Author Topic: The Library (Read 2087328 times)

kiwilady · « **Reply #3920 on:** January 30, 2011, 01:05:44 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!

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Hi Mahlia

I think the Egyptian people are very brave. I do not think there would be change without this unrest. No dictator has ever been deposed without civil disobedience. I wish them all the best and I am watching all news broadcasts.

Carolyn

Steph · « **Reply #3921 on:** January 30, 2011, 06:34:29 AM »

Yes, I put the first Hamish in my queu and it should be here tomorrow. If I like it, will put in the rest of the first year. I get the discs..I get so tired of new and improved and I know how to work the dvd player. I think the streaming works if you use your lap top or something next to the tv.. Just one more complication from my school of thought. I get the one disc at a time service as well.. Worth it for me. I watch old tv shows that I missed mostly..
Mahlia, I am glad your husband is here.. I worry about the Huge Cairo museum. Some of the news seems to indicate people are trying to break in and set fires.. But that many many ordinary people are trying to stop this and put out the firest. It is one of the worlds greatest treasures. I dont understand the passion to destroy.. Egyptian treasures have not ever hurt anyone..

Babi · « **Reply #3922 on:** January 30, 2011, 08:51:11 AM »

ROSEMARY, we didn't have jumble sales, but I remember my grandmother taking me to one of the yearly community graveyard clean-up. People would come with their rakes, pruning shears, etc and make everything neat and pleasant. The ladies brought lunch, too, which consisted of long trestle tables set with endless platters of fried chicken, sides and desserts..cake and pie galore. A child's heaven!

ginny · « **Reply #3923 on:** January 30, 2011, 09:48:37 AM »

I thought I blinked and was in the middle of EF Benson for a minute! Rosemary you must write, that's marvelous. What a picture you paint.

Tombola? I thought that was a game played in Naples, shows you what I know!!

We learned of a strange variety of it while reading Carol Goodman's book on Capri, and I was on fire to get one but the only vendor I could find with it (the cards had symbols on the back) had sold out at Christmas time.

I came IN to say I'm reading and thoroughly enjoying something much more mundane hahaha. It's called Retail Hell, hahaha. I was caught by the cover which is cleverly done in B&N and have been caught up in it ever since, I'm a fool for those "this is how it really is from the POV of those in the service industry" type of books. Or in this case what it's like to sell $3,500 handbags to a decidedly rude clientele. I don't know why these types of books appeal to me, guilty pleasures I guess, but they do.

I guess I actually can relate somewhat to it as in my youthful beginning days teaching school, I'd get off school at 3:30 and run to the local "downtown" department store which shall remain nameless where I would stand up and look busy till 9pm, and at holidays 10 pm, no siting no eating, look busy, look busy, in the "Women's Better Coats." It was quite the learning experience, back in the dark ages. hahahaa. I had never seen anybody eat Vienna sausages and or chili beans straight from the can in a furtive "dinner" trip to the dressing room. I imagine now the employees have better rights.

I like the way this one is laid out, each chapter has a fire illustration on the chapter page, it's nicely done, it really is. Some of the people he meets seem unreal, but they aren't, if you've "been there."

I'll add this to my pile of Nickel and Dimed, waiter stories, and the hotel blog online where people talk about what it's really like to work in a big hotel, usually catering to upscale clients who aren't.

Frybabe · « **Reply #3924 on:** January 30, 2011, 10:02:36 AM »

Mahlia, thanks for taking the time to update us. It is an absolutely remarkable sight to see civilians jam-packed, standing on top of tanks and the military being so restrained. I hope the people can affect a relatively peaceful change. If so, it will be a remarkable achievement.

bellemere · « **Reply #3925 on:** January 30, 2011, 11:33:32 AM »

I hope the Egyption uprising ends well. A similar one in Iran, maybe not quite so violent - but it sparked terrible retaliation from the authorities and ultimately failed to bring any change. It seems that the rold or the Internet and Faceook sites has enable the protestors to sharie information and to organize to a degree never seen before. It also makes it very easy for the police to trac email messages and facebook posts and arrest protestors.
It is a big problem for the US- we supported that guy in diplomacy and in money for so long. Now we have to choose sides.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3926 on:** January 30, 2011, 01:14:45 PM »

