Katie’s Reading - Chapter 7

For anyone new to my thread, I’m Katie: reader, wine drinker, food appreciator, shenanigan-ator, and non-sufferer of fools. I live outside New York City with my husband, "The" Wayne, our cat, Leonard, and our dog, Nuala/Noodles.

My reading varies widely - I love genre fiction (romance and crime), contemporary and historical fiction, and narrative nonfiction. I try to balance my reading in all these areas. I also use my thread as a bit of a life journal, which mostly means I talk about what I’m cooking, eating, drinking, watching, doing, and avoiding doing.

Thanks for being here!

Currently Reading
(Print) (Audio)

BOOKS COMPLETED

Books Off My Shelf: 17
Books Off My Kindle: 4
Books from Audible/Chirp: 13
Library Loans (print/e-books/audios): 16

APRIL
50. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell (3.25 stars)

Did Not Finish
Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
Under Our Roof by Madeleine Dean and Harry Cunnane

Q1 COMPLETIONS

MARCH
49. Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone (audio) (4.5 stars)
48. Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen (audio) (3.5 stars)
47. Off the Record by Skye McDonald (3.75 stars)
46. The Father and the Foreigner by Giancarlo De Cataldo (3 stars)
45. The Salt Path by Raynor Winn (3 stars)
44. Little Criminals by Gene Kerrigan (4.25 stars)
43. All the Feels by Olivia Dade (audio) (4 stars)
42. Turtle Moon by Alice Hoffman (4 stars)
41. Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary (audio) (3.25 stars)
40. Before We Visit the Goddess by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni (audio) (3.5 stars)
39. I Have Some Questions for You by Rebecca Makkai (4.5 stars)
38. Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez (audio) (3.75 stars)
37. The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton (3.5 stars)
36. IQ by Joe Ide (audio) (4 stars)
35. Doc by Mary Doria Russell (4.25 stars)

FEBRUARY
34. The Rocky Road to Romance by Janet Evanovich (audio) (2 stars)
33. Rachel to the Rescue by Elinor Lipman (3.5 stars)
32. A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost (audio) (4.25 stars)
31. Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade (audio) (4 stars)
30. We the Animals by Justin Torres (4 stars)
29. Five Tuesdays in Winter by Lily King (3.5 stars)
28. A Room with a View by E.M. Forster (audio) (5 stars)
27. Darling Jim by Christian Moerk (3.5 stars)
26. Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare (4 stars)
25. His Favorites by Kate Walbert (audio) (3.75 stars)
24. Sam by Allegra Goodman (4.25 stars)
23. The Alchemy of Us by Ainissa Ramirez (audio) (4 stars)
22. The Hollow Land by Jane Gardam (3.5 stars)
21. Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Jill Mansell (audio) (4 stars)
20. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquival (3.5 stars)
19. The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (3.75 stars)
18. The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson (audio) (3.5 stars)

JANUARY
17. Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary (audio) (3 stars)
16. Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn (4.5 stars)
15. Murder at an Irish Wedding by Carlene O'Connor (audio) (3 stars)
14. I Came All This Way to Meet You by Jami Attenberg (4.25 stars)
13. Prejudice Meets Pride by Rachael Anderson (3 stars)
12. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (audio) (4.5 stars)
11. The Mammy by Brendan O'Carroll (4 stars)
10. I'll Be Your Blue Sky by Marisa De los Santos (audio) (3.5 stars)
09. My Last Innocent Year by Daisy Alpert Florin (3 stars)
08. A Pocket Full of Rye by Agatha Christie (audio) (2.75 stars)
07. Now Is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson (4 stars)
06. The Duchess Hunt by Lorraine Heath (3.75 stars)
05. The Return of the Native by Thomas Hardy (audio) (3.5 stars)
04. The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys (4.5 stars)
03. Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner (3.5 stars)
02. Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach (audio) (4 stars)
01. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson (audio) (3.5 stars)

My Ratings (revised, once again, as I continue the fruitless search for the perfect scale...)

2 stars = Whyyyyyy?
3 stars = Eh, ok.
4 stars = Definitely worth the time.
5 stars = Perfect *for me*

(Anything below 2 stars is unlikely to be finished)

Next one's yours!

New-thread celebratory *smooch*

>5 richardderus: - You win a prize for being first. *smooch*

>6 katiekrug: Perfect prize!!

Happy new thread, Katie! Hope your day is a good one.

>8 bell7: - Thanks, Mary! So far, so good :)

Hi Katie. Nice new thread. I totally understand your inability to write at home. I always have so many things that can distract me. Unfortunately, most of what I really want to do can't be done at the diner (practice my violin scales, anyone?), so I need to sort of bribe myself to get the more meaningful things done. Good luck visiting the diner.

Happy new one, Katie! I got nothing, but I wanted to share it with you.

Happy new thread, Katie! After catching up with your last thread I finally clicked on the notification at the top of my own and found the notice of 1,000 recommendations. Some interesting stuff on there but 1,000 maybe a bit of over kill?

>10 ffortsa: - Thanks, Judy.

Finding motivation is so difficult, isn't it?

>11 Crazymamie: - LOL! Thanks, Mamie.

>12 Familyhistorian: - Thanks, Meg! Yeah, I'm not sure that many recommendations is at all useful...

Happy New Thread, Katie! Yah, for Lucky 7!

>14 msf59: - Thanks, Mark!

All the Feels by Olivia Dade

I really enjoyed this follow-up to Spoiler Alert, which I read last month. Alex is an adorable leading man, and Lauren grew on me until I was really rooting for her. Their conflict was believable and ended up resolved in a satisfying way.

4 stars

>17 katiekrug: Yay! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much.

Although I have to say this alternate cover doesn't work as well for me as the one on the paperback. That cover has so many plot details worked into it that it makes me extra happy. :)

Happy new thread, Katie! Glad you liked All the Feels, too :)

HAppy new one, Katie!

>18 MickyFine: - TBH, I kind of hate both covers...

Should I read Ship Wrecked? It's not really calling to me, because I have nothing invested in the characters it features, but you could convince me otherwise....?

>19 curioussquared: - It was adorable, and I LOVED Alex.

>20 figsfromthistle: - Thank you, Anita!

Happy new thread, Katie.
Hoping the diner writing plan goes well - and no-one orders stinky fish.

>22 Helenliz: - Thanks, Helen! I probably won't get back to the diner until next week, but hopefully the smell will have dissipated by then ;-)

Our trivia result wasn't great last night - 11th of 16. But we had fun, as always. Dinner was a chicken burrito bowl.

I'm having lunch with a friend today, and that is the only thing on the agenda. And as I typed that, I realized I also need to stop at the grocery store for chicken stir fry stuff... I did some new stuff at the gym yesterday, and I'm feeling it this morning, so a mostly quiet day will be just the thing.

