Author Topic: The Library (Read 2318660 times)

Steph · « **Reply #12120 on:** October 12, 2013, 09:02:41 AM »

The Library

Our library cafe is open 24/7, the welcome mat is always out.
Do come in from daily chores and spend some time with us.

We look forward to hearing from you, about you and the books you are enjoying (or not).

Let the book talk begin here!

*Suggestion Box for Future Discussions
*SeniorLearn's Archives

It is Clermont and yes that is where I live. Their tip top crew does all of the golf courses.. there are several and the common areas. There are about a dozen villages in Kings Ridge.. Each one has the ability to hire out anyone they want for lawns. They are good, but I back up to a golf course.. There is always a division as to what the homeowners can do with their back yards. I have aseveral pine trees, hence tons of pine needles. The previous owners just let them pile up, but that makes them rot underneath and get black mildew.. I want a decision on four dead bushes and the deep pine needles. Since I am not known for patience, I have raked up four huge bags of needles thus far and will get my son who is swinging by this afternoon to move them to the front in my garage until pick up day on Tuesday. But I cannot do anything without a decision on the dead bushes, I will certainly replace them if allowed, but I must have a written decision on them first. Our rules have rules of their own.. My problems are mostly that the previous owners were lawyers both still practicing and they paid liittle attention to the outside. I do.. The air conditioning is delayed because I have a Home Warranty and they had to approve the compressor and they order it.. We are waiting for delivery.. Yesterday I bought a new microwave.. but of course, they did not have it in stock, so that will be here in another week or so.. I seem to be playing hurry up and wait..

Frybabe · « **Reply #12121 on:** October 12, 2013, 10:50:56 AM »

My goodness, Steph. And here I was thinking of maybe downsizing in about five years and going with a place I don't have to deal with any of that. Second thoughts here now. My house is 100 years old which means a lot of maintenance and repair, but my mortgage is low compared to many apartments around here. Who knows what I can handle or afford in five years.

Oh, I almost forget what I came in for. I just discovered Publisher's Weekly has a weekly radiocast.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/podcasts/index.html?channel=8

MaryPage · « **Reply #12122 on:** October 12, 2013, 11:13:56 AM »

Frybabe, the condominium community I live in the rules are quite clear, with no iffy lines because of a golf course the way Steph has. EVERYTHING outside is taken care of except doors and windows. They replace the roof, the siding, do all painting outside, replace the decks, take care of the chimneys, and all lawns, trees, bushes, and plants. They do a terrific job of it all, too. We see lawn maintenance people and workmen around performing their duties all during the week. Place is kept up beautifully, and we are all proud of it.
In the 10 years I have been here, they have kept everything up in an amazing fashion. I have had a new dishwasher, a new washer & dryer, a new water heater, a new thermostat and a new H.V.A.C. system. All those on my landlord, as I rent. He has retired now and lives across the street. He owns several units.
I think it best for old folk to live in a place like this. And rent, not own. That way your heirs don't have a property they have to sell. Put the house money in United States Treasury Notes and enjoy the interest income from those!

maryz · « **Reply #12123 on:** October 12, 2013, 12:25:18 PM »

MaryPage, We're with you on the "rent, don't own" policy. Unfortunately, in the area where we'd like to live, there are no retirement communities like yours. But we're going to start looking for an apartment/condo/townhouse situation when we get back from our upcoming trip.

Frybabe · « **Reply #12124 on:** October 12, 2013, 02:25:39 PM »

I did a cost analysis before I refied the place to find out about how much I averaged per month in house and utility expenses to give me some idea of what I could afford. I'll redo it at the end of the year to take into account the reduced mortgage and increased utility costs to see what the new average will be. It will give me some idea of what I can afford at that point. Right now, I don't have a lot left over for discretionary spending. I am trying like crazy not to dip into my investments until absolutely necessary. I don't care to have my money run out before I do.

MaryPage · « **Reply #12125 on:** October 12, 2013, 02:31:05 PM »

Mary, Chesapeake Harbour IS NOT a retirement community. My experience in looking into those has been that I have strongly hated every one I could afford and have not been able to afford the ones I liked. There are some likable ones I can afford around, but they are all a long way from anywhere I want to be. I simply must be near my loved ones.