I used to do that graveyard cleanup thing on a Saturday a couple of times or so a year at our little Episcopalian church in Virginia, where I lived for 29 years. Always enjoyed the work and camaraderie.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3927 on:** January 30, 2011, 02:02:41 PM »

Ginny - you're not thinking of Tarot cards are you? I think they are used to tell people's fortunes. Tombola is a sort of raffle - you buy a numbered ticket, then the other half of it is put into a big metal cylinder that someone turns. Then in the afternoon the local worthy (I recall we once had Ronnie Corbett (a British comedian) and his wife) takes out the winning tickets - usually the first one to be picked gets the "star" prize, which could be the ubiquitous alcohol, a shopping voucher or whatever, then the next gets something a bit less exciting, and so on till all the prizes are gone.

A variation on this is the bottle stall, where you buy tickets and see if any of the numbers match the ones attached to various bottles - again this can be anything from whisky to shampoo, all donations. Our church does a chocolate version of this at the annual Christmas fair, and my children have sometimes cleaned up bigtime - usually all I seem to manage to win is something like a Mars bar, but that's OK, it's all part of the fun.

I have never heard of a graveyard clean-up, but what a fantastic idea! Most of ours could certainly do with it. We do have beach clean ups, though I've never managed to get to one - another very necessary undertaking as our beach is usually covered in rubbish, esp in the summer.

Rosemary

MaryPage · « **Reply #3928 on:** January 30, 2011, 02:53:40 PM »

It works well when the graveyard is attached to the church itself. We had the parish hall (with restrooms) for wash ups and resting.

ALF43 · « **Reply #3929 on:** January 30, 2011, 03:08:15 PM »

Beach clean ups are a marvelous learning tool.
When we lived in Myrtle Beach, SC., my son's science class was responsible for 2 miles of the beach front. They picked up hundreds of pounds of debris and trash that year.
It was amazing what these kids learned -not only about the importance of keeping our environment as clean as possible but how they began to understand their own important role in the maintenance of sea life. Many of them went on to work with group that protected the sea turtles. I have seen my son stop on the beach and explain to a little kid why he shouldn't have thrown garbage down.
When I walked the beach daily, I always had a trash bag with me and I was never too shy to stop someone from throwing cans, bottles, or what ever.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3930 on:** January 30, 2011, 04:35:50 PM »

Andrea, you are brave. In Aberdeen I would be afraid they would pull a knife on me (beach is not most salubrious part of town, although fine in daytime and well used in summer when it's warm enough).

There are lots of beautiful beaches up and down the coast, it's just that Aberdeen beach is a tad seedy.

Rosemary

serenesheila · « **Reply #3931 on:** January 30, 2011, 05:31:44 PM »

MAHLIA, glad to hear that both you, and your husband are here in the States, and not in Egypt. When is you son due home from Iraq? I am praying for him, too.

Love, Sheila

pedln · « **Reply #3932 on:** January 30, 2011, 11:19:34 PM »

I've just been reading another book about Margaret Maron's fictional Knott family. They pick up the littler on their area roads, and should they find anythng, envelope, credit card slip, etc. with a name or address, they don't hesitate to knock on doors, hand over their garbage, and tell the people to deal with it themselves.

You're right, that could be a little scary.

Steph · « **Reply #3933 on:** January 31, 2011, 06:02:02 AM »

When we lived in New Smyrna Beach, we picked up on the beach. My husband even made a stick with a prong on it for messy stuff.. Th e big problem in our beaches are the people who are pigs.. Diapers, just thrown down.. We had big trash cans space not that far apart and yet people loved to just throw stuff down. I would not have approached them, but then a good many of them did not speak english.. We did however report drinkers.. Teens and alcohol.. And they think they are just too too clever for words. Hiding the coolers behind the beach steps or sometimes we would find them on our little coquine shell road if the beach patrol was checking coolers.. Since the results were horrible.. everyone around us would keep a sharp eye, since we knew the beach patrol and would flag them down.
Tarot are the cards.. I had heard of Tombola in some book or another.. Maybe Ann Purser who is writing about an English village and a lady who cleans houses.

ginny · « **Reply #3934 on:** January 31, 2011, 08:11:13 AM »

Yes actually, it's called Tombola Smorfia, could not think of that last word. It is a type of bingo but it's also got the drawings on the back of each number, it has little cards for the numbers, that is each number actually has a name, it's a symbol type of thing so it combines a sort of...bingo with...fortune telling I guess. The ones in Naples are quite striking, it's quite the little game.