Books:
I finished Little Criminals and All the Feels yesterday, so in print, I'm just going to focus on The Salt Path and finish that up today. Next on audio is Royal Flush, the 3rd Her Royal Spyness mystery.

Viewing:
Nothing.

Morning, Katie! You are reminding me that I need to get to Spoiler Alert, which I purchased in 2021 after Heather reviewed it.

Yum to both chicken burrito bowl and chicken stir fry. And hooray for a mostly quiet day.

I love that Her Royal Spyness series on audio. So fun.

>25 Crazymamie: - Morning, Mamie!

Spoiler Alert is great, but I liked All the Feels even better so you have good reading ahead of you...

I'm excited for the stir fry tonight - just need The Wayne to make the sauce this morning, as he'll be on a call until 6:30 this evening.

HRS is a great series on audio. I don't think I'd like them as much in print. Katherine Kellgren (RIP) is SO good.

Totally agree about HRS. I will be sad when I get to the books where the new narrator takes over.

I'm going to add All the Feels to your Dirty Dozen with your comment.

>27 Crazymamie: - I only gave it 4 stars, so I'm not sure it's DD-worthy...

But if I like the first one...

Okay....

Wednesday orisons, Katie. Resting one's aches seems to be the through-line of my day...I walked to CVS yesterday, causing Rob no end of anxiety because I didn't take my phone so I'm now sworn not to leave the premises without it. It makes sense, so I can't kick too hard. But it's exhausting, I have so little stamina! Rest well you gym bunny you.

Stopping in - hi! I feel like I keep reading people's threads and just closing them.

>31 richardderus: - Happy Wednesday, RD! It's great you can get outside on your own now, but yes - bring your phone!

>32 ursula: - Hi Ursula! I know how that goes, no worries :)

Happy new one! The gif in >6 katiekrug:? *snerk*

>35 katiekrug: - Thanks, Jim!

Hi Katie. Happy New Thread and Happy Wednesday!

Back on your prior thread, I loved your closing comment on Turtle Moon: "...just a bittersweet story about lost people trying to find a hand-hold in life."
I started sort of collecting Alice Hoffman books last fall so I have a small stack of them. They might be a summer author-a-thon read for me.

>21 katiekrug: Ship Wrecked is my least favourite of the three but it's still a solid read. It has a lot of excellent banter, which I know you enjoy as much as I do, both of the leads describe themselves fat and I love that representation, and the epilogue ties the bow on the relationships from the previous books. So give it a try and if it's not quite your jam, skim to the end for the epilogue. :)

>36 EBT1002: - Hi Ellen - I have a bunch of Hoffman's novels (at least a dozen, I think). I don't think I could read a solid diet of it, but I like picking one up now and then.

>37 MickyFine: - Okay, I'll give it a whirl - probably on audio like the others, because I am more tolerant of books in that format for some reason...

Little Criminals by Gene Kerrigan

This crime novel is a bit reminiscent of Tana French's work, but a bit more hard-boiled. Set in contemporary Dublin, it follows a band of criminals who set out to score a big payday with a kidnapping. Of course, things go wrong, and the tension ratchets up. Kerrigan also provides persepctives from the victim, the victim's family, and the police. The writing is excellent and the various characters equally compelling.

4.25 stars

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

There is some beautiful writing in this memoir, especially in Winn's reflections on her relationship with her husband and the meaning of home. But I found it a frustrating read - at times plodding and repetitive but also infuriating in the irresponsibility exhibited by the couple as they embark on this marathon journey. I really expected to like this one more than I did.

3 stars

Happy new thread, Katie!

Hi Katie, I was so far behind on your thread(s)!! All caught up now and hopefully will stay that way. Although I loved it, I see you have been struggling a little with The Salt Path so I would definitely advise you not to pick up the second book - I was so disappointed with it.

>41 scaifea: - Thanks, Amber!

>42 DeltaQueen50: - We cross-posted, Judy - I just put up my comments on TSP :) I have the follow-up on my shelf but had already decided not to bother with it...

>38 katiekrug: That's so funny because I'm super picky about audiobooks and will abandon things much easier in that format.

I hope Ship Wrecked is fun for you. Be prepared it is STEAMY from the outset.

>44 MickyFine: - I'm picky about the narration for sure, but more likely to continue a meh book with good narration than a meh book in print.

I remember your noting the STEAM from the outset :D

Happy Thursday! Yesterday was a good one - had a nice, long lunch with my friend and made a grocery run. Other than that, I read a bunch and made dinner. Very chill.

Today, Maribel is coming to clean. And my car is repaired, so we'll pick that up in the afternoon, then pick up Nuala from day care, and then we are going into the city for an FAU alumni party in advance of the basketball game tonight. Not sure if we'll stay to watch the game at the party or head home (I hope the latter, but it's up to TW), but it will be a bit of a late evening either way, because the game doesn't start until 9pm.

Books:
I finished The Salt Path and started The Father and the Foreigner. On audio, I've got Royal Flush going.

Viewing:
An episode of From Scratch and one of Detectorists.

>46 katiekrug: Good morning Katie! Sounds like a great day yesterday. Great news about your car -- ready a bit sooner than estimated, right? I hope tonight works out for you (or at least, if it's a late night, that you have fun).

>47 lauralkeet: - Morning, Laura! Yes, they had estimated the car would be done next Tuesday, so I was very glad to get the call yesterday :) I miss my tank, and all it's bells and whistles...

>46 katiekrug: Is this your second time through Detectorists? I loved it and am worried that a rewatch will diminish the joy!

>49 vivians: - It's my first time through. I watched the first couple of episodes and thought TW might like it, but he wasn't a big fan, and it fell by the wayside. So now I'm just going to watch on my own, since my Ted Lasso re-watch is finished.

>50 katiekrug: Good for you, Katie! It's one of our comfort TV choices. I think we've watched the series twice, plus the 2022 Christmas special.

>51 lauralkeet: - I so don't get why TW didn't like it. I think it's great :)

_________________________

My house is clean, and R.O.L.F., my sweet tank, has been returned to me. Life is good!

>52 katiekrug: So happy that ROLF is home and crushing the peasantry beneath his massive Teutonic bulk the way gawd intended.
reposting from my thread:
I do, have a link and now you do, too:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B29M1B9D?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detail...

>53 richardderus: - He's a beast, all right. But a hybrid one, so I don't feel so guilty ;-)

Thanks for the link! I thought it was long, like a body pillow. But now I kind of want one just as a regular pillow for me...

>54 katiekrug: Oh, I misunderstood! The body pillow:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07WHTXSPR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?i...

It's the only one I've ever had that really kept me cooler than ambient temp for any length of time at all.

Happy newish thread, Katie.

>55 richardderus: - Oh, thanks! That looks perfect.

>56 BLBera: - Beth is back! Hi Beth!

