The photo above is art made by Jane Mount and you can purchase prints of her work and even create a customized bookshelf for yourself. Just go to her website: Ideal bookshelf
Behind Closed Doors by B. A. Paris (library) The perfect couple is not so perfect, suspenseful and how is she going to get out of this situation??
Detroit Noir ed by B. L. Olsen and John C. Hocking short stories set in Detroit. There is a whole series of these Noir titles set in cities around the world and I plan to read all of them!
The Sisters Brothers by Patrick DeWitt (library) I really enjoyed this fictionalized story of two brothers who were outlaws in the west.
Angels by Denis Johnson (library) a runaway and an ex-con are traveling together in 1960's -70's (?) America. It was interesting.
Rock Picker's Guide to Lake Superior's North Shore by Mark Sparky Stensaas Studying up on the rocks I was looking for in Minnesota
The Swans of Fifth Avenue by Melanie Benjamin (audiobook) I read this book when it first came out, I usually like to "reread" books via audiobook because I do not have to pay as much attention to them, since I already know the story. I usually listen to these while driving and I don't want to have to pay too much attention to the book. I enjoyed this one while driving around Minnesota while Ryan was hiking the Superior Hiking Trail.
Calypso by David Sedaris (library) Ryan and I listened to an interview that Sedaris did about this book and we both were intrigued to read more! I enjoyed it, but then I am of a certain age and I have those ties to North Carolina Beach towns (and vacationing in them). I laughed out loud several times while reading this book.
Psych: A Fatal Frame of Mind by William Rabkin novelization of the Psych TV show with an all new mystery! pretty good, I liked it better than I did the Driving Heat book that is tied to the Castle TV show.
Driving Heat by Richard Castle (audiobook) These books are really a sort of inside joke, being created to due to the popularity of the Castle TV show. The first couple of them were pretty good, but it is evident that they use ghost writers and the character of Nikki Heat does waffle a bit from book to book. This one was just okay. I did like the use of drones in the plot. (so modern) LOL
Outsider by Stephen King (library) Slogging thru this huge book, only because it is Stephen King. It is okay, I am reminded of Dean Koontz, where something normal turns supernatural. Am I growing out of Stephen King/Horror? Because I was not riveted. It was good....but I had to make myself read it.
The Assistants by Camille Perri (library) I really enjoyed this one, laughed out loud a couple of times. Assistants to powerful men sort of do an embezzling heist kind of a thing.
The Extra Woman by Joanna Scutts (library) non-fiction about the woman who wrote Live Alone and Like It (Marjorie Hillis) back in 1936. I really enjoyed it. Traces the evolution of women living alone thru the depression and into the war years, the 1950's-60's etc
I Know My Name by Carolyn Jess-Cooke (library) Interesting Psychological mystery about a missing woman. It took me a while before I figured it out. But then that did not lessen the appeal of the mystery.
Bark and Roll Forever by Claire Cook (library) part of the fun of these books to me is that the author got her big break so late in life. She celebrates this in her acknowledgements.
To Be Read:
The Immortalists by Chloe Benjamin
Toronto Noir ed. by Janine Armin and Nathaniel G. Moore
The Seashell on the Mountaintop by Alan Cutler
Talking to Girls about Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield
Unsigned by Julie Kaewert
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Monday, June 25, 2018
2018 Postcard: Oregon
Oregon is a lovely place to visit, I need to go back again soon. Thank You to my friends who send me cards from Oregon.
Monday, June 18, 2018
2018 Postcard: Singapore
I just love these exotic postcards from Singapore! So happy that I have friends who will take the time to send me cards from far flung locales.
Monday, June 11, 2018
Monday, June 04, 2018
2018 Postcard: Iceland
Another Bucket list destination....seems like all my friends have been to Iceland, I NEED to go NOW!
