BOOKS-Kindle reads

Seeing as I just did an update and lost my book mark on Anna Karenina thought I would list what I have read or tried to read on the Kindle so far.

Anna Karenina- started Oct 2014

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Medieval People

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1491

1493

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Legacy: Arthurian Saga- Mary Stewart

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Crome Yellow- tried to read found impossible - Aldous Huxley

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Astoria-Washington Irving

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Pickwick Papers- Dickens- loved it but took me a long time to read

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Doctor Zhivago-Pasternak- great story.

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The Secret Piano- fascinating story- sent to me by Bob Paulson.

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Plays by Antone Chekhov

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Jo's Boys

loved it.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall- not sure whether I read this or not- there is such a long "foreword"

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The Kreutzer Sonata
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The Complete Angler

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Little Men-

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The POstmaster- Lincoln- loved it!

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Jude the Obscure- loved it!

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Villette- not sure if I read or got stimied

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Born to be Wild- excellent

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Jane Eyre

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Ethan Frome

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The Woodlanders- excellent

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Alice Adams- excellent

Medicine Men- a freebie that was okay

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Under the Lilacs- good

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The Wind in The Willows- impossible to read

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The Magnificent Ambersons- excellent

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The Mayor Of Casterbridge- ecellent

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Agnes Grey - ?

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Little Masterpeices of Autobio - ?

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My Man Jeeves- loved it

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Dracula- loved it-

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Jennie Gerhardt- excellent-

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ART-Knit & Walk completed

I will still knit & walk it sure makes the 50 minutes inside exercising fly by! But I have accomplished the goal of knitting scarves , cowls and shawls for 3 food pantries who accept donated clothing. The 3 are located in areas where Mom was born, lived and grew up. It was her yarn used in each piece- yarn she left behind when she passed away in November 2008. Took me almost 5 years to regain the dexterity needed to knit. Project began March 2014 and completed today November 14th 2014.
One shawl went to each pantry , 2 cowls or neck warmers, and 5 scarves of various lengths. I had to buy boxes for mailing and postage all totaling almost $25.00. The yarn was free to me!

Plain colors long scarves- funny how the colors show differently.


cowls & neck warmers. I love knitting the cowls in the round with a circular needle.




then some long scarves of varied multi-colors


then the shawls


shorter varied colors

RANT- car & food

Usually I let stuff slide. But things have been piling up. It all boils down to people not caring and taking short cuts and being deceitful.


Top of the list is when you can no longer trust a mechanic- especially one you have dealt with for over 30 years. I got two tires at Cape & Islands Tire and while they did that work they noticed I need brake pads. They also noticed that the mechanism behind the wheel- the calipers or whatever were installed backwards or reversed- what ever- they were installed improperly and the tube has been rubbing on the tire and wearing out. Top that off with the remark- "we wouldn't work on it is is too rusty". It is NOT "rusty" grrrrrrrrrrrr.

okay so that brings up what got me to get tires to begin with. I got my car inspected in September early to get it out of the way and avoid the rush. I knew with Winter coming on I should get new tires. When trying to read the numbers on the tires so I could call and ask prices I took pix. When I looked at the photos the front passenger side tire was so worn I could see belt and threads. hmmmm apparently the inspection wasn't that thorough.



So while I am on the subject of auto repairs. Small business people have GOT to either have an answering machine with a clear message, or answer their phones certain times of the day. AND when you do answer the phone do not rush the customer and say you are busy. That busy either hire a receptionist or do not answer the phone.

oh and do not laughingly say the product you sell is made in China and not offer ANY American made .

now on to food

I shop in big stores that are big enough and have enough employees to make sure the shelves are full and dates checked. I am really tired of fresh products not being available and all freshness dating gone by. Alert Shaw's Star and Trader Joes. I doubt I could afford to shop at Whole Foods all the time but I am considering eating less and shopping only once a month.

So the other morning I grab a Fig Newman out of the freezer to munch on. One bite and the roof of my mouth was pricked by something sharp. I spit the cookie out and examine it for glass etc and it appeared to be a pastry brush hair bent in half. No matter what it was it did not belong in the cookie. The freaking package of cookies is not cheap.