TGIF, friends! We had a great night - the Owls won another upset and are going to the Elite Eight Saturday night. It was a great game. Before it, we went into the city to an FAU pre-game party at a bar. That was okay - it was super packed and very loud. We had two drinks each and then went to find somewhere to get dinner, before catching the train back in time for tip-off.

Today is The Wayne's birthday, so there will be much celebration :) I need to go out and find a dessert for him. His favorite cake is marble, and I can't find a mix for that and none of the local bakeries seem to have it, so he'll have to settle for something with chocolate and peanut butter. Poor baby. He hasn't decided what he wants for dinner, so I'll be pestering him about that today. But first, the gym at 9am....

Books:
I finished The Father and the Foreigner and started Off the Record by my friend, Skye. On audio, I'm still enjoying Royal Flush.

Viewing:
Basketball, baby!

Finally got something better than a 4!

Wordle 643 3/6

⬜⬜🟨🟨⬜
🟨🟩⬜⬜⬜
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

PARTY, TRIBE, GROUT

Happy birthday to The Wayne! And hooray for getting your car back.

>60 bell7: - I'll pass along the birthday wishes, Mary, thanks!

And it's SO nice to be in my own car again...

Happy birthday to TW! I hope you both have fun celebrating.

So glad you were home in time for tip-off instead of having to watch the game in a noisy bar, Katie. And a win at that -- a nice early birthday present for TW. I hope the rest of the day is fabulous, including the cake.

Happy presonal new year to The Wayne!

Happy birthday to The Wayne! Good luck with your cake search :)

Happy Birthday to The Wayne! Please to report back on the cake - inquiring minds...

>62 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky!

>63 lauralkeet: - We were glad, too, Laura, though we were a little sad by the end that we hadn't gotten tickets to the game. Though it would have made for a super late night....

>64 richardderus: - I'll pass that along to him, RD!

>65 curioussquared: - Is there any greater search than a cake search? :D

>66 Crazymamie: - Will do, Mamie!

The Father and the Foreigner by Giancarlo De Cataldo

This was an odd little novella about a civil servant in Rome with a disabled son. He meets another father of a disabled son, the mysterious Walid, who changes his perspective and involves him in something (maybe?) shady. It's well-written, but I ultimately felt like this kind of story needed more time to develop. It was unsatisfying.

3 stars

I've put Little Criminals on hold at the library. I'll be in Dublin in just five months! :-)

Happy Birthday to The Wayne!

>69 EBT1002: - I hope you like it, Ellen!

And thanks :) I think he had a good birthday.

Morning, all! We had a great day yesterday - an early dinner at a favorite restaurant (https://bluesteelpizzaco.com/ - we shared the French onion ravioli, I had the swordfish, and The Wayne had a Detroit-style pizza; I also got an amazing cocktail with tequila blanco, passionfruit, blue curaçao, agave, fresh lime, and peach bitters) and then home for dessert and a video call with his family. I got three little desserts from a local bakery - a chocolate cake and peanut butter mousse thing for him, a small square of strawberry shortcake for me, and a cannoli donut to share :) To make it an even better day, he found out a company he just finished the interview cycle (5 rounds!) with wants to make him an offer, so he has a call scheduled about that on Monday.

Today, we are dropping Nuala off at my friend Skye's house for a sleepover with her two dogs, and TW and I are heading into the city. We got tickets to a new show for today's matinee and were just going to bum around after that, but last night he decided we really needed to see his team in the Elite Eight, so we got tickets to tonight's game at Madison Square Garden. We already had a hotel booked, so it will be a fun mini-getaway.

Books:
Royal Flush on audio is great, and Off the Record by my friend Skye (she of the dogs) is also very good. And steamy!

Viewing:
Nothing yesterday.

>71 katiekrug: French onion ravioli


A lovely day, indeed, and a truly Lucullan feast to mark it.

*smooch* for a cheery Saturday despite our weather

It's great you were able to score tickets to the game tonight, Katie. It sounds like a fun getaway. Also, great job news for TW! What a nice birthday present.

Good luck to The Wayne with the job offer. I hope it's a really good one! You guys sure do know how to do food. I drooled on myself a little.

Good luck with the new job for The Wayne. Will he still work from home?

Sounds like a lovely celebration. Have fun on your mini break to the city!

Hope you have a great day out, complete with basketball! And good luck to The Wayne with the job offer tomorrow.

Sounds like a great couple days, Katie. Very exciting about TW's phone call Monday. I hope the offer is generous. :-)

One of the things I'm most excited about while in Boston next week is cannoli. It is one of my favorite pastries (and there are so many variations) and I'll definitely be indulging.

Enjoy the basketball -- I hope TW's team wins!

Good luck to TW! I hope it’s something he’ll enjoy.

Wow, FAU!! What a great game - glad you guys decided to go!

So glad TW's b'day was fun!

Congrats to The Wayne and his team! Impressive. I just read FAU didn't have a team until 1988. Congrats to The Wayne for the impending job offer. As others have said, hope it's a good one.

You could stop by for a scone. You better come quick; I might eat them ALL.

Hi all! We had a great time yesterday - the show was silly and fun and full of punny humor that The Wayne, especially, loved (it was Shucked, in case anyone is wondering). After that, we went to the hotel to change into our FAU gear, stopped at Scallywag's on 9th Ave (a favorite Irish bar of ours) for a drink, and then headed to MSG for the game. We were sitting among mostly Kansas State fans, so that was, um, interesting... It was a crazy good game - back and forth throughout - and a lot of fun to watch in person. FAU ended up winning by 3. Crazy! It's only their second March Madness appearance (they lost in the first round in 2002), and they are now going to the Final Four. We overspent on a commemorative hat and t-shirt but whatever. SUCH a good time.

We had some drinks afterward and then collapsed into bed. The weather was crap all day, but the show and game definitely made up for it.

Nothing planned for today - I'll do all the regular Sunday stuff tomorrow.

>72 richardderus: - Ha! Love that gif...

>73 lauralkeet: - There were plenty of tickets available and not *too* pricey. But the arena seemed pretty full last night, so there must have been a lot of purchases even more last-minute than ours :)

>74 laytonwoman3rd: - We do like good food, for sure :)

>75 BLBera: - This one is a fully remote position, but he hasn't accepted it yet. He does prefer WFH but is also entertaining hybrid positions.

>76 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky!

>77 bell7: - Thank you, Mary!

>78 EBT1002: - You're better off catching the train from Boston to New York to get good cannoli... it's just a day trip ;-)

>79 drneutron: - We'll see...

>80 japaul22: - Did you watch it, Jennifer? It was SO intense. We were both having heart palpitations the last 2 minutes or so.

>81 RebaRelishesReading: - It was great. Welcome back, Reba!

>82 weird_O: - Yeah, it's not a powerhouse athletic school for sure. So much excitement around it. The only thing I like about Florida at the moment....

