going to catch up with now.
We had to cancel our Airbnb booking which is a drag but I don't think the guy would be able to go anywhere anyway - some roads badly damaged.
At least I had time to finish Regency Buck!

[Susan in NC]

So sorry Carol, stay safe! Glad your power is back, hope the family is okay.

[Abigail]

And hoping that all those in the freeze zones of the East and Northwest of the USA are safe and warm.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

All ok one step- nephew (if that's a term) still stranded at his mother's place. Window blew out at my sister-in-laws.

Still a little windy but we got off lightly.

[Barb in Maryland]

Reporting in. We are to the southwest of Baltimore. Barely got any snow, sure did get the wind and bitter cold. It's 7 am and 7F/-14C, with a windchill of -8F/-22C. I am currently warm and snug, drinking my first cuppa of the day and chatting with y'all.
I do have to go out later--grocery shopping. Sigh...

[Teresa]

The weather is so unpredictable anywhere in the world at the moment it seems. Keep safe everyone.

[Nick]

Wow - well done everyone for making it through the storms!

[Karlyne]

Carol, do you have most of your storms in the summer?

[Susan in NC]

Barb in Maryland wrote: "Reporting in. We are to the southwest of Baltimore. Barely got any snow, sure did get the wind and bitter cold. It's 7 am and 7F/-14C, with a windchill of -8F/-22C. I am currently warm and snug, dr..."

Ugh, same here in Greensboro, NC (about 3 hours east of blue ridge mountains and 30 minutes south of Virginia border.) I stayed in yesterday, my son and husband ran errands! Was hoping to get out for a walk/ pick up a library book, but the temp is 25F and a “feels like temp” of 15F according to the Weather Channel app. Yikes!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Karlyne wrote: "Carol, do you have most of your storms in the summer?"

No winter. Most unseasonal. Big damage to coastal road so it is really going to affect tourism too.

[Karlyne]

Terrible!

[Susan in NC]

Oh no! But what about residents, will you all be able to get around?

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Susan in NC wrote: "Oh no! But what about residents, will you all be able to get around?"

In my town the waters have receded all looks good as far as getting around. Rest of our area may not have fared so well.

This is just north of us. In spite of the narrowness of the road this is a major tourist road.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/1003...

[Susan in NC]

Stunning- it really is like paradise. I imagine native New Zealanders wish it wasn’t quite so popular.

I see the mud on the road, that’s not good. Hopefully all will be well soon, and no more freakish weather events to ruin your summer!

[Karlyne]

It's a mess, but it's still beautiful!

[Susan in NC]

Yes!

[Jane]

Carol, glad you didn't get washed away!! I'd never heard the term "king tide" before -- just googled it and increased my knowledge! :)

I'm with Barb (and others) .... ready for this bitter cold and wind to go back to Idaho, where it belongs! And speaking of Idaho.... Karlyne, I just looked at your profile page and you made me laugh.... what is "gardening with elk"?? Do they help you dig up tulip bulbs or something?? I don't think we have anything fun like that here in Baltimore (the U.S. murder capital)!

[QNPoohBear]

It's 10 degrees here this evening and I haven't been out of the house in days. I'm still freezing because our house is old and drafty (despite new windows). I'm ready for the deep chill to go away!

Carol I hope that storm damage gets cleared up soon. I think there must be a lot of people from the northern hemisphere ready to head south for the winter! It looks like a beautiful place to visit.

[Critterbee❇]

I hope everything turns out well for everyone involved in the area, it looks so gorgeous.

[Jane]

PoohBear, drafty old houses are the BEST!!! Well, the best right up until your fingers go numb!! I keep little thermal hothand packets in my pockets and sometimes even inside my fuzzy boots. (In lieu of a hunky hero, it also helps to have a huge dog & several cats draped about!!) The chilly, creaky, whistling house makes me feel more authentic when I'm reading historical novels (thankfully my modern lamp doesn't blow out with every draft!).

Ugh! I've got The Plague (otherwise known as the common cold) and I'm ready for it to be gone right along with the sub zero temps. My naturopath keeps giving me remedies that don't work. I'm about to resort to modern medicine!! Just kidding. Why use modern meds, when you can suffer in dignity?

Toodles. Time to go boil some sort of tea-like substance.

[Karlyne]

Jane, gardening with elk means they not only eat anything they like, but they trample the stuff they don't! They're so big and determined that they're hard to fence out, so a big dog is really the only
defense that works.

I haven't visited my profile page in years! We've since built a new cabin in a less-populated county to the north, fewer elk, more birds, the occasional wolf and lots of hungry deer. I'll be getting 8' high fencing this spring!

And we've just been talking about how we're going to let the East keep winter this year. We're fine, just fine, with blue skies and, most importantly, DRY ROADS!

Enjoy your tea-ish, don't forget the crumpets, and stay out of dark alleys!!!

[QNPoohBear]

Jane hope you are feeling better! Our house isn't old enough to be charming and was renovated before we moved in. It's 60+ degrees inside despite the heat turned up to 70+. We're moving in 10 days so I kept warm today by packing some boxes.

[Jane]

Karlyne, You're too funny! "Stay out of dark alleys" <-- but that's where all the good stuff happens - you've just got to remember to bop and weave when you run!!

QPB, I'm still hacking up hairballs or something, but starting to feel a teeny bit better, thanks. Just the thought of moving all the junk in this house is making me break out in sweat. A great way to keep warm, though! Have fun! Better you than me!

[Teresa]

I moved house eleven years ago. I'm still not over the trauma!!!

[Karlyne]

I picked up Jennifer Kloester's bio, Georgette Heyer, yesterday and started a re-read. It's well-written and documented, and I was thinking that maybe we ought to put it at least on a side discussion. Have we done that, Carol? I don't remember actually discussing it?

