lindapanzo reads her usual in 2024--part 1

I'm back for 2024. I started doing categories back with the 999 challenge in 2009. With the pandemic, I've found that simplifying is ideal for me and so, for 2024, I intend to keep the same four categories I had in 2022 and 2023. At some point, I lost my creativity but I do know what I like and these categories are it!!

Category 1: Mysteries--63 books read (out of 60)
Category 2: Sports--12 books read (out of 10)
Category 3: Nonfiction--18 books read (out of 15)
Category 4: Fiction--17 books read (out of 15)

Category 1: Mysteries--63 of 60 read

1. Six Feet Deep Dish by Mindy Quigley--finished on 1/8/24
2. Ill-Fated Fortune by Jennifer J. Chow--finished on 1/15/24
3. The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree by Susan Wittig Albert--finished on 1/19/24
4. Crook o' Lune by E.C.R. Lorac--finished on 1/23/24
5. The Stranger in the Library by Eva Gates--finished on 1/27/24
6. The Red-Headed League by Arthur Conan Doyle--finished on 2/3/24
7. Rhythm and Clues by Olivia Blacke--finished on 2/6/24
8. A Smoking Bun by Ellie Alexander--finished on 2/9/24
9. Random in Death by J.D. Robb--finished on 2/17/24
10. Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah--finished on 2/25/24
11. Up to No Gouda by Linda Reilly--finished on 3/3/24
12. Easter Basket Murder by Leslie Meier, Lee Hollis and Barbara Ross--finished on 3/5/24
13. The Socialite's Guide to Murder by S.K. Golden--finished on 3/10/24
14. The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies by Susan Wittig Albert--finished on 3/16/24
15. Patchwork Quilt Murder by Leslie Meier--finished on 3/20/24
16. Murder in the Tea Leaves by Laura Childs--finished on 3/23/24
17. The Socialite's Guide to Death and Dating by S.K. Golden--finished on 3/26/24
18. No Parm No Foul by Linda Reilly--finished on 4/6/24
19. Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley--finished on 4/12/24
20. The Last Word by Gerri Lewis--finished on 4/21/24
21. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto--finished on 4/27/24
22. Fatal First Edition by Jenn McKinlay--finished on 5/1/24
23. The Last Hope by Susan Elia MacNeal--finished on 5/4/24
24. Murder Most French by Colleen Cambridge--finished on 5/8/24
25. Brie Careful What You Wish For by Linda Reilly--finished on 5/13/24
26. Village Politics Can Be Murder by Jeanne M. Dams--finished on 5/19/24
27. Trouble Is Brewing by Vicki Delany--finished on 5/29/24
28. Death by Chocolate Raspberry Scone by Sarah Graves--finished on 6/1/24
29. A Cyclist's Guide to Crime & Croissants by Ann Claire--finished on 6/5/24
30. Murder at the Merton Library by Andrea Penrose--finished on 6/8/24
31. Sticks and Scones by Ellie Alexander-finished on 6/13/24
32. Maigret in New York by Georges Simenon--finished on 6/25/24
33. A Pie to Die For by Gretchen Rue--finished on 6/28/24
34. Fondue or Die by Korina Moss--finished on 7/3/24
35. The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman--finished on 7/7/24
36. Sleep in Heavenly Pizza by Mindy Quigley--finished on 7/10/24
37. Pinned 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton--finished on 7/15/24
38. In the Event of Murder by Cynthia Kuhn--finished on 7/22/24
39. Murder on Devil's Pond by Ayla Rose--finished on 8/1/24
40. Peach Tea Smash by Laura Childs--finished on 8/13/24
41. I'll Be Home for Mischief by Jacqueline Frost--finished on 8/17/24
42. A Controversial Cover by Lorna Barrett--finished on 8/24/24
43. A Killer Clue by Victoria Gilbert--finished on 8/29/24
44. A Slay Ride Together With You by Vicki Delany--finished on 9/1/24
45. Booked for Murder by P. J. Nelson--finished on 9/9/24
46. Hurricane by John D. MacDonald--finished on 9/13/24
47. The Body in the Bookstore by Ellie Alexander--finished on 9/19/24
48. A Murder at the Movies by Ellie Alexander--finished on 9/22/24
49. Death at the Dinner Party by Ellie Alexander--finished on 10/4/24
50. Sugar Plum Poisoned by Jenn McKinlay--finished on 10/19/24
51. Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber--finished on 11/4/24
52. You Feta Watch Out by Linda Reilly--finished on 11/10/24
53. A Holiday Homicide by Ellie Alexander--finished on 11/11/24
54. The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny--finished on 11/18/24
55. A Merry Little Murder Plot by Jenn McKinlay--finished on 11/20/24
56. Madrigals and Mayhem by Elizabeth Penney--finished on 11/21/24
57. A Fatal Feast at Bramsford Manor by Darci Hannah--finished on 11/26/24
58. Crossed Skis by Carol Carnac--finished on 11/28/24
59. Deadly Crush by Maddie Day--finished on 12/1/24
60. Murder at the Lemonberry Tea by Darci Hannah--finished on 12/4/24
61. Blue Christmas Bones by Carolyn Haines--finished on 12/16/24
62. Don't Toy With Me by Diane Kelly--finished on 12/18/24
63. Basket Case by Karen MacInerney--finished on 12/20/24