You can have mys cone, Bill - I had the traditional corner deli breakfast sandwich this morning before heading to the train :)

Thanks to everyone about TW's job offer. It's not a done deal. They have to agree to terms. And he's still really interested in another company he's been talking to; he's having dinner on Wednesday with one of the founders, so he'll probably hold off on making a decision one way or the other until late next week at the earliest.

>86 katiekrug: I hope that, whichever he chooses, they realize the full value The Wayne brings and make it a happy experience for him as well as profitable.

FAU's team is bloody incredible. Their program should explode from here on in!

Sunny-Sunday *smooch*

>85 katiekrug: I did watch it! It was a really fun game! I love the NCAA tournament (both mens and womens) and went to University of Illinois for my undergrad. I watch their games all season. Not into college football anymore, but I still love college basketball.

Sounds like a great day/evening, Katie. I enjoy watching basketball (compared to other sports) because it's reasonably fast-paced, and being there in person must have been a blast.

Good luck to the Wayne. It's wonderful that he has options.

>87 richardderus: - He';s very lucky not to have to snap up the first opportunity that comes his way. He's already declined a couple...

The FAU team is so much fun to watch. I'm sure this run will do wonders for their recruiting. They are also moving to the AAC next year, which is a steup from C-USA.

>88 japaul22: - I've always enjoyed watching the tournaments, but usually don't get interested until then. This season, though, TW and I have been following FAU so it makes it that much more fun.

>89 lauralkeet: - See the game live was great, Laura. I told TW I wanted to go to lots more basketball games in the future. Maybe we'll become Knicks fans....

Thanks re: TW. He is lucky to have options, though maybe the luck is in his interests and skill sets which are kind of specialized. #supernerd

>89 lauralkeet: NBA games are very entertaining, Katie, if the Sixers are any indication. There's always something going on to capture your attention. Even during timeouts, they'll have something happening on the court for that short period. I don't remember what exactly ... cheerleaders? acrobats? both? But anyway, it was a lot of fun.

>83 katiekrug: Sorry but with a husband who taught there for 35 years and a son who is an alum I must say GO SDSU!!

Best of luck to The Wayne with the job offer. I hope it's just exactly what he's hoping for!

>91 lauralkeet: - I think we'll definitely be seeing more live b-ball games in the future!

>92 RebaRelishesReading: - I love when schools without powerhouse programs advance, so it'll be a fun Final Four for sure.

It's Monday....

Today will be mostly taken up with grocery shopping and laundry. I'd also like to get out for a long walk, as the weather looks to be really nice. We didn't do much yesterday after getting home, as we were both pretty beat. I had a good night's sleep, though, and feel much better.

Books:
I finished Off the Record and started North and South. Listened to a bit of Royal Flush, too.

Viewing:
The end of the Miami-Texas basketball game and last week's episode of Top Chef.

Morning, Katie. Looks like you had an enjoyable weekend. Good luck to The Wayne on the job offer. Very exciting. I don't follow college basketball. It sure seems like I am missing out...☹️

Catching up after a busy weekend. Happy birthday to TW, glad the weekend was a bundle of fun and that the team made it through.
Monday, indeed.

>95 msf59: - Hiya, Mark! We had a great weekend. I follow college basketball on and off. This season has probably been the most intently I've followed it, though. It's good fun, and I love me some upsets of which there are always at least a few...

>96 Helenliz: - Thanks, Helen!

Glad to hear the weekend was a good one.

Also, yay for North and South!

So, it's New Tuesday (Mamie and I agreed to redistribute the M-day's hours between Sunday and Tuesday to avoid the awfulness of The Former Day). I hope your weekend's happy has still got you both in its glow.

>99 richardderus: - So is Second Sunday the morning and New Tuesday the afternoon? I like it!

The job offer is a good one. Not super-duper but TW is happy with it, and he knew he wouldn't be able to match what he had at Twitter. He left it with them that he'd finish out his interview cycle with the other company he's interested in and then make a decision.

Off the Record by Skye McDonald

The second in the "Anti-Belle" series set in Nashville, Off the Record is a more polished romance than the first, Not Suitable for Work, which I liked fine but found a bit clunky in parts, especially in the beginning. This one shows off the skills of a more confident author, I think. It's a second-chance romance, as Nick and Mel, former high school sweethearts, meet again 10 years later. Nick is a delight; Mel is a bit of an enigma, and I admit to not totally understanding some of her motivations and decisions. But their chemistry is strong, and the context of their reunion interesting. The author says the third book is her favorite, so I look forward to reading it soon(ish).

3.75 stars

Full disclosure: Skye is a personal friend; she even dog-sat Nuala this weekend :)

>98 MickyFine: - Oops - almost forgot to respond, Micky!

I'm not very far into N&S yet, but I like it.

>101 katiekrug: Glad to hear the job offer is solid! I didn't realize TW was at Twitter. I imagine he has some stories from the Elon takeover, lol.

so good to hear that the Wayne's skills are so in demand in this market. and what a luxury to have choices.

Speaking of TW and the birdsite ... does he ever use the username "Free Speech Enthusiast" online? Just wondering ... :-D

>101 katiekrug: Excellent news for TW! Crossing my fingers the other company is just as keen to have him.

>103 katiekrug: I'm trying to remember if you've watched the miniseries with Richard Armitage? If not, I'd track it down after you finish the book. :)

Great news about TW's job offer. Maybe he can start a bidding war between the two companies. Ha!

>101 katiekrug: That's excellent news, y'all. I hope the other offer is either better or the same...then he can pick based on how much he likes the people.

>104 curioussquared: - He was at Twitter for about 4 years. Laid off in November by The Musk Ox; asked to come back a week later; laughed out loud and politely declined :)

>105 ffortsa: - Machine learning FTW!

>106 rosalita: - I don't believe so... (I don't get the reference?).

>107 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky!

I haven't seen the miniseries - I was holding off until I'd read the book. I will be watching it just as soon as I'm finished :)

>108 lauralkeet: - That would be nice... but doubtful. The other company is brand new and super small. The appeal is to have potentially greater impact from the get-go and to get in on the ground floor. The sacrifice will likely be in initial compensation. But we'll see!

>109 richardderus: - Thanks, RD. See my comments to Laura. It's apples and oranges, so the pros and cons are wildly different.

>110 katiekrug: Lol. The only correct response!

>110 katiekrug: See here:

As Free Speech Enthusiast Elon Plans To Release Twitter’s Source Code, Twitter Desperately Seeking Identity Of FreeSpeechEnthusiast Who Leaked Twitter Source Code

>111 curioussquared: - Exactly!

>112 rosalita: - Ha! I had heard about the leak but didn't know the handle of the person who did it. That's gold, right there... And no, it was not The Wayne. I swear!

>113 katiekrug: I love the TechDirt headline!

>114 rosalita: - I love low-key shade :)

Hi, Katie! Yay for the job offer!!

