The Library

[JeanneP]

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 
 

Was just reading that Janet Dailey the writer passed away last week. Only 69. I never read her as I am not into Romance books.
As usual they had to mention her having some of her book taken of the shelves as lots of the writing had been taken from the book of another writer. Nora Roberts.  She did admit to it being true.  The Settlement was kept out of court.  Had been doing it for 7 years it said.
Now so many books are written anymore that lots of them seem to have the same plots in their stories. Only the names change.

[rosemarykaye]

Just popping in to wish all of you a very happy Christmas.  I have been absent for a few months, I know - family issues have intervened a bit - but I intend to be back in 2014!  I've no doubt missed TONS, but I think often of all my wonderful friends on this site, and when I'm not visiting it every few days I do feel as though a little part of my life is missing.

I'm currently reading 'Greenery Street', a Persephone Books reprint of a novel by Denis Mackail.  My reading has been intermittent recently, but again, I'm hoping for better things as the new year unfolds.

And I have some news - we have this week agreed to buy a flat in Edinburgh, so I will be moving back into the city. It's been fun being in the village, but I can't wait to get back into town.

Very best wishes to all,

Rosemary

[JeanneP]

Rosemary.
Good knowing you are OK? Just busy. What great news,you moving into the city.
Living in a village I Britain sound ideal when reading about it in books. But city living when still young is the place to be.
But oh! The packing. That is what stops me from moving.  Enjoy the move.

[rosemarykaye]

Thanks Jeanne - I am trying not to think about the packing!  I usually get the removal company to do it, but as it is going to have to be done in 2 stages this time i may end up having to do it myself, aargh.

Village living is often portrayed as an English idyll, but unfortunately there are few villages now that still retain a shop, school, or even a bus service.  People who retire to them can end up very cut off.  There is a really lovely village near here called Dirleton that has managed to keep a shop/post office, a cafe, a primary school. a church and 2 pubs - but that is extremely unusual, and as a result the property prices are sky high.  Most villages around here are very pretty but have literally no 'social' areas, they are essentially dormitories for Edinburgh commuters - ours in particular as it has one of the few stations on the train line into the city.

I hope you are enjoying a good Christmas.  We are just cooking the turkey, it does smell good.

Rosemary x

[JeanneP]

Rosemary.
Yes my fondest memories are the years I spent going back and forth weekly to the village part of my family lived in . Was called "green booth village" up in Lancashire . Only took 30 min. Getting from my busy town to it but was like another world. Had to walk a mile off main bus line to get to it.  Had school house, church. 3little stores. Even a small mill.yes and a fish and chip shop.  No pubs. About 50 homes.
After the war ended and about 1948 it was voted to flood the area and have 2 big reservoirs
We have been putting photo together past 5 years on the Internet. I found that has our big house was up high it is still standing. If the water happens to get low on a hot summer you can look down and see the church steeple .  Nothing was bulldozed they say. Just went in and flooded all the stone cottages.. Makes me cry just thinking of it

Now my fathers family village was and still  a beautiful one .it is in Derbyshire. I can bring it up on line

[MaryPage]

I am a Virginian, and always believe myself to have no accent, but everyone tells me you can hear the Southern in my speech.  When I hear my own voice, I am appalled!

[Frybabe]

That's great news, Rosemarykaye. I've enjoyed reading your posts about the village, but the one time I was in Edinburgh, it felt like home to me, like I'd been there before. Perhaps in a past life.

[rosemarykaye]

Hi Frybabe - glad you like Edinburgh, it is a great city.  When did you visit?

[Frybabe]

Waaaaay back in 1969. One of the best highlights of my life. Never forgot it or the wonderful feeling I had while there. We were only there two days before heading to Wales and family.

[rosemarykaye]

Gosh, I imagine it's changed a bit since then! 

[marjifay]

I also liked Edinburgh when I visited it back in the 1990s.  I'm not a shopper, but they had some beautiful stores. Loved the contrast between the old and new buildings.  We were there I think during a September, and when visiting the castle we were nearly blown away by the icy wind and rain--I'll never forget being to chilled.  I loved the way the sea looked--so dark and mysterious, rough and choppy,(not one to swim in?)-- so different from our laid back Pacific Ocean near Los Angeles.  I thought Balmoral Castle was rather gloomy and wondered why anyone would want to live there--but perhaps it is different on a sunny day when it is occupied by people enjoying themselves.  I was sorry our visit was so short.

Marj

[JeanneP]

Even though I was raised all the years in north England I never made it into Scotland . Wales and Ireland many times. Well now when I come back in spring I may make it into Edinburgh  Some of family now moved up to Northumberland, so much closer. Should make it in for sure. Look forward to it.