I had never heard of it (there are regular Tombola games in Italy as well, but even most of them have names for the numbers.) Until we read the book by Carol Goodman; she and I had a lovely correspondence on it. She had managed to get one, I did not, and the ones on ebay are strange looking, but will look next summer; there seem to be all kinds of versions, some with cartoon type characters, it's not those which are the original tho. Some of the drawings on the back are quite interesting and striking in the original.

Babi · « **Reply #3935 on:** January 31, 2011, 08:44:19 AM »

ROSEMARY, whenever we have a 'drawing' of some sort here, they start with the smaller prizes.
Otherwise, once the best stuff was gone, few would remain for the rest of the drawing.

The chocolate stall, now that one I would like to try. Anything chocolate is a pleasure.

marjifay · « **Reply #3936 on:** January 31, 2011, 10:24:35 AM »

Would you like to know what books were on the best seller list during the month you were born? Here's an interesting website. Just enter your birth date and a list of best
sellers from that time appears:

http://www.biblioz.com/best_sellers.php

Marj

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3937 on:** January 31, 2011, 01:02:04 PM »

Steph, one of the biggest problems on our beach now is unfortunately needles, so I am afraid that children would no longer be allowed to clean those up. And yes, lots of other detritus as well, inc nappies (diapers), bottles, toilet paper, food packaging and a lot of stuff that is presumably thrown over the edge of the oil service boats that frequent our harbour.

Rosemary

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3938 on:** February 01, 2011, 04:09:07 AM »

I have just come across a website that I thought might be of interest. It is:

www.literarygiftscompany.com

It has all kinds of lovely things, from bags to jewellery, posters, etc, all to do with books. Haven't bought anything yet but sorely tempted!

R

Steph · « **Reply #3939 on:** February 01, 2011, 06:39:18 AM »

Hooray.. Rosemary mentioned a book that sounded fascinating..The Assassins Cloak.. It is diary entrees from all sorts of people who journal or keep diaries. I loved the idea.. found it on
Amazon in paperback, used.. 1.40.. Bought it and it has taken a long long time to get here.. Because of all things, it came from England... Hereford,Herefordshire, Rothertwas.. and the postage was only 3.95..but it came on a very slow boat,, but I love it. It is perfect.. huge and will be a nice pick up and put down sort of fun book.. Thanks Rosemary

roshanarose · « **Reply #3940 on:** February 01, 2011, 08:04:14 AM »

Greetings - My news on TV told me that there is a blizzard expected across the mid-west of US. I have never experienced a blizzard, but it sounds very unpleasant. What actually happens in a blizzard?

Here, in Australia, we are expecting an extremely dangerous cyclone. The cyclone is about 700 km across and has an eye of 100 km. That's a very big cyclone indeed. The cyclone is expected to cross the Queensland coast early Thursday morning. No one really knows what to expect as these extreme conditions are so unpredictable. The cyclone, called Yasi, is expected to have winds of 180km at its centre. It does not affect Brisbane as the flood did, but will strike further north around Townsville, Cairns and Innisfail. Please send your prayers to those poor people who are waiting, completely helpless, on Thursday morning.

In addition to this the places not affected by the flood are expecting bush fires due to the extreme heat we are now experiencing. Dear Gumtree, I know that you will be able to retain your cool - or at least I hope so. What measures do you employ to keep cool?

Gumtree · « **Reply #3941 on:** February 01, 2011, 09:34:36 AM »

Roshanarose Cyclone Yasi looks fearsome. It's huge. I saw tonight that it will possibly strike inland as far as Mt Isa and the NT border. YIKES!
I hope those in the affected areas will heed the warnings and evacuate before it is too late but of course there will be those who don't or won't.