This is just a gated community of apartment and townhouse condominiums. They sell anywhere from 400k to 1.8 million. We have a marina, two beaches, two swimming pools, two tennis courts (with two courts each) and a restaurant. Lovely grounds with lots of trees.

http://www.chesapeakeharbour.org/

JeanneP · « **Reply #12126 on:** October 12, 2013, 02:45:01 PM »

I don't regret buying WHAT I HAVED LIVED IN for 35 years . Never got a loan. Low maint. Perfect spot close to interstate and one foot out of city.utilities good .children think should move as they not close. Not me. But when I do I will never buy property again. Leasing the way to go. Let some one else take care of maint. No place to invest to make interest any more. Those of us who have to take out
min.distribution yearly are loosing earnings. Just sits in money markets. Even though leasing a nice place may seem expensive may as well spend it there.
I am not one for the assisted living at$3500 a month .Hope I never need it. Can't stand dining room eating.
Mary page...
Yours sound perfect to me...just to far away.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #12127 on:** October 12, 2013, 03:56:04 PM »

Frybabe when you are calculating be sure you include the cost of refinancing - there are closing costs that some can be added to the mortgage but some you must pay upfront - each state is different as to the cost of closing a loan so I cannot help you with particulars.

And please think hard if you are considering a reverse mortgage - you will be swapping a property that increases in value over the years for a fixed value that does not keep up with inflation -

Your property taxes does keep up with inflation and then some so your annual property taxes will increase and you will be on a fixed income from the proceeds of the reverse mortgage - therefore, more and more of your monthly income from the reverse mortgage will be used to pay your property taxes - plus you keep the responsibility for all repairs and those costs increase with inflation.

If you can refinance a current loan or even get a home improvement loan that you end up stashing in a CD that earns some interest to live off for awhile at least you have the benefit of the increased value in your property and your CD to help you keep up with inflation - even our SS at least increases some with inflation - the problem some of us are having is it is not increasing adequately to cover our real inflationary expenses.

Frybabe · « **Reply #12128 on:** October 12, 2013, 04:15:14 PM »

Barb, thanks for the hints. No, absolutely now reverse mortgage for me. I did take into account for the taxes and the repairs. Thanks for the reminder, when it I do my next calculation to add the refi costs. I suppose if it comes to having someone to come in to do the yardwork, I'll have to add that to my calculations too. Anyhow, right now it is just an exercise just in case things get too expensive or I run into major health problems.

PatH · « **Reply #12129 on:** October 12, 2013, 04:20:35 PM »

It's an excellent idea to have an already researched plan in case you need it.

Steph · « **Reply #12130 on:** October 13, 2013, 09:19:07 AM »

MaryPage, the townhouse community that I just sold is like yours, except I did own my unit.. But and this is is a huge one for me. It was three story.. and no elevator or place to put in one of those steps one..So that is why I went to this community.
As a widow, I like all of the activities in the community.. It is just the moving and getting myself oriented to the new way to look at things. And the Home Warranty is a good thing, since this way they are buying the compressor, not me. My only charge is 190.00 for freon and some government mandated new stuff. SO i know I will settle in and be happy. Just need the air,,etc.

Frybabe · « **Reply #12131 on:** October 13, 2013, 09:44:23 AM »

This year's townshjip Pumpkin Fest was cancelled due to the deluge. The nits didn't set up an alternative rain weekend. The library has their biggest book sale going during the fest. Our library manager estimates the library is out about $3,000 from sales. Two truck loads of books are sitting in a township garage waiting for some resolution as to what to do with them now. Several of our patrons have expressed an interest in holding the book sale anyway. The funny thing is, the Friends group has a room full of books for sale, really cheap already, open several days a week for around four hours or so. People just love a bargain, though, and the last day of Pumpkin Fest brings the "bag sale".

jane · « **Reply #12132 on:** October 13, 2013, 10:18:37 AM »

Our Library also has a room where books are for sale all the hours the library is open...6 days a week, but the Friends also sponsor a 2 x a yr booksale and it brings in a lot more people. They set up tables in the teen reading room area and someone mans the "pay here desk" and Friends members volunteer and sign up for 2 hour shifts. You might suggest something similar. Ads in a local paper help and the Library sign out front has it listed as do signs inside.

jane

Frybabe · « **Reply #12133 on:** October 13, 2013, 12:01:10 PM »

The powers hadn't decided what to do yet, but that isn't surprising since the fest was only just cancelled on Wed or Thurs. The gym (township building used to be a high school) area where they used to have their big book sales is off limits. It appears it got wet and buckled. The floor is partly torn up now, and it doesn't look like they are in any hurry to replace it because funds were needed elsewhere. Our Friends book sale room has been shifted around several times this year and is now downstairs somewhere. It's last hiding place was in a room too small at the opposite end on the same floor as the branch library. Our branch library is small, but gets a lot of use. The manager is supposed to be getting a room of her own - sometime. We are supposed to be getting a few more shelves and a larger magazine rack section. All seems very slow progress wise. I believe all has to be approved at the main library. We are a branch of the Fredricksen in Camp Hill, not a stand alone like the other county libraries.

