Royal Escape from the Topic - for off topic chit chat Showing 2,051-2,100 of 2,839

[Critterbee❇]

Hmm, I do have two younger brothers to dispose of, however...

(The third is already taken care of)

[Carolm]

Kirsten wrote: "We're staying inside. The fire is actually over a 100 miles away -- the wind just brings it here."

Well, we are over 1000km away, and we are getting the smoke too. There are fires in BC that are also contributing to our dense smokey atmosphere. Today is supposed to be our hottest day ever at 37C, but it is so smokey, I am not sure if we'll make that or not. Our normal temperature is about 25C this time of year

[Karlyne]

Our main fire is 4 miles east of us, and is 57% "contained", at 37,000 acres. That means they've got a pretty good perimeter set up and are concentrating on keeping it within that boundary. Last night it jumped to the summit ridge and the cloud of smoke and the burning trees made it seem like a scene out of Dante's Inferno. This morning, though, the Forest Service said it was a ground controlled burn managed by the Hot Shots, the creme de la creme of fire fighters, and I did see the spotlights after dark. Whatever, the smoke and ash and heat are making me contemplate the Orkneys. Because I can't afford the San Juans in Puget Sound...

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽]

Terrible weather here in Utah lately: drought situation, hot, bone-dry, and the atmosphere is so smoky (from both local and more distant wildfires) that last night - lying in bed with the windows open - I thought I smelled cigarettes in our house!

I also have a shy homebody son living at home who's 24. He's very bright and has a part-time job and is going to school part-time, so he's doing okay that way, just not much socially. However! he's currently planning his third date with a girl he was lined up with a few weeks ago - his best friend's wife's sister. He's never been on a third date with anyone before so we're in new territory here! It's way too premature to hope for this relationship to work out, but everyone can't help hoping anyway. :)

[Karlyne]

Haha, Tadiana, when I came back in the house this morning after a bit of watering, I swallowed and all I could taste was ashes. I wonder if this is what smokers taste all the time! We got a pretty good dusting of ash last night, but I just think of it as already roasted veggies in the garden...

[Karlyne]

And, good luck, everybody, with the young men of your households!

[Teresa]

We'll have to put out an APB for the son who got married:-):-)

[Karlyne]

I found her on a Retro Reads thread!

[Susan in NC]

Lol, Tadiana, I wish him luck on his third date - it’s tough for the shy folks!

Thanks Karlyne! Be safe outside, everyone, I’m sure that air quality is not doing you any favors. And Karlyne, that’ll be in the seed catalogs next year - roasted veggie-flavored veggies!

[Critterbee❇]

Susan in NC wrote: "I’m sure that air quality is not doing you any favors. And Karlyne, that’ll be in the seed catalogs next year - roasted veggie-flavored veggies!"

Haha, where can I get some "Smoked Tomato" and "Roasted Pepper" seeds, please?

[Karlyne]

❇Critterbee wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I’m sure that air quality is not doing you any favors. And Karlyne, that’ll be in the seed catalogs next year - roasted veggie-flavored veggies!"

Haha, where can I get some "Sm..."

Well, obviously, I must become a serious seed saver!

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "❇Critterbee wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I’m sure that air quality is not doing you any favors. And Karlyne, that’ll be in the seed catalogs next year - roasted veggie-flavored veggies!"

Haha, wher..."

Seriously love roasted veggies- that’s how I tricked my picky eater into trying veggies many moons ago, and I became hooked myself. So easy, so tasty, lovely accompaniment to just about any meal!

[Karlyne]

I have a gas stove again, and i love fire roasting peppers, especially poblanos!

[Susan in Perthshire]

Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "❇Critterbee wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I’m sure that air quality is not doing you any favors. And Karlyne, that’ll be in the seed catalogs next year - roasted veggie-flavored veggi..."

I agree - I love roasted aubergine and courgettes and peppers and tomatoes - hot; or cold as a salad with a nice balsamic vinaigrette. Makes me feel all mediterranean! especially with a nice glass of wine!

[Critterbee❇]

I love roasted veggies as well - having some tonight!

[Kirsten]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "❇Critterbee wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I’m sure that air quality is not doing you any favors. And Karlyne, that’ll be in the seed catalogs next year - roasted v..."

Honestly, you make eggplant and zucchini sound so glamorous.

[Karlyne]

I was gifted with a giant head of orange cauliflower and you know how I'll be fixing it. As for the aubergine and courgette (yes! I do feel glamorous now!), I'm babying my wee eggplant and have already got several nice little zucchinis off my plant! My pumpkins are looking a bit sad - maybe they don't like being fire-roasted on the vine...

