End of 2013 Panic Read-a-long

[Debra]

Congrats to my sis, Almeta, on finishing her challenges!

[Debra]

Looks like folks are completing a lot of books AND dealing with colds and yucky stuff like that. Congrats and hot toddies all around.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

No worries Sandy! That's what we are here for. I am actually really glad that is a penis book too. As I was being childish yesterday and giggling, but I am right!! heh

While you are all actually sick, I'm reading about people dying and exploding from the Plague. Solidarity.

[Almeta]

Sandy wrote: "God's Doodle: The Life and Times of the Penis is my next read. Not sure if I'll be able to finish the doodle book with family here but I'll give it a try. ..."

Why? Because they will catch you doodling? ☻

[Sandra]

Almeta : ) no time for doodling here with our 1st grandchild visiting till the 3rd, just cuddles, photo ops & diaper changes! I've been trying to sneak in reading when I have a free moment but find that I fall asleep instead...must be getting old

[Debra]

Doodling?! hehe

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I'm nearly through the plague! Except my eyes started going weird (ignoring the fact that I left my glasses in another room for hours while I read (extremely long sighted but can read with little strain if I hold the book further out than normal people. I never knew this was odd until I was 10.) Oops.) Then Lexx came and told me it was 2am.

We'll see how I go tomorrow but unlikely I will get there. Maybe finish Y and half way through Z...

Now, to sleep!

[Sarah]

Sleep well Rusalka!

[Snoozie Suzie]

Sweet dreams. It's disgustingly wet and windy here so having been to the doctor and declared contagious (small staying at his dads another night now but I don't want him to get it) but unable to have any antibiotics (I'm 14 weeks pregnant - thought I'd sneak that in) I'm in bed knitting and listening to my Q still. I think this may be the way I am to get through my alphabet. Reading is too much for my mushy brain.

Well done Cherie and Debra (or Almeta - see I can't even remember that!) on finishing your challenges, and to any others who are knocking books off their TBR before the new year starts. Do a little happy jig to celebrate.

[Janice, Moderator]

Snoozie Suzie wrote: "Sweet dreams. It's disgustingly wet and windy here so having been to the doctor and declared contagious (small staying at his dads another night now but I don't want him to get it) but unable to ha..."

Goodness! It's one thing to be sick and a total different thing when you can't take anything to make you feel better. But, congratulations on your pregnancy! How exciting! So much for my usual prescription of hot rum toddies. Is there such a thing as a virgin hot rum toddy?

[Sarah]

Congratulations Suzie (on the pregnancy not being ill or being free of Small for an extra night)! A Virgin hot rum toddy just sounds wrong Janice! Hot water, honey, lemon might still have some effect though.

[Janice, Moderator]

Sarah wrote: "Congratulations Suzie (on the pregnancy not being ill or being free of Small for an extra night)! A Virgin hot rum toddy just sounds wrong Janice! Hot water, honey, lemon might still have some effe..."

She could add some artificial rum flavouring to it maybe.

[Snoozie Suzie]

Not allowed honey when pregnant. It's rubbish. No nice cheese, peanuts, shellfish (including prawns). It's pants. But thanks for the congrats :-)

Would a nonalcoholic hot toddy be a hot todless?!

[Dawn]

Oh God, I stayed up way to late reading Royal Airs and now have to try and survive at work on 4 hours sleep. I hope I don't have to make any big decisions, not sure if my brain will be up to it!!

Still, with some luck *finger crossed* I'll get the three books done that I've got started before the end of the year!

And congrats Snoozie Suzie, you must be so excited! :)

[Beth]

Snooze, I had a friend bring me brie to the hospital the day after I delivered, and then we had wine and sushi the night we got home!

I got some sleep after finishing Olive Kitteridge, now starting The Pickup.

[Lisa]

Congratulations Snoozie Suzie! :)

[Snoozie Suzie]

Excellent show, Beth! That's the way to do it.

[Marnie]

Congratulations Snoozie Suzie!! 2014 will be extra busy for you. Blessings on your new reader :)

[Peggy]

Congratulations Snoozie Suzie!

Oooh, I want to finish my book this year so I can start the 4 books I have lined up for January on Wednesday, but I still have about 360 pages to go and a friend coming over tomorrow afternoon and no time to read tomorrow evening either.

[Lisa]

I don't think I am going to get my book finished by Wednesday. I am not even halfway through yet. Will probably have to carry it over to 2014 and read it alongside The Luminaries which I am hoping to start on Jan 1st.

Also, there is a tv adaptation of The Thirteenth Tale on BBC2 tonight here in the UK. Is anyone planning on watching it?

