The Reader’s Problems Book Tag ~

Hello Peoples. WOW! August is almost gone. I think it galloped by! I found this book tag at Millay’s Musings. You can find her blog at the link below ~

https://millaysmusings.wordpress.com/

I like book tags, I do. So, I thought I would give this tag the old heave ho! Prepare yourself for fresh insight and wisdom! *haha*

Millay’s Musings found this tag at Paper Procrastinators.

1.) You have 20,000 books on your TBR. How in the world do you decide what to read next?

20,000??? Hyperbole! Embellishment! Exaggeration! This question really makes me laugh. I’m, for the most part, a mood reader. I read what I’m in the mood for. I love the classics, so I tend to read a contemporary writer and then a classic writer. I go back and forth like that.

2.) You’re halfway through a book and you’re just not loving it. Do you quit or are you committed?

I’m committed. Usually what I do is quite simple. I put the book down and read another book, then I pick up the book I’m not loving and continue reading it. I take breaks. A few months ago, I read a book where the female protagonist was just not likable. I took breaks and I was able to finish the book.

3.) The end of the year is coming, and you are so close, but so far away on your goodreads reading challenge. Do you try to catch up and how?

This has never happened to me, but no, I would not try to catch up. I would continue reading at the pace I’ve been reading.

4.) The covers of a series you love do. not. match. How do you cope?

LOL! It doesn’t make any difference to me. It’s fine if the covers don’t match.

5.) Everyone and their mother loves a book you really don’t like. Who do you bond with over shared feelings?

No one. I would keep quiet.

6.) You’re reading a book and you are about to start crying in public. How do you deal?

I’m more the laugh out loud in public type, however, crying has happened. I would discreetly blow my nose, glance around and continue reading.

7.) A sequel of a book you love just came out, but you’ve forgotten a lot from the prior novel. Will you re-read the book? Skip the sequel? Try to find a synopsis on goodreads? Cry in frustration?

I would re-read the book. 📚

8.) You do not want anyone. ANYONE. Borrowing your books. How do you politely tell people nope when they ask?

I have no idea. I loan books out on occasion. I exchange books with a friend frequently. All my books have come back to me, with the exception of two.

9.) Reading ADD. You pick up and put down five books in the last month. How do you get over your reading slump?

I keep myself busy with other activities.

10.) There are so many new books coming out that you are dying to read! How many do you actually buy?

One at a time as I can read them.

11.) After you’ve bought the new books you can’t wait to get, how long do they sit on your shelf before you get to them?

Anywhere from two days to two weeks.

Happy Reading! If you would like to participate in this tag, feel free to do so.

Much love ~

Kathy

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Beatrix Potter

Miss Potter (2006)

Renee Zellweger Ewan McGregor Emily Watson Barbara Flynn Bill Patterson

This is a wonderful movie. Beatrix Potter (Renee Zellweger) lives in London with her parents. Her mother (Barbara Flynn) is a horrible woman ~ a snob. Her mother wants Beatrix to marry well and parades a few wealthy suitors in front of Beatrix, but she rejects all of them. Who can blame her??? Beatrix has been a wonderful artist and storyteller since she was a child, but her parents haven’t recognized her talent. Beatrix does find a publisher and Norman Warne (Ewan McGregor) is given the task of publishing her books. Beatrix becomes friends with Norman and his sister Millie (Emily Watson). Her books are very popular, and she is a wonderful success. Beatrix and Norman fall in love and plan to marry. Tragedy strikes and Beatrix, in her grief, soon discovers she is able to purchase a farm in the country, so, it is time to leave home.

Rick and I watched this movie this afternoon. I’ve seen it before, and I love it. I love her artwork. What a wonderful talent she had. The movie brings a few of her characters alive. It’s delightful. Her mother never approves, but her dad (Bill Paterson) does come to realize his daughter has talent and is successful. During the story he purchases one of her books. He wanted too. Millie is always a good friend to Beatrix, and I loved Millie. She is a good character.

I highly recommend this film.

