Gosh, we’ve been hammered here in California by much-needed rain. I’m saying we didn’t need it all at once, but that’s me. Just a kid with a dream.
Dale and I have been hanging around the house, squandering time, because guess what? We’re retired, and there’s plenty more where that came from. Going on my sixth year, I continue to be amazed by how little it takes to fill a day.
The newspaper arrived rolled up in a plastic bag, but it was soaking wet nonetheless. Dale pulled the newspaper out of the bag and actually wrung it out over the sink. Then he put it in the oven, where it dried quickly, although I found it a big crisp.
“Convection roast,” he said.
Inspired by Janice at Retirementally Challenged, this is a gentle reminder that if you should find yourself in the same position, don’t be stupid. While that’s a great resolution overall, in this case, it specifically means DO NOT PUT THE NEWSPAPER IN THE MICROWAVE.
Last night was kind of scary. I mean, a whopper of a storm. Riley, our cat, was under the bed, which is where I would have been if I could fit. Wind scares me. By happenstance, I had been using an old pair of foam earplugs to block out Dale’s occasional snoring, and lately they haven’t been working to my satisfaction.
I was asking Dale about them, and he said you can’t use the same pair over and over. Well, I wish someone had told me that before I wasted quality sleep time. I opened a new pack in the middle of the night and they completely blocked out the sounds of the storm. However, I could still hear Dale snore, which means he’s louder than a Category 3 atmospheric river.
Whilst squandering precious retirement time, I finished watching the Louise Penny series, Three Pines. Those of you who have read the books aren’t too crazy about the show. Those of us who haven’t read them seemed to like the series just fine.
Sometimes a movie or TV show will inspire me to read a particular author. I like to read a series in order, so I figured I’d start with number one and get it from the library.
I love the library and have since I was a little kid. But as an adult, I typically do not expect them to have what I want when I walk in the door. But those old ones are often on the shelves. What works better is to read reviews, make a list and add them to your reserve list. However, this is a delicate art, because you don’t want them popping into your queue all at once.
All that said, I guess everyone is on the Louise Penny kick, because the books were all checked out. I suppose I’ll have to reserve it. Sometimes I’ll buy a new book, but I hate spending money on stuff that’s been out a long time.
I did purchase The Shadow Murders, the latest in the Department Q series by Jussi Adler-Olsen. I liked it a lot, but it’s a cliffhanger. That kind of annoys me, mostly because he doesn’t exactly pop these out on a expedited schedule.
Of course I have nothing to complain about compared to Dale, who slogged through all the Game of Thrones books, only to discover the author never wrote the last one.
I’ve heard Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel is excellent, so I’ve reserved that. The description hit all the right buttons for me: “A novel of art, time travel, love, and plague that takes the reader from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later, unfurling a story of humanity across centuries and space.”
Another book on my reserve list is A Dangerous Business by Jane Smiley. California gold rush, prostitutes. Right up my alley.
We also recorded a slew of Twilight Zone episodes, which have been fun to watch. Perhaps that will get me through the walloping winds of the atmospheric river, that for the record, is not quite as loud as Dale.
Yep, What a storm. My yard a mud pit and I kept waking up to make sure there was power to keep my sump pump running.
Well I read all the Gamache books, 18 of them, and I absolutely love 3 Pines. Of course books have the luxury of more detail and back stories, but the tv series is great.
Since I got you on to the Dept Q books, I guess I better read the new one.
Yes, you did get me started on the Department Q books. Thank you! He needs to get going on the next one.
Stay dry.
I think that series take a few episodes before the actors feel good in their characters and figure out how to interact with one another. I felt that way about Three Pines, with the last two episodes (7 & 8) their best. I do hope that they renew the series so that the recurring characters’ roles can be more fully developed. Certainly Episode 8 leaves you to believe that they will do so.
We watch a lot of the British murder mysteries. Lately we’ve been enjoying Inspector Lewis on PBS. He was Inspector Morse’s sidekick for years and is now the leading man with Hathaway, a cerebral Oxford graduate as his sidekick, the best sidekick ever I think. They are on PBS and as recurring donors we have access to the episodes when we want. Inspector Lewis is the first show where I’ve felt that everyone clicked from episode one and the writing has been excellent.
Finding a new television series is like finding a new book series, especially when you come into them late and have lots of episodes and books ahead of you. Inspector Lewis is an old show but new to us.
