It's been a while...

[Suzanne]

Still alive...barely :)

[Steven]

how's everyone in this group doing? what are you all reading and how has your summers been?
I'm in the middle of Thriller (an anthology of suspense/action short stories) and I've been reading Power Down by Ben Coes which has been awesome so far. Looking forward to reading Her Sanctuary for the Book Freaks group this month and we did have an awesome read back in July of Teeth by Timothy James Dean...the guy is fantastic and I highly recommend that book if you are looking for some action/adventure along with a historical piece.

[Jim]

We got goats. I've spent far too much time trying to keep them contained. That or mowing.

[Suzanne]

Hi Jim, I've missed you! I've been missing, too

[Jim]

Hi, Suzanne. I've been reading the board several times a day. Just didn't have much to say. The goat trials are kind of interesting, but hard to describe. Mowing is just boring.

Marg has to get gall bladder surgery in a month. The ER nurse thought we were a 'cute' couple, since we banter like newlyweds, but finish each others sentences & seem to read each others minds.

Reading-wise... I read the entire Matt Helm series. Right now, I'm reading several books. An interesting one is editing the ARC copy of Wintertide, the 5th book in a 6 book series. I've been privileged to have done this since book 2.

I'm also slowly working my way through the 5th of the 6 book collection of Roger Zelazny's works, Nine Black Doves: The Collected Stories of Roger Zelazny. The fiction was quick to read, but the last 1/4 or so is packed with nonfiction essays of his. I tend to read each twice & think about them. Smart man, excellent writer.

Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex by Mary Roach is the 3d book of hers that I'm reading through. It's excellent. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff her research turned up. I alternate between horror & hysterical laughter.

[Shelli]

Jo wrote: "Can you all believe summer is nearly over? It has gone so fast. It always does in england because we get such little nice weather. It is actually sunny today though. Our august was the coldest in 2..."

Wow Jo....ours was unbelievably HOT!!!! But the end of August always makes me sad.....

[Shelli]

Don't go there JO!!!!YUK!!!

[Sarah]

I'd much rather be hot than cold. I HATE cold weather! Even when I'm indoors I still feel cold in the winter. At least in the summer I can stay inside in the air conditioning.

[Jim]

Goats are kind of cool, but a pain. While most books list them in with sheep, they're really cousins & much closer to deer. They don't graze grass like a sheep, but tend to eat a lot of other stuff like a deer.

Boy, can they jump! Depends on the breed, of course. The meat breeds are chunkier & don't jump as well. Ours are a pygmy/nubian cross & hornless. Rosie is friendlier, but a jumper. Buttercup is a little stockier, but seems somewhat smarter. They're cute in a demonic sort of way & can be more trouble than a couple of wild 4 year olds. My wife compares them to the boys when they were that age.

They love the horses & it seems mutual. I guess they feel safe around them, except that Cutter likes to chase them occasionally & will not let them touch his food. Rosie jumped up into Topaz's feed tub & chased him off of his grain one night, though. Both get into everything & are very good at prying the tops of metal trashcans off, which we use to store feed & treats.

[Suzanne]

Jim wrote: "Hi, Suzanne. I've been reading the board several times a day. Just didn't have much to say. The goat trials are kind of interesting, but hard to describe. Mowing is just boring.

Marg has to g..."

Hey Jim! Haven't read alot... trying to jump back in. Was in a car accident, trying to deal with results. Stuck with non-fixable back situation--- :(
Been watching a show on the Planet Green Channel and they have goats...they are characters!!! Very strong personalities!

My sympathies to Marg♥

[Jim]

Sorry to hear about your back! Get better ASAP!!!

I set a small table next to the goats' house (4x4' cube) & they went wild. They jumped on the roof & then went tearing off, around & jumped back on, over & over again. Half the time they didn't bother with the stool. About 1/2 the time, they made it on to the roof without using it. It's wild to see a 2' goat jump that high.

[DJ]

OK I just found this thread.....
I don`t think my links to threads can be coming through right....

[DJ]

Thank Goodness its not just my temperamental computer!!!!!!!

[Stuart]

Busy with work and dutifully reading a book for my offline book club, it is not without merit, but the dialogue is so subtle you cannot rush it.

[Stuart]

Jo wrote: "What book is that, Stuart?"

