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Monday, November 2, 2020

Happy November and still on a break...

 


Hello book friends!  Can you believe that it's November?  I can't and yet this year has seemed like a decade long.  It's odd for sure.  I'm going to be continuing my fall break, but I just wanted to check in and say 'hello' and share that we are still doing well.  We're being sensible and have decided that the holidays will be different this year.  Even though we have family in the area.  We're trying to be thoughtful about our relatives that are older, immune-compromised or are in jobs that mean they are exposed to a lot of humanity (teachers and medical people).  Thank goodness we still have phones and the ability to talk with people face-to-face in various ways, even if it is virtual.  I'm grateful for that every day.  It would have been different 30 years ago.

In any case, we'll be here being thankful for many, many things.  Me, I'm definitely thankful for books and the ability to enjoy them.  I've been reading a lot in print and listening to a bunch as well.  Our mystery group will be discussing The Long Call by Ann Cleeves this Wednesday evening.  I'm going to be leading a discussion of Gail Honeyman's Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine with our afternoon book group in a couple of weeks.  Both virtually and that's OK too.  Not perfect, but OK enough.

Oh, I also wanted to say that I read or reread all of Sherry Thomas' Lady Sherlock books in the last few weeks.  There are five of them now and Murder On Cold Street is the latest, published in October.  I had a great time visiting with Charlotte Holmes (aka Sherlock), Mrs. Watson, and all the other characters that this series has introduced us to.  It's great in print and also on audio.  Kate Reading is the narrator and she's a good one. Highly recommended.  

That's about all have.  Enjoy your November!  Take care and stay safe.  Wear your masks.  Be sensible.  And, please, my wish is that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving - even if it's a little different that usual.  Virtual hugs to all!

29 comments:

  1. I've read all the titles you mentioned, Kay! All good. I hope you stay well and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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    1. Thanks, Mary! Good to know that you've enjoyed the titles I liked. Great minds...LOL!

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  2. Hope you are enjoying the break. My son is interviewing for a museum job today. I hope he gets it so he can be home with us for Thanksgiving but that presents a quarantine issue too. He was recently tested but that doesn't mean much when you share a house with others.

    I am loving this weather of ours. It's warm but pretty, very pretty.

    I want this election to end. I am so twitchy and ready for it to be done but only with a good result, obviously.

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    1. I am enjoying the break, Ti. Best wishes that your son will get the job he wants and that he can be with you for the holidays. Nice weather is definitely a mood booster, especially when one is spending some walking time outdoors.

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  3. We're currently deciding what to do about Thanksgiving - we've already invited my mom and her husband, but have to figure out if we also want to invite my husband's parents. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Kay!

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    1. Thanks, Angela! Yes, deciding about the holidays is more complicated this year. Guess each family will have to see what works for them. Good luck with your decisions!

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  4. Glad to know you're doing okay! Have a happy November. :D

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    1. Thanks, Lark! And, yes, I think November will be a good month or I hope so anyway. I want to make it a month to remember to be thankful for so many things.

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  5. Enjoy your break, Kay! Fall is always a favourite season of mine, even though we've none of those except summer here. Sigh. Enjoy your books! And I loved "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine".

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    1. Melody, we don't have a huge amount of difference in seasons, but I know we have more than you do. Thanks for the good wishes. I'm curious what our afternoon book group will think of 'Eleanor' - she's one of a kind, right?

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  6. Glad all is well with you, Kay! Thanksgiving will be very different for us, too... just 5 of us. Our daughters are coming from Manhattan and staying through Christmas, thanks to working remotely and unemployment. We're usually 25+ for this holiday, but it's not worth the risk to my 93 year old FIL and SIL.

    I enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant and am a little envious of your book club virtual meetings. My group has not attempted it, but I'm going to suggest forming a small neighborhood group that can meet while social distancing. Fingers crossed. Enjoy your break!

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    1. Thanks, JoAnn, for the good wishes. Yes, Thanksgiving is usually at our house for whoever in the family can make it. Our house has the most seating area, so we almost always host unless we are out of town. Making the decision to not do that this year is sad, but we feel like it's the right thing. Each family group can decide for themselves. Not sure all will understand our thoughts, but we can only control our own actions. That's a lesson that I've learned over and over through this whole long year. I control me and only me. As to the book groups, well, it's worked as well as it can, though we've had several who haven't been able to join us or who have chosen not to. The technology of virtual has been a little too much for some of our members. Hope you can get a group together and I think that your thoughts there seem very sensible and feasible. Good luck!