>112 rosalita: LOLOLOLOLOLOL

I am enjoying the schadenfreude of seeing this goofball screw absolutely everything possible to screw up. What he's got going on as he's going down is only enjoyable part of this. I'll miss my part of Twitter. The site as a whole not so much.

>117 richardderus: - Hi Amber!

>118 katiekrug: - He's such a dick.

Excellent news on the job front. Hope the other one comes in with a good offer and he can pick the most promising.

>119 Helenliz: - Thanks, Helen. I hope so, too!

Morning Katie! How about that University Challenge match?
Also I just remembered you are watching The Detectorists. That show is what led us to become die-hard fans of UC.

Good Tuesday morning, friends! I had a productive day yesterday AND managed to cook dinner. A new-to-me recipe for black bean tacos and pickled onions: https://www.washingtonpost.com/recipes/chili-lime-black-bean-tacos/17008/ (not sure if a subscription is needed). I accidentally bought a can of black bean soup instead of a can of just black beans, but it reduced well and the dish was very tasty. Who would have thought to put dijon mustard in the black beans? Not me! The quick pickle was VERY tart, even after I added a bit of sugar, so I need to play with that a bit next time. But it was definitely a winner.

Today we have the gym and then I need to haul down to the garage the stuff I'm donating, so we can easily put it outside tomorrow morning for the charity pick-up. Other than that, it'll be finishing up the laundry, clearing off my desk, and quality time with the books. And trivia, of course.

Books:
I am almost done with Royal Flush on audio, so I'll finish that up and start something new. In print, I'm enjoying North and South. I'll have that one on the go for a while...

Viewing:
University Challenge (a close one!) and the most recent episode of Ted Lasso.

>121 lauralkeet: - Morning, Laura! It was such a good match. I love the woman who is getting her PhD in creative writing. She knows so much but isn't obnoxious like some of the other teams' (male) top players...

>123 katiekrug: Oh yes, I like her too!

>124 lauralkeet: - :)

_______________________

I was glad to just not get skunked after such an inauspicious start!

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PAINT, CLOUD, QUEER, HURRY

Morning, Katie!

Is the latest Ted the second or third? We watched the second one a couple nights ago and I thought it was much better than the first one. Still, I'm so fraught about Roy and Keeley (Keeleh).

>126 scaifea: - Oi! Amber! :)

It's the second. I think they drop on Wednesdays.

I agree the 2nd was better than the first, which was really all set-up. I am confident Roy and Keeleh will get back together. I did love the team's reaction when they found out they were broken up...

>122 katiekrug: I've become a bit of a quick-pickled onion expert during the pandemic, since I had too many glass jars and too many weird vinegars, and you really do need to use a lot more sugar than you would think, at least a tablespoon per cup of liquid.

>127 katiekrug: Re: Ted Lasso I really thought Roy and Keeley were going to get together at the end of the episode after he had his epiphany, but they're going to make us wait for it, aren't they???

Morning, Katie! I typed a whole post here and then managed to lose it. Ugh. Anyway, I was wishing The Wayne only good things with the job offer. Hoping he also gets an offer from the other one he is interested in so that he can choose whatever will be most happy making.

The new recipe sounds like it could be good. We have a quick pickle recipe that we love and make all the time - Cookie and Kate Quick Pickled Onions.

I loved North and South when I listened to it a few years ago, and Micky is right about that miniseries - it's SO good.

>128 norabelle414: - Yeah, this recipe was weird - just lime juice and some salt. I've had better results with apple cider vinegar...

They are definitely going to make us wait! *Roy Kent growl*

>129 Crazymamie: - Thanks for the good wishes, Mamie!

I will try that recipe next time. I think I've had good luck with other Cookie and Kate recipes.

I can't wait to get to the miniseries!

>122 katiekrug: All things WaPo are subscription-only.

The recipe sounnds nummers, though, as I am a major fancier of the pickled onion. Happy new-releases day! *smooch*

>131 richardderus: - Ah well, there's plenty of recipes out there for black bean tacos :)

>127 katiekrug: I suspect you're right, but if, in the meantime, they put Roy and that teacher together, I will start flipping tables. And YES to the team reaction! Hilarious.

>133 scaifea: - I think part of your post didn't come through...?

>134 katiekrug: Ah, I didn't do the spoiler thing proper-like.

Oh, totally agree! When I did my re-watch, I saw them setting that up and I was like, NOPE.

I don't want to brag (HA!) BUT WE CAME IN FIRST at trivia tonight. 18 teams! 😁

>137 katiekrug: Whoop whoop! Go Katie & TW!!

>136 katiekrug: Right?!?! Ugh.

>137 katiekrug: WOOT!! That's awesome!

>138 Helenliz: / >139 scaifea: - Thanks, Helen and Amber!

Morning, all! Bit of a late night last night celebrating our victory :) I did not want to get out of bed this morning... Not much on the agenda today other than lunch with a couple of friends. The Wayne is going into the city for dinner with a founder of the other company (not yet made an offer) he's interested in, so I'll be on my own this evening. I might binge some 'Detectorists'....

Books:
I started a cute romcom on audio yesterday - Call Me Maybe - and continued reading North and South.

Viewing:
Nada

Congrats on the trivia win, Katie! Is this the first time you've won first prize? Enjoy your nice-and-easy day and lunch. Fingers crossed for TW's dinner meeting.

>142 lauralkeet: - Good morning, Laura, and thanks! We were trying to remember if we ever came in first before. I thought we had once (on a night with fewer than 10 teams) but TW doesn't think so. The trivia gods were definitely on our side last night - we even did okay in the music round which we usually suck at :)

Congrats on winning Trivia. That is impressive.

Happy Wednesday, Katie!

>144 msf59: - Thanks, Mark!

Enjoy your trip to NOLA. I have a feeling you will....

Winning at trivia: Excellent. Mighty Team Krug. Be you thinking of doing this more often?

Happy Wednesday, Katie! Congrats on the trivia win, and glad to hear that The Wayne has options with his job search and isn't settling, no matter what happens this week.

The black bean tacos sound delish!

Morning, Katie! Way to go with the trivia win!! And 18 teams - mighty impressive.

>146 weird_O: - Thanks, Bill! We play trivia every week. Or did you mean do we plan on winning more often? Heh.

>147 bell7: - Thanks so much, Mary. I'll be glad to have the job thing resolved. I'm more stressed about it than he is :)

Balck bean tacos are a favorite of mine. So easy. And I loved heating the tortillas directly on the gas burner so they got a bit of char...

>148 Crazymamie: - Thanks, Mamie! And most of the teams have more than two people, so we start at a disadvantage... It's a fun time no matter what, but I do look forward to spending the $50 gift certificate!

>132 katiekrug: Procedural question for you: Do you refer to Cilantro and Coriander as different things? I wonder because, when pickling things, I use Coriander (seeds) and when serving tacos, I present cilantro (leaves of the same plant) automatically as a condiment.

