Ancient & Medieval Historical Fiction discussion

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message 13401: by Jerry (new)

Jerry Bennett | 147 comments Received one gift token from my daughter, with the same excuse that she makes every year - she's not sure what to buy me. But I did get a book from my eldest grandson. Not fiction, but excellent research material, bought on a school visit to a museum. That youth must be touched by genius!

By the way May, beware of Shardlake. Those books are truly addictive.


message 13402: by May (new)

May (mayzie) | 968 comments Yes, Jerry! Just finished the 1st one last night... and looking for Book 2 this AM. Add me to the list of fans.


message 13403: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) Rumor has it we are suppose to get 8-12 inches of snow tonight/tomorrow. Ugh. I know I live in Minnesota and that's what winter is but I don't have to love it. I have no problem with snow when it falls an inch or two at a time. I have problems when it gets to be more than five or six at a time. I should just be grateful I don't live in the southern part of the States where the weather has been certifiably insane.

Speaking of weather, has any one seen Linda lately?


message 13404: by Allison (last edited Dec 28, 2015 01:48PM) (new)

Allison | 1704 comments Eek, 8-12 inches! We have been having almost spring like weather up here in Michigan. Christmas Eve & Christmas day were both 60 degrees with blue skies and bright sunshine! Although right now we are having an ice storm. I keep getting Facebook statuses on how crappy everyone's drive home was today. Hope it clears up tomorrow, I have to go over an hour to get to my nephew's house. Its his 3rd birthday!

Stay safe all our Texan friends!


message 13405: by Jerry (new)

Jerry Bennett | 147 comments I'd take 12 inches of snow over the 14 inches of rain that fell on us in 24 hours in mid-December. At least snow doesn't run straight off the hills and flood 20,000 riverside properties just before Christmas! But the reports from Texas look pretty horrendous, and the floods appear even worse in South America. Good luck and best wishes to everyone affected by these weather extremes.

Now its back to sandbagging the sides of the local becks before Atlantic storm 'Frank" hits us tonight!


message 13406: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) I think mother nature needs to go home. She's drunk.


message 13407: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments Weathers to pot, went shopping in a t shirt and joggers. So warm.
Another thing Pound land has put easter eggs and other chocolate easter items on its shelves.


message 13408: by May (new)

May (mayzie) | 968 comments Jerry Bennett, where are you?


message 13409: by Kat (new)

Kat | 35 comments Mark wrote: "Another thing Pound land has put easter eggs and other chocolate easter items on its shelves."

That's entrepreneurship.


message 13410: by May (new)

May (mayzie) | 968 comments Does that mean they passed right by Valentine's Day??


message 13411: by Jerry (new)

Jerry Bennett | 147 comments May wrote: "Jerry Bennett, where are you?"

A half-drowned town called Kendal in the equally half-drowned county of Cumbria in the northwest of England. It's a beautiful place - when it's not raining.


message 13412: by May (new)

May (mayzie) | 968 comments We are experiencing our first Snow in New Hampshire: 4" of snow, now changed to sleet. I picture myself w my book in front of the fire this afternoon!!!


message 13413: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments The Jorvik centre in York has been flooded.


message 13414: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) Valentine's Day stuff is up at Target!

We didn't get any of the snow we were suppose to get last night. Apparently it's waiting until tonight. That's fine. I have no where to be tomorrow.


message 13415: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments I'm staying in today -- we're under a winter weather advisory.


message 13416: by happy (last edited Dec 29, 2015 04:09PM) (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments Gretchen wrote: "Valentine's Day stuff is up at Target!

We didn't get any of the snow we were suppose to get last night. Apparently it's waiting until tonight. That's fine. I have no where to be tomorrow."


All the stores here have the Valentines candy out - Waaaaaaaay to early:D

Our series of storms left about 70 inches of snow up at the ski resorts and we are supposed to get a break for a week/10 days. A temp inversion (it's warmer in the mountains than in the valleys) is supposed to set in. It traps all the gunk in the air in the valleys - so pretty soon we will be able to cut the air we breath with a knife.


message 13417: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments I would say thanks for all concerned messages about Texas and I would tell everyone we're fine but....
#1. I'm in Canada with the fiancé so i am thankfully missing the chaos
#2. Some of the local communities (luckily not my town but near) are pretty devastated. Red Cross and a few other disaster relief programs are out there to help and donations are pouring in from all over the state. I'm not sure if anyone saw the weather map for the 26th but in addition to the winter storm warning, flash floods , tornados and freeze warning....
The panhandle of Texas also had a 2.7 Earthquake. I think someone is trying to tell us something.....


message 13418: by Laureen (new)

Laureen (laureenandersonswfcomau) | 133 comments Kimber wrote: "I would say thanks for all concerned messages about Texas and I would tell everyone we're fine but....
#1. I'm in Canada with the fiancé so i am thankfully missing the chaos
#2. Some of the local c..."


