~ ~ Reading Laziness and Turkey Day ~ ~

It's damp, cold and rainy here in the NYC area.  This kind of weather makes me feel lazy and slow to get things done, especially today. It probably has partly to do with the bronchitis infection I've had for a couple weeks that just refuses to go away.  But I think it mostly as to do with the fact that, although I have some things I need to do, I'm having difficulty putting down the book The Street Sweeper, that I'm reading (among others!).  It's just such a good book, so interesting.  And yesterday I started reading Labor Day, wow. I cannot believe it took me this long... I wish there were more hours in the day!

So, although I'm tired and lazy today, I'm not quite at the point my adorable little Fig is... 

I hope you all have a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow, whatever your plans may be!  Enjoy and eat lots of yummy food!  And Thank you for hanging in with me!

~ The Sunday Salon ~

I haven’t posted a TSS post in a couple of weeks.   By the time Sunday rolls around, I feel lazy and restless.  I tend to find myself spending the day, if I’m home, reading the entire NY Times in bed and several cups of coffee or, like last week, getting lost in the fun of Pinterest.   It’s not as if I’m at a high-pressure, long hours job all week, as I know some of you are or have several young children demanding every minute of my time (unless you count the cats who  often seem a lot like small children!).  I think sometimes I just get a little tired or bored doing the same thing day in and day out.  Even with reading and it doesn’t matter what I’m reading.  I just realized this happens to me only in winter.  So maybe it partly has to do with knowing my chances of getting out of the house during these weeks of winter are pretty slim.  In the warm, sunny weather when I can get outside everyday if I want to, I don’t get this lazy, restless feeling.  I admit, to, during the winter months when I’m inside most of the time, I don’t always know what to write about in TSS posts.  Cute anecdotes about the cats and the weird videos I found on YouTube only go so far!  I wonder if this would happen to me if I lived in CA or GA.  Someday I’d like to move out of the city, maybe to somewhere a little more temperate.

I have some good cat stories for you.  I’m just holding off until I have some good pictures to go with them.  I have to work on getting photos online again since I couldn’t transfer what was on the old computer.  I need to update the cat pictures on my blog, too (among many other things!).  I have two new cats to tell you about, Oscar and Cecelia (Cee Cee).  Oscar’s a one-year-old (approx.) and Cee Cee is 6 or 7 months and getting fatter every day! We also feed and sometimes give temporary shelter to 2 or 3 other cats when it’s really cold out.  I’m hoping within a month to have the pictures ready…maybe sooner!

 On the book front, I started reading Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear a few days ago.  It’s very different than I expected but I like it.  I’m also reading Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon for a book club hosted by Andrea whose blog is Great Thoughts.  I’m really enjoying Wife 22; it’s smart, funny, poignant and unexpected. I’m still reading The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout.  I’m taking more time with this book because it doesn’t have a concrete deadline while the others do!

I hope you’re all enjoying your Sunday and reading a good book!

The Sunday Salon ~ September 23, 2012

Hello! I’ve been on a forced “break” of sorts from blogging. Turns out that computer virus I thought was gone from my computer “hid” a few bits of itself here and there. My computer shut down again and wouldn’t start back up. Holy cow! What a nightmare! I think this computer is all set now and squeaky clean. This sounds like what I said a week or so ago!

We have another abandoned cat here. The people who lived just two or three doors away moved out and left their one-year old tabby cat on the landing with a cup of water and open can of cat food. Bear in mind they had a month’s notice. They knew they were leaving and couldn’t be bothered to take care of their cat. A cat you have to assume was a part of their lives for a few months at least. By late afternoon yesterday, the poor thing was consistently and loudly meowing to get into his home. So we took him in and we’re calling him Oscar at the moment. Considering that cats are creatures of habit, poor Oscar isn’t a real happy boy at the moment. He hisses a bit, growls a lot, even when he eats and plays, and meows loudly when anyone comes near. He’s scared, confused, unsure of where he is and what’s happening. Oscar doesn’t seem to like other cats too much, either. Hopefully he’ll calm down in a few days as we continue to feed him regularly, play with and pet him, offer him catnip and take care of him. What’s wrong with people? Is it pure cruelty? Laziness? Stupidity? Selfishness? It’s probably a combination of all these. Does this happen everywhere? It happens so often here in Brooklyn. It’s an awful way to treat a pet, so cruel and unfeeling. If they’re found out people are fined $300 if the abandonment is reported. Oscar’s adorable and if he decides we’re a good fit for him, we’ll be fortunate to have him in the family.