Merely curious...no deeper meanings...

>137 katiekrug: YAY! GO TEAM!

>150 richardderus: - Yes, I use the different terms. Not that I do much with coriander, but I'm a big fan of cilantro :)

*waves pompoms back at you*

>137 katiekrug: Wow TW has a good-enough offer + another possibility + you were first in trivia! Sounds like a good week is being had at your house.

Huzzah for the trivia victory. Enjoy those bragging rights!

Also, enjoy your solo evening. I might have a bit of one of those too this evening and I'm ridiculously excited for it.

Wooo, congrats on the trivia victory!! A good music round is key.

>152 RebaRelishesReading: - It has been a good week so far, Reba :)

>153 MickyFine: - Thanks, Micky! Definitely looking forward to the solo evening.

>154 curioussquared: - Thanks, Natalie!

>85 katiekrug: "You're better off catching the train from Boston to New York to get good cannoli..." Oh how I wish I could! You know, we were in NYC ("the greatest city in the world") back in October and I never thought to seek out cannoli. I'll have to settle for second best.

>101 katiekrug: Congratulations to TW!!!

>125 katiekrug: That one started like that for me, too. Two guesses and only one yellow square. I reminded myself that info about what letters are not in the word is also helpful. Still, green squares are preferable.

>156 EBT1002: - No cannoli while in NYC? Tsk tsk, Ellen :)

Thanks re: The Wayne!

Happy Thursday, folks! I had a lovely lunch with friends yesterday, but the glass of wine made me sleepy in the afternoon :) I mostly chilled afterwards and then got Chinese for dinner and vegged. TW had a good dinner in the city and has two more calls with people associated with the company and then hopefully they'll make him an offer to consider.

I have an eye appointment today (routine) and need to figure out something for dinner and go to the grocery store. I also need to tidy up a bit as a friend is visiting this weekend (not staying with us but will hang out here on and off...). And that's it, I think.

Books:
Really enjoying Call Me Maybe on audio and North and South continues to be good.

Viewing:
I binged some 'Detectorists' last night - the last 3 episodes of season 1 and the first of season 2.

Morning, Katie!

Chinese and vegging sounds amazing.

>159 scaifea: - It was a nice treat :)

Hi Katie! I'm glad TW's meeting went well last night. Your evening sounds better though. 😀 Have a great day.

Your evening in sounds lovely and now I'm craving Chinese!

>161 lauralkeet: - Ha! Yes, I definitely think I got the better end of the deal. Though TW is excited about the opportunity (me less so, because it's a tiny start-up and I assume any offer will be shite but who am I to yuck his yum?!?!).

>162 curioussquared: - We're having the leftovers for dinner :)

I'm with Laura, your evening in sounds way better than The Wayne's evening out, lol.

>164 MickyFine: - Hermiting FTW!

Did you enjoy your solo time last night?

>165 katiekrug: I had a bunch of errands and Mr. Fine was home earlier than I thought he would be so I didn't get as much solo time as I'd hoped, alas. But I finished a book, watched TV, and ate take out so it wasn't a total loss. :)

>166 MickyFine: - Glad to hear you got some Micky-time!

Royal Flush by Rhys Bowen

Another fun entry in the Royal Spyness series. I love Georgie, and I love Darcy. The climactic scene of this one was a little ridiculous, but whatever. Katherine Kellgren's narration is, as usual, perfection.

3.5 stars

Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone

Vera calls the customer service line for her website provider to get some assistance in fixing a problem. Cal answers. They immediately connect on a personal level. This is an adorable audio. I loved the humor and the two main characters. The little twists along the way were fun, and the ending is *chef's kiss.*

4.5 stars

Good morning, friends! I had a Not Good night's sleep last night, so am a bit draggy right now. Hopefully, coffee will fix me up a bit. We didn't do much of anything last night - had Chinese leftovers for dinner and watched a bit of TV. Today we have the gym, and my friend, Megan, is flying in from Chicago for a visit. She should be here around noon... She's a bit of a foodie, so there will be lots of good eats this weekend, I suspect. First up will be a real New Jersey diner for lunch.

Books:
I'm not going to start a new audio until after Megan leaves, as I won't really have any listening time. So right now, North and South is my only book on the go.

Viewing:
The newest episode of Ted Lasso.

Ah, a test run for my own food-filled visit. Excellent. (I hope you both have a fabulous time!)

Ooof, we're behind on Ted Lasso! I've been avoiding Twitter because spoilers. Hopefully we'll get to it this weekend.

I hope you have a great time with Megan and enjoy all the food!

Have a great time!

Congrats on the trivia win. And good luck to TW and his job applications. Enjoy your time with Megan.

Enjoy the visit and be sure to bring the food back to brag on!

I'm sure you and Megan will have a wonderful, tasty time!! Sorry about the bad sleep though. I had one of those two days ago but have had exceptionally fine nights last two in a row -- hope you get the same.

>171 scaifea:, >172 MickyFine:, >173 Helenliz:, >174 BLBera:, >175 richardderus:, and >176 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, all! We are having a great time so far :)

Lunch: we went to the diner equivalent of a dive bar and it was excellent. I'd not been to this diner before but it came highly recommended. Megan had ginormous pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs, which she said were some of the best she'd ever had. I had a REAL patty melt (meaning it had Swiss cheese and grilled rye bread) that I scarfed down in record time, and some excellent onion rings.

Dinner: The three of us (TW joined) shared some blistered shishito peppers, and then Megan and I shared spinach and artichoke mac and cheese and fancy brussels sprouts. TW had the chicken sandwich. We shared s'mores bread pudding and chocolate mousse layer cake for dessert (cake leftovers for breakfast!). I also had a delicious cocktail (or 3) - the "We Go Down Together." Menus here: https://www.thebrookdale.com/menus/#dinner.

I'm tired from all the socializing so will toddle off to bed soon. Tomorrow, we are having lunch with a mutual friend and then dinner will be takeout (possibly Indian) while we watch the Final Four (or at least the FAU portion of it :) ).

Hi Katie, you've been having some exciting times lately! Congrats on your trivia win and good luck to The Wayne with the job offers. Things have calmed down here and I am looking forward to a quiet and healthy April!

>178 DeltaQueen50: - Good morning, Judy! I do hope you have a much quieter and happier April. You deserve it!

It's a rainy Saturday morning here. I woke up around 4am to a short thunder storm - hello, spring!

I'll meet up with Megan some time this morning and we'll drive about 40 minutes south to meet a friend for lunch. Not sure what we'll do after that, as it's supposed to be rainy all day. Maybe come back here and play cards or something before the basketball game.

Books:
Not a ton of reading time yesterday or today, but I'm almost 3/4 finished with North and South.

Viewing:
Nothing.