It's hard to keep cool over here at present except in aircon spaces - we're still sweltering from the cyclone that passed along the coast a day or so ago. It was a fair size and worrying as we tracked it down from the north. All we got was a thunderstorm and strong winds - Enough to damage houses and rip rooves off over a wide area.

maryz · « **Reply #3942 on:** February 01, 2011, 10:53:20 AM »

We've been to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef. I'm so sorry to hear about your cyclone (sounds like what we call a hurricane here). Are they predicting damage to the Reef?

Gumtree · « **Reply #3943 on:** February 01, 2011, 11:31:28 AM »

MaryZ You're absolutely right. In this part of the globe hurricanes are called cyclones. This one, Yasi is expected to cross the coast at Cairns although they can be very unpredictably and change course quite quickly. Already there are mandatory evacuation orders in place for Cairns which is being evacuated as we speak and the military are taking hospital patients to Brisbane to safety. They hope to have everyone safe by 8am tomorrow after which it may be too late.

Not sure how the reef stands up to storm surges like this - I rather think it is more at risk from pollution, shipping and overuse by tourists.

serenesheila · « **Reply #3944 on:** February 01, 2011, 11:32:52 AM »

I will pray for the safety of those in the cyclone's path. Winds of 180 km. sound devestating. Please stay safe.

Sheila

maryz · « **Reply #3945 on:** February 01, 2011, 11:39:12 AM »

I hope all get safely out of the storm's path. The southern and eastern US knows from experience how devastating these storms can be.

jane · « **Reply #3946 on:** February 01, 2011, 11:56:13 AM »

Roshana....a blizzard is a severe snow storm. The difference is the strength of the wind. Usually a blizzard means snow with at least 35mph winds. That causes "white outs" where you have no clue where you are, where the road is, etc. Visibility is 0. People who leave cars in a blizzard can quickly lose their sense of direction and will wonder in circles and, if not located, can eventually get frostbite or freeze to death. That's why the constant warnings to stay with the car, have a "storm pack" in the car...we carry blankets, a candle and a can for melting snow, chocolate, peanuts, kitty litter (for providing traction under tires on ice), a shovel, starter cables, etc. in winter when home.
Often highways in rural areas like ours will drift shut and be closed to all travel.

It's best to just "hole up" and stay put and watch it from inside.

jane

CallieOK · « **Reply #3947 on:** February 01, 2011, 12:25:23 PM »

Oklahoma is experiencing a "ground blizzard" today. Up to a foot of snow has fallen and there are very high winds creating drifts that are closing major highways and Interstates. The wind chill in the Panhandle is 36º below Zero (Farenheit). The t v weather man expressed concern for the ranchers that might have to get out to care for livestock. He said that, at that temperature, the water in your eyes will freeze.

Good day for reading. I've read a few pages in "A Year At Ladybug Farm" by Donna Ball. It's sounding like a "younger version" of "The Ladies of Covington" series. I'll probably stay with it but I'll probably be making comparisons all the way through.

Hope that cyclone in the Cairns area changes course and doesn't do too much damage. I've never been directly in one but, occasionally, we get the effects of a Gulf hurricane here in Oklahoma as it moves inland.

maryz · « **Reply #3948 on:** February 01, 2011, 12:52:45 PM »

On the southern side of this system, Louisiana and Mississippi are under tornado watches. We're pedicted to get only rain, but with 40-60 mph winds tonight and tomorrow. And with our high temperature tomorrow predicted for only 36*F. There's some mean weather going on all over the planet.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #3949 on:** February 01, 2011, 02:10:37 PM »

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you suffering extreme weather. We had our dose of snow and ice before Christmas, but I don't really think we had anything nearly as bad as you are now facing in the US and in Australia. It must be terrible to be evacuated from your homes and just to have to sit back and wait to see what comes; I don't think there have been mass evacuations in this country since the war (my mother being one of the evacuated ones).