I missed the mid-point for IT reviews. I’m going to post mine by Tuesday and read the reviews by other #Italong-ers!. I received a terrific #Italong book mark from softdrink. It’s awesome and makes my reading much more festive! I missed my scheduled review date for Telegraph Avenue but will have a new date soon. I’ll be reviewing A Wilderness of Error by Errol Morris this week. Unbelievable! This weekend I’ve just finished reading Henning Mankell’s first Wallander book, The Pyramid, about his early years on the police force. It’s great. I’m going to start reading The Cutting Season by Attica Locke.

Now I’ll return to the football game that’s making me want to scream!! Oy those Jets!

Happy Sunday!
Happy Reading!

The Sunday Salon ~ Reading, Sleeping and Introducing Owen!

Happy Sunday!
I hope you’re all enjoying your day. Last night here in Brooklyn the weather was ideal for sleeping. It was in the 60s with a slight breeze...total Amy world! Lol The humidity disappeared several days go...wooo-hooo! I’m not a fan of humidity! It seems the cats aren’t either since all my cats were outside for most of the night last night! When it’s hot and humid they lie around, completely lethargic the entire day and night. Several of their feline friends were outside last night, too. All of the cats were running around, rolling in the grass together, wrestling and playing so happily. It was great fun to watch them!

It’s one of the first nights of really good sleep I’ve had in a long time. Such a nice change of pace. I don’t think my sleep issues have much to do with the weather, although. I’ve been having a lot of pain in the early mornings and during the night in different areas but especially my joints and lower back. My doctors think, after a bunch of x-rays and tests, it’s severe arthritis, primarily a result of all the surgeries and my bone condition. Now that I know, I can take steps to help alleviate the pain. Hopefully, I will get back to blogging more. I’ve been getting frustrated because I haven’t been able to post on my blog or visit other blogs nearly as much as I would like too. I’m hoping, so much, that I’ll be able to do that now.

There’s a new, adorable family member. Last week, some young children who live down the block, knocked on our door and asked if we wanted their kitten! They said their mother no longer wanted the kitten in the house and gave various reasons, none of which really made sense. Some people are so irresponsible. But Owen, as we’re calling him, is so cute. I promise to tell you all about him soon!

I’ve been reading quite a bit of It by Stephen King. I didn’t think it was scary but the more I read, the scarier the book gets. And while I’m reading, a creepy, kind of scary feeling comes over me. The book is also funny in parts. I’m pretty impressed with King’s writing, too. I’m also reading The City and the City by China Miéville, taking my time with it.

Enjoy your Sunday!
Happy Reading!

The Sunday Salon: hot, Hot, HOT!!

Holy Heat Wave!

The last several days have been just a bit hot here! Thank goodness today is much better, less humidity and lower temperatures. Even better tomorrow...I think & hope! Some states in the mid-west and elsewhere are coping with much higher temperatures. I was shocked when I read in the paper this morning how many people have died because of the heat. Many of them were elderly people living in stuffy, closed homes without air-conditioning. It’s so sad. One thing this weather is very good for is sitting still and what better reason to sit still than to read! Although I have some trouble keeping my eyes open and occasionally lose my focus, I have some terrific books that are helping these hot days pass quick enough! I hope those of you also facing the hot weather everyday are staying cool!

The kitten, Rosie, is doing very well. She spends her days playing, eating and sleeping. She’s a very happy kitty and a scrappy one. Little bothers her and she has a bit of a temper. When she’s truly mad, she growls in her throat and then strikes out with her little paws. One day last week she was in no mood for her eye drops and got mad at me when I insisted. When I finished giving her 2 drops in each eye and lifted her up to my face to kiss her, she hit my chin with her paws a few times, no claws, growling....it was funny. As I was about to put her down, she licked my chin so I guess I was forgiven!

The other cats can’t take their eyes off Rosie when she’s playing but otherwise ignore her. Huxley, Lola and Magoo sleep inside during the day but spend a lot of their nights outside roaming and playing. Bob comes into eat and visit but spends his time sleeping in the cool garden ‘jungle’ in back. He likes his comfort. So JoJo is the lone holdout. She refuses to come inside since Rosie arrived. As my friend, Paul, pointed out, "JoJo just doesn’t like other cats!” which is so true. She has started sitting on the window sill for a short time in the evenings. Hopefully, she’ll slowly work her way back inside although, since she’s still getting fed..and at several places now...she may decide not too. I hope that's not the case!