[Susan in NC]

Karlyne wrote: "I was gifted with a giant head of orange cauliflower and you know how I'll be fixing it. As for the aubergine and courgette (yes! I do feel glamorous now!), I'm babying my wee eggplant and have alr..."

They’re probably afraid of being turned into pumpkin pie on the vine!

[Susan in NC]

Kirsten wrote: "Susan in Perthshire wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "❇Critterbee wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "I’m sure that air quality is not doing you any favors. And Karlyne, that’ll be in the seed ca..."

Really! I think aubergine and courgette sounds pretty, too. And yay, wine with anything! If I ever make it to Scotland, I am showing up on your doorstep, Susan...

[Susan in Perthshire]

And you’ll be very welcome Susan in NC!!

[Susan in NC]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "And you’ll be very welcome Susan in NC!!"

Thank you!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Well I'm feeling pretty stupid!

We have a huge Book Fair in our little town - it's the highlight of my year! 🤗

This morning I was there bang on 8.30am for a 9 o'clock opening - all by myself. Opening day was yesterday, so all the collectors had already been & everything was well picked over. I did score 3 mysteries though.

[Critterbee❇]

That's too bad - but - Who starts a book fair on a Friday? Is that the norm?

Which mysteries did you get?

[Karlyne]

Does yours alphabetize the books? We have a good one this weekend, but it's a complete crap shoot. Except for separating them kids from adults there's no rhyme or reason to it. I just look for the oldest looking...

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

❇Critterbee wrote: "That's too bad - but - Who starts a book fair on a Friday? Is that the norm?

Which mysteries did you get?"

They changed it a couple of years ago - to suit book collectors & sellers, because a lot of secondhand sellers have given up on bricks & mortar shops & either sell online or at weekend markets.

I got 2 by George Bellairs & (I'm really pleased about this one) The Floating Admiral by members of the Detection Club.

[Critterbee❇]

The Floating Admiral looks very very interesting - I will have to see if I can find a copy around here.

Never read a George Bellairs either, and we have three of his at the library. Just requested Death of a Busybody!

[Karlyne]

The Floating Admiral is written just as though a good book club sat around and each wrote a chapter. The variety is so much fun!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Karlyne wrote: "The Floating Admiral is written just as though a good book club sat around and each wrote a chapter. The variety is so much fun!"

You have just bumped it up my list! It will be my next read after The Quiet Gentleman am still ploughing through IThe Mysteries of Udolpho I don't want to dnf as it a good book, but man it makes you appreciate modern proofreaders & copy editors (take a bow, Abigail) It is long. Very long.

[Karlyne]

Udolpho is one of those that has been on the edge of my radar for years, but I've never gotten around to actually looking for it. Maybe next year..

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Karlyne wrote: "Udolpho is one of those that has been on the edge of my radar for years, but I've never gotten around to actually looking for it. Maybe next year.."

I've been reading it since July. Part of the problem is I committer to too many reads, partly it just isn't the sort of thing I can read without sandwiching other stuff in. I like shorter fiction - like under 400 pages.

[Susan in NC]

I just got an email from Kindle with lots of great prices on classic mysteries- including George Bellairs! I ordered Book 1, The Case of the Famished Parson (I have to read series in order - if I like him, my library has a few of his later mysteries...)

Carol, so sorry you missed the first day of the sale; one of our local churches does a huge charity book sale every spring, and my mom and I used to go together every year. I couldn’t bring myself to go alone the first year after she died, and then the next two sales I missed because of brain surgery- nuts! I will get back to it next spring...it’s fun, but like Karlyne’s sale, there is no alphabetical order, just paperbacks in one room, and then the huge gymnasium is packed with tables of history on this table, recent popular fiction on another table, no rhyme or reason!

The last day, it’s just fill a paper sack with as many books as you can for $5/bag! But, it’s all for a good cause, so can’t complain!

[Critterbee❇]

I like organized browsing (the librarian in me) but I also enjoy the thrill of a wild hunt among un-ordered books!

[Susan in NC]

❇Critterbee wrote: "I like organized browsing (the librarian in me) but I also enjoy the thrill of a wild hunt among un-ordered books!"

I know, I always think I’m going to find a treasure!

[Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂]

Susan in NC wrote: "I just got an email from Kindle with lots of great prices on classic mysteries- including George Bellairs! I ordered Book 1, The Case of the Famished Parson (I have to read series in order - if I l..."

Ours has categories & a table of the ones the volunteers think could be valuable. I love the tables - far better than book shelves for browsing.