JeanneP · « **Reply #12134 on:** October 13, 2013, 09:18:23 PM »

Both our 2 libraries do the same. friends of library have a book sale three times a year at one but nothing sold other times. They do good. At the larger one they sell used booked most days of the week. Have a special area for it. I try not to buy books unless I know ican pass them along to someone who doesn't go to library. They got to take up to much room few years back.

Octavia · « **Reply #12135 on:** October 14, 2013, 12:39:54 AM »

I think my outback life must have made me a little immune to the heat. No air conditioning, and I usually forget to turn the fans on, or often, to open the windows. In summer, it's usually late 30's to 40 here.
Parcel Post just delivered 2 books I ordered from Booktopia. Judith Wright collected poems and Remarkable Creatures for the book discussion. Unfortunately the postman brought me a summons to the Royal Brisbane Hospital for a pre-admission clinic on the First of November, so I'll miss the start. Like being away on the first day of school.
The books are lovely, so smooth and untouched and smelling of brand new paper.
I love the colours on Judith Wright's poetry book, soft blues and green for our bush, and a waterhole and a dried seed pod or leaf(or an aboriginal canoe?)
I've ordered 2 more books, which by the law of averages will turn up at my door as I arrive in Brisbane. Something else to organise

I meant to write some comments on posts, but I can't find my notes. I'm drowning in bills, and tax papers and doctor stuff and mail for WA sons. I keep trying to organise, but so far it isn't working.
I had the grandsons yesterday, while their parents settled on the couch to watch the Bathurst 500 all day. The Bathurst is right, not sure about the 500 .Feels right though.
Today, I've just been recovering. I can't play like I used to:-)

Steph · « **Reply #12136 on:** October 14, 2013, 09:06:05 AM »

Book sales bring out the internet book sellers in great numbers. They can find a lot of things they need quickly. Our book sales does well. We have two small bookcases in the library. You can take what you like and donate.. I have watched this and it is weird. There are any number of well dressed people who take 5-6 books, leave nothing and a lot of others who not only donate, but sometimes with 20.00 ... so it really varies.

PatH · « **Reply #12137 on:** October 14, 2013, 11:31:13 AM »

Our library has 4 carts of books for sale in the entranceway. Hardcover books are a dollar, paperbacks fifty cents, and specially marked ones, mostly art books are more. You put your money in a lockbox; I don't know if people cheat.

Frybabe · « **Reply #12138 on:** October 14, 2013, 01:45:28 PM »

Same here, PatH. Our shelf and two carts outside the door can be seen directly from the check out counter. They bring their money for the books to the counter. So there is that, the regular book sale several days a week, and announced book sale once a month and several larger book sales throughout the year. We also have, to me, an amazing number of people who bring their books back late and so must pay the late fee. Many of these people could avoid the late fee by just reborrowing the book online until they can get in.

ginny · « **Reply #12139 on:** October 14, 2013, 02:18:00 PM »

The books are lovely, so smooth and untouched and smelling of brand new paper.

I love the way you put that, Octavia, that sort of thing is important to me, too.

For those of you in the States, I just heard on NPR something about a series showing tongiht on C Span at 9 pm, something about thte Women of the White House and this one tonight is Lou Hoover. It apparently is an eye opener!!

Both she and Herbert Hoover spoke 5 languages. She was apparently a Renaissance woman far ahead of her time. When they didn't want the servants to know what they were saying they spoke in Chinese. It reveals a different side to Herbert Hoover (who didn't die till the 60's!!) and his wife than we ordinarily see. He was from Iowa. She was tremendously bitter about how he was vilified because of the 29 stock market crash. They actually have film of her speaking. She died early in 1944 of a heart attack. She wrote an open letter to her sons denouncing how he was blamed for everything, and the series has the letter.

She was a college graduate in the 18'00s when such a thing was quite rare for women. Both he and she went to Stanford. They did as young people all kinds of missionary work, sort of like the Peace Corps type of stuff if I understood that correctly, overseas. She majored in something like Geology and was not able to get a job, because she was not a man, said she wished she had been. She was head of the Girl Scouts. It's absolutely fascinating, or seems so, are any of you watching this series? I wish my VCR worked!