[Steph]

Wild... New York City,Philadelphia and Jackson Mississippi.. None of which I ever lived in..

[MaryPage]

I went through Edinburgh in 1971.  Did not stay there.

[JeanneP]

I go back to my home city about every 2 /3 years. It has changed so much that I can't find my way around.  To drive in it.  I wouldn't want to try. I don't like the changes at all.

[waafer]

I was in Edinburgh 25-26th May 1980.  Just loved walking Princess Street and next day joined a sightseeing bus trip -Millie was our guide
and knew her city,Edinburgh Castle and then Royal mile to Holyrood Castle.  Such a grey sombre looking city but I enjoyed every minute of my time in Scotland. Great Grandmother came from Scotland to Australia -she would be the most notworthy of my ancestors. Had a family of 10 after losing twins on the journey out on the ship.

My next visit was 1996 but nothing  came up to my first visit to this country.

[PatH]

Rosemary, I'm glad you're fine, just busy.  Good luck on your move.

[rosemarykaye]

Hi Pat - thanks, and I hope you are well 

[BarbStAubrey]

Nice treat to see your posts Rosemary -

First day I am human - came to my daughters Thursday the 19th - arrived that evening - next day caught up with everyone - my boxes arrived - unpacked - needed a couple of gifts and so, on Saturday youngest Grand drove us and I finished out my shopping - did not feel too hot, decided to stop and pickup the herbal stuff along with some super green and noticed I was having difficulty getting air - thinking it was the altitude I still needed one more thing but needed a nap. Well... struck with a vengeance - chills and no matter the number of blankets could not get warm - then my lungs on and on, by Monday my daughter talking to their good friend who shared his symptoms which were similar - the flu -

Each day I wanted to feel better - would take a hot shower get dressed and die - couldn't eat - drank a full glass of water every time I woke up this went on and on - Christmas Eve and notta gift wrapped - I'll do it in the morning says I - huh - and so like Drosselmeyer I had my bags and boxes next to me while sitting in a chair wrapped in blankets and simply handed out the gifts - this is for you and here is for you - my one grandson had gone to the store on Christmas Eve and purchased the one gift still not purchased and it was part of his own gift - at that point I did not care - too miserable for secrets -

It all worked out including we had a young women they knew from summer Camp Counseling who is caught up in a mess with the State Dept. over her work visa so we had an English guest with online visiting from family to family - then the panic my insurance had to be paid today the last due date and I could not reach the agent - finally reached the company that she left - the guy taking her accounts couldn't be nicer - now that it is all done I cannot believe I can relax and just get better -

Flu only has an incubation of 30 to 48 hours - so I had to have picked it up on the plane - with 2 day incubation, 3 days start and 3 days height of symptoms and 3 days going I will be ready to fly home just when this all leaves me - what a holiday - but thank goodness the boys are all grown and they couldn't have been sweeter - let me tell you this years flu drains you and drains you and just when you think you can eat - nope - trying to walk a straight line and another trick. Staying warm is another trick - the chills last and last and last. So if you missed your flu shot be ready - As much as I love them all and thank goodness I was here I really want my own bed and the warm - these cold night grrrrr. Hopefully we can all leave 2013 behind and move forward.

[maryz]

So sorry to hear you got the flu, Barb.  Yuck, yuck, and more yuck!  It does sound like you're on the mend, though. 

[Frybabe]

Barb, sorry to hear your holiday was pretty much ruined by the flu bug. Be well soon.

[rosemarykaye]

Oh what a shame Barb - did you have the flu vaccine this year?  I do hope you feel better soon, it's always especially dreadful to be ill away from your own home.

Take care,

Rosemary x

[ginny]

Barbara, I'm certainly sorry to hear about your flu,  hope you feel better soon!!  

Call for the Official Books Chicken Soup!



That should do it!

[ginny]

Rosemary!! What a joy to look in and see you here again, and on Christmas Day, too! What a wonderful gift!!


I always found it interesting that Agatha Christie  said you didn't need to go anywhere else to write a mystery than an English village, you could find everything you needed there, including evil and all types of behavior. I wonder what she would think today. The being cut off socially itself would make a great novel.

I am so glad to see you back! We look forward,  when you have time to breathe from packing, to catching up with your news, your book reviewing and your children, how is your daughter liking Cambridge, for instance?