[[deleted user]]

I stayed up until 11 last night (which is very late for me) and finished No Quest For The Wicked. I woke up around 6 this morning and I've read about 200 pages of Insurgent and I hope to finish tonight. Now that I know that Ranma ½, Vol. 5 (Ranma ½ has been shipped I might try to finish Ranma ½, Vol. 2 (Ranma ½, Ranma ½, Vol. 3 (Ranma ½ and Ranma ½, Vol. 4 (Ranma ½. Hooray for vacation!

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm having fun reading your posts in this thread! I'm not trying to finish a challenge since I didn't really challenge myself (my seventh child was born this year, this was enough challenge for 2013), but I'm happy to see that by the end of 2014 when I'm crazy pulling my hair trying to finish my challenges you will be here! You are incredible! I'm so happy I found this group!

[[deleted user]]

Snoozie Suzie wrote: "Sweet dreams. It's disgustingly wet and windy here so having been to the doctor and declared contagious (small staying at his dads another night now but I don't want him to get it) but unable to ha..."

Congrats, Suzie!!

[Snoozie Suzie]

Lisa, it doesn't finish until 11pm - way past my sleep time! I may watch it on iplayer though.

[Sarah]

Lisa wrote: "Also, there is a tv adaptation of The Thirteenth Tale on BBC2 tonight here in the UK. Is anyone planning on watching it?"

I saw it was on and I highlighted it in the Radio Times for me to watch (I know it's sad - I only buy one at Christmas specifically to highlight things of interest - it's a tradition) and I am intrigued by it but I haven't read the book and feel like perhaps I'd like to read the book first. At least I know I'll be able to watch the TV adaptation at some point after. Are you going to watch it Lisa?

[Cherie]

I didn't go to bed when I said and stayed up way too late too, Debra and I know how you feel.

I am here at work, but not much going on. Just catching up on email - no real work happening. Everyone is pretty much gone.

[Sandra]

yeah, finished Paging the Dead now to wrap up God's Doodle ; D

[Sarah]

I shall soon be thinking of going to bed so I've stopped reading for now. I'm up to 70% now on To Kill a Mockingbird so I'll finish the rest tomorrow and then I'll be all ready for the challenge books of 2014!

[Beth]

Ok, too much happening here. I'm going to say Uncle for the year and live with my 1 1/2 alphabets and incomplete tours of US and World. Goals for next year will be saner.

[Lisa]

Sarah wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Also, there is a tv adaptation of The Thirteenth Tale on BBC2 tonight here in the UK. Is anyone planning on watching it?"

I saw it was on and I highlighted it in the Radio Times for m..."

Yes, I did watch it Sarah. I really enjoyed it. I haven't read the book either and don't normally like watching adaptations prior to reading the book but I decided to take a chance with this. I definitely still want to read it, even though I know what will happen and the adaptation is bound to have changed some things. They usually do.

[Almeta]

Still working on Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, in between New Year's Eve preparation.

If I don't hit a snag somewhere along the line, I should be able to finish it.

Lack of sufficient sleep is going to be a problem for reading tonight and if I don't catch up, I won't make it to the Midnight Festivities tomorrow!☺

Happy New Year everyone!

[Rusalka, Moderator]

And woke up at midday... oops again.

Grats Suzie! Very exciting. I think they have relaxed the not eating honey thing here in their instructions for things not to eat. But depends on what processes your honey goes through I guess. My Scottish housemate used to add a tea bag to his hot toddies, so I was going to suggest that for the virgin one. But otherwise,If I can't have a hot toddy, my other alternative is half peppermint tea, and half earl grey tea. That's my make feel good tea.

Beth - that's what we do. Lexx has 10 nephews and nieces and for the last 4 I've been around for we bring his sisters blue cheese, brie, oysters and wine to the hospital.

Right. Food. Coffee. Then book. Until I have to go shopping to make a snack for tonight's cocktails and fireworks in the city on said Scottish friends new flat's balcony. Hard life.

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

Last night I listened to 1/3 of The Fellowship of the Ring, but found I just wasn't in the mood for another fantasy. Leaving for work this morning, I chose The Boy in the Suitcase by Lene Kaaberbøl, a crime mystery set in Denmark. That's going much better. I'm 1/3 done with that now and will certainly finish by midnight on the 31st. That will give me 110 books read in 2013.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Finished Year of Wonders. For a book that if you repeat the premise, sounds incredibly boring, it really is a fantastic read.

I need to go and find out about the Puritans now though. I have absolutely no idea about them besides killing of Charles I, brought in a republic to Britain for the only time ever, were so bad that people ran off trying to find the rightful monarch and decided monarchies were heaps better than this alternative, and then settling America. That is the whole sum of my knowledge. Oh and they liked funny hats.