POSSIBLES
--Darci Hannah
--Connie Berry
--Ellie Alexander
--Colleen Cambridge
--Korina Moss
--Maddie Day
--Mindy Quigley

Category 2: Sports--12 of 10 read

1. The Cardinals Way by Howard Megdal--finished on 1/5/24
2. Run to Win: My Packers Life from Lombardi to Canton by Jerry Kramer--finished on 1/30/24
3. Baseball's Great Expectations by Patrick Montgomery--finished on 3/1/24
4. Comiskey Park's Last World Series: A History of the 1959 Chicago White Sox by Charles N. Billington--finished on 4/2/24
5. Season of Shattered Dreams by Eric Vickrey--finished on 4/23/24
6. My Day with the Cup by Jim Lang--finished on 6/14/24
7. An October to Remember 1968 by Brendan Donley--finished on 6/20/24
8. Just Add Water: My Swimming Life by Katie Ledecky--finished on 6/23/24
9. The Football Game That Changed America by Dennis Deninger--finished on 9/4/24
10. Dynasty Restored by Thomas J. Whalen--finished on 10/12/24
11. Hockey's Wildest Season by John G. Robertson--finished on 10/26/24
12. The Forgotten 1970 Chicago Cubs by William S. Bike--finished on 12/12/24

POSSIBLES

Category 3: Nonfiction--18 of 15 read

1. Three Days in January by Bret Baier--finished on 1/1/24
2. The Real Doctor Will See You Shortly: A Physician's First Year by Matt McCarthy--finished on 1/24/24
3. Cold Crematorium: Reporting from the Land of Auschwitz by József Debreczeni--finished on 2/1/24
4. The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich--finished on 2/13/24
5. The Upstairs Delicatessen: On Eating, Reading, Reading About Eating, and Eating While Reading by Dwight Garner--finished on 2/19/24
6. Whistle-Stop Politics: Campaign Trains and the Reporters Who Covered Them by Edward Segal--finished on 2/22/24
7. Walk through Fire: The Train Disaster that Changed America by Yasmine Ali--finished on 3/18/24
8. Save Me a Seat!: A Life with Movies by Rick Winston--finished on 3/28/24
9. I Never Did Like Politics: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters by Terry Golway--finished on 4/11/24
10. The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians by James Patterson--finished on 4/16/24
11. An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin--finished on 5/10/24
12. The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson--finished on 5/26/24
13. Through the Eyes of a Young Physician Assistant by Sean Conroy--finished on 6/9/24
14. Predicting the Winner by Ira Chinoy--finished on 8/7/24
15. Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson--finished on 9/14/24
16. The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore by Evan Friss--finished on 9/30/24
17. Christmas TV Memories: Nostalgic Holiday Favorites of the Small Screen by Herbie J. Pilato--finished on 12/6/24