All my California (my home State) friends and family are both loving and hating the rain for the reasons you mention. I am in thrall to Mother Nature who despite our best efforts to control her does just as she pleases, thank you very much. Of course with our dragging our feet to make a nice home for her she may just wipe us off the face of her beloved earth in retaliation.
OK, I’m going to check out Inspector Lewis. I am drawn to the European shows, although I like gritty American crime drama as well. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you’re a recurring PBS donor AND beloved reader of Retirement Confidential. Just saying.
As for the weather and Mother Nature, it seems we can’t have nice things. Borrowed that from Hayes Carll.
We love Lewis! After the series ended, we went back and watched all the Morse shows, and of course we watch Endeavor, the Morse prequel. There’s a tour of filming locations in Oxford, which we didn’t do, but we just had to go to the pub.
We started with Morse, then Endeavor (although I could never reconcile the looks of the actor who played Morse as a younger man, to how he looked as an older man in Morse), and now Lewis. All great shows but I’m enjoying Lewis the most for some reason. Lucky you to get to visit the Pub.
Sneaking into the conservation here for more ideas!
Hi, Donna – I have also heard good things about Sea of Tranquility. I recently read The Glass Hotel by the same author and it was excellent. I too have SoT on my TBR list.
Sending you warm, (dry) hugs in hope that your weather has calmed down.
I just finished SoT. Great book. Added The Glass Hotel to my list.
I liked Sea of Tranquility, and the author’s other books as well.
Getting used to the atmospheric rivers here on Vancouver Island…I’ll let you know if I start developing webbed feet 🤣. It must be quite the shocker if you are used to a dry climate.
Three Pines…I did enjoy it and yes, I have read all of the books. They changed/updated the story line a bit for the TV show – the books did not include First Nations people, but corruption and cover up within the force was still the theme. I thought the actors represented the characters quite well. The show/movie is almost never as good as the book IMHO – if people watch it already thinking this, then they won’t be disappointed.
Deb
I wondered if the First Nations focus was original to the book. Thanks for clarifying. You’re right that movies and TV shows are rarelyl as good as the books.
Oh Donna,
I’ve watched this music video three times! And have shared it with some friends although I’m preaching to the choir with them I suppose. It’s perfect, thanks!
And I’m sorry to see that California will continue to be hammered this weekend. No one wants to get out of the drought this way.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I’ve been a fan of his since my Texas days.
We have gotten less rain here in SoCal but it, combined with a King Tide, still did some damage along the coast. Today was lovely so hubby and I walked along the beach to watch the big waves and see what happened while we were snug in our beds. Let’s just say I’m glad I don’t own beachfront property right now.
I’m enjoying Three Pines and was looking forward to reading the books but I found that our library has a wait on them all. And, yes, holds are great but they tend to come all at once.
Thanks for the link to my Don’t Be Stupid post. Putting a newspaper in the oven probably qualifies, but it also sounds like something I might do 🙂
I had a nice walk today but sadly, no beach! The rain returns tomorrow.
OK, so I agree newspaper in the oven might qualify as stupid, but I didn’t make up the part about the microwave. That one caught fire and scorched the inside walls of the microwave, although it still worked. Perhaps stupid is relative.
Sigh, the library! Used it for years and years, but haven’t stepped in ours for awhile.
Reasons:
1. Really, I had long since read through anything they had from my favorite authors. I selfishly wish my favorite series writers would put out a book a month instead of once a year. Is that too much to ask?
2. This sounds really snobbish, but I often found that recommended books were simplistic or just not up my alley when I finally got my hands on them. Or, if they really sounded like I would like them, my library didn’t have it. It seemed like so much work for little payback.
3. As Golden Agers, we want to spend down our lifetime assets so there is nothing left for the ungrateful and totally neglectful offspring. Okay, I’m half kidding here, but only half. But I can now afford to occasiobally buy brand new books and pay, gasp, retail. So, as soon as I see a new book out by one of my dozen favorite authors, I immediately treat myself to it. I just ordered, and read, the newest Louise Penny offering, but had no one to pass it, too, so I donated it to the thrift store.
I hear you on the library. I don’t mind playing the game of research and reserve. My husband, on the other hand, hates it. I encourage him to buy books, as he has few other vices. We’re also trying to die broke and not doing a very good job of it.