[Esther]

Congratulations Snoozie Suzie!

I am 76% on El juego del ángel. On a positive note, my reading speed in Spanish is improving. Panic does work as an enhancer. :)

[Rusalka, Moderator]

lol yay!

[Esther]

24h hours to go....

[Lori Z]

Finished my 2nd book One Heart to Win now reading Risked, but about to stop for the night.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I'm now 50pp in to Zoo City. Really interesting concept. Fantasy/Sci fi in South Africa where if people do bad things, they are "punished" or marked I guess with an animal familiar.

I'm going to have to go do things like wash and dress (I know!) and then go out for NYE. So won't get finished today, but hopefully in the next day or so while we are still doing this until your timezones hit 12am on the 1st.

Thanks for joining me and I will see you all in 2014. Happy New Year :D

[Debra]

Still working on my last book for this year. I'd like to know who gave me this cold I've developed! Cough, runny nose, sinus headache... yuck. Doesn't look like I'm going to be hanging out with friends and my sis for New Year's Eve. That just sooooo sucks!

Wish I had the makings for a hot toddy. A hot rum drink sounds perfect right now.

[Sarah]

Well I've just woke up so ready to embark on another day of reading.

The Thirteeth Tale sounds good Lisa and promising if you still want to read the book. It is on my list along with the authors other book.

Hope you feel better soon Debra (and everyone else who is still suffering).

Good news on your reading speed in Spanish Esther. I have been working out which book I'm going to read in Spanish this year and I think I've decided on Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal.

I'm not doing anything for NYE other than staying in with my partner and we might watch Jools Holland's hootenanny and the fireworks on TV (oh and read!). I hope everyone enjoys their festivities. I think Rusalka must be the first to experience 2014 given time zones.

[Debra]

My hubby is taking good care of me; fixing me a hot Kombucha tea right now. My favorite, with organic locally-grown honey. The cats are racing around. The kitten has started fetching and we are very entertained by her antics. A lazy day at home, reading, and chatting with my hubby isn't all bad. But, we probably won't be awake at midnight!

[Debra]

Our TV news just showed New Year's fireworks in Sydney, Australia. Happy New Year, Rusulka and all our other Australians friends! Hope you got all your reading goals for 2013 completed.

[Esther]

Happy 2014 for those already there.

Still about 15 hours to go and I just finished my alphabet. Phew....

[Sarah]

What is Kombucha tea Debra?

Congrats Esther on finishing your alphabet - you must be so pleased!

I'm gutted! Just realised that when I went to the ub for lunch yesterday I lost my purse so I've spent all morning cancelling cards etc. I had £50 in there too which I could have done without loosing. :-( Oh well! That's all out of the way now so I'm going to settle myself in to finish my book.

[Esther]

Sarah wrote: "What is Kombucha tea Debra?

Congrats Esther on finishing your alphabet - you must be so pleased!

I'm gutted! Just realised that when I went to the ub for lunch yesterday I lost my purse so I've s..."

Oh that is not a nice way the finish a year. You deserve a time off reading.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Oh Sarah! Incredibly lame. Enjoy your night in tonight and hope you guys have fun. Sometimes that is always the best and most fun option. Make yourselves some cool cocktail or something!

We made your news Debra? That's unheard of!!

So far, the first 2 hours of 2014 is looking good. I got given 4 books!!!!

[Theresa~OctoberLace]

Good morning! Happy New Year to those already in 2014. We still have over 15 hours in 2013 here in Texas. Congrats to all who dashed to a last-minute finish of their 2013 challenges. Snoozie Suzie, I look forward to news of your new little one when he or she is born. Sarah, I'm so sorry you lost your purse.

I've come down with a bad chest cold and a throat that feels like I swallowed glass. The only plus side is that I didn't go into work this morning and gained some more reading time. I'm almost finished The Boy in the Suitcase and will now be able to squeeze in another book or two to finish at 111 or 112 for the year. At midnight I'll start my Chunkster Challenge with The Mists of Avalon.

[Janice, Moderator]

I hope our sick ones get feeling better soon! Happy New Year to those already in 2014... and happy reading for those still scrambling. I have 16 hours to go to midnight. I have to work, dig my car out of the parking lot (we've had about 80" of snow since mid-November), and finish one book.

[Almeta]

Alright, who was the first to get this bug? You lot have passed it around!

Ten pounds of prawns ready, batches cocktail sauce, of varying degrees of heat, made, bags of ice purchased, big bottle of rum on counter, cola chilling.

Sickness spreading.

No guests!☻