[Jane]

I love that book, Karlyne. I actually just grabbed it off the shelf an hour ago. I enjoy reading thieves cant and usually understand it, but I wanted to take a look at Kloester's list just for fun and some clarification. I've never read the book straight through; I usually look up one thing and then end up reading huge chunks at a time since it's so very interesting. I also love all the drawings -- wish there were even more. Are there any other good books out there in a similar vein to Kloester's??

I thought I was going to break my three-year Heyer moratorium with Regency Buck, but somehow I got sidetracked and started reading The Corinthian. I'm loving it just as much now as I did in the past! Coming back to Georgette is such a breath of fresh air, she is truly a master of her craft.

[Teresa]

The Private World of Georgette Heyer by Jane Aiken Hodge is another good book in this vein. It's an old book now but I'm sure it can be bought on the net.

[Jane]

Thanks, Teresa, I'll start searching for an old copy! I wonder if there are, also, any good books out there with lots of interesting details about the regency period, not necessarily referencing Heyer??

[Teresa]

Gosh there are lots Jane. I have a few. I'll have a dig around and get back to you. Otherwise you could type 'Regency Period' into Amazon and you would get a fair old list. Some are a bit heavy going but you can get some really interesting ones.

[Karlyne]

Jane, is your book the Regency one by Kloester? I'm going through her actual bio of Heyer!

[Jane]

OH!!! Oops! Yes! I was talking about Georgette Heyer's Regency World. I didn't realize she had written another book, Georgette Heyer, which appears to be the one first mentioned. Well aren't I a silly goose?! I suppose I'll have to order that one and read it, now! I imagine it's interesting; I've heard several people say that Georgette would probably not be someone they'd like very much. Isn't it odd how so many artists win our hearts with their creations, but in real life would not be our "cup of tea"?

[Karlyne]

I don't know; I actually like her! She's certainly witty and even a bit biting, but I get the impression that she was a good friend to those she loved. Probably not one who suffered fools gladly, but one who appreciated quickness and intelligence in others. Definitely not politically correct, but still clear-headed!

[Jane]

Oh, Karlyne, I like your description of Georgette; it's different from what I had heard. She sounds right up my alley; I think she and I would be bff's!! I like non-pc, witty, biting, intelligent friends (although I'm sure she would find me sadly lacking). Will definitely have to read the bio, now.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Karlyne wrote: "I picked up Jennifer Kloester's bio, Georgette Heyer, yesterday and started a re-read. It's well-written and documented, and I was thinking that maybe we ought to put it at least on a side discussi..."

Sorry Karlyne - I forgot to reply to this.

There is an existing thread for the Kloester biography.

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

I should mention we used to have a different picture of GH on this site. I changed to a more flattering picture when I became a moderator.

Edit; another, even older thread here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Karlyne]

Carol ☀ Walking in Sunshine wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "I picked up Jennifer Kloester's bio, Georgette Heyer, yesterday and started a re-read. It's well-written and documented, and I was thinking that maybe we ought to put it at least on..."

Thanks, Carol! I threw some comments on the newer thread!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

I'm going to make even less sense than usual for the next few days as my daughter & her partner are coming home from Aussie for a few brief days with us before spending time with H's family!

We leave soon for Auckland as we are going shopping first!

[Karlyne]

Carol ☀ Walking in Sunshine wrote: "I'm going to make even less sense than usual for the next few days as my daughter & her partner are coming home from Aussie for a few brief days with us before spending time with H's family!

We le..."

Buy me something nice, Carol!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Ha! Tramping boots for my husband (not a given as he has so much trouble finding anything to fit his feet) & Asics walking shoes for me.

[Karlyne]

Nebbamind then, because I'm all stocked up on boots and shoes!

[Susan in NC]

Have fun, Carol, and good luck shopping.

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Ha! The shopping was a near total bust - the high quality walking shoes I wanted were for sale - but none in my size! & my frugal husband didn't want to pay the price the shops were asking for hiking boots. We picked up a cookbook we had vouchers for though & had coffee at our favourite Auckland cafe.

The girls are great. We chased around South Auckland as H just had an article published in the Dominion Post (Wellington newspaper) We couldn't even get a copy of the newspaper at the airport - tried both terminals. We tried a few other places but no go. It did add about an hour to our trip home.

When we got home, our power was out - again. The cause is a neighbour's tree branches overhanging the power lines. The repairman flatly refused to fix the problem until the offending branches were removed. (no idea if he is allowed to do that but it was a brilliant idea) Another neighbour marched over with his chain saw & did the deed.

Our son arrived home & we went down to the wharf for fish & chips & then had drinks at a new bar in town. A good night & all the kids are still asleep.

[Susan in NC]

Excuse me- I wouldn’t call that a bust, golden rule of shopping is doesn’t matter if you buy anything, it’s all about coffee or lunch!

And good neighbor- same thing happened to us a couple winters ago, lost power because of one neighbors overgrown trees. But he was a sport, called in the tree service and fixed it all eventually! So glad you enjoyed good family time, that’s the best!

[Critterbee❇]

Walking around looking at things to buy can be fun, even if you do not buy anything. Plus, coffee and/or tea is always enjoyable.

[Susan in Perthshire]

I agree with Susan and Critterbee: just wandering around can be fun - especially if you have tea or lunch. Living in the moment!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Susan in NC wrote: "Excuse me- I wouldn’t call that a bust, golden rule of shopping is doesn’t matter if you buy anything, it’s all about coffee or lunch!

And good neighbor- same thing happened to us a couple winters..."

Yeah & I think they were cut down with the tree owner's consent. They have only moved in recently. We now know to keep an eye on the branches.