It is Daisy Miller and Other Stories by Henry James. I have just finished it

[DJ]

LOL...I bus bought it.
It is such a cute little Book.A one evening read.

[DJ]

LOL...I bus bought it.
It is such a cute little Book.A one evening read.

[Stuart]

Not enjoying the cold weather as it means scraping ice of the car and more hazards for the vulnerable adults that I work with....

[Shelli]

Stuart...I'm not looking forward to the cold either....except for skiing!

[Shelli]

It's not super cold here yet...sunny today...really windy and rainy last night!

[DJ]

Hi Jo
Yes I've started in the bookshop and loving it....
Well wed be surprised if I didn't LOL!
Sorry Haven't been around but I hurt my hand on food processor and typing was torture...
Unfortunately the lady who I am job sharing with suffered a berevment so I have been covering extra shifts(I would be ecstatic if it was for any other reason.....the money is a blessing).
Also I'm getting a reduction on books so that's also great.....The staff are all really kind and seem to be coping with me and my quirky ways quite well....
I really hope that my temporary contract will get extended but we will need to wait and see....Please keep fingers crossed for ?
Sorry I've not been around so much but I have even taken a sabbatical from the GFT to make me be able to be more flexible in the circumstances...
I cope with the cold weather but I will need to dig out my S A D light...As I don't cope. The dark and with being at the shop I forgot to start using it.....
I do have a trump about all the Christmas stuff being in the shops from the start of September...Please let us get through Halloween at least!

I'm currently reading Sybille Bedfords A LEGACY and really enjoying it.I'd recommend it for people who enjoy EVELYN WAUGH,SOMERSET MAUGHN and J.B.PRIESTLY. You can see the influence of the time she spent with the Huxleys and there entourage shining through in aspects of her prose...

[DJ]

It wasbt that gory...Don't worry :-) More really painful!
I k ow I'm just grabbing the extra hours as they come...I'm really dreading Christmas this year. :-( already stressing about it......
Still I'm sure on the day I will get a new book to read to keep me calm in the kitchen.....

[DJ]

Thanks Jo :-)
Remmber to let me know if you are looking out for any books....
I will be really sad putting the tree up as most of my ornaments have family memories attached.......
I will let you know how it goes...
Sorry to hear your hours aren't back up yet-I will keep everything crossed for you.

[DJ]

LOL....I thought you said that you had a bad memory....
Looking forward to what you think of it and what you are looking for....

[DJ]

Yes I must admit I have been...but been cooking more.
Husband has actually said that I need to read more.Problem is some decent TV shows have come on.....
And I'm trying to gut out the house as this summer I didn't really keep on tip of things another reason for taking a break from the GFT...

[DJ]

Also I should have said when you decide on a book....

[DJ]

LOL,I guess so...But I sure am missing my reading.
And I still need to gut the studio....I did sort out some books to take to the shop as the owner let me take some that he didn't want so I thought I'd take him in some others.....

[DJ]

Yeah....better than nothing and a friend has a church feet coming up so that should make me have a clearout as I always try to send her a batch of stuff for the brig a brag stall etc as it eases my guilt at the silly prices they charge for books...

[DJ]

Yeah that's an idea...
I might have a browse through your shelfs to get an overview and that way you would get a surprise!
Sounds like a plan....
You can let me know what you decide nearer the time.....
Do you fancy THE STRANGE CASE OF JOHNATHAN STRANGE AND MR NORRELL? I haven't read it myself yet but most people seem to be liking it........

[DJ]

I will let you know how I get on with it.Its been IRL friends who have read it.....LOL might take me a while to get round to it myself given the time of year?
Thank goodness for my upcoming year of reading from home!
And Ye I found my address book....yes it was in the middle of a pile of books.....How surprising....LOL!!

[DJ]

Probably....wish I could come across a couple of £10 notes that would be handy......
Our house computer is playing up again so could you send me a few names of your favorite authors so U can try and get a sense of what you like reading?....

[DJ]

Yes....Thank Goodness!
Look forward to it.....

Er and if anyone reading this knows of a good computer glitch solving book I would love to k ow the title? Cheers...

[DJ]

Do you like Dr Who?

[Jim]

You know how they say pirating is bad? Read this article & check out the sales figures. Wow! How wrong can they be?
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/2010...