I finished reading The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo this morning and I’m lovin’ The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield. I have to review this book this week so I’m concentrating on it right now and had to put The City and The City by China Miéville to the side for a couple of days as well as The Folded Earth by Anuradha Roy which I am almost finished. I hope you’re reading something great....what is it?!

I hope you’ve been having a great weekend!
Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

The Sunday Salon ~ July 1st

Happy July 1st!

Wow, it’s hard to believe it’s already July. The days fly by yet I wonder what I do with the time! Except for the last couple of days because I’ve been reading, reading, reading! I haven’t been in such a reading mode in a long time. And it’s fantastic! I have a lot of great books I’m reading and others waiting to be read. It’s the perfect way to deal with the heat, too, since my reading style‘s a pretty sedentary activity. The days of exercising on a stationery bike or some other piece of exercise equipment are over for me. Been there, done that! Now I prefer to do my reading in a comfy chair or in my bed! (If it was possible to read while swimming laps, I might consider it but I’m happy there isn’t!) The a/c is good for my breathing but I don’t like sitting in a/c round the clock. Even though it’s hot and the air is still, I prefer to be outside for a little while or have the windows open for a little while. Sitting and reading with a fan on and ice-cold water is working well for me so far.

Huxley, Lola and Magoo have come back inside after initially balking at Rosie’s presence and deserting their home for a day or two. They sleep all day, spread out as much as possible. Bob left home at the same time as Huxley, Lola and Magoo but Bob, who used to stay indoors sleeping all day, discovered that the overgrown garden ~ now a mini- ‘jungle’ - in the backyard, just past the deck, is very cool during the day with a nice breeze. Bob’s taken to sleeping there almost all day, everyday. Once or twice a day, I visit him. I’ll out his name a few times, Bob comes up on the deck, leans his furry butt against my leg ~ the Bob sign of love and affection ~ then sits next to me and allows me to scratch his cheeks and head and pet him a lot. When Bob’s had enough attention, he gets up walks towards the end of the deck and the jungle, turns and looks back at me as if to say, “See ya later and thanks!” and then he finds himself a comfy, cool spot in Bob’s jungle. There are several plants in Bob’s jungle with enormous leaves. My friend told me their called ‘elephant ears’. This morning, Bob was asleep under two extra-large elephant ears with only his little stub of a tail poking out of the plants in the jungle!

Little Rosie is the only cat who shows some displeasure with my reading. If she can, she climbs on the book while I’m reading it or sits on my chest blocking my view of the book. If she’s unable to climb on me or reah the book I’m reading, she finds another book and chews on it! Fortunately, so long as I twirl a string for her, roll a ball across the floor or push a bottle cap around so she can chase all or any of them, she’s happy as can be and runs around and around until she drops from exhaustion and sleeps for an hour or two. Rosie also loves to attack the oxygen tubing I wear because If I’m moving at all, it’s moving. Rosie’s too little to cause any damage to the tubing now but I’m going to have to find a way to dissuade her from playing with the oxygen tubing soon or else, one day, she’s going to put some holes in it!

Today I’m going to finish Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter, just in time for my review Tuesday! I’m also reading The Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo and I’m just getting into The City and The City by China Miéville. I picked this book up as part of a informal readalong with Care, Ti and other bloggers. I’m a little behind, as is usually the case, but very happy I’m reading this book around the same time as other terrific bloggers! I look forward to their thoughts on The City & the City.

I hope you’ve been having a great weekend! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
I hope you are reading something enjoyable!

Saturday Snapshot ~ Little Rosie

Here she is, Rosie, the new kitten.

I gave her the name Rose for purposes of the visit to the veterinarian her second day here. It's remained her name because she responded to Rosie the evening after seeing the vet! I've never had a cat respond to a name so quickly. I called out 'Rosie' when she was across the room and she looked up and then started running in the direction of my voice. I guess she's a smart kitty as well as adorable (I'm a little biased, of course!)

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce on At Home with Books. It's easy to participate, just post a photo taken by you, a friend or a family member and link to the Mister Linky at the bottom of Alyce's post

Help Name My Kitten!!

Kitten Names!

Hi!  I need your help in choosing a name for our new kitten!  She was rescued last night after my neighbors passed by on the street and saw her sitting in a box not looking too good  She's been living outside for a few weeks and we're not sure exactly what she's been eating.

