Presently reading......

My tablet basically died. It was locking up, going to black screen and I couldn't turn it off.  As the tablet and blogging are my only interaction with book sites & friends, news, etc.....I had to get a new one.  It interfered with some posts I was hoping to get done but...now I am all set.

Very irritating to have to spend the money on it as I was digging in to No Buy 2025.  Here are a couple of articles about that Here and Here. 

In book news....

Just finished  The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough which was a buddy read with Deb at Readerbuzz.  It's always nice to read with someone :-)

Currently reading / Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain with JoAnn. Also started The Story of a Heart by Dr. Rachel Clarke, a page turner in nonfiction. Fascinating so far.

Sharing a couple of "new" books for Mailbox Monday (hosted by Vicki).  I have The Shepherd's Life by James Rebanks from the library and  I purchased White Oleander by Janet Fitch for $2 from their sale shelves.  Not sure when I will get started on the Rebanks book as I am finishing up the nonfiction right now.

Other posts this week besides the Thorn Birds review was about Loki's birthday/ gotcha day

That's about it.  Not a crazy exciting week here but I am getting some good reading in.  I hope your week is a good one.

Sharing with:

Deb at Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon

Vicki for Mailbox Monday

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough#ClassicsClub #BuddyRead

 The Thorn Birds was a buddy read with Deb at Readerbuzz.  This was an interesting journey through decades with the Cleary family and getting myself immersed in Australian outback conditions. 

Below is a general summary of the book but spoilers are in my Goodreads review HERE.   

This is a multi-generational saga spanning from 1915 to 1969.  The Cleary family, Paddy and Fiona, along with their seven children, are trying to make ends meet on a farm in New Zealand.  You will read about the hardships of the family and how they eventually move to Australia when Paddy's sister (Mary Carson) offers them a home on her vast property called Drogheda.

Paddy is Mary's only heir and he will eventually be assumed to inherit her estate. The sons flourish working on the sheep ranch and the women are sequestered at home doing the usual mundane work of cooking, laundry, childcare etc.  Yet another perk of being a female in that time period.

A central character to this story is Father Ralph de Bricassart, the Catholic priest who visits Mary Carson, hoping to advance his position with the church and relocate to Sydney or perhaps, one day...Rome. He becomes very involved with the Cleary family, much to Mary's dismay, but her vindictive nature will eventually turn the tables.

The descriptions of the birds, landscape and the flora are very richly described; such vivid colors and atmosphere.  The weather conditions are so well depicted you can feel it, easily imagining hot breezes, the sticky humidity and bitter cold in each season.

There is so much tragedy, sadness as well as love in this novel.  

This was a buddy read with Deb at Readerbuzz and also one of the books on my Classics Club list.  Publication date 1977.

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Happy Birthday, Loki - today is his Gotcha Day!

Loki's Gotcha Day!  Four years ago we adopted an underweight, flea ridden scrap of a dog they were calling Albert.

He had lived outside all his life and was just this side of feral.  The local Humane Society grabbed him up from a Bainbridge Georgia shelter because they were going to put him to sleep.  He was afraid of everything and everyone and did not attempt to engage anyone walking through the kennel trying to adopt.  

He was a challenge as he had to be housebroken, tried to bite us multiple times and had food insecurity so he'd knock over trashcans and make a huge mess. 

Fast forward and he is a relatively happy dog.  He has separation anxiety and takes Xanax when needed (such as any trip to the vet) but he is a very intelligent dog, loves us and enjoys a good life now.

Happy birthday, Loki! 

He got a new kitchen bed

He enjoyed an OraVet chew for dental health

He rolled around outside in the sun for bit. 

Happy birthday old man 🐾  Rescue dogs have brightened our lives.

Book travel to Australia, England and a nonfiction on deck #ClassicClub #Nonfiction #BuddyRead

1Here we are Friday already and my week has flown past.  Trying to stay informed  with world events while minimizing the articles about the mentally deficient criminal in chief.  So that means more reading and I can't complain about that :-)

Currently reading /  I am engrossed with two chunksters right now.  Both are on my Classic Club list as well as being buddy reads. Sweet.

Earlier in the month I started The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough, with Deb at Readerbuzz. The publication year is 1977, 692 pages.  I'm around the 70% mark now. Such tragedy in this family saga.

Wednesday I started reading Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain, an autobiographical historical account of Brittain's early life and encompassing the first world war.  Publication date of 1933, 688 pages.  I am buddy reading with JoAnn at Gulfside Musing. 

Upcoming / On deck after those two books is The Story of a Heart by Dr. Rachel Clarke. Just picked it up from the library.  It's about two families, two nine year old children and a transplant.  When Keira Ball is in a horrific car accident her body shut down, except her heart kept beating. Her parents allowed her to be an organ donor. 

Nine year old Max Johnson was fighting a virus causing his heart to fail.  When Max's family got the call they knew it came at a terrible cost to another family. He received Keira's heart.  I bet this book makes me cry.

📚 Also, if anyine is interested, Kate Quinn's book The Rose Code is on sale for Kindle for $1.99 today.  Not sure is that price is good outside the U.S. or if it's a today-only kind of deal but....if you like books about codebreakers during WW II this one is great. 📚

Sharing with:

Deb at Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon

Joy for British Isles Friday

Vicki for Mailbox Monday

Snow and books and comfort food

This week we saw unusual snowfall in northern Florida.  See post and more photos HERE.  Below is a photo of our field.  I grew up in Pennsylvania and Michigan so I experienced snowy winters but this is so very unusual for Florida.

Foodie stuff /   JoAnn posted about Chicken Tortellini soup HERE.  So I have made that, very hearty.

I also made a Curtis Stone recipe which is always satisfying. Chicken and Sausage Paella.

Reading

Upcoming for one of my classics is Testament of Youth by Vera Brittain, a buddy read with JoAnn for February.  Currently reading The Thorn Birds with Deb at Readerbuzz, also for my classic club list. 

For Mailbox Monday I picked up the following - Orbital by Samantha Harvey, Pastoral Song by James Rebanks and the final season of Madam Secretary.

James Rebanks has a farm in Cumbria England and may be found on IG at Herdyshepherd1.  The photos and videos are fantastic and I am looking forward to his book.

Finally, here is Loki soaking up some sun from his bedroom.  I think about moving the furniture around but the placement of this bed near the window allows him to get a good view of the field.  Spoiled...just a bit.

Sharing with:

Deb at Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon

Joy for British Isles Friday

Vicki for Mailbox Monday

Snow in north Florida

We had a record amount of snowfall here in north Florida.  Here are a few photos showing Doug walking across our buried driveway from the road toward the house.

This was last night. 👇 I carried Loki to the old RV port in hopes he would do his business because he was NOT going to put paws in the white stuff. I had to take his tiger and toss it in the chair on the porch.  Once I put him down in the covered port he bolted back, snow up to his belly, staring at his tiger in the chair.

Lots of tracks in the morning around the back yard area.  Looked like coyote.

 Wednesday morning - Trudging down the driveway past the shed to see what the road looks like.

The field in the sun.

That's it....I know folks across the U.S. have plenty more snow than us but for Florida this is very unusual. Staying home today because the roads are icy, there are multiple accidents / road closures and we have food and books so....no need to go out.

Hoping you all are safe and warm with a plethora of books!

Turkish Proverb