I hope my friend who lives in New Mexico is OK. I know it is not as bad a situation as Texas but it all sounds terrible. I have no contact for my friend. Our thoughts go out to everybody in need and I guess that is a lot of people.


message 13419: by Margaret (new)

Margaret Skea | 136 comments Kat wrote: "Mark wrote: "Another thing Pound land has put easter eggs and other chocolate easter items on its shelves."

That's entrepreneurship."
Easter eggs?! That's horrendous and dispiriting.


message 13420: by Margaret (new)

Margaret Skea | 136 comments Mark wrote: "The Jorvik centre in York has been flooded."

I feel so sorry for folk in York, Cumbria and Lancashire - it's hard to imagine just how awful it must be. Watching from Scotland we feel so helpless.


message 13421: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments May wrote: "Does that mean they passed right by Valentine's Day??"

Never saw any valentine stuff at all.


message 13422: by Margaret, Sherlockian Sheila (new)

Margaret (margyw) | 3341 comments Meanwhile, down here in Australia we have bushfires


message 13423: by Clare (new)

Clare O'Beara | 139 comments We've been watching the flooding and storms around the world from the safety of a dry home. Cumbria, York and the other northerly English towns are really badly hit.

I'm in Dublin and the west of Ireland particularly has been flooded out three times in recent weeks - in many areas the rain never stopped for more than a few hours, while storm water hasn't gone anywhere, just filled fields and lanes and waited for more to arrive. Towns all over are suffering, roads closed, homes and shops flooded, businesses like farms and racing yards flooded. The ground will be too wet to plant crops for a long time to come. This is economic disaster.

I'm also thinking of the little native animals that are hibernating at this time, and migrating birds trying to find food and shelter.

We're seeing the storms across Texas and other areas, and yes it looks devastating. My sympathies to all.


message 13424: by May (new)

May (mayzie) | 968 comments These extreme swings of weather around the globe are distressing on every level. Wishing all a safe and Happy New Year.


message 13425: by Lariela (new)

Lariela | 187 comments Laureen wrote: "Kimber wrote: "I would say thanks for all concerned messages about Texas and I would tell everyone we're fine but....
#1. I'm in Canada with the fiancé so i am thankfully missing the chaos
#2. Some..."


Where in New Mexico? There has been harsh weather mostly in the east and south.


message 13426: by Mark (new)

Mark | 1885 comments Happy new year everyone.


message 13427: by Jane (new)

Jane | 3480 comments Happy New Year from me, too. May the New Year bring all of you the very best!


message 13428: by Laureen (new)

Laureen (laureenandersonswfcomau) | 133 comments Jane wrote: "Happy New Year from me, too. May the New Year bring all of you the very best!"

Ditto from me.


message 13429: by Laureen (new)

Laureen (laureenandersonswfcomau) | 133 comments Lariela wrote: "Laureen wrote: "Kimber wrote: "I would say thanks for all concerned messages about Texas and I would tell everyone we're fine but....
#1. I'm in Canada with the fiancé so i am thankfully missing th..."


Around Albuquerque I believe? I looked it up because Texas was so badly hit but not so bad in New Mexico.


message 13430: by happy (new)

happy (happyone) | 2782 comments I hope every one stays safe tonight and enjoys a very Joyous and prosperous New Year


message 13431: by Lariela (new)

Lariela | 187 comments Laureen wrote: "Lariela wrote: "Laureen wrote: "Kimber wrote: "I would say thanks for all concerned messages about Texas and I would tell everyone we're fine but....
#1. I'm in Canada with the fiancé so i am thank..."


Yeah, Albuquerque didn't get that much snow. I live east of there and got about a foot.


message 13432: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments Happy New Year...we're counting down. Still two hours and twenty minutes to go! (Mountain Standard Time US)


message 13433: by Ace (last edited Dec 31, 2015 08:44PM) (new)

Ace (aceonroam) | 19 comments Wow, Kimber, already lunchtime in Hong Kong! Happy New Year...


message 13434: by Bobby (new)

Bobby (bobbej) | 1375 comments Happy New Year from the beaches of Costa Rica!! Fantastic fireworks on Playa Tamarindo tonight! Stay safe.


message 13435: by Laureen (new)

Laureen (laureenandersonswfcomau) | 133 comments Lariela wrote: "Laureen wrote: "Lariela wrote: "Laureen wrote: "Kimber wrote: "I would say thanks for all concerned messages about Texas and I would tell everyone we're fine but....
#1. I'm in Canada with the fian..."