POSSIBLES

Category 4: Fiction--18 of 15 read

1. The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride--finished on 1/14/24
2. Last Night by Luanne Rice--finished on 2/2/24
3. Navy Husband by Debbie Macomber--finished on 2/7/24
4. Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American Dreamer by Steven Millhauser--finished on 3/8/24
5. Matagorda by Louis L'Amour--finished on 3/12/24
6. Chicago Poems by Carl Sandburg--finished on 3/17/24
7. An Offer for a Spinster by Dorothy Sheldon--finished on 4/7/24
8. Cut & Thirst by Margaret Atwood--finished on 4/13/24
9. The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan--finished on 4/20/24
10. Table for Two: Fictions by Amor Towles--finished on 5/16/24
11. The Last List of Mabel Beaumont by Laura Pearson--finished on 5/22/24
12. Three Hours in Paris by Cara Black--finished on 7/4/24
13. The Goddess of Warsaw by Lisa Barr--finished on 7/18/24
14. The Booklover's Library by Madeline Martin--finished on 9/27/24
15. Christmas at Lilac Cottage by Holly Martin--finished on 11/14/24
16. The Christmas Book Hunt by Jenny Colgan--finished on 12/13/24
17. A Cross-Country Christmas by Courtney Walsh--finished on 12/21/24
18. The Christmas Bookshop by Jenny Colgan--finished on 12/27/24

POSSIBLES

--Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra
--Künstlers in Paradise by Cathleen Schine
--The Librarian of Burned Books by Brianna Labuskes
--Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher
--Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
--The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict
--The County Line by Steve Weddle
--Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

One thing I definitely want to do for 2024 is participate more fully in the CATs and KITs. I say that every year, but this time, I mean it!!

Welcome back! Love your simplicity. I'll be following your reading, especially the mysteries!

Hope you have a good reading year, Linda.

Happy reading in 2024!

Welcome back, Linda! Looking forward to seeing how those categories fill up!

Good luck with your reading in 2024.

70 mysteries! Happy reading in 2024.

Enjoy the 2024 Category Challenge and I am looking forward to seeing you at the 2024 TIOLI Challenges. Here's hoping for a pleasant and book-filled year!

Good luck with your 2024 reading!

Happy reading, Linda!

It's nice to be back and here's hoping we all have a great reading year in 2024.

On New Year's Eve, I'm well into Bret Baier's book, Three Days in January about President Eisenhower and his transition to JFK. Really enjoying it and I was pleased to find that he's got a few other Three Days books, including Three Days at the Brink about "FDR's daring gamble to win WW2," as well as Three Days in Moscow about Reagan and the fall of the Soviet empire.

Have a great year of reading! I'm hanging my star.

I filled out the LT Top 5 Books of the Year

For 2023, my top 5 books were:

1. The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson
2. Horse by Geraldine Brooks
3. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
4. The Opera Sisters by Marianne Monson
5. Game Time: A Baseball Companion by Roger Angell

ABC is playing the ball drop

I haven't even looked to see what my top ones (besides the Bible and Spurgeon devotionals) were. I won't put those year-long reads in the LT Top 5.

With my 15th Thingaversary coming up fast (on Jan 13), my thoughts are turning to the 16 books to pick to celebrate. Since we're just a few days away, I'll start filling in the list.

THINGAVERSARY BOOKS
1. Forecast for D-Day: And the Weatherman Behind Ike's Greatest Gamble by John Ross
2. Fudge and Jury by Ellie Alexander
3. Ashes to Ashes, Crust to Crust by Mindy Quigley
4. The Upstairs Delicatessen: On Eating, Reading, Reading About Eating, and Eating While Reading by Dwight Garner--FINISHED
5. Run to Win: My Packers Life from Lombardi to Canton by Jerry Kramer--FINISHED
6. Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser
7. Winter Street by Erin Hilderbrand
8. Murder at the Blarney Bash by Darci Hannah--FINISHED
9. Nights of Plague by Orhan Pamuk
10. Diva: A Novel by Daisy Goodwin
11. The Mystery of the Three Quarters by Sophie Hannah
12. The Maid and the Socialite by Lynda Drew
13. A Mic for All Seasons by Kenny Albert
14. A Crime of Passion Fruit by Ellie Alexander
15. I Never Did Like Politics by Terry Golway
16. Last Night by Luanne Rice--FINISHED

>21 lindapanzo: How exciting! Have fun with your considerations, Linda. LOL, my Thingaversary isn't until June but I am already working on my list!