One of my friends just took the Harvard dialect fun quiz, http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html?ref=opinion&_r=0, yesterday,  and it pegged her in the first city mentioned  immediately  from Oklahoma City! She is originally from Oklahoma City, many moons ago.  I forget the other two cities it named where people spoke with the same expressions she uses.... (I expect it was the "catty whompus" or however you spell it,  which pegged her) but I found it fascinating and I'm glad so many of you did, too.  It sure nailed me in Philadelphia, Jersey City and Newark.

It's interesting. I have only been thru Newark for flights and have never been to Jersey City, but they can't put up every tiny hamlet in a region, like Moorestown NJ where I did live, as they haven't done studies there, apparently.   But Philadelphia is my home town, where I have not been for many MANY years, except for the occasional brief  nostalgic memory trip.

I expect this study and the reports of how people speak in these various regions of the country  has something to do with the greatly (among some) lamented decline  of regional differences in speech in the US.
 
But "catty whompus" was a new one for me. I keep looking at it and trying to figure out how on earth those words mean what they do. hahahaa

 

[Steph]

Hi Rosemary,, long time, no hear. I have been in Edinburgh several times and loved it. Lots to do and very very full of energy.
I am home..tired, but home..Sorry about the Flu Barb.Definitely not the best Christmas of all. Mine was not nice, but at least it has energized me into looking more closely at family dynamics and figure out just how much I want to be involved.

[rosemarykaye]

Hi Steph - I'm so sorry to hear your Christmas wasn't great. There is so much weight placed on a few days, and the stresses can be enormous.  We just about struggle through ours - and we only have the children here, we do not see either set of grandparents, though we do visit my in-laws for new year.  I think these family get-togethers are so hard sometimes. Good to take stock though, as you say.

Rosemary

[maryz]

Interesting to hear the comments about the stress in requiring holiday "cheer".  It makes me glad that our family has never placed a great deal of importance in specific times and/or gatherings.  I can certainly understand how the "you WILL have a good time" idea can cause turmoil and ill will.  Christmas time around here has always been stretched out and with a "come when and/or if you can" attitude. 

At least this set of holidays is over for now, with hopefully no permanent repercussions - and just some good memories.

[Tomereader1]

I took the Dialect Quiz, and it didn't hit anywhere near me.  It showed Montgomery, Ala and someplace in NJ.
I'm from Texas, born and raised there. 

[Winchesterlady]

Rosemary -- I'm glad to see you are okay.  I don't post very often but I really enjoy reading your's.  They are always so interesting.

Barb -- Glad you are feeling better.  It is terrible to get sick any time, but especially when you are away from home.

[mabel1015j]

Rosemary and Barb, my sympathies for your unhappy circumstances and hope things are looking better and better each week.

Waafer - i don't recognize your moniker are you new to this site?

Mary, we also stretch out the holidays and make Christmas whatever day works. How can we not do that once adult children have two families to have "Christmas" with?

Having been a history prof and always a history buff, i have a question. I see a couple of you have the title "administrator", can you give us a summary of how SL, and i guess previously, Seniornet got started - i guess i really am curious about how those of you who are the worker bees for the site got to be so? I came to SN about 10 yrs ago and know the story about the computer training for seniors, but how did Ginny, Pat and others get involved as administrators? Just a curiosity.

[PatH]

I took the dialect quiz twice, with different results.  I must have changed my answer on one of the iffy questions.  The first time, it said Yonkers, Jersey city, and somewhere else near those two.  But the second time was right on--Washington DC, where I've lived all my life.  The other two were Montgomery, AL and Durham, NC.  The deepest red spots were in northern MD, PA, NY, and NC.

[BarbStAubrey]

found the test difficult - I say things that written sound as I say them but often not as others say the same few letters strung together - they had me from places like Birmingham and Columbia Georgia - which seemed more from the strength of calling events and animals by certain names.

As long as I am understood by those who I live among that is all that matters - I have a few days to get my lungs back into better working order but finally feel human and can walk a straight line from room to room. And finally food tastes like food - hurray tra la la la lah

[ginny]

I'm glad you're feeling better, Barbara.

Tome, how interesting and Pat, two different results! I have no idea why that might be.  It's fun, anyway.   For instance I did not know what the grass between the sidewalk and the curb was, but had I guessed, I have a feeling they'd have put me in Oregon. hahaha Of interest too, is the map showing each pronunciation, the three little maps as you go?  I found that fascinating. I had no idea that a turnpike was said in the mid west. I can assure all that if I showed up in Philly today nobody would understand a word I said. hahahaha

Having been a history prof and always a history buff, i have a question. I see a couple of you have the title "administrator", can you give us a summary of how SL, and i guess previously, Seniornet got started - i guess i really am curious about how those of you who are the worker bees for the site got to be so? I came to SN about 10 yrs ago and know the story about the computer training for seniors, but how did Ginny, Pat and others get involved as administrators? Just a curiosity.