Take care and keep safe everyone. When we lived in St John's my hair used to freeze on the way from the pool building to my car, but freezing the water in your eyes is almost unbelievable

And all those poor animals too.

Steph, on a lighter note, I'm glad your book arrived and I do hope you enjoy it. It's fun to read the entries for the day as it arrives and imagine those people all going about their daily lives in different times - Samuel Pepys doing one thing on the same day that, say, Andy Warhol was doing something else centuries later. I also like to read Nigel Slater's Kitchen Diaries on the right day - I can't often cook whatever he cooked, as he has the benefit of fantastic local markets and ethnic shops where he lives in London, but he has wonderful descriptions - eg February 21st:

"There is something romantic about falling snow. This is the first decent fall we have had this year, in two hours covering the box hedges and settling on the grey branches of the plum trees. By mid-afternoon, with a single trail of fox prints to the kitchen door, the garden looks like a Christmas card. The cats, huddled together round the Aga, look as if they are not amused: "Oh, that stuff again""

(you have to forgive him, he lives in Islington where they hardly get snow - I appreciate it is not so romantic when you get blizzards

or July 31st:

"Hazy morning, the air silent and heavy. The garden is turning from pink to orange, aflame from midday, when the sun comes over the top of the house and floods the garden with burning light. Montbretia, nasturtiums, Indian Prince marigolds, dahlias, zucchini flowers, hot, eye-watering flowers in bright sunlight line the beds. The tomatoes are ripening, a single aubergine is hanging down from the purple-leaved plant in a deep pot on the back steps. The garden is suddenly a vibrant, vulgar, scorching place to eat."

Rosemary

MaryPage · « **Reply #3950 on:** February 01, 2011, 02:42:30 PM »

I think this song was written about me, because it sure describes me perfectly!

Turn up your speakers and enjoy! (or not)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzSaoN2LdfU

Frybabe · « **Reply #3951 on:** February 01, 2011, 03:30:21 PM »

Callie, George was just telling me yesterday about the ground blizzards. He said they are very disconcerting.

Funny, MaryPage.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #3952 on:** February 01, 2011, 03:42:31 PM »

a riot MaryPage - a riot - must send it to my friends...thanks

CallieOK · « **Reply #3953 on:** February 01, 2011, 04:12:42 PM »

The sun is trying to shine here now - but the very low temperatures and wind chills will be around for another few days.

MaryPage, so funny! Thank you for sharing.

kiwilady · « **Reply #3954 on:** February 01, 2011, 11:42:44 PM »

Heres hoping our Ozzie cousins all stay safe and those who have been advised to evacuate do so!

I am listening to The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. I promised to lend it to my thirteen year old granddaughter who has been dying to read it.

I am also reading Empire of the Summer moon.

Fortunately our beaches are so far free of needles. However last week I put out my recycle bin for cans bottles etc the night before collection and some swine put a used disposable nappy in there! Yukkkkkkkk! Lucky I had a look before the men came to empty it. They will not take your contents if there is even one alien item in it.

I walk a lot in our neighbourhood. I am sick of people dumping rubbish in beauty spots. What is wrong with them? I am also tired of school kids dumping cola cans, empty chippie packets etc on the nature strip outside my property. They buy stuff at the shop up the road on their way home from school and just dump their rubbish anywhere. I have never managed to catch them at it but LOOK OUT when I do.

Carolyn

roshanarose · « **Reply #3955 on:** February 02, 2011, 04:43:53 AM »

Carolyn - Thank you for your good wishes. A certain amount of recovery has happened after the devastating floods in South East Queensland . It is not too much of a stretch to ask - Why?

? Cairns is such a beautiful city, laid back and hospitable, as are all the cities and towns in Yasi's path. The recovery of these very important tourist sites may take decades to achieve. On a lighter note on Tv tonite two tourists were interviewed asking for comments about what was happening to the places they had chosen to take holidays in. One tourist, an American in Cairns, was disappointed that he could not find any "cyclone parties" to rage at. He told the nation that in the US they had "hurricane parties". My darker side was tickled by this, but I thought that he had little chance of finding anyone to "party" with. The other tourist was German, justifiably miffed, who had spent his holiday in Brisbane for the last 3 weeks and was now in Cairns. His comments were "Why in the hell have I spent days in the floods of Brisbane, then moved to Cairns looking for some sunshine, and then to encounter this (!@#$) cyclone??