>22 DeltaQueen50: I think I’ve got most of them in mind but not positive yet. Frigid this weekend after a heavy snow so it’ll keep me occupied.

>21 lindapanzo: Congratulations on the upcoming Thingaversary! Great idea to have a list ready! I'll be checking back to see what you choose. My 17th is in May.

>21 lindapanzo: Look forward to seeing the list. I always completely forget that we are 'allowed' to buy books for Thingaversary - I should look mine up!

I added the first quarter (4 books) of my 16 today. Maybe another 4 on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the actual day of my Thingaversary.

Happy Thingaversary for Sunday!

>21 lindapanzo: Took a BB for number 1 on your thingaversary purchases!

>27 pamelad: Thank you.

>28 Tess_W: That one does sound interesting. I saw an interesting obit in the NY Times about Maureen Flavin Sweeney who died at age 100 in December. She took weather measurements at a remote post in County Mayo and sent in the key hourly barometric pressure readings that led them to postpone the D-Day invasion by a day, most likely saving the invasion from catastrophe. As part of the obit, they talked to the author of this book. She was truly one of those "unknown people" who changed the course of history.

>29 lindapanzo: - That's very interesting. I think I might get that for my husband.

>28 Tess_W: >30 dudes22: You need a subscription to read the NY Times obit but here's another obit for her. Very interesting.

https://www.irishamerica.com/2021/06/maureen-flavin-sweeneythe-mayo-woman-whose-...

One thing I liked about the NY Times obit, though, is that it opened with how ordinary people in the midst of an average day have changed history. Such as the young Bedouin shepherd looking for a sheep who went astray and who then found the Dead Sea Scrolls. Or Frank Wills, a security guard who was making his rounds one night in 1972 and who spotted a piece of tape holding a lock open in a building where he worked and which exposed the Watergate break in.

Maureen Flavin was doing her job was like that. And it happened on her 21st birthday.

After the 10 days of snow then frigid temps, we're now in an extended period of "January thaw" and virtually all of the 18 to 20 inches of snow we had has melted over the course of the past week. Except for the piles created by the snowplows.

And, for the first time in a long, long time, yesterday, we had full sunshine for a time.

I've finished the first of my Thingaversary books, Run to Win: My Packers Life from Lombardi to Canton by Jerry Kramer. I've read some of his other books (he was the fabled right guard on the Packers during the Lombardi era (1960's)). This one was just kind of meh. Probably my least favorite book of the 10 books I read this month.

In the wee hours today, I finished one of the best books I've read in quite some time.

Cold Crematorium: Reporting from the Land of Auschwitz by József Debreczeni

I gave this long lost memoir of life in the Auschwitz camps 5 stars but, if I could, I'd give it 10 stars!!

This memoir by the Hungarian journalist and poet who arrived in Auschwitz in 1944 and was put to work as a slave laborer is brutal, painful to read, and yet important to read. Incredible detail about daily life in several of the camps, including, for his final months in camp, living in a hospital camp where prisoners too weak to work awaited death on extremely limited rations.

It's a haunting eyewitness account with details about the harsh treatment by fellow Jews in positions of authority and about food, bartering, diseases, and the deaths he saw.

Though painful to read, this book is riveting. I've read quite a few books about life in the camps and I can't recall any better than this. It should be a classic.

>33 lindapanzo: For some reason, I have a fascination with concentration camp stories. Taking a BB for this one.

>34 lowelibrary: This is a new release. I think it came out a week ago.

I notice that quite a few people name their favorite and least favorite books of the month. I'll aim to give that a try this year.

For January, my favorite book was The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride. A novel very different from my usual. I'd like to read more by this author.

For January, my least favorite book was Run to Win: My Packers Life from Lombardi to Canton by Jerry Kramer. The Packers are my favorite football team and I've always liked Jerry Kramer and have read other books by him. This one was dull and repetitious. Not a total dud but my least favorite of a pretty good reading month.

>36 lindapanzo: I thought the McBride book sounded interesting when we ordered it last year, but if it was a top book of the month for you, I need to make sure I get around to reading it!

