Sunday, October 16, 2011

~ Sunday Salon ~

October, usually a favorite month of mine, is slowly losing its cool! I'm not quite over my cold or whatever I have...maybe allergies?....but it hasn't turned into bronchitis or pneumonia which is great. Addie is completely over her respiratory infection which is also great. I was concerned because she lost weight while she was sick...it’s amazing and scary how quickly cats lose weight...but I needn't have worried...I think she's chubbier now than before her illness! She's chowing down daily, making up for the meals she missed! So that's all good.


Everything’s over-shadowed by poor Dopey who I had to put to sleep this past week. He developed severe renal disease, something older cats often get. For Dopey it was a sign his body was shutting down. He went from eating, playing and joyfully antagonizing the other cats to losing half his body weight in a few days, then having increasing difficulty walking until he was so weak he couldn't walk. He also developed infections in his mouth because his teeth were decaying, another common ailment of old cats. Poor Dopey, he was a weird cat and loved because of it. This is a major negative to rescuing cats off the street, you don't know what they've been exposed to, what illnesses they've had, how old they are etc. I've been having a really tough time with Dopey's death. This morning, in an effort to shake off my sadness some, I looked at photos of Dopey which turned out to be a good idea. He was such a silly cat and he loved to chit-chat. He looks kind of dopey in many of the pics but I often wondered if he was looking at us that way as if to say, "You humans are a bunch of Dopes!" lolol He probably was.

Anyway, I know I haven't posted or blogged much at all the last 2 weeks but I am going to make an effort to do a better job of posting and blogging this week.


I have several reviews to catch up on including a review of fathermucker by Greg Olear for TLC Book Tours which I missed and feel terrible about and want to make up. Hopefully I’ll be able to focus on the books I want to review and put together something halfway decent for you all to read! I’ve been writing a little bit the last couple of weeks but it’s more whatever comes to mind rather than something structured like a review. I’ve also been reading alot...escape, maybe?!...one extreme to another! Maybe this will be the encouragement I need to get reviews done before the books pile up into a huge, daunting stack!


I finished In the Woods by Tana French. I really want to review this book! I think I recall reading a lot of comments that bloggers didn’t like the ending. I’m curious about that since I didn’t have any problems with it. I also finished The Radleys by Matt Haig, a fun, entertaining, and smart book. I’m reading Don’t Breathe A Word by Jennifer McMahon, a good one for the R.I.P Challenge at the blog Stainless Steel Droppings.  I also picked up another R.I.P. book, The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian which is great so far!


My neighbor has my vopy of Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. Ugh! I read close to half the book. She noticed it, remarked on the cover and then picked it up to read the back. I started to tell her a bit about the book and how interesting and good it is. The next thing I know she’s talking about how excited she is to read it and thanking me for letting her borrow it as she walks away with my book! Dumbfounded, and slow to act, I watched her disappear from sight with my pretty yellow and purple book! I’m probably not going to say anything for a little while because my friend doesn’t read much so I don’t want to dissuade her interest in a book. And I have plenty to read... I’m trying to be ‘magnanimous’ but there’s a small part of me that wants my book back...now! lolol


Enjoy your Sunday! I hope you’re having as beautiful a Sunday as we are here in NYC!


Happy Reading!

30 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear about Dopey. It is never easy to make that decision. Remembering the good times is the best way to deal with such a tough time. I think Dopey looked like a handsome guy! I am sure he was very grateful that you took him in and loved him. I hope you feel better. I know my allergies have knocked me for a loop this year. It's a strange year.

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  2. I'm so sorry to hear about Dopey. It's so difficult to say goodbye to pets since they're part of the family.

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  3. So sorry to hear about Dopey. At least he didn't have to suffer long. Glad to hear that you and Addie are feeling better!

    I hate, hate to loan books to friends; I so often never see them again. Hope you get your book back and that your friend enjoys it so much that she want to read more!

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  4. I don't even want to think about all the books I've loaned to friends and never seen again! So sorry to hear about Dopey...

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  5. I never see books I loan again. I don't even think about the book again once it is in someone else's hands. People forget.

    So sad for you and your loss.

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  6. I am so sorry to hear about Dopey. I know how hard it is to lose one of your little guys, as I lost two a few years back. I still miss them. Also, I think I would have been dumbfounded had a friend walked away with one of my books without really asking! That is a little rude, but I think you handled it really well! You are such a generous person! I probably would have snatched it back!

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  7. Aww, Amy, I'm so sorry to hear about Dopey. That's tough. He was lucky to have found a home with you, though :)

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  8. It is so hard to lose pets. Every time it happens I swear "no more pets" but it is hard to turn them away.

    I loved In the Woods, and I loved the ambiguous ending. Takes some balls to walk away from the easy ending, and I love French for that. And the chemistry in that book! It was tangible.

    I am reading The Night Strangers as well. I've got about 10% left to read. Wild ride, that book is.

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  9. I'm sorry about Dopey. It was good for you to give him a safe home though.