Her siblings were adopted by other people and, although this kitten's mom is around, she's not that interested in this little one. This kitten's eyes are infected and she has an Upper Respiratory Infection (URI)and a mad case of the fleas.  She has a Vet appointment tomorrow  (Yay! ) For purposes of the vet appointment she's Angel but that's a temporary name. She's not eating much now and she's very small in size and age (2 months I guess?) But she has a feisty personality and loves to play with string and soft balls, chasing them. She fights when I clean her eyes and nose and when I make her drink water using a syringe.  
She's a fighter!
I have pictures of her on my phone but haven't figured out how to get them onto the computer. I will, (or will get some help) promise!  The photo below is a decent likeness but my kittwen is cuter!

I'm trying to come up with a good name that fits her. Any suggestions would be most appreciated!!


In the meantime, she's an adorable tabby and looks like this: Please let me know what you think would nbe a good name for her. I especially like literary and creative names best!

Saturday Snapshot

Best Buddies, Frankie and Wallie!

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce at her blog, At Home with Books. It's easy to participate, just post a photo taken by you, a friend or a family member and link to the Mister Linky at the bottom of Alyce's post.

The Sunday Salon: Spring has Sprung!!

Hello! I don’t think I wrote a TSS post last Sunday so I wanted to make sure I did today before heading out to enjoy the sun!  After days of rain, the past few days have been beautiful, lots of sun and no humidity. It’s the perfect weather to sit outside and read! And get a little sun, maybe?!  Oh I know it's bad for me but I love having just a little tan.  I take frequent breaks to make whatever cats are lying around, sunning themselves, get up and chase a ball or some other toy. Several of my cats have quite a few pounds to shed after their lazy winter!

I’ve been terribly lazy about posting.  And writing in general.  A few weeks ago I wasn’t really in the mood for writing reviews but, fortunately, that mood didn’t last long.  But it seems to have returned with a vengeance since I haven’t written or finished any reviews this week and I have plenty to do.  I’m giving myself one more day of gorgeous weather and then I’m going to strap myself to the desk if I have to and write!

I have been reading...yesterday I read The Uninvited Guests by Sadie Jones and Pocket Kings by Ted Heller.  Very different books in every way!  I’m not sure which I like better, if either, but I’m enjoying both of them.  Hopefully I’ll finish at least one of these books today, possibly both. Mmxxxxxxx8777898776   <----- Lola‘s contribution to my post!   She just jumped up here, meowed at me, sat on the keyboard, meowed at me louder and then head-butted me, (thank goodness she has  alittle head!) before jumping out the window.  I guess she wants me off the computer and outside playing with her!  Lola has a terrible jealous streak! 

Yesterday was a great sports day!  I’m excited about the New York Rangers hockey team.  They beat the Devils yesterday so the score is 2 games - 1, Rangers.  The Rangers are just a few games away from winning the Stanley Cup!  Wow, that would be fantastic. I n The Preakness horse race, the same horse, “I’ll Have Another” (great name!) to win the Kentucky Derby a few weeks ago, won The Preakness yesterday evening.  There’s a good chance he’ll win The Belmont in a few weeks and get the Triple Crown. The last time a horse won the Triple Crown was in 1978 when the magnificent Affirmed won all three horse races.

Enjoy your Sunday, I hope you’re having beautiful weather, too!
Reading anything good today?  I hope so!

Sunday Salon

I hope you’re all having a terrific weekend! This will be a brief Sunday Salon since I was sick most of the week so it was a rather unproductive week. I’m feeling better, finally, and slowly getting back into the swing of things!

I participated in a discussion of The Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers for Book Club at Nicole’s blog, Linus’ Blanket early in the week. It was a very interesting discussion because there are a lot of themes and issues in the book. I didn’t get a chance to review the book last week but I will do so this week.

I was shocked to wake up the other morning, freezing cold, it was 39 degrees! What’s up with that?! I don’t think it’s so good for the flowers. I wanted to plant some but I’m not sure what to do now. I think I’ll be taking a trip to the garden center this week for some advice (and flowers/plants!). I don’t know what I’m doing anyway when it comes to gardening. I used to help my mom with planting, trimming, pruning and everything else when I was a kid but I don’t remember the specifics. Getting some help and advice is a really good idea, especially because I want some very pretty, as well as living, flowers!