>37 thornton37814: I hope you like it, Lori.

Almost two months into the year and I think I'm going to have to tweak my targets for each of my four categories. To my surprise, I am plowing through a whole lot more nonfiction than I expected I would. I'm halfway through my goal for the year and should finish a 6th nonfiction book in the next day or so.

Truth be told, I'm usually watching sports but, lately, I've been putting the game I want to see on TV but then pulling out my Kindle as well. Alas, my Blackhawks are the worst team in the NHL and I tend to turn to my current read when they're out of the game, which seems to happen often these days.

For February, my favorite book was Cold Crematorium: Reporting from the Land of Auschwitz by Hungarian poet and journalist József Debreczeni. For all the reasons I mentioned in post >33 lindapanzo: above

For February, my least favorite was Arthur Conan Doyle's The Red-Headed League. Not bad but not that great.

For March, my favorite book was Murder in the Tea Leaves by Laura Childs. Half of the books I read are mysteries and my two favorite mystery series are Louise Penny's Three Pines series and Laura Childs' Tea Shop series. In a month when I read the newest installment in either series, it's bound to be my favorite book of the month. I note that this one was the 27th book in the series.

My least favorite book in March was Martin Dressler by Steven Millhauser. I had high hopes for this one but it disappointed me.

My excellent reading year, thus far, continues, though the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs and the start of the baseball season will likely cut into the number of books I read.

>40 lindapanzo: I hate to say it, but I'm probably going to skip that installment of a favorite series because of the tea leaves/fortune telling angle. I'm behind on the series. I read one out of order. I didn't realize I hadn't read one. I also haven't read the one before the tea leaves one.

>41 thornton37814: Not really much in the way of fortune telling/tea leaves though. It's one brief scene. I often wonder why she titles her books as she does but at least it's a tea reference.

I don't like fortune telling type books either.

>42 lindapanzo: Maybe I can get through it if that is the case, but if it gets too bad, I'll just abandon it.

>43 thornton37814: One thing that concerns me is that she's now publishing two of these tea shop mysteries each year, not one. I hope the quality doesn't decline.

>44 lindapanzo: I thought that it hadn't been a year yet since I'd read one and had been caught up. No wonder I can't keep up! LOL

For April, my favorite book was the historical fiction book by Jennifer Ryan, one of my favorite historical fiction authors who typically writes about WW2 British homefront. The Underground Library was terrific. Among all her books, possibly the only one I've enjoyed more was her The Chilbury Ladies Choir. An honorable mention for favorite book read in
April was James Patterson's new book, The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians. I'm guaranteed to love any book involving books, booksellers, and librarians and I thoroughly enjoyed this nonfiction book as well.

My least favorite April book was Cut & Thirst by Margaret Atwood. Nothing wrong with this story by Margaret Atwood but, for me, it was just OK.

Just dropping by after I read your comment about the Stanley Cup playoffs in Judy's thread. Glad to have your support for the Edmonton Oilers - even if only temporary until the Blackhawks recover!

>46 lindapanzo: I've taken a BB for Jennifer Ryan's book, which sounds like it's right up my street.

>47 VivienneR: when the playoffs started, I wanted Boston va Edmonton in the finals.

I’ve got that package where I can watch the NHL out of market games and I do watch the Oilers often. Oh and, btw, I love when the anthem singer starts O Canada and lets the crowd finish it. When my elderly mother hears O Canada, she asks whether it's the nice one and, if so, to turn it up so she can hear it better.

>48 lindapanzo: I was surprised that Boston was knocked out so early.

It took me a while to get used to that anthem style but I find it very moving. Glad your mother likes it too.

June has been just a bit slower of a reading month for me. Stanley Cup finals and U.S. Olympic swimming trials have taken up more of my time this month. Both will be over very soon (hockey on Thurs or Mon and swimming trials on Sun). Then it should be back to regular reading levels. Until the Olympics start.

Hope everyone is weathering the heat ok. When I was young, I used to love sitting outside in the heat and reading. Not anymore.

>50 lindapanzo: Enjoying the Stanley Cup playoffs here too! It's been almost more excitement than I can handle!

