Austen Delays, I Read and Fume

News bits. Jane Austen weekend is unavoidable delayed, perhaps til next year. For me, this is just as well, (although I regret any bad thing that happened to cause organizers to cancel). I forced myself to do my taxes when I wasn’t in the mood, just because the clock was ticking, and it was a disaster. This week I was set to force myself to sew two period gowns, because the clock was ticking, but I was worried I would sew badly. So the delay is a good thing for me. I am sure I will feel more ready to tackle this in the near future.

We had a lovely Bookclub meeting this week – our last of the season. At the last meeting, which is always in a restaurant and is always a giggle-a-thon, we chose next season’s books. To see what we are up to in next winter’s reading, see 2014 – 2015 Booklist. I am happy with the list. Some new fiction, some old fiction, one historical fiction, and two, count ’em two non-fiction (my favourites) and one of them my suggestion. So I get to host, which I am happy to do how that my reno is done, but where will I find enough comfy chairs for the 11 intrepid readers ? Well, I have a few months to figure that out.

I can now understand all the blogs that do not allow comments. I have gotten lots of comments submitted on my blog entries, but only one that actually had anything to do with the blog entry. All the rest were from robot people soliciting business or trying to get their SEO level enhanced by placing their website address on another site, however inappropriate the placement. Pathetic. And since all comments have to be monitored, it’s a nuisance and daily disappointment.

2014 – 2015 Book winners

These seven books won a place in our list for the 2014 – 2015 season. The links will take you to Indigo books, but we don’t care where you get your book.

Date Book Author Hostess
These are the books we chose for the 2014-2015 season
Wed, Sept. 24 2014 The Scarlet Letter Nathaniel Hawthorne Bess B
Wed, Oct 29, 2014 Longbourn Jo Baker Patty B
Wed, Nov 26 2014 Five Days at Memorial Sheri Fink Liz B
Wed, Jan 28, 2015 The Thing with Feathers: The Surprising Lives of Birds and What They Reveal About Being Human Noah Strycker Kristen G
Wed, Feb 25, 2015 The Confabulist Steven Galloway Cathy J
Wed, Mar 25, 2015 I, Claudius Robert Graves Kathy Y
Wed, Apr 29, 2015
No Relation
Terry Fallis Mandy H
May 2015 – TBA Year-End Party : Location – To Be Determined

To see the also-rans that did not make this list, look at the list of the Proposed 2014 Books, and subtract the ones on the list here.  We did a different voting procedure for the books this year, which was fun, with “secret” ballots (except we signed them, so we could get them back) and speed descriptions from those promoting a particular book. The result is a list I really look forward to reading or re-reading, as the case may be.

Purse Recap

I love having John home again.

My purse, miraculously black again
My purse, miraculously black again
His second order of business after he got back and heard the news was to go over the tax return. It seems I mistakenly entered a huge deduction in the wrong box, as income! So we re-submitted our taxes, and my purse is black again. Even better, John says he will do the taxes from now on.

Better Birdseed, More Birds

woodpecker1_crop_opt

This is my reward for changing the damp birdseed that was in my birdfeeders, and for replenishing the suet ball holders. Woodpeckers and goldfinches by the score. The seed store lady helped me adjust the seed blends in order to see more finches.

Goldfinch May 2014 at my feeder
Goldfinch May 2014 at my feeder

Now I am getting gangs of goldfinches at the feeders. Only one male per feeder, however. Each male tolerates any number of females, but if another male tries to land while he is there, a skirmish ensues. Lots of drama in the bird world!

Woodpecker May 2014 at my feeder
Woodpecker May 2014 at my feeder