ANNIE · « **Reply #12140 on:** October 14, 2013, 02:57:37 PM »

Ginny,
Is that the fall restart of the Ladies in the White House series that we watched last spring up until May or June? And, then C-SPAN replayed those in the summer.

ginny · « **Reply #12141 on:** October 14, 2013, 03:02:31 PM »

Oh I did not know that!!! I expect then everybody who wanted to see it, has. I was putting it in the Latin classes because it turns out she was quite a scholar of Latin as well:

"Mrs. Hoover was also well versed in Latin; she collaborated with her husband in translating Agricola's De Re Metallica, a 16th-century encyclopedia of mining and metallurgy. The Hoover translation was published in 1912, and remains in print today as the standard English translation. During World War I, she assisted her husband in providing relief for Belgian refugees. For her work she was decorated in 1919 by King Albert I of Belgium."

She was also in China for the Boxer Rebellion. Wow, what a life!

I didn't know any of this!! (I don't watch TV, as one can see, so I'm always late on everything.

I thought it was new as they were talking about it today on Public Radio, maybe it was an old broadcast, too. Maybe in fact I am stuck in a time warp . Like the Twilight Zone.... (Wouldn't surprise me at all) hahahahaa

maryz · « **Reply #12142 on:** October 14, 2013, 05:24:49 PM »

Ginny, you can also watch the program on the CSpan web site.

ginny · « **Reply #12143 on:** October 14, 2013, 06:06:01 PM »

Oh I appreciate that, Mary because everybody may not have seen the notice in time, thank you!

Anybody got the new Eggars Circle? I've got it and have not had time to even open it. How IS it?

MaryPage · « **Reply #12144 on:** October 15, 2013, 07:32:32 AM »

I've been watching the First Ladies series in C-Span since they began with Martha Washington.

Frybabe · « **Reply #12145 on:** October 15, 2013, 07:54:47 AM »

I was all set to watch First Ladies last night, but the CSPAN channel changed it to one I don't get.

Steph · « **Reply #12146 on:** October 15, 2013, 08:47:34 AM »

I had read some information on the Hoovers so many years ago..I went to college with a niece or grandniece and she had talked about Lou.. She has always been on my most wanted to be list for years.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #12147 on:** October 17, 2013, 11:37:54 AM »

Thought I could copy and paste it here but it will not show the link except as my email address - received in a Real Estate bulletin a fun photo showing Mt. Rushmore from the fantsy backside of the 4 men as if kneeling and all we see is their backside with the heading that because of the shutdown we can only see Mt. Rushmore from the Canadian side - I wish i could copy and paste the photo it is priceless but tried very way from Sunday with no success.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #12148 on:** October 17, 2013, 07:13:42 PM »

Looka here - Alice Munro is now included in the Everyman's Library

http://www.randomhouse.com/knopf/classics/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307264862&view=excerpt&Ref=Email_KDD_EMLoct13110/17/2013

Steph · « **Reply #12149 on:** October 18, 2013, 10:06:37 AM »

Started Fall of Giants by Ken Follett.. I wish he were not quite so wordy.. It is for a f2f bookclub, but no idea how much war he will include. I suspect a lot since he is a war person.

marjifay · « **Reply #12150 on:** October 18, 2013, 11:11:54 AM »

Ken Follett's FALL OF GIANTS is the first book I've read that really helped me understand how WW1 was started. The book is the first in his Century Trilogy. The second is Winter of the World and third is Edge of Eternity.

The 100th anniversary of the declaration of the war in 1914 is coming up, so many new books are being published about it. I've got several on my TBR list (love history), all nonfiction:

THE SLEEPWALKERS; HOW EUROPE WENT TO WAR IN 1914 by Christopher Clark, THE WAR THAT ENDED PEACE; THE ROAD TO 1914 by Margaret MacMillan; CATASTROPHE 1914; EUROPE GOES TO WAR by Max Hastings, and THE GUNS OF AUGUST by Barbara Tuchman.