Rosemary - Ah an angel among us. A sweet and kind gesture from Scotland to Australia has elicited much happiness, although some puzzlement. I will email you with more details. So sweet of you.

Some stats about Cyclone Kasi.

Scale first : 100 kilometres = 62.1371 miles

The eye of the cyclone is presently 100 km
The cyclone is presently 500km wide
The cyclone is travelling at 350km an hour
Winds of 285 km are expected as the cyclone reaches land
The cyclone is currently a Category 5, there is no Category 6
As the cyclone hits the coast it will decrease to Category 5 and lessen the further it heads west

I have made this cyclone sound entirely statistical, but the amount of damage is expected to be greater than any cyclone experienced since 1918. Pray for them!

Callie - I have just watched the scenes in Chicago of the blizzard. Although on opposite sides of the world, we are experiencing similar climactic phenomenon. Hold onto your hats, be prepared and keep warm

Gumtree · « **Reply #3956 on:** February 02, 2011, 04:59:16 AM »

Quote

The other tourist was German, justifiably miffed, who had spent his holiday in Brisbane for the last 3 weeks and was now in Cairns. His comments were "Why in the hell have I spent days in the floods of Brisbane? Then moved to Cairns looking for some sunshine, and then to encounter this (!@#$) cyclone??

The German may be miffed right now - but it's one holiday he won't forget in a hurry.

Steph · « **Reply #3957 on:** February 02, 2011, 06:13:32 AM »

Thats interesting. I never knew that a cyclone was like our hurricanes. I thought it was more on the tornado line.
I live in Florida, so we are not affected by the snow except for the airport being jammed with tourists who cannot get home.
However I am going to NYC on the 11th and I keep really hoping that the weather will calm down, so I can take the train and enjoy scenery ( I love trains) and then enjoy the dog show when I get to NYC.. Selfish me..
Rosemary, we took the train from Edinburgh to Aberdeen several years ago.. What a magical trip. We had taken the advice of a tour guide from years ago and bought some lovely sandwich and cold drinks.. Ours were fresh and wonderful.. The lady pushing the cart on the train had old and not very nice food.. So everyone was jealous if our small feast.
Years ago I went on a Great Train Trips inEurope.. Took two weeks and we went just everywhere on trains. Our guide, Caspar was Dutch spoke many many languages and was the best guide we ever had. He was full of tips.. a lot of them having to do with food and trains..
That was where we met a couple from somewhere in Michigan who raised nuts of some sort.. He was around when another couple from Florida and us were discussing grafs for citrus trees.. He spoke up with great disdain and said his nut trees were pure and he was glad he lived in an honest area.. I still cannot get over the ignorance, but Iguess its different strokes for different folks.

Babi · « **Reply #3958 on:** February 02, 2011, 09:07:05 AM »

ROSHANAROSE, URGENT WARNING. If this truly is a blizzard, DO
NOT GO OUT IN IT! JANE is quite right.In a true blizzard, you can't
see anything and can get lost within a few steps. In the country,
people have gotten lost and died of the cold between their house
and the barn. I kid you not.
Carolyn, my place is located right where the school kids disembark
from the buses. I frequently find their litter around the edges of
my yard. It's thoughtless and annoying, but what can you do. I can't
go stand on the walk every afternoon glaring at the children! The mothers there to collect the younger ones would be quite alarmed.

MaryPage · « **Reply #3959 on:** February 02, 2011, 09:26:41 AM »

Annapolis missed the great storm. We have rain, temps above freezing, and a lot of white out, a sort of fog caused by cold and warm surfaces colliding. I cannot see the bay bridge or the eastern shore. Cannot see the bay itself, either; but I know it is there. In front of the house, the roads are wet, but clear enough for safe driving. The haze makes the panorama of tree branches so beautiful against the white blur of the sky.

News:

Author Topic: The Library (Read 2087328 times)