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Books I read in May 2018
The photo above is art made by Jane Mount and you can purchase prints of her work and even create a customized bookshelf for yourself. Just go to her website: Ideal bookshelf
The Recovering by Leslie Jamison (library) about alcoholism. I enjoyed it. Basically a memoir of her journey to sobriety.
Fylling's Illustrated Guide to Pacific Coast Tide Pools by Marni Fylling just a gorgeous book wonderful illustrations
The Dark Side of River Heights by Renee Walker If you are not a Nancy Drew fan, you will probably not have any reason to ever read this book. I am rereading now and thoroughly enjoying it. It explores the ways in which Nancy Drew is not perfect. The things that she does wrong, the ways in which she is careless and so focused on a mystery that she breaks the law or neglects her family.
Must Love Dogs by Claire Cook (library) The basis of the movie with John Cusack, it is the beginning of an entire series of books, so I will be reading more of these.
Dallas Noir ed. by David Hale Smith Short stories set in Dallas (reading because I will be spending a week in Dallas doing training for the airline this month.)
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (library) I really liked this one, a retelling of the Scarlet Letter, modernized
Tangerine by Christine Mangan (library) very interesting book about a woman obsessed with her college roommate, she follows her to Tangiers. I liked the exotic locale and the interesting plot.
New Leash on Life by Claire Cook (library) the next book in the "Must Love Dogs" series...it was okay
Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero (library) I enjoyed this thriller. It is a throwback to the idea of a group of kids ala Scooby Doo has a mystery solving club. And what happens when those kids grow up and they are pulled back into a mystery that they thought they had solved as kids.
Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia Really liked this one. a girl is murdered and we see the steps leading up to it
Fetch You Later by Claire Cook (library) yet another book in the "Must Love Dogs" series....I am getting tired of these, she just creates misunderstandings between the main characters to keep them apart and then brings them back together again in the end.
Loss of Innocence by Chassie West Chassie West was once a Nancy Drew ghost writer and I am reading some of her books in preparation to write an article about her for a Nancy Drew fanzine
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather (library) Wow, I really enjoyed this one. It is the story of a priest traveling to New Mexico back in the 1800's when the missions were just being formed. I loved her descriptions, the story is loosely based on real life and if you love the desert, you should read this!!
To Be Read:
The Riders by Tim Winton
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg
Blog Post Mortem by Mark Berkeland
Who Let the Cats In by Claire Cook
The Recovering by Leslie Jamison (library) about alcoholism. I enjoyed it. Basically a memoir of her journey to sobriety.
Fylling's Illustrated Guide to Pacific Coast Tide Pools by Marni Fylling just a gorgeous book wonderful illustrations
The Dark Side of River Heights by Renee Walker If you are not a Nancy Drew fan, you will probably not have any reason to ever read this book. I am rereading now and thoroughly enjoying it. It explores the ways in which Nancy Drew is not perfect. The things that she does wrong, the ways in which she is careless and so focused on a mystery that she breaks the law or neglects her family.
Must Love Dogs by Claire Cook (library) The basis of the movie with John Cusack, it is the beginning of an entire series of books, so I will be reading more of these.
Dallas Noir ed. by David Hale Smith Short stories set in Dallas (reading because I will be spending a week in Dallas doing training for the airline this month.)
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (library) I really liked this one, a retelling of the Scarlet Letter, modernized
Tangerine by Christine Mangan (library) very interesting book about a woman obsessed with her college roommate, she follows her to Tangiers. I liked the exotic locale and the interesting plot.
New Leash on Life by Claire Cook (library) the next book in the "Must Love Dogs" series...it was okay
Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero (library) I enjoyed this thriller. It is a throwback to the idea of a group of kids ala Scooby Doo has a mystery solving club. And what happens when those kids grow up and they are pulled back into a mystery that they thought they had solved as kids.
Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia Really liked this one. a girl is murdered and we see the steps leading up to it
Fetch You Later by Claire Cook (library) yet another book in the "Must Love Dogs" series....I am getting tired of these, she just creates misunderstandings between the main characters to keep them apart and then brings them back together again in the end.