Heat is difficult as we age, except for my husband who lies, often asleep, in full sunshine, in temperatures up to 40C (over 100F) Our neighbours worry and call to let me know.

>51 VivienneR: I think we're on our 5th or 6th straight day of 90+ days (along with high humidity). I hate to even go outside. Tomorrow, most of the area will be well into the 90's but, in Chicagoland, hearing "cooler by the lake" (Michigan) is always welcome news. I don't really live near the lake but sometimes the cooler air from the lake makes it out here.

I am so excited that Edmonton is coming back. For both of their wins, they took the lead while I was watching swimming and diving so my hockey fan friend is telling me to watch swimming and diving too, on Friday.

I'm reading swimming GOAT Katie Ledecky's autobiography and, naturally, a mystery.

>52 lindapanzo: Yes, do everything the same on Friday! We are such a superstitious lot!

Overlapping events are always a challenge. I love watching swimming and diving too. In another lifetime, my dad was a diver.

I hope you are staying cool!

>53 VivienneR: a cold front came through overnight and it was almost chilly this morning. Now it’s warm and muggy.

I am very superstitious so I’ll be watching swim.

Plus my niece, who just started physicians assistant school last week but was a competitive swimmer for about 10-12 years, is going to the finals in Indy on Friday night. A friend of hers could well be in a finals event on Friday night. Plus a girl she swam against in high school is swimming that day. We were pleasantly surprised the other day when that woman made the semi finals. Alas she came in 10th in the semis and so didn’t advance to the finals.

I hope you'll be watching swimming on Monday night too!

It's always good to hear when friends and acquaintances have success in their sport.

Temperatures here are becoming more summery after a late start.

>55 VivienneR: Sadly, swimming trials end on Sunday. Maybe I’ll watch track and field trials on Monday. Or else watch the two days of swimming prelims I missed bc USA Network doesn’t seem to be following its pre-set schedule. They should be on Peacock.

I certainly don’t want to jinx anything.

>56 lindapanzo: I certainly don’t want to jinx anything.

That's how I feel too. 😉

A tough week. We got a call from the memory care facility director. Dad tested positive for COVID. Hope he's ok. He just turned 88 and this can't be good.

That same day, my sister contacted us that my (only) nephew, the 6'7 bicycle fanatic was riding his bike and involved in a bike/car collision. The driver called the police and rescue squad. No concussion for my nephew but he has compression fractures on two vertebrae. He has to wear a back brace, have physical therapy (or is it occupational, I always confuse the two). Essentially, he will be on bed rest for 3 months. Poor guy.

That's a lot of bad news. I hope everything turns out okay.

So sorry to hear. :( Wishing all the best for your dad and your nephew.

That was a tough week for your family, Linda. Fingers crossed that all turns out well.

All is well with my nephew. Instead of 3 months with a back brace, he needed only 6 weeks. That boy heals fast. Dad got over COVID.

I've started physical therapy on my knee. I'll probably need about 6 to 8 weeks. It's been tough but I've done OK. Today, there was one I couldn't do without a lot of pain so the PT quickly stopped it and then thought of an alternative way to work my hamstring and quad.

In reading related news, things seem to be calming down and I'm getting my reading groove back. Hurray, hurray!!

>62 lindapanzo: Glad to hear of your nephew's and dad's recovery! Good luck with the PT!

>62 lindapanzo: That’s great that your dad and your nephew are both doing better! I hope your physical therapy helps you join them in their improvement!

So good to hear that things are looking up for you!

Glad there has been some good news for your family! Good luck with your physical therapy.

Things are moving right along. I'm showing some improvement due to physical therapy. How far I can bend my knee towards me. My strength and endurance with my knee. Plain old knee exercises are getting too easy so now they're using 2 or 3 lb weights.

When I go into work, it's quite a hike and there are curbs all around the building (and one ramp). I'd be exhausted by the time I got to my desk and needed to take a couple of breaks along the way. I was able to get permission to park in the visitor's circle, which is much closer to the building. I was still tired parking there on Tuesday and using my cane, and then, yesterday, I borrowed Mom's rollator. Giving it a try today and it helped me get up the curb and it's a lot less strenuous and much smoother for me. I'll probably get one tailored to me (someone who is shorter stature and and heavier than Mom).