    I kind of liked the ending of In the Woods … but part of me wanted to find out just what happened. I just loved that she had the guts to end it that way … on her first book too!! It drove a lot of people nuts from what I saw on Amazon.

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  10. Sorry to hear about Dopey. That is definitely the saddest part of having pets but how lucky for him that he had you to care for him.

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  11. Poor Dopey; poor you! I'm so sorry.
    Have heard mixed review of IN THE WOODS.

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  12. Amy, my heart goes out to you with the loss of Dopey. You know I can relate as it was a very similar situation with our Libby last week. HUGS to you from Me:(

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  13. Sorry to hear about Dopey. ((HUGS))

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  14. Very sad about Dopey, but they do get to be an age when their little bodies just can't take anymore and then they are ready for their next adventure. he had a great home (thanks to you)and lots of kitty friends to keep him company. I know he will be missed.

    When I read that bit about the neighbor walking off with Norwegian Wood I gasped out loud! To steal a book is one thing...but a Murakami! Off with her head! LOL!

    I am so excited about the new book that I may just come unglued and buy both the hardcover and the Kindle version. One to read, since it's 900+ pages long and one to just gaze at, lovingly.

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  15. It's always tough to loose a friend.

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  16. BETH: Thank you so much! Dopey was a character. As I go about the day taking care of the cats I really miss him because he was very much a part of daily life in that he was always there when food was being put out for the cats, when people food was being prepared...and eaten! when the litter box was being cleaned and when chores were done around home and he always made sure we knew he was there. SO my laughter is mixed with tears.
    I'm sorry your allergies are so bad but I really appreciate you saying that because I've just been realizing that I think some of my health issues are my allergies, they kind of sneak up on me!
    Thank you so much for commenting!

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  17. BERMUDAONION: Thank you so much, Kathy. It's comforting to know my friends understand :o)

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  18. LISA: Thank you Lisa...and I am very grateful Dopey didn't suffer much at all.

    Fortunately I see the friend with my "Norwegian Wood" just about everyday so I can keep tabs on it and I plan too! But I know exactly what you mean since, before I've had the chance to read them, I often 'lost' a lot of books to friends and family!

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  19. JOANN: I guess lending out our books and not getting them back is one of the perils of adoring books, reading and owning many of them. I think many people who enjoy reading don't completely understand the value of books to those of us who Value and Love them!
    Thank you for your thoughts and words about Dopey.

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  20. DEB NANCE at READERBUZZ: I like that idea...The next time I loan a book I'm going to try and forget about it. You're right, people forget...I know I do, all the time!
    Thank you :o)

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  21. ZIBILEE: I thought it was rude, too...It's the way this woman is and it's so antithetical to how I am that I cannot get used to it so it trips me up when it happens. I haven't really minded the few other things I've 'lost' to her but I'm NOT losing "Norwegian Wood" for good! lol
    Thank you for your understanding and kind words about Dopey :o)

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  22. ERIN: Thank you! Dopey was a little bit of an "acquired taste" at first and now I cannot believe he's gone. I'm so glad we adopted him and gave him a warm place to live.

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  23. SANDY: Exactly! I always think, no more cats, I can't keep doing this and then a rescue comes a long and there's no way we'll say no!

    I often have issues with endings but not with In the Woods. I liked how French handled it. You're right about the chemistry, wow! It's partly why I was so ticked off at his behavior later.

    You're ahead of me with Night Strangers. I'm just learning about the interesting group of women and the girls have invited their first friend to the greenhouse. I'm hoping to read many pages tonight. It's great! Enjoy!

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  24. JENNERS: I was thinking the other night about In the Woods being Tana French's debut. Holy cow! It's a multi-layered story with major character development...amazing.
    Thank you :o)

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  25. DANA: Thank you so much. I agree, it is the hardest part. I just try to keep in mind how great the journey is...photos help, too!

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  26. KATHYA: Thank you for your thoughts about Dopey.
    I've been planning to email you and promise to this week. In the Woods is a great book, really. I think you'd like it.

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  27. DIANE: Thank you :o) I thought so much about you and Libby while taking care of Dopey. I'm so sorry you had to go through this with Libby, so sorry for both of us having to say good-bye to cats we love. Your thoughts and words are a great comfort to me.
    Hugs back to you.

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  28. ANNA: Thank you so much. Your support and love helps immensely.

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  29. TI: Can you believe a Murakami of all the books I have to take! And when I finally found time and space to give a Murakami the attention it deserves....ooooo, the steam is coming out of my ears again!

    You are so funny! The cover of 1Q84is so cool looking, I cannot wait to see it for real. I've read pretty much all I can find about4the book on-line and can't wait for it to come out. I'm thrilled it's huge! I cannot believe I waited so long to finally read Murakami's work (thank you to you for the push/shove I needed!) But I'm also so happy to have so many terrific books to read now!

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  30. Sos sorry about Dopey, Amy. Pets are family and it's hard to have to put one to sleep.
    LOL, about your friend taking the book. I can just imagine the look on your face as she walked away with it. You are a very good friend!

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