[Susan in NC]

Oh yes - all those tables covered with heaps of delicious books! Who knowswhat might turn up? ;)

[Karlyne]

Most of the time the stuff is too recent to appeal much to me, but once in a while...!

[Susan in NC]

Yup, same here, but I have found some treasures- like a hardcover Bath Tangle !

[Teresa]

You are all so lucky. We never have anything approaching a book fair here and I would love one. There's no variety even in our book shops. I tried three different shops for Barbara Erskine's new book and no luck!!! Thank goodness for kindle or I'd never get to read anything.

[Karlyne]

Our book sales are always put on by the Friends of the Library, usually a once a year, bring out the boxes affair. The closest actual book store is about 50 miles away, but I've not made it in there yet.

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "You are all so lucky. We never have anything approaching a book fair here and I would love one. There's no variety even in our book shops. I tried three different shops for Barbara Erskine's new bo..."

Honestly, Teresa, with my health issues the last couple years and not driving, I haven’t been book shopping in years and have relied on my own book collection or my Scribd subscription for electronic books! Tell you what, come on over in April, I’ll have more energy and stamina by then, and we’ll hit the big church sale together! I’d love a book buddy!

We have a Barnes and Noble in town, but my dear mother worked there for years and I still can’t bring myself to go in there, so I might as well be miles away...I like older books, anyway, so I have better luck at the library or off used bookstores on the internet, or Kindle!

[Susan in Perthshire]

We have a church sale in the village every year and there are always lots of books - but I have never found a Heyer! The Scouts also have a great book sale twice a year and I have found some great books there but again - never a Heyer. I think folk just hang on to them! I did get some Mary Stewart’s and Phylis Whitney at the last one- so I was happy! We still have a couple of good bookshops in Dundee and Perth but they cannot stock everything unfortunately. At least the library can order books!

[Critterbee❇]

I think people hang onto or gift their Heyers - I have only seen them donated to the library once, among thousands of books.

[Teresa]

Susan in NC wrote: "Teresa wrote: "You are all so lucky. We never have anything approaching a book fair here and I would love one. There's no variety even in our book shops. I tried three different shops for Barbara E..."

Would be absolutely fantastic to join you on one of your book hunts Susan but I'm not a good traveler and to be perfectly honest I couldn't afford it. I save my money for books :-) but oh the thought of it!!!
Our library here never stocks anything like most of the books I read. I'm always amazed at you all here saying 'I've reserved it at my library'!

[Andrea AKA Catsos Person]

Susan in Perthshire wrote: "We have a church sale in the village every year and there are always lots of books - but I have never found a Heyer! The Scouts also have a great book sale twice a year and I have found some great ..."

I poke around Library book sales. Years ago I found and bought a Sourcebboks edition of Regency Buck. I haven’t seen any GH titles since then.

I get the feeling that people hold on to their copies. Though I bought the kindle editions over a couple of years for the Sourcebooks birthday markdowns, I’m going to hold onto to my hard-copy editions!

[Kirsten]

You could try estate sales.

[Karlyne]

Kirsten wrote: "You could try estate sales."

This reminds me of an important theme (ferreting out books) in China Court, by Rumer Godden, that we read last month in Retro Reads. Such a good book!

[QNPoohBear]

I have found Heyers at library booksales- the Sourcebook versions and the old early hardcover editions at a rare/used bookstore near here. We have great independent bookstores too-one just opened across the street from where I work. They sell some really used books too. We even have a couple of Little Free Libraries. I live in a big city next to the capital city which is also a college town (Ivy League). The nearest Barnes & Nobles are not close but my dad now works near one.

[Susan in NC]

Teresa wrote: "Susan in NC wrote: "Teresa wrote: "You are all so lucky. We never have anything approaching a book fair here and I would love one. There's no variety even in our book shops. I tried three different..."

Well, at least we can have a virtual book club, if not a “pass the wine and snacks, sitting around discussing books” in person book club.

[Karlyne]

Hahaha! (that there's a crazy laugh) Just got a Red Flag Warning for serious fire danger, winds whooping to gale force and humidity dropping below 15% (which is common, btw) in front of a low pressure center, which will, of course, bring NO rain. Hoping no one drops a match or has a flat tire anywhere.

You East Coasters keep us posted on Florence!

[Susan in Perthshire]

Sorry to hear about the wild weather threats going on over there. We are racing into Autumn with cool mornings, torrential showers and heavy winds. We keep getting the tail ends of what started as hurricanes, but by the time they arrive across the Atlantic - have become just storms. A nuisance but hardly life threatening. No threat of fires here - I would happily send you some of our rain back across to you if I could!