I’m behind in reading right now. I picked up Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall the other day and will review it Tuesday for TLC Book Tours. I’ll hopefully finish Pocket Kings and Behind the Beautiful Forevers this week, too.
                                                                                              

Somebody seems to want my attention right now! I’m being meowed at and head-butted by the little Lola.  She's the youngets and most spoiled! Sometimes these cats are a little bit like small children...They don’t like when my attention is completely taken up by something else when it isn’t them!


What are you reading today? I hope it’s somethinggood!                  
Enjoy your day and have a great week!

Saturday Snapshot

This is Huxley. He's very cute and sweet but not smart, not at all. He has two speeds most days: resting/sleeping or running from one spot to asnother like a crazy cat...frequently stopping for a cat snacks to fuel up!  He plays well by himself with cat toys but welcomes most other cats to play, too. Usually once per day he has a 'freak out' session during which he goes a litle nuts, runs up walls, hangs from the bottom of the bed and shimmies the length of it...things like that.  Huxley's very  fun and entertaining!

In the above photo Huxley is with his sister Hennessey. They get along for short peiods and then one of them, usualy Henny, gets annoyed, hisses and runs off.  I think it's because Henny is smart, has common sense and she doesn't suffer fools gladly!  Huxley's just sweet and playful. 

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce on At Home with Books. It's easy to participate, just post a photo taken by you, a friend or a family member and link to the Mister Linky at the bottom of Alyce's post

~ The Sunday Salon: Is it Spring or Summer?! ~

April is turning out to be great outdoor reading weather! It’s almost 80 degrees today -unfortunately with a slight bit of humidity - but sunny with a breeze. Perfect for sitting on the deck putting my feet up, a tall glass of half and half on the deck next to me (half iced tea/half lemonade) and a good book (today it’s This Life Is In Your Hands: A Memoir by Melissa Coleman). Now if only the sun would bake away my cold I’d really be rockin’! I haven’t been blogging much or visiting blogs as much as I’d like or responding to comments because I’ve been dealing with a bad cold that’s just kicking my butt. I’ve been sooooo tired, it’s ridiculous. I don’t like it! But this morning I woke up feeling stronger and better than I have in a while. So far, so good! (Fingers-crossed!)

The cats are lovin’ the warmth and the sun. They lie stretched out anywhere the sun is shining from the windowsill to the front steps to the middle of the sidewalk. They loll around, drunk on the sun, occasionally shifting position, lazily waving their tails if somebody stops to say hi. I recently found out that my furry felines can be referred to as a clowder- a group or cluster of cats. I can’t believe I didn’t know that. It sure is about time I learned it!
UPDATE: The Bunny-Cat, named Angel by my 11-year old neighbor, I posted about in a March Sunday Salon post is still around. Angel comes around in the early mornings or evenings and sits on the front lawn, plays with some of the other cats and chases bugs. Angel shows n interest in food which, in my experience, is odd for a cat and Angel looks as if she hasn’t missed many meals. I prefer homeless cats be a little chunky rather than too thin. Angel has hopped up on the windowsill a few more times, but once she sees a human being (Ack!!) she turns and runs. I’m hoping that will change. I want to clean Angel up, get her to a vet and give her some TLC .

I’ve been reading a lot the last couple of weeks but haven’t been very good about reviews. I just haven’t felt like writing then. I have some scheduled reviews due this week so I hope that’ll get my writing juices flowing!  I have been working on a post about SEO but I realized while writing up what I learned that I still don’t quite get ‘title tags’ and a couple of other things. I’m want to figure it out this week and will add it to my post to share with you! I noticed the Facebook “like” button suddenly disappeared from my blog posts. I’d like to figure out what happened to it!

I’m finishing up This Life Is In Your Hands by Melissa Coleman. It’s a very interesting and compelling book and so sad in some parts. I’m also reading Pocket Kings by Ted Heller and Skipping A Beat by Sarah Pekannen. These books are all so different and all so very good. I'm going to try to start Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo or Open City by Teju Cole this week.  There are so many good books available it's hard to decide!

What are you reading today? I hope it’s something good!
Enjoy your day and have a great week!

~ Saturday Snapshot ~ Jazzy! ~

This is Jazzy. She doesn't get a long with most of her siblings because she doesn't like other cats! She would like to be the only cat in the family! Jazzy chooses to spend most of her time in the basement. When she wants to, she has a great personality. She's goofy, playful and sweet. Othertimes, she's grouchy, obstinate and a little aggressive! I have had a few scratches and cuts from Jazzy! They're mostly from teaching her things such as,  to drink from a bowl instead of what she's doing in the last photo!   Jazzy actually barks, as in "ruff, ruff"sometimes alomg with a "grrrowlll" when she plays with and chews catnip. I want to get that on video!