Movie ~

84 Charing Cross Road (1987)

Ann Bancroft Anthony Hopkins Judi Dench

I stumbled upon this movie yesterday and decided to watch it last night. I liked it! I had never heard of it??? I don’t know where I’ve been??? *haha*

Helene (Ann Bancroft) is a writer living in New York City. She’s funny, outgoing and she smokes too much. Throughout the film, I kept telling her she needed to quit smoking. Cigarettes were going to be the death of her. That’s right, I have been known to talk to movies! Anyway, she discovers a bookstore in London that will do mail order. She begins a correspondence with Frank (Anthony Hopkins) the book seller. This letter writing continues for about twenty years! During the twenty years historical events unfold. One gets to know the employees in the bookstore and Frank’s wife and children. And! Of course, Helene’s friends and life experiences are shared. I recommend it!

Have you seen 84 Charing Cross Road? Did you enjoy it?

Enjoy!

It’s Friday!

Hello Peoples! It’s going to rain here today. The southwest is bringing us some darker skies! I am staying home today and reading a book.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)

Amber Tamblyn Blake Lively America Ferrera Alexis Bledel

Rick and I watched both of the Traveling Pants movies. I was surprised Rick watched them with me, but he did. I’ve seen the book at the bookstore, but I’ve never read it. I didn’t know Traveling Pants was a movie. I must have been otherwise occupied in 2005.

The four friends in the film have a pair of magical jeans. You might ask, what makes the girls think these jeans are magical? Thank-you for asking. The one pair of pants fit each girl perfectly. These girls are four different sizes. The girls are going to be separated for the summer and they agree to pass the jeans around, through the mail, FedEx or whatever, so each girl can wear the jeans and share their adventure, in a letter, for the summer. The girls do have an interesting summer. There is romance, heartache, disappointments, grief, laughter, fun, etc.

It’s a story for young adults. I liked the first movie better than the second one. I did like each of the girls.

Have you seen Traveling Pants? What did you think?

Yesterday I did a small amount of shopping, and I bought a Christmas gift for someone! I know!!! 🎄

Rick and I went to Starbucks this week. I needed an icy tea. We went to a Starbucks on the east side of town. Anyway, all the employees were females in their twenties. They were hilarious. Half of them were wearing bald wigs! Yea, you read that correctly. Bald wigs! And! All of them used a marker to draw a mustache and goatee on their face! They were having fun with it! We got the biggest kick out of them.

Enjoy!

Much love ~

Kathy

Good Morning!

Hello Peoples! I think school starts today. We don’t have children, but our neighbors do. I think the girls next door said school starts today. I would have noticed school had started when school buses went driving by and kids carrying backpacks walked in front of our house. There are indicators. 🏫

My big brother called me on his birthday (22nd). I love my big brother. It’s always good to hear from him. He went to the Artic Circle for two weeks. 😲 I know! 😲 I asked him if he saw any polar bears. He said, no he didn’t. The polar bears were in abundance, so the authorities blocked off the area and no one could get into the area where they were located. How rude! I can only imagine what it’s like to live in the Artic. My. My. My. And! Yes, there are people who live way up there. Have you visited the Artic???

Today I’m going to putter around the house, doing little projects here and there. I might start reading, Sea Glass Cottage by Irene Hannon.

Enjoy!

Much love ~

Kathy

Monday Monday ~

Hello Peoples! It’s Monday. I like Mondays. I know most people don’t like Mondays, but I do. It’s a great day! I zoomed around town this morning, taking care of business. Then I went to the cupcake shop. This shop also has paper items. Journals, notecards, you get the idea. Anyway, I always look at their paper products. Alone with a very chocolatey cupcake, I bought a notepad with an apple on the paper. The paper is big enough and there are enough pages on it, I could use it as a journal.

August has been a cooler month. The nights are chilly, a sure indication that autumn will soon be here. I love autumn. We’ve been enjoying the hummingbirds in our backyard.

I know it’s not quite the end of the month, but I wanted to share the books I’ve read earlier than usual.