I can answer that one, Jean. Because of the somewhat shabby way we were treated by SeniorNET, I'm not interested in giving their history as an organization devoted to "bringing wisdom to the information age," nor their training centers.

Most of us started out on the old SeniorNET as "Hosts," which was a designation for volunteers on the website.  It was an exciting time.  We started the Books on SeniorNet in  1996. We had our first Books Gathering in NYC in  1998. Our first book discussion was  Snow Falling on Cedars, and the second was The Odyssey, both of which I led.   SeniorNet's website went down in 2008,  hacked or something, and  we had started the Latin classes in 2004,  (because of people saying in the book discussions they wish they had had the opportunity to take it),  and people had paid  SeniorNet  for something they were not going to get.   There were more than 100 of them. The website on SeniorNet appeared not to be going back up, and no money apparently was going to be refunded. They were in essence being cheated.

 So we  went looking for a website that we could continue the Latin classes AND the Books on,  (because the Latin classes are invisible and we needed a place for the Books too, which we were all heavily involved in,  to be visible) and found our present home. We reasoned that should SeniorNet get  back up this might make a nice auxiliary section as the Books and the Latin classes had gotten really big. We did not intend to replace  SeniorNet, and it's a good thing we did start this site because  SeniorNet never did put up the website as it was again,  and Marcie, the former webmaster of SeniorNet,   and Tony, also a webmaster on SeniorNet,  were tremendously helpful in the transition. I don't think we could have done it without them.

It's been a total volunteer effort. We were so lucky in those who came with us! Pat and Jane and Marcie did the technical stuff, Pearson and the Discussion Leaders  did the Books and Lit, and Jane also  runs the Latin classes as registrar, we could not function without her.  We also had some incredibly dedicated Teaching Assistants in the Classics Program: it was, and remains,  a total group effort.

And the best news of all was,  so many of our wonderful readers came with us. And we got new members, too!   Pearson and our stalwart team of Discussion Leaders and  loyal readers  pitched in from the get go,  and got our splendid book discussions up and on track,  and thanks to those of you who came, too, we were able to continue with almost no break at all with a lot of laughs and mistakes as we learned.

We stayed up for days until 1 pm and later transferring files, illustrations,  and old book discussions from SeniorNet, until we had them all. Or we thought we did. They apparently did not ALL make it over here.  It was a monumental job. We knew that the Latin and Greek  classes (we did not lose a student, or teacher,  either!) would pay for the website but the nice surprise was the Books. Due to Marcie's great idea, Amazon ads on the site are paying, too, and the Books and the Latin classes now pay for the website and the expenses which come up like other domains, etc.,  thanks to you all,  and we have not had to request donations.

 And we're still here, 6 years later in 2014 with lots of accomplishments, and fun times, great Gatherings, Membership in the Library of Congress's Center for the Book (thanks to Pearson), 7,000+ books donated to Charity through the Prison Library Project and to Native American Reservations, the connection between PBS and the  Books, articles in the news, and for the Latin side, recognition and presentations at prestigious conferences, a great and enthusiastic student body, Classics Gatherings, and  many many medals on the National Latin Exam (14 last year alone, representing every student who tried).  In fact today  we offer in the Latin alone 8 levels of Latin courses.  And, equally important,  real friendships have been  born from this glowing box in whatever room it's found in your home,  and we cherish  the opportunity to talk to people we'd  never have met, ever. The only sad thing about it  has been the loss of  some of our wonderful friends over the  years.

It's been a good thing, it really has. Thank you for asking about it, it's a good time to reminisce. Thank you ALL for everything YOU'VE done, one cannot discuss books if nobody answers.

I'm glad to see Pat's name mentioned, particularly as it's getting close to singing Auld Lang Syne, it's nice to remember fondly those we miss. I just heard from Pat last week, and tho she isn't able to do any technical work any more,  she's still dear Pat!

Why not send her the greetings of the season if you go back far enough to remember her? Email me at gvinesc@gmail.com for her email. She's not always on, but I know it would please her to hear from folks when she can get on.

SeniorNET never got their website back up properly and what little they tried apparently died. They still, however, as of last week, offer a static page that does not allow posting,  and on it,  in their testimonials section, they  continue to use OUR Latin class testimonials;  an awful lot of the best quotes are really talking about us.

[ANNIE]

Barbara, so glad you are finally feeling somewhat better.  Just remember to take good care of yourself.  No late nights, drinking lots of water and naps are all known to benefit one's body.