My outlook has greatly improved.

Still focusing on cozy mystery reading.

Good to read that your knee is improving, Linda. My husband uses a rollator and it makes a lot of difference to his getting around.

It has seemed like so much else is going on that I haven't read much at all. Just finished my second book of the month.

Mom fell on her tailbone and is in a lot of pain. It's hard to say which of us is walking worse, right now. I'm getting a lot of use out of my rollator and today, also got a walker for the shorter walks. Longer walks or times when I might need to rest will require a rollator. Shorter walks would require the walker. I don't feel very confident/safe using just a cane.

My ability to walk is improving with physical therapy. By mutual agreement, we extended it for another month. Range of motion is much improved and my left knee is straighter than it was. On the down side, it won't ever be straight and I will probably be needing to use my mobility aids. Thankfully, I have pain only when standing up out of a chair.

Hoping to turn my blues and my reading funk around.

Tough times. Dad has advanced stage dementia, lives in a memory care home about 20 minutes away, and is in hospice care.

The hospice nurse called to say that Dad is unresponsive. They can’t wake him and his heartbeat is very rapid. He has been resting comfortably but sometimes has agitation and, at other times, is gasping for breath.

They said he’s transitioning to his end.

We just want him to be comfortable and not suffer but it's so hard to see him like this.

>70 lindapanzo: Thinking of you and your family, Linda. Take care of yourself and each other.

>70 lindapanzo: You and your father are in my thoughts at this difficult time.

So sorry to hear, Linda! Praying for you and your dad.

Sadly, my much loved father, Ed, passed away this morning after a 5+ year battle with dementia. As I mentioned, he'd been unresponsive for a few days so the end came suddenly. My heart is broken.

>74 lindapanzo: I’m so sorry for your loss.

>74 lindapanzo: I'm very sorry for your loss, Linda.

>74 lindapanzo: Oh Linda, I'm so sorry. Thinking of you and your mom.

> Sorry for your loss

>74 lindapanzo: Wishing you peace and comfort during this terrible time.

I'm sorry for your loss, Linda.

Oh Linda, I am very sorry for the loss of your father. Take care of yourself and your Mom.

Condolences on the death of your dad, Linda.

My condolences on your loss, Linda. Take care of yourself.

Thanks for all your messages of condolences. The support of friends has been a big help. The funeral is on Wed and the burial is on Thurs. Then, I'm hoping that Mom, my sister, and I can move onto our new normal.

So far, we're doing OK. Keeping busy, reading, and talking to friends and family have all been a big help. I wrote his obituary and am planning what I want to say for my eulogy tomorrow.

Dad’s funeral was yesterday and his burial today. Ever since we heard the news nearly two weeks ago that he was transitioning, I’ve felt exhausted and have barely read.

I read for an hour this evening.

>85 lindapanzo: I'm glad your reading is coming back to you, Linda, it will be a comfort.

>86 DeltaQueen50: Thanks, Judy. It definitely will. What will also be a huge is that, last night, for the first time in almost two weeks, I got a good night's sleep. Also went back to physical therapy for my knee today.

>87 lindapanzo: I hope the good sleeping continues. It's one of the best remedies.

I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your Dad. Take good care of yourself.

I've now completed 3 of my 4 categories for the year. Just 7 more mysteries to read.

Mission accomplished!! Finished all of my categories for 2024 when I finished my latest mystery, Murder at the Lemonberry Tea by Darci Hannah.

>91 lindapanzo: Congratulations on finishing all your categories.

>91 lindapanzo: Woohoo, congratulations on completing your challenge!

Congratulations Linda, you've had a difficult year so completing your challenge is a real accomplishment!

>92 lowelibrary: >93 christina_reads: >94 DeltaQueen50: Thanks. Boring categories, I know, but ones I like so I’m especially happy to meet these goals.

If the books aren’t boring, the category’s not boring! If the books are enjoyable and engaging, the category’s enjoyable and engaging!

For 2025, I stuck with my usual categories once again and created a new thread for the new year.

I hope you'll join me.

Here's hoping for a much, much better year in 2025.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/366712

I'll be joining you in the New Year! Best wishes for a happy, healthy one!