Then on to soy milk. I have a milk and nut allergy. So no milk and no almond milk. Rice milk and coconut milk do not have enough protein. I was using chocolate soy milk for years mostly from Trader Joes . The price was right etc. Then all of a sudden no more on the shelves ANYWHERE. So I ended up drinking WestSoy vanilla soymilk. fine, a little more expensive but good enough. All of a sudden no where on the shelves not even in Shaws/Star markets. So when at Trader Joes last I picked up 2 quarts of non fat soy milk- I forget what the other choice was but I think it was plain. I open that and first the lid was leaky so shaking it produced a mess even over the sink. I pour it into the measuring cup and it was beige brown. Looked like you could read through it and it looked like a backed up cesspool. NOT palatable. They should at least have a note on the carton that color may vary- and at the very least say it will be nothing like what pictured on the box.Called them twice, finally connected with a live person and she said that is the color of non fat. Said they have a new lid now a screw top. Never offered me a coupon for my inconvenience.



next food- soynut butter and sunflower seed butter. Be consistent people. Hire a taste tester. I shouldn't have to guinea pig each jar to see if it tastes like cardboard or rancid. AND again Shaws and Star market- get the freaking old product off the shelves. Reading that small print is bad enough- having old stuff only is bad bad bad.

Yogurt- more freshness dating lax habits. I end up buying one flavor because it is the only flavor with dates not either gone by or too soon to go by. Makes me feel postal when I have that choice. This is America not some third world country with no refrigeration.

*** rant interrupted by internet meltdown ***

I think that's it for now I will add more later if needs be.

BEACH-Scargo Hill Tower

Beautiful sunny November morning

almost to the 39th step at the top


The view from all around


Graffiti from the top


graffiti below on stairs and walls


Looking up and looking down

HISTORY-GARDEN-FAUCET

Had a rolled up Army photo of my father in World War II sticking around here for years. Finally , carefully unraveled it and placed it under plates of glass for a week or so . Then I was able to scan it in 3 parts without it curling too much. I would love to add even just one name to those unidentified but I doubt that will happen. I posted the 3 on a facebook group.

FLIGHT "B" 55TH. COLLEGE TRAINING DETACHMENT

ARMY AIR CORPS GETTYSBURG PA. OCTOBER 11 1943



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So I still had 2 bags of Mom's ashes left to scatter. Since the trip to Nantucket fell through and scattering them from the ferry on the way to Martha's Vineyard would not accomplish the task; which was what Mom wanted: them scattered on Nantucket sound. That body of water is not Nantucket sound.Did the Nantucket thing with an origami sailboat from Harding's Beach on the 7th of September. Thought beautifying this area would be a good idea so I asked my brother if it was okay to plant bulbs out by the signs for this complex. yes. Ordered the bulbs- 100 special through Brecks- crocuses,tulips and various narcissus and daffodils. I scattered the ashes in that spot and almost immediately 2 dogs came along and peed and took a shit there. Typical for Mom and for me- dog crap follows us everywhere.
Yesterday was the day to plant them- a down day for landscaping with rain etc so DelRoy did the sod scraping and I helped to carrying away some debris and place bulbs. He also prettied up the area in the back of the apartment where I have flower boxes etc and he clipped back shrubs per Jer's instructions. We both dodged raindrops and flying birds for over an hour!

October 15 2014
Prep for the area: I realized yesterday that the skimming of the sod removed a lot! But I hope the ashes had time to seep into the soil and nourish.



November 6th 2014
Prep for bulbs courtesy of DelRoy & Jer
before the sod scraping



There were two loads of dog crap "aged" in the raised bed and a fresh load not far away.


the bulbs


Then around back found some bittersweet wrapped around the rose of Sharon- it was creeping in through the fence, pretty stuff and always loved it but so invasive.


DelRoy tending to the back yard- planting 7 bulbs I saved to go around my kitty Dorian's grave & birdbath.





finished product up front looks marvelous.


Then with energy to spare I tackled the Winterizing of the inside windows in the apartment. This is half of the project. A second layer once I get more plastic sheeting and more/better sticky tape.The tape:


I cut off strips of tape and press to frame of window and screen. Wait 30 minutes to an hour for it to set and then peel it off and apply the plastic sheeting. Taking photos inside on a crappy day is not for a CanonA2500. LOL



peeling the tape backing:


Jer & Marty fixing equipment.



Mom's new seashells gathered after the Nor'Easter from Harding's beach.


New kitchen faucet! Finally took photo in good light and not a sink full of pots & pans.