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce on At Home with Books. It's easy to participate, just post a photo taken by you, a friend or a family member and link to the Mister Linky at the bottom of Alyce's post

The Sunday Salon: A cat in a tree and a cat- bunny!?!

Spring may have arrived but it’s still March. Gone is the gorgeous 70 degree, sunny weather from last week. Today it’s cold, overcast and...well, I guess that's March! Today is a great day to sit down with a good book and a cup of tea or watch a movie.

The cats are back inside, cuddled up anywhere it’s warm and cozy. Yesterday Edgar, aka Lucky (by my 11-year old neighbor) climbed a small tree outside the front door and couldn’t figure out how to get down! The tree has a double trunk. About half way up the length of the tree, the limbs and branches start sprouting off everywhere. Edgar couldn’t figure out what to step on to get down once the branches stopped. He didn’t understand that he needed to run down the trunk just like he ran up it to get in the tree. He would start climbing down but when he ran out of branches to step on, he's climg up again!  With the help of several people, a variety of cat toys and some cat food, we encouraged Edgar to partly jump, skitter and tumble out of the tree. Once he was on solid ground he looked at all of his and then stalked off...I guess he was a little humiliated!  And he’ll probably be back up the tree in a few days.

The last few mornings I’ve seen a pretty cat outside just sitting and watching people and cars go by. She wasn’t interested in food. I don’t really know if she’s a girl, but she looks like one - she has long hair, small ears and a small, bright pink nose! Like Bob, she doesn’t have a tail. But the weird part is when runs she hops with her back legs, like a bunny! I don’t know If I’d believe it if I hadn’t seen it myself. She doesn’t always hop, just when she’s excited and wants to move quickly. It looks natural, too! I was afraid she might be hurt but it doesn’t look that way.  She looks perfectly happy hopping.  Bunnies and cats don't mate...do they?!  I only saw her for seconds this morning. I’m hoping she comes back soon.

It’s been a kind of blah week. My allergies are really bad, at least I think it’s my allergies! I’ve had a pretty constant headache, scratchy throat, no energy etc. etc. And I spent a lot of this week in doctor’s office (not related to the allergies). So, although I’ve been trying to read, I haven’t had much success. The same goes for writing. I sit down to read or at the computer and everything goes blank, it‘s like I lose all ability to think or focus. Hopefully this week coming up will be better on both counts. a lot but I have written almost nothing of any kind. I hate when this happens but at least I know it will go away...eventually!

I finished The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson and have about ten pages left in The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove by Susan Gregg Gilmore. I’m also close to the end of Oxford Messed Up by Andrea Kayne Kauffman. Soon I’ll have to pick something to read besides The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng which I started recently. I was hoping the weather would be nice enough this week so I could sit outside and read, especially since I missed most of this past week of beautiful weather sitting in waiting rooms! But it doesn’t look as if that will be. Oh well, maybe in April!

What are you reading today?
I hope it’s something good! Enjoy your day and have a great one!

~ Sunday Salon: Time to 'Spring Ahead' ~

Happy Sunday! I wasn’t quite ready to lose an hour of sleep but the weather is so nice here it feels like Spring has already arrived! I think it’s been a couple of weeks since I posted a Sunday Salon. Last Sunday I took my 11-year old neighbor to the Flea Market. I spent a few hours pouring over books while she investigated booths and tables of toys. We both expected she’d have to drag me out of the market but I actually had to coax her to leave. Candy and ice cream are great bribes when you’re eleven! (and very yummy at my age, too!)

The cats are loving the warm, sunny weather. They have a lot more energy especially Lola and Edgar who chases anything that moves. Even Bob has wanted to play this week. I woke up the other morning to a tremendous racket. Bob was chasing a ball across the floor and ran into my portable oxygen canisters...as they crashed around him, he ran away, still chasing the ball right under the bed where he hid for a while! Edgar found a Badminton shuttlecock (I always call it a ’birdie’) outside and brought it inside to play with...it’s become his favorite toy. It seems out of place in this part of Brooklyn. I just don’t see Badminton as being a popular activity here but, apparently, somebody, other than Edgar, likes to play! Edgar stares at the birdie and stares and stares at it, suddenly pouncing...as it flies into the air, Edgar jumps as high as he can, his little furry body quivering and twisting in the air! Once he gets the birdie, he runs outside and plays in the grass with it for hours. I love watching him - he's so focused and absorbed in his game and enjoying it so much!