>180 katiekrug: Mrs Gaskell is exactly the right companion for a say like today...gloomy, rainy, dank. I'd kick a Thornton in the butt just to relieve the gloom.

I hope y'all's day is safe and full of fun.

>181 richardderus: - Thanks, RD! I wish I could just curl up inside with my book instead of going out in the rain...

March in Review
(Numbers in parantheses are YTD)

Books Read:
15 (49)

Mine:
12 (33)
Library:
3 (16)

Male authors: 3 (11)
Female authors: 12 (38)

New-to-me authors: 8 (25)
US/UK authors: 12 (43)
Other: - 3 (6 - Ireland (2), Italy, India, Denmark, Mexico)

Print: 6 (16)
Ebook: 2 (10)
Audio: 7 (23)

General/Popular Fiction: 2 (10)
Literary Fiction: 2 (7)
Historical Fiction: 1 (3)
Romance: 4 (11)
Crime/Thriller: 3 (6)
Juvenile/YA: 1 (3)
Classics: 1 (3)
Speculative: 0 (0)
Nonfiction: 1 (6)

Re-reads: 1 (5)
DNFs: 0 (2)

>177 katiekrug: We may even watch that today (we rarely watch team sports on TV and I have many other things I should be doing but -- first time ever -- gotta watch. Go SDSU :)

Afternoon, Katie! Your yesterday sounds full of fabulous. And great stats fro March - I only read 11 books, but two of them were ones I had been wanting to get to for awhile, so that is happy making.

>169 katiekrug: Adding this one to your Dirty Dozen.

>177 katiekrug: You made me drool.

>184 RebaRelishesReading: - Congrats to your Aztecs. As I said to TW, you can't win a game giving up a 14-point lead... *sigh*

>185 Crazymamie: - Morning, Mamie! Enjoy Call Me Maybe - I thought it was adorable.

>186 BLBera: - You're welcome :)

Welp, TW's team lost last night in a heartbreaker. He was super bummed. But we had a delicious Indian feast at half time (samosas, onion bhaji, gobi Manchurian, saag paneer, chicken vindaloo, chicken karahi...) so all was not lost - ha!

Yesterday afternoon, Megan and I met a friend for lunch (we all shared 2 wood-fired pizzas and a pasta dish), and then she and I walked around the cute downtown of a neighboring town. After the rainy start to the day, the weather was gorgeous - 70 and sunny - before turning stormy in the evening. We also played cards and chatted a lot. Today, we'll go get bagels and then hang out until she leaves around 3pm. I am ready for some Katie-time :)

Books:
Still working on North and South.

Viewing:
Just the basketball game. Boo.

An elusive 2!

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>189 katiekrug: Wow! Good job! I had the opposite kind of day—took me all six (phew!)

Karen O

>188 katiekrug: The Aztecs genuinely won that game. It was clear they would; but it must've felt maddening to see the Owls morph into an average team at this dramatic moment.

>190 klobrien2: - Better than a skunk!

>191 richardderus: - I think we lost the game more than they won it.

>187 katiekrug: Thank you, Katie! I had to leave the game at half time and was ready to congratulate you...nice surprise when I got home and saw the final score. They got into the final four by 1 point, now won hit by 1 point. I was appreciate a bit more of a margin in the finals :)

>189 katiekrug: Wow -- now if FAU has your luck...

It's the middle of the night, sleep is elusive. So I'm making my way around a few threads.

I've been in sessions all day for three days running. What with this insomnia, I've turned off the alarm and I'm tentatively giving myself permission to play hooky tomorrow (Monday). I think I need a bookstore visit, a Van's store, and a cannoli. :-)

>193 RebaRelishesReading: - Good luck tonight!

>194 EBT1002: - Sorry about the insomnia, Ellen. I didn't realize you were still in Boston. This seems a long conference...?

I'll be glad to get back to my regular routine today. Hosting someone, even when they aren't staying with me, is exhausting...

I have the regular Sunday stuff to do today - laundry and grocery shopping. Beyond that, I am planning a very lazy day :) TW is in charge of dinner.

Books:
I'm in the home stretch with North and South and should finish it today. And I'll finally start a new audio.

Viewing:
The most recent Top Chef episode.

Morning, Katie! Hooray for a return to the routine. I am also planning a lazy day - even lazier than yours as I will not be leaving the house. I wanted to let you know that I listened to Call Me Maybe and I agree with your assessment - it's completely adorable. Thanks for putting it on my radar.

>197 Crazymamie: - I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

And hooray for lazy days :)

Happy new-week's joys, smoochling!

I totally agree with you about hosting someone, Katie. A few months after we moved here, three of my work colleagues came down for a weekend. They rented an airbnb, but I still felt responsible for our activities and for making sure they had a good time. It was absolutely exhausting. This is the same group I met up with a month ago in Frederick, MD and with all of us away from home the dynamic was thankfully different.

>195 katiekrug: Thank you Katie.

I hope you get some well-deserved rest today.

>199 richardderus: - Thanks, RD! And back at ya!

>200 lauralkeet: - It didn't help that Megan basically invited herself - I didn't think we were that close. I mean, she's fun and all, but I've only ever spent time with her at professional conferences I used to attend. But it was okay and now it's over :)

>201 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba - I did.

I love this so much.

>202 katiekrug: Oof, hard no for me on people inviting themselves to be hosted. You definitely earned your lazy day!!

>203 katiekrug: I resemble that meme!

>202 katiekrug: Oh, wow. Awkward!

>204 curioussquared: - Ha! Thanks for the validation, Natalie :)

>205 richardderus: - Me too!

>206 lauralkeet: - It wasn't as bad as I had feared, but yeah....

Good morning, friends! Yesterday was a good one - I got the shopping and laundry done and then mostly just relaxed. The Wayne made jambalaya for dinner - from scratch for the first time. It was good, though he needs to work on the seasoning, as it was a bit bland. And he made WAY too much of it. We have 5 or 6 containers of leftovers...

Today is a gym day, and I need to make some phone calls. Ick. Beyond that, I might run some errands, or I might put them off until tomorrow. We'll see. Trivia tonight!

Books:
I started The Poet X on audio, and I finally finished North and South. My new print read is Brat Farrar.

Viewing:
University Challenge, which wasn't much of a game, but Southampton is one of my favorite teams, so I was glad to see them advance.

Woot!

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>209 katiekrug: Nice!! I got it in 3 today. and was happy with that.

And I agree with you about UC.
My plans for today are similar to yours. I need to muster some enthusiasm though.

Morning, Katie! I'm thinking it was Darryl that posted a jambalaya recipe on the kitchen thread several years ago that was *chef's kiss*.

Abby and I both loved The Poet X. Hooray for finishing up North and South - can't wait to read your thoughts on that one. I really loved it. I did it on audio, though.

Hoping Tuesday is kind to you and that the phone calls are not too onerous.