Ginny,
I took the test twice also and with the same word applied to the same question, they first place me in Iowa, well two of the towns were near each other, in Iowa and the last one was in Kansas.  On the second go round, they place me in MI, IL and OH.  Of course, since I have lived from IN to TX to IN and then to OH to GA to CA and back to GA and then back to OHIO for keeps, I don't feel that I have an accent at all.  

Your coverage of the trials and tribulations of how SeniorLearn came to be was just delightful.  

Hope PatW is ready for an onslaught of emails.  She can also be reached on her Facebook page.   We won't be strangers!  She is one of the best!

[bellamarie]

Have finally found a few moments to check in....Our Christmas was one of the best ever!  My sweet little 2 yr old granddaughter Zoey and her 5 yr. old brother Zak filled my Christmas Eve Mass with so much laughter, with their inquiry as to where is the baby Jesus, who was missing in the stable.  It was precious when they walked the baby figurine in to place it in the manger, sweet little Zoey says so loud the entire church could hear, "Awwww baby Jesus is so cute!"   I am very blessed to have my family share 5:30 Mass with us, and then go to my house to open presents.  My daughter and her husband live in Florida and have yet to visit at Christmas, so we have to be contented with the telephone calls.

Barb, I am so very sorry to hear you caught the flu.  You made me realize how I need to hurry out tomorrow to get my flu shot.  I hope your travels back home will be comfortable.  There truly is NO PLACE LIKE HOME, especially when you are sick.

Rosemary, it is so nice to hear from you.  I always look forward to your posts sharing your life in England.  I have never been fortunate to travel out of the U.S. unless Canada counts.

Ginny, Reading how Senior Learn came about from SeniorNet was interesting.  My first book I ever read with SeniorNet was Teacher Man by Frank McCourt.  I'm a bit fussy on the second book, may have been Guernsey Literary Potato Pie Society.  Ughhh is that the correct title?  I am falling asleep at the computer so I suppose I will say good night.  May daycare does not resume until January 2nd, so my hubby being retired is running my legs off of me.  Oh how I love schedules and continuity.

If I don't make it back in before the ball drops in New York City, to ring in the New Year, I wish you ALL the Happiest New Year, and may 2014 be the best year ever!!

Ciao for now~

p.s.   Just wanted to mention I had an email in my aol inbox from Amazon titled "invoice for my recent purchase."  I did not purchase anything from Amazon recently so I tried to open it and my anti virus warned me it was a trojan virus.  Has anyone else gotten anything like this?  Luckily my antivirus program  was able to prevent it from getting into my computer. 

 

[BarbStAubrey]

Forgot to say thanks for the chicken soup - oh how I could have enjoyed a hot bowl of good thick homemade chicken soup but my daughter's strongest points are not in the kitchen much less making soup - keep feeling better each day and regardless how well I feel when I get home first thing out of the freezer will be a chicken to make a pot of chicken soup.

Took the test again and this time was closer to home - Lubbock Fort Worth and Jackson Mississippi. What do the rest of you call the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the curb - they did not include grass strip but then few streets have a sidewalk so our lawns or other low growing plants go to the curb. For about 3 or 4 feet from the curb I have growing, rosemary, marjoram, lantana, creeping thyme and a few different cactus. Had a few other plants but over the years the deer ate them to the nub so they did not grow back. Where there are sidewalks, mostly around school yards, the sidewalk goes to the curb.

[rosemarykaye]

Hi Barb, and hope you are continuing to feel better.

Here in the UK I think we call that strip of grass a verge.  In Fraserburgh (NE coast) they call the grass behind the sand dunes the 'machair'.  It features in a novel I read but I just can't remember what it was called at the moment.

Have a good Sunday,

Rosemary x

[Steph]

A verge is somewhat diffferent in theUS.. or at least in Delaware and Florida. I am calmed down from Christmas and making a list.. I am good at list to help me straighten out how I feel and why.. The thing about our Christmas is that my husband planned the whole thing and I think we have outgrown it somewhat.. Also of course, when he planned it, we had the rv and we could simply go back to the rv at the park when we got tired. With me at the mercy of one of my sons, since I stay at this house,, I get way too tired.. I will work it out..
Does anyone have any experience with OCD... and how to cope with someone who seems to have it? I need some advice.

[maryz]

I've never heard the grassy strip called anything - other than grass.  Oh, well.....

[PatH]

We used to call it the grass strip, which wasn't one of the choices.  The one that pinned me to DC was "yard sale".  The one I might have changed was the sandwich.  I call it either "sub" or "hero" and they didn't allow for both, and neither didn't seem right.