I'm thinking I might open an online used/rare bookstore. I need to bring in some money - cats eat a lot! - and I could also use a job or activity that helps me feel productive. Not working has bothered me for a long time...basically since I left my job and went on disability which was many years ago. This venture may not work out especially because of the popularity of e-readers and e-books. I’ve been thinking about it quite a bit and I figure the only way I’ll know for sure is if I try! Maybe I’ll find a way to sell e-books at some point, too. So, although I’m not 100% sure of this, I’m leaning towards it and I feel excited about the idea.

I haven’t read much this weekend, so far, and I’m not quite sure why but I'm getting that desperate feeling I get when I haven't done much reading in a day or two. So today some reading is a priority! I’m hoping to finish The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove by Susan Gregg Gilmore and read more of Oxford Messed Up by Andrea Kayne Kauffman. I have reviews of some great books coming up the end of this month and beginning of April including The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson and The Garden of Evening Mists by Tan Twan Eng so I have some reading to do. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I can read outside while working on my tan! Lol

What are you up to today? What good books are you reading?
Enjoy your day and have a great one!

Saturday Snapshot ~ Kittens Galore!

I was looking through photos of the cats and I came across Lola when she was small (pic #2: the little black kitten in the middle of the bed!) and her siblings, Frankie, Wally and Percy! In the group photos, there are 4 kittens sleeping on top of each other. The first photo is proud Mama Betsy who, sadly, is no longer with us...but she left behind some adorable babies! Lola's 3 siblings, all male, were adopted out...interestingly, as soon as her brothers left, Lola's personality blossomed!

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Alyce on At Home with Books. It's easy to participate, just post a photo taken by you, a friend or a family member and link to the Mister Linky at the bottom of Alyce's post

~ Sunday Salon ~

I’d hoped to spend a few delightful hours at the Brooklyn Flea Market today, expecting to return laden with books! Fun! But winter decided to ‘show its face’ and it was in the low 20s when I woke up this morning...and that‘s before factoring the wind chill! Eeeek!. Well, it is mid-February! I’ll just have to wait until next weekend and, hopefully, warmer weather! There are some very tasty treats at Brooklyn Flea, too. There are a lot of people who go just for the food. Some vendors are a little pricey but the milkshakes, grilled cheese, lobster rolls and mini-cupcakes are worth it. Those are the foods I’ve tried so far but there’s plenty more. Oh boy, now I’m thinking about the lobster rolls and milkshakes, oh boy they’re good! It’s just as well I didn’t go today. I don’t think I’d have been able to taste any foods anyway because I have a terrible cold. I think I caught it in my cardiologists waiting room on Thursday...every other person there seemed sick with a cold and cough. By the time I left there Thursday late afternoon I had a sore throat, head ache and other cold symptoms...blah, blah, blah. Typical, right? Go to a doctor and return home sick! lolol Colds are unpleasant icky!


I spent most of Friday stretched out taking lots of cat-naps (Ha!) drinking lots of fluids to rid myself of this cold. I still have it, but, at least it’s no worse. Thanks to the wonderful Ti at Book Chatter I think I have a new sitcom to enjoy, The Big Bang Theory (thanks Ti!) It’s pretty funny! I thought it was about nerds but they’re intensely smart geeks in graduate school. One of them is supposedly a genius with an ego the size of a large country! The science references fly right over my head, for the most part, which makes me laugh, too. So I watched some saved episodes and read some of Night Swim by Jessica Keener, which is very good and The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith. It’s the first of her novels I’ve read and I’m excited because Highsmith wrote a long list of books and I’m now planning to read many of them! I also didn’t realize there are 4 books about Tom Ripley. I’m interested to see if the movie is a combination of all of them or just the first one


I’m trying to get some new photos of the cats and the new kitten uploaded to show you but I cannot figure out how to do it...yet. I’ve done it before but I just cannot remember. I have to get myself a digital camera because this way is too annoying!


I haven’t found homes, shelters or foster care openings for the two cats that were abandoned. Every place that takes homeless cats is completely packed and hurting for space. Hopefully, one of the organizations or shelters will help me get the cats spayed/neutered this week so there are no adorable kittens contributing to the homeless kitty problem. It’s so sad. I don’t understand why people are so irresponsible about getting their animals neutered. There are several places to take them that cost next to nothing. Sorry! I won’t start ranting, I promise....this issue just gets me upset!