>210 lauralkeet: - I'm always thrilled with a 3. A 2 blows my mind :)

If you muster some enthusiasm, send some my way, 'mkay?

>211 Crazymamie: - Yeah, I think Darryl has a jambalaya recipe he's shared. TW did his "free form" with no recipe. I was super impressed.

I'm enjoying TPX, though I'm not very far into it... I'll try to share some comments on N&S today. I did not really love it :)

Thanks for the good Tuesday wishes!

Morning, Katie. We are back. As you guessed, we had a very good time. I am slowly catching up on LT. It sounds like you are doing well and the jambalaya sounds wonderful.

>208 katiekrug: I hope your trivia night nets non-trivial results, smoochling.

>213 msf59: - I'm glad you had a good time, Mark! Hard not to in NOLA. The Wayne and I always enjoyed our visits there.

>214 richardderus: - We'll be defending our title, so fingers crossed! LOL.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

This classic was a bit slow to get going but picked up steam (pun intended) with the Hales' move to Milton. I enjoyed the insight into the north-south dichotomy of the time, and the nuanced view of class and power. 'Pride and Prejudice' would have been an apt title, too, if it hadn't already been taken...

What I didn't love was that the denouement was so rushed and abrupt. After making my (sort of) patient way through 400+ pages, I wanted a bit more "oomph" to the resolution of Margaret and Thornton's relationship.

3.25 stars

NB: I fully expect to love the mini-series everyone raves about. I'll be starting my BritBox trial soon in order to watch it :)

I do agree that the ending was abrupt, but still it was five stars for me, and I do think part of that was the gorgeous narration of Juliet Stevenson. Not sure it would have gotten all five if I had read it in print. Plus, it was exactly what I was in the mood for at the time, which does make a difference for me.

I do think you will love the mini-series.

>216 katiekrug: I'll be starting my BritBox trial soon in order to watch it

>216 katiekrug: I read Cranford several years ago and tried but abandoned North and South. Your meh reaction to it makes me think I made the right decision. Maybe I'll give the miniseries a chance though.

>217 Crazymamie: - It might have worked better on audio for me. Oh well. It wasn't terrible...

>218 MickyFine: - You know I'll report back!

>219 bell7: - Cranford was a delight!

>218 MickyFine: No kiddin' Micky! I think we'll see a lot less of Mistress Katie once that kicks in....

Ooh, I'm another fan of The Poet X :) I also enjoyed North and South but like Mamie, I listened to the audio and really liked it that way. Enjoy the miniseries!!

>216 katiekrug: I bought a DVD boxset just to own it. I watch it over, and over, and over. It is soooo good.

>218 MickyFine: Yes, this. Totaly.

>221 richardderus: / >222 curioussquared: / >223 dreamweaver529: - I'm really excited to watch it. Just need to find a suitable time :)

>224 katiekrug: No time like the present, I always say. LOL.

The Wayne got an offer from the other company he was interested in and it's very similar to the offer from last week. He's more excited about this company and the job. But now he's waiting to hear back from the last place he worked in Dallas, because when they heard he was looking, they asked if they could lure him back (to the company, not to Dallas; they are all remote now :) ). So he's feeling very good about himself just now. Deservedly so. I think he'll make a decision by tomorrow.

>226 katiekrug: So exciting to have the pick of the lot!

>226 katiekrug: Yay for The Wayne! That's so awesome.

>225 MickyFine: - I'm not good at watching things in the daylight :-P

>226 katiekrug: Wow that's exciting. Glad the Dallas job would be remote though because I can't imagine you being thrilled at the prospect of moving back there.

Glad you got some rest yesterday.

Wishing you success at Trivia tonight.

We have a Britbox subscription -- must look up North & South

Have a lovely Tuesday :)

THanks, Natalie and Micky! I'm very proud of him. He's been super picky about what he'll spend time pursuing, so it's nice to have so much pay-off all at once.

>231 katiekrug: indeed

>230 RebaRelishesReading: - Hi Reba! Sorry about your basketball team...

Moving back to Dallas would be a non-starter. For both of us!

>232 RebaRelishesReading: - We keep cross-posting :D

>233 katiekrug: Adding one more -- thank you for the sympathy re the Aztecs but Hubby says "they already won" just getting this far and I agree. There's always next year :)

>226 katiekrug: Well, no real surprise that The Wayne would be in such high demand, but always nice to get that validation. It sounds like you all are in a great position and good riddance to Space Karen.

>235 RebaRelishesReading: - I'm trying to get TW to think about FAU's season like that, but he's still bummed.

>236 rosalita: - Snork! at Space Karen. He's not quite left him behind, as his arbitration demand is still in play :-P

>226 katiekrug: That is full of fabulous, Katie!

Wonderful news for TW, Katie!
Also adding my rec for the North & South mini-series.

>225 MickyFine: LOL! I can't agree more.

>229 katiekrug: Fair enough. I look forward to hearing what you think.

The fourth episode lives in my DVD player. Oh, who am I kidding, I bought an external DVD drive when I got my new (drive-less) laptop just so I could watch that ep...And I may be watching it now.

>238 Crazymamie: - Thanks, Mamie!

>239 lauralkeet: - I'm so pleased for him, Laura. He deserves to go somewhere that's excited to have him and which he is excited about.

I've lost count of all the N&S recs!

>240 dreamweaver529: - I love that! I re-watch the last episode of Bridgerton, season 2 on the regular. And the scenes at Pemberley in P&P (the 1990s and 2000s versions!).

>225 MickyFine: ^^^what she said

>226 katiekrug: This is outstanding news! Yay for options, and the ability to prioritize satisfaction over necessity.

>242 richardderus: - Yes, but see my response in >229 katiekrug: :)

>243 richardderus: - Indeed.

So glad to hear TW is in demand. >:-)

We were interviewing for an admin/office manager role. 2 candidates. Very different. A decision a bit like do you want cheese or chocolate. Both very good, but hard to decide.

I liked N&S. And I thought the ending was fitting. They come to the proposal as equals in a way that doesn't happen very often in fiction of that vintage.
Not seen the Miniseries. I suppose I might have to look it up at some point.

>245 Helenliz: - I agree about the ending being good as a meeting of equals. It was just too abrupt for my liking. I literally thought my Kindle edition had been cut off!

Happy Wednesday! We were unsuccessful in our title defense at trivia last night and came in 7th of 18 teams. Not a bad showing, really... Today, I have some errands to run and things to do around the house (towel laundry, make a grooming appointment for Nuala, tidy up for the cleaning lady, etc). Should be pretty chill. Leftover jambalaya for dinner.

Books:
I had no audio time yesterday, but did read a chunk of Brat Farrar, which is a good one.

Viewing:
Nada

Happy Wednesday!

Yay to the job offer! It is always good to have options :)

>248 figsfromthistle: - Definitely!