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  7. Glad u checked in Kay and shared your reading. Our book group met in a park twice this summer and then by Zoom - not ideal by okay. As for Thanksgiving, I usually host but, this year, although we haven't discussed it, we will each be doing our own thing. It isn't worth the risk. Take care Kay!

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    1. Yes, the book group thing has been OK, but we've had several who haven't been able to join us and we miss them. Thanksgiving decisions were a bit complicated and not sure all in the family will be completely understand, but as I said to JoAnn above, I've learned that I can only control me. I can't control them. Thanks for stopping by!

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  8. Thanks Kay. Good to know all is okay with you there. It's good to have virtual discussions ... the pandemic would've been harder 30 years ago, so I guess it's good to be grateful for small & large things alike. take care & enjoy your Nov. books!

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    1. Thanks so much, Susan! I intend to enjoy my books and reading in November and also actively look for things to be thankful for. They will be there. They always are. Hope you have a great month!

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  9. Pleased to hear all is well with you, Kay. Yes, ever grateful for technology as I Google Duo with my grand-daughter in Wales. Crossing our fingers that she'll be able to get home for Christmas as we haven't seen her since 'last' Christmas. And I so agree, thank 'goodness' for books.

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    1. Thanks, Cath! Yes, I know you miss your extended family. Hope all goes well for you guys through the holidays. I intend to spend this month and next actively looking for things to be thankful for and looking for joy in unexpected places. Take care!

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  10. Holidays are problematic, but I guess we all work around them during this unusual year as best we can. I've enjoyed all of the Charlotte Holmes books and can see that they would be a good fit for comfort reading. Love that your book club has managed well under the current circumstances!

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    1. Yes, we will work around the circumstances in whatever way we can. I've learned that I can only control me and so each family will have to make their decisions and choices based on what they feel is best. Hope yours has a good holiday season regardless of whether you're together or virtually together. As to the book clubs, it's been good and I think both have adjusted well enough, but we do miss the ones that haven't been able to be with us. One day...

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  11. No, I cannot believe it is November but today is lasting forever. We are fine too (relatively speaking). Glad to hear that things are going well with you and your family.

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    1. I'm happy to hear that you guys are doing good enough, Tracy. I'm about ready for 2021!

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  12. It's been such a long year, hasn't it?! It's hard to believe we've been dealing with the pandemic for almost 8 months and that Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Easter, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, and for some, Halloween, pretty much came and went without any notice. It will just be the three of us for Thanksgiving, but Rod will have just had his surgery, so it wouldn't have been a big event even without COVID. Christmas will be the same, as well. Let's hope next year's holidays are a little more normal! Enjoy your book group meetings. I loved Eleanor Oliphant!

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    1. I'm hoping that 2021 will provide some 'normalcy' again, especially for cherished events like the holidays. This year will definitely be a different one. We'll manage though.

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  13. Great to see an update post from you! I hope you and your family are doing well. The holidays will definitely be different this year. We aren't getting together with family either but thank goodness for modern technology. Enjoy your reading group meet ups and your time away from blogland!

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  14. Happy November! It was good to hear from you. I am not sure what the holidays will look like for us. Thanksgiving will be much the same--just the three of us. We don't really celebrate, to be honest. Christmas is more so on my radar. My mom would really like to come for a visit and we are talking about what that might look like. We haven't seen her since January. :-(

    It sounds like you had an enjoyable reading month, including getting in some good re-reading. I hope you have a great November!

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  15. It's always wonderful to see a post from you - glad to read that you are doing well and having loads of fun! Agree, virtual gatherings are not ideal but at least we have the means to still talk to each other, thanks to technology. Stay safe and have fun!

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  16. I enjoyed your updates, Kay. I read Eleanor Oliphant (very good) and have The Long Call in my reading queue. My Thanksgiving will be quite different too. I'm usually in Ireland celebrating with my daughter and her family--both the holiday and my grandson's birthday. This will be the first time since he was born that I am not with him on his birthday and it makes me really sad. I hope I'll get to see them for Christmas. So, I'll be at home instead and my younger son and his family will come over. They live very nearby and are low risk because of remote work and learning. My older son and his family live in a neighboring state, and they will be staying home. Haven't seen them since last Christmas. I'm hoping against hope that my 3 kids and their 5 kids can all be together on Christmas Eve this year as is our tradition, but it's not looking promising. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and stay well.

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  17. It's good to see you Kay! I really love the Sherry Thomas series and I agree that Kate Reading is a great narrator. She's definitely one of my favorites. Our holidays will be very different this year too - I'm not exactly sure how we will manage them at all but we will come up with something! Have a lovely week!

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!