Marj

MaryPage · « **Reply #12151 on:** October 18, 2013, 11:20:19 AM »

Steph, am interested in your total reaction to that book after reading it. Made a decision, once upon a good while ago, not to get into Follett. Then a beloved granddaughter gave me World Without End for Christmas 10 years ago. Made myself get around to it within the year so that I could honestly claim (to her) I had read it, but discovered then that it was the 2nd of a series, so put it down and ordered the 1st book. And sighed and dove into Pillars of The Earth. Well, I enjoyed the journey. And so I read World Without End, convinced that indeed, it would never end, and then enjoyed the television series. He is a good writer, and I became involved.
That being said, I made a conscious decision NOT to try the series you have just begun. For one thing, as someone who lived through those times, I tend to quail at the mistakes present day fiction writers make. In fact, it takes such novels to make me realize how truly differently we grew up. How differently we were taught, fed, and organized. And how differently we spoke! Reading a story where people of the thirties and forties used words and expressions unheard of until the nineties and/or the 21st century is really upsetting to me. Also, we had Herman Wouk immortalize the period in fiction, and do it pretty well.
Discouraged in these ways, I have had to accept, and it has been like forcing oneself to swallow a dreadful medicine, that it is a certainty that ALL fiction ever written about a particular period in history is probably full of serious errors about how folk spoke, dressed, lived their daily lives and even thought: unless it is written IN those very years by an author LIVING in those years. This is one thing that makes Jane Austen great. She was an accurate spokesperson for her time and class.
So please give me your take on Follett's writing of those World War Two years and the before and after.

marjifay · « **Reply #12152 on:** October 18, 2013, 12:56:22 PM »

MaryPage, Steph is reading Fall of Giants, which is about World War I, not World War 2.

Marj

Steph · « **Reply #12153 on:** October 19, 2013, 11:00:39 AM »

My initial reactions are complicated.. First of all, it is a huge book.. and I must confess not to liking books that feel the need to cover everything. Second, it is very very melodramatic at the beginning. Not just mines, but explosions, no just a servant, but a pregnant one who falls in love with a Duke for heavens sakes.. Not just a German, but a spy.. A lot less melodrama would be nice is my first opinion and then being a quaker, I just flat out dont believe in any war.. So I will struggle on, but not sure just why.

ursamajor · « **Reply #12154 on:** October 20, 2013, 02:06:28 PM »

I read Fall of Giants recently and enjoyed it. My DIL also gave us Winter of the World, which deals with WW 2. I found that I just couldn't deal with the first part which deals with the Nazi takeover of Germany. Don't want to remember or think about it.

Octavia · « **Reply #12155 on:** October 20, 2013, 09:54:45 PM »

I used to read huge books in my youth, but now I've lost the urge, or the concentration.
I can't stop watching the bushfire reports on the ABC, so many houses lost, lives shattered.
'It's just stuff', one woman said sadly, turning away from the ruins of her house, 'In the end, it's just stuff.'I knew what she meant, they were alive. Stuff isn't just stuff though, stuff carries freight.
Every time I fill the little hand painted milk jug I inherited from my mother in law, she comes to life for me. I see her stance, and hear her voice, talking to me.
Last night, the radio played 'Starry, Starry Night', I'm not sure if that's the title or not. Immediately, I thought of Gladys on Senior Net, and her son, Vincent. I remembered her talking of the Blitz in London, and what it was like. Unimaginable to me, but horribly real to her.
I've started thinking what will say 'me' to my sons. Probably a coffee mug, I'm an addict

Steph · « **Reply #12156 on:** October 21, 2013, 09:02:49 AM »

I am probably 2/3 through Fall of Giants. Some I like, other parts, I tend to skim.. I simply dislike war novels of any type.. The stories about how life changed dramatically in WWI is interesting, and I love the parts with women trying to forge through to vote and be a part of the world.. How amazing to me that the war really started because Austria felt the need to be belligerent. Hmm, and Germany felt the need to push at its borders.. I found not one reason for them to fight.. but then that has been true of so many of the wars ..

FlaJean · « **Reply #12157 on:** October 21, 2013, 10:09:14 AM »

Octavia, what a thoughtful post and so true.

MaryPage · « **Reply #12158 on:** October 21, 2013, 05:44:52 PM »

Octavia, I loved your post, as well.

Yes, there are a myriad small items in my home that mean to me one of many aunts, my beloved grandmother, my favorite uncle, and of course my parents and so on and on. How lucky we are to have these small keepsakes.

Steph · « **Reply #12159 on:** October 22, 2013, 08:39:04 AM »

Even in the middle of my no air conditioning house with the worlds slowest fixers,, I stopped and thought. Octavia, you are so right. That is the reason I have a cabinet full of crystal and glass. Each and every piece represents my relatives, my husband, his relatives and many dear friends who have given me crystal because I love it so. I have no cabinet that is nothing but small pieces of blue themed glass,pottery, even painted wood.. When we started out in the rv and the european travel, we determined that small things were the key and each and every piece in the cabinet represents our laughter and love over all those years.

News:

Author Topic: The Library (Read 2318660 times)