Loss of Innocence by Chassie West Chassie West was once a Nancy Drew ghost writer and I am reading some of her books in preparation to write an article about her for a Nancy Drew fanzine
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather (library) Wow, I really enjoyed this one. It is the story of a priest traveling to New Mexico back in the 1800's when the missions were just being formed. I loved her descriptions, the story is loosely based on real life and if you love the desert, you should read this!!
To Be Read:
The Riders by Tim Winton
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg
Blog Post Mortem by Mark Berkeland
Who Let the Cats In by Claire Cook
Monday, May 28, 2018
Monday, May 21, 2018
2018 Postcard: Tropical
Lots of my friends and family go on cruises and I get all sorts of Tropical postcards from them from their ports of call.
Monday, May 14, 2018
2018 Postcard: Washington State
Even though I live in Washington State now, many friends and family will still send me cards when they visit the area. I love that !!
Monday, May 07, 2018
Friday, May 04, 2018
Anne Marie Takes Lisbon
I just got back from a vacation in Lisbon, Portugal with my niece, Anne Marie. It was her first visit to Europe. We only spent 4 days in Lisbon. It was a quick trip, but we managed to see most of the city. I always find that I can go back again and again and find more things to see and do.
We visited the Museu Coleção Berardo, in Lisbon. Anne Marie is interested in Modern Art and this was on her list of things she wanted to do, we saw lots of great art from Warhol, Picasso, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, Calder, Lichtenstein and more
We ate lunch that day from the Taste of Madeira booth
| the beginning of our journey |
| First lunch at a European Cafe |
| Tapas in Lisbon |
| View from Sao Jorge Castle |
| Peacocks in the trees at Sao Jorge Castle |
| Gelato with Suzi Robertshaw |
| Rossio Square in Lisbon |
| Something you do not see much in the USA, everyone dries their laundry on a clothesline |
| Piri Piri Chicken on the grill at a Take-Away spot by our Air BnB |
| Lots of steps up to our Air BnB |
| Street Art in Belem with Suzi and Anne Marie |
| Pasteis de Belem |
| Hop On Hop Off bus to Cascais |
| Sand Castle art at Cascais |
| Love the tile work on the buildings |
| Gorgeous views along the way back to Lisbon |
| Marquess of Pombal Square |
| Pedestrian shopping streets |
| Google Plane from a Portuguese artist |
| This might be my true favorite on the wall outside the museum |
| another view, I love how it is 3D taking in the balcony area |
| Art fair going on outside of the Museu Coleção Berardo |
| Lots of great artists and craftsmen |
| Purchase from an artist |
| Tastes of Madeira at the art fair |
We ate lunch that day from the Taste of Madeira booth
| Caco Cake Prego, Beef with Garlic Butter and Cheese |
| We found TinTin in Portugal |
| Guards in front of the President's residence in Belem |
| The national Tile Museum It is located in the former Convent of Madre Deus, founded by Queen D. Leonor in 1509 |
| Who Wore it Better? |
| Who Wore it Better? |
| A section from a Panorama of Lisbon |
| A modern Tile piece made to look like wood |
| detail of the faux wood tile |
| Examples of Tiles from all eras |
| If I had known about this ahead of time, I would have signed up! Paint your own tile at the The National Azulejo Museum |
| View from our Air BnB |
| And the panorama version |
| Suzi and Anne Marie on a TukTuk tour |
| Best spot in Lisbon? Miradouro da Senhora do Monte Viewpoint |
| More arts and crafts |
| Pavements are gorgeous, the ship is the symbol of the city of Lisbon and you see it everywhere |
| The Moon over the city |
| Scored an Aisle Seat for the flight back to PHL! Not bad for being the last non-rev on the list and getting pulled aside for extra special screening in LIS |
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