August Reads ~

Murder Walks the Plank by Carolyn Hart

A Death on Demand Mystery

The Song of the Lark by Willa Cather

Great Plains Triligy #2

The Souls of Lost Lake by Jaime Jo Wright

The Sweet Life by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Cape Cod Creamery #1

Rick is in the kitchen making homemade tortillas right now. They are so good. Yummy. I like them HOT with melted butter on them.

I don’t think they are difficult to make. Rick doesn’t use a recipe at all. He just makes them. 🤨

Enjoy!

Happy Reading!

Much love ~

Kathy

The Classics Club ~ The Song Of The Lark by Willa Cather

Great Plains Trilogy #2

Thea Kronborg is a young girl growing up in Moonstone, Colorado. She is from a large family, her mother giving birth to the seventh child, Thor, at the beginning of the story. Thea’s Aunt Tillie lives with the Kronborg family and Thea’s father is a preacher. Thea has musical talent and in The Song of the Lark the reader follows Thea’s journey to become a professional singer. In Moonstone she has individuals in the community who support her in her musical endeavors, Ray Kennedy, Aunt Tillie, Fred Ottenberg and Dr. Archie.

Professor Wunsch is her early music teacher in Moonstone. Sadly, he drinks too much. Her mother is supportive of her musical endeavors and has a room added on to their family home to accommodate Thea as she teaches piano lessons to children. She was a teenager when the door opens for her to travel to Chicago for more advanced music lessons. From an early age, she was a singer, but in Chicago she discovers her voice is her uncommon talent.

Until I read this book, I couldn’t imagine the determination, strength of character and hard work it would take to become an internationally known opera singer. I loved Thea and was happy to travel on her journey with her. She came from such humble roots. She was rich with siblings, but that was about all the family had. There came a time when Thea left home, never to return. She had very little money and was required to work because of her lack of finances, but she persevered, worked hard and kept on.

I highly recommend this book. Willa Cather wrote wonderful descriptions, and the character development shines throughout the book. This is a three-book series, and I am reading the books in order, however, that’s not necessary. Each book stands alone. O Pioneers! is the first in the series and My Antonia is the third book in the series.

Happy Reading!

https://theclassicsclubblog.wordpress.com/

Saturday ~

Hello Peoples! It’s a new day. 😀 It’s raining and I am very happy to see the rain. Rick and I had peoples over on Saturday and we cooked on the grill. We laughed so loud! We were the noisiest people in the neighborhood. Such joyfulness! I always seem to be the one who gets teased. Always. Mmmm. 😉 I’m not sure why??? So, of course, I was picked on without mercy. Such frivolity.

Have a great day!

Much love ~

Kathy

Busy ~

Hello Peoples! It’s been a busy and fun morning. Rick and I went out for breakfast, then we visited a used book sale. I bought five hardcover books by Victoria Holt. I used to read her books when I was in high school. I loved her stories then; I’m going to discover what I think now as I read them. Then we went to the grocery store and bought food. Rick and I are having a few people over Saturday for a barbecue and I’m starting to purchase what we need for the barbecue. Then we went to the bakery for a treat. I was incredibly thirsty and drank two glasses of icy tea! 🙂 Then we went to the “natural” grocery store. I bought some lettuce and potatoes. The cashier was wearing a pair of fun glasses. The frames were multi-colored.

We have one more errand and then we are at home for the remainder of the day.

Much love ~

Kathy

Charlie Chan Quote ~

Charlie Chan in Paris (1935) Warner Oland

Hello Peoples! I like Charlie Chan movies. They’re fun and I don’t always solve the mysteries. During the course of the films, Charlie Chan, is known to have fun quips, quotes and sayings that are witty, and entertaining. Usually these diverting quotes are intended for his more than helpful sons, but they can be for anyone involved in the mystery. Charlie Chan in a witty manner quips my favorite quote in Charlie Chan In Paris.

“Mud turtle in pond more safe than man on horseback.”

Enjoy!

Much love ~

Kathy