This week I’m going to start Death at La Fenice by Donna Leon for Venice in February 2012. I’m reading The Talented Mr. Ripley for the same reading challenge. I also hope to start A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry for War Through the Generations 2012 reading challenge. I’ve become a rather slow reader which saddens me a bit. lolol But it is what it is! So, I’ll see how it goes, especially if this cold persists.


I hope you all enjoy the rest of your Sunday!
Happy Reading!

~ Sunday Salon ~

I’m having a lazy Sunday after a kind of crazy week. Crazy with cats! I’ve been emailing, calling and talking with rescue organizations, shelters, veterinarians and their staff and foster homes. Several people have offered to help me get the 2 abandoned cats(Pip and Annie, thanks, Ti!) and the little guy (Edgar) who showed up last month, neutered and spayed, so we don’t add to the cat population problem. That's an issue that drives me nuts! Getting the cats fixed will probably help getting them placement or a home, too. Until then they’ll stay here...so I can get attached to them!

I wish we could keep them all. I think Pip and Annie will be happier in a home with a few less cats. Pip was the only cat in the home he lived in for almost a year and Annie doesn't seem to be a big fan of her own kind! She hisses and growls at other cats quite a bit. There are a lot of personalities here and some of the cats are having a little more difficulty adjusting than others. But most of the time I’m surprised and impressed by how well they’re all getting along. Pip and Annie are young and play with Edgar and Lola a lot. Sometimes some of the older cats, like Huxley and Magoo, join in which is great since they need the exercise!


I spent some rather mindless time today watching a couple of British detective shows on Netflix. They have some really good ones like Bird on A Wire and Rosemary & Thyme. I also discovered that Shameless, on Showtime now, was a British series about 8 years ago. Very funny. I also spent some time reading The Ruins of Us by Keija Parssinen today and I’m hoping to finish Norwegian Wood.


I hope you’re all having a wonderful Sunday!
Happy Reading!

Sunday Salon: Reading Weather!

Winter has arrived, it’s not supposed to get above 28 degrees today! Time to hibernate! I don’t go out very much at all when it’s this cold.  The crisp, clean air is refreshing in small doses but if I’m out in it for too long, it has an adverse effect on my lungs and breathing and also tends to make my bones hurt more. But so long as I’m not out for more than 15 or 20 minutes without a break from the cold it’s okay. And the cold provides a great argument for snuggling under a warm blanket...or a cat or two...with a cup of tea and a good book! I seem to be experiencing the opposite of a reading slump! I have a lot of books I’m really interested in reading now so much so that I’m having difficulty picking which one to read next! I’m not complaining, though, just relaying...this is much preferred to a reading slump!


The cold temps have brought the cats inside. On the really cold nights, like last night, a couple of neighborhood cats, confirmed nomads unwilling to commit to one home, wander in late looking for a warm spot to sleep. So I’ve got a full house of felines these days. I’ve been surprised by how well they’re all behaving, too. There have been a few hissing & ’boxing’ matches, a few dust-ups but considering how many of them are here and the mix of personalities, it hasn’t been bad. It certainly helps that they spend most of the time sleeping...with some snacking, too, of course! The new addition is fitting in well. He’s so cute. I hope to have some photos soon.


On the book front, I’m finally making a dent in the reviews I want to do...I still have quite a few to finish but I’m getting there. I hope to post reviews of The Night Circus and The Three Weissmanns of Westport this week, along with some others. I finished reading All the Flowers in Shanghai by Duncan Jepson. My review is due towards the end of the week. The main character is something else, very intriguing among other things! I’m really enjoying Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. His writing is mesmerizing and engages me immediately. Some how Murakami makes even the most mundane of scenes interesting in the way he writes and through his descriptions. I find that he really makes me think about the characters and their lives. I’m participating in Orange January at Jill's blog, The Magic Lasso so I started reading Molly Fox’s Birthday by Deidre Madden. So far I’m finding the subjects the narrator talks about very interesting. I’m not very far into the book, yet, but so far there’s been almost no dialogue, just the narrator talking about Molly Fox. It’s different than many of the books I read and I like that.


So that’s about it from my quiet corner of Brooklyn. I’m planning to work on reviews today and continuing reading Norwegian Wood and Molly Fox’s Birthday.
What are your plans today? Are you reading something good? I hope so!

Have a wonderful Sunday!
Happy Reading!