Ok, that's good. The web showed road closures and warnings.


message 13436: by Jerry (new)

Jerry Bennett | 147 comments Can I add my good wishes to everyone for 2016.


message 13437: by Ace (new)

Ace (aceonroam) | 19 comments Happy New Year Jerry


message 13438: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) My favorite used bookstore was having a New Year's sale yesterday! In related news, I now need a new bookshelf and Mr. Gretchen has that irritated look on his face. He spent more money getting new shirts for work than I did on books.


message 13439: by Clare (new)

Clare O'Beara | 139 comments I'm on your side, Gretchen! Enjoy the books.


message 13440: by Kimber (new)

Kimber (kimberlibri) | 785 comments Clare wrote: "We've been watching the flooding and storms around the world from the safety of a dry home. Cumbria, York and the other northerly English towns are really badly hit.

I'm in Dublin and the west of..."


Wow Clare! I had no idea that Ireland was having such a hard time. I knew about the Northwest of England from Jerry's post but with all the trouble in the South US we haven't been getting reports from other countries. I know our stuff is caused mainly by a warm current coming up from Mexico in the Pacific Ocean called El Nino. It mucks with the weather all over the US and it's making me wonder whether it affects overseas as well. Happens every ten years or so but the last one wasn't nearly this bad.


message 13441: by Clare (last edited Jan 04, 2016 02:32AM) (new)

Clare O'Beara | 139 comments NASA Examines Global Impacts of the 2015 El Niño
People the world over are feeling, or will soon feel, the effects of the strongest El Niño event since 1997-98, currently unfolding in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean.

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php...

I'm hoping this link comes out okay - I get the JPL newsletter which is sent out by NASA. This shows effects of El Nino (and La Nina in those years) on Pacific Rim countries.

Ireland mainly gets weather from the Gulf of Mexico so it is possible there is some carryover, but we'd expect our heat to be spinning up from Africa.


message 13442: by Clare (new)

Clare O'Beara | 139 comments Thanks for the sympathy, Kimber. On last night's Irish news, we heard that flood levels have surpassed the records set in 2009, despite added defences. Towns have been flooded out which never flooded before. Motorway construction and hard surfacing has to play a part of the lack of drainage, but Ireland is largely agricultural, with the Shannon being the longest river in the British Isles.

Householders last night were being told that if they can't stay in a house that is getting flooded and uninsurable on a frequent basis, the government may have to relocate them to a safer house in the area and designate meadows as floodplains. The numbers of families so affected are in the hundreds.


message 13443: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) Mr. Gretchen seems to think we need to go on some sort of tropical vacation. My Scandinavian complexion doesn't really do tropical locations but my sorority girl background does fruity drinks on the beach. He wants to go to Cancun. I think we're too old for that. I'm looking at Aruba or Nassau. Thoughts from those of you who may have been to a tropical locale? We won't be going anywhere for another year or so but I would like to start planning now.


message 13444: by Clare (new)

Clare O'Beara | 139 comments Got room in your suitcase? I fold up small.


message 13445: by Gretchen (new)

Gretchen (eab2012) As long as you aren't blonde and call me mom, I might consider guests ;)


message 13446: by Clare (new)

Clare O'Beara | 139 comments (laughs)


message 13447: by May (new)

May (mayzie) | 968 comments We love St Maarten. We have been going there for 2 weeks a year since 1988. (Eeuw... Gives away my age, doesn't it). We were attracted to that island because it was not homogenized USA. Needless to say, that has changed some, but there is a lot to enjoy that is not resort related. Great restaurants & we tend to be Foodees. Planning is the he most fun!!!


message 13449: by Clare (new)

Clare O'Beara | 139 comments We tend to like exploring historical locations. So far the most 'tropical' we've been to is southern Turkey. If you are keeping to the Americas that would reduce your carbon footprint.

I suggest you start now offsetting carbon to balance out the flights - there are websites where a partner organisation offsets carbon or plants trees based on your visiting the site daily, for example. That costs you nothing.


message 13450: by Ace (new)

Ace (aceonroam) | 19 comments Very clever for long term planning Clare.

Best tropical visits for me (and you may appreciate this with kids Gretchen) are in Bali Island - east, west and south coasts are all tropical - you can hire a house with cook/maid/nanny included , or resort style hotel with shared kids minding facilities.
Otherwise, I would look to Phuket Island.

I guess the Caribbean is closer, but I cannot comment as I haven't been there (yet).


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