Tag Archives: books

September 19, 2025 · 12:14 am

My Favorite Book?

Best Book Monkey

One of the things I miss about our former home in Arkansas is my book collection. We had bookshelves in every room and all of them were overflowing. That didn’t keep us from buying more or downloading more onto our Kindles…

We brought our Kindles to Thailand, and Brian pronounced them ‘ancient,’ as soon as we were settled. After my husband’s stroke and eventual placement in a nursing home, Brian bought him a new, simplified Kindle without all the bells and whistles that we thought he could operate. That turned out not to be the case, so we brought it home for me to use.

It’s very straight-forward and I like it a lot. Brian transferred the books I had on the old one to the new one. This is faster, easier to read, lighter weight. I stopped paying for the Unlimited plan, since I was paying more for that monthly than I would if I bought the books outright. I’m not reading as much because I simply run out of time. I can still find some free books to try, when I don’t know the author and am not interested in showing my support yet.

I put it in my carrier when we go to the cafe to get out of my housekeeper’s way on Friday afternoons. I switch between reading and sketching, and the time passes quickly.

Right now I’m enjoying the latest book in the “In Death” series by J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts. It’s called, “Framed in Death,” and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. (This is book # 61 in the series. #62 will be available in February.)

I learned to read when I was 5 because I had the wonderful example of my parents and older brother reading all around me. I’ve been a voracious reader ever since – except for while I was pursuing my Master’s Degree as a Reading Specialist. THAT is a program designed to kill anyone’s love of reading! It took me two years after getting my degree to be able to pick up a book to read for pleasure without tensing up and feeling I would be ‘tested’ on all the details of the book when I finished.

One of the things I tried to do when I ran my own reading clinic for several years in Tulsa was to get my students to realize what joy they would find when they unlocked the key to reading well. Once we figured out the skills they were missing and what kinds of things interested them, we used their interests to fill in the blanks and they were on their way, grinning. It’s amazing how hard a boy will work on phonics, figuring out how to chop up a long word into a word he could pronounce and use, when it’s tied to reading a comic book starring one of his favorite characters. Some of our girls enjoyed reading about clothes available in teen magazines. Everyone seemed to get a kick out of reading cartoons of any kind.

I consider reading one of the many gifts we humans have in life. We can learn things we need or want to know. We can follow directions to make things we can use or can give as gifts to others. We can dive into a world filled with intriguing characters who live in a world totally different than ours, making our problems fade away for a while.

Thankfully, there are ways to enjoy reading without spending a lot of money or needing a lot of space to store books. I love the idea I saw about people building library boxes on poles in their neighborhoods, putting books inside they thought others might like. These are completely free. The idea spreads, others bring books to share. Everyone wins. 😁

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August 29, 2025 · 9:24 pm

Thoughts on 8-30-2025

@wholesomememe.bsky.social

I’m having a good morning. I’ve had my workout at the gym, breakfast with Brian, washed and hung my laundry on the drying rack on the balcony, and have fun plans for the day.

I’m going to work on the owls puzzle. I may die of old age before I actually finish this, but I’m determined to do it, even if the very last thing I do is to put in the final puzzle piece before I croak.😋

I did some sketches at the cafe yesterday and will start painting them later today. I’m in the middle of “Mirror” Book 2 of a new trilogy, “The Lost Brides” by Nora Roberts on my Kindle. I found out that Book 3 won’t be available until November, but I now have a card I can use to download books to my Kindle from Amazon even though I’m in Thailand now. I’m thrilled.

I’m planning to do a good job on more exercising today. I’ll start with yoga stretches and see how I do with that. I’ve TALKED a good game lately, but have been sloth-like in my actual implementation…

I discovered some good videos about living in Thailand. I’m enjoying listening to those and trying to absorb all the good information.

I got an alert on my phone yesterday that we’re under the gun again from another humongous thunderstorm coming this way from Vietnam. We’re supposed to get it tomorrow, August 31st. ☹️ We were planning to go visit Harvey tomorrow, so we’ll have to look at what’s happening and the timing on what is forecast to see if we think we can get to the nursing home, have our visit, and get back before potentially bad leaking from our windows occurs again. (The round trip when we visit is about 3 hours, so we may have to just decide it’s too big a risk and stay home.) We’ll see.

MAKE this a fabulous day.

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August 9, 2025 · 2:47 am

This and That 8-9-2025

kaylishop.com

I have inherited the new, simplified-design Kindle that Brian bought for my husband. Harvey has always been a voracious reader, but this is one of the many ways he has changed since his stroke. He can’t handle the simplified Kindle, and he seems to be unable to dive into a book anymore. He has two paperbacks by his favorite authors on the table beside him, but he isn’t reading.

I’m enjoying the new design. It doesn’t have any bells and whistles, just larger, clearer type and ease of use. I can throw it in my carrier when we vacate my place for my housekeeper. I really enjoy being able to do that. I am enjoying “Inheritance” by Nora Roberts right now, the first of a trilogy.

We went to visit Harvey today. He announced he had taken a new wife. He said her name is Amaterasu. He said that she is the daughter of Ka Pook, Harvey’s former 24 hour nurse, who has taken a new position in Bangkok. She is 18, tall and beautiful. Harvey said they had a quick ceremony since the marriage was a business arrangement, since she could go to the States if she married a citizen. He didn’t seem to worry about bigamy, or my reaction to the marriage. He was concerned about making arrangements at the airport.

I asked him if, since women seemed to be throwing themselves at his feet, finding him irresistible, if he planned to marry wife #3. He looked at me and said, “I’ll take it as it comes.”

Later we Googled the name, discovering that she is the Japanese sun goddess, a central figure in Shinto mythology. Apparently, he ‘met’ her on TV.

At home, I’m watching the skies, trying to get my laundry dry on the balcony. I brought in several dry things earlier, then rescued some other stuff a few minutes ago from a sudden rain, only to put the them out again about 10 minutes later. Doing laundry during the rainy season in Thailand teaches one to be alert and fast moving. 😁

I sketched several things while we were at the cafe staying out of my housekeeper’s way yesterday. I plan to draw some more thank you cards to leave for her plus start painting some of the sketches.

I hope you’re having a good day and finding reasons to smile.

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August 1, 2025 · 9:23 pm

More Pampering!

Freepik

I had a lovely day yesterday with a massage in the morning, time in a cafe sipping an iced cappucino while drawing in my sketch book or reading a book on my new Kindle while my housekeeper (woo HOOO!) made my place spotless. These were topped off by a trip to a street market and beautiful dinner.

Brian had bought the new Kindle for Harvey to use in the nursing home. My husband has always been a voracious reader, reading paperbacks plus books downloaded on to his Kindle at the rate sometimes of a book in one day. Since his stroke, the old Kindle was too much for him to handle, so Brian ordered a new, simpler one which only had the reader without any other bells and whistles. It turned out that the simpler one was too much for him, as well, so we brought it home with us last time. Brian wiped the books off, downloaded all of MY books onto it, listed it on Amazon so I can continue to download books from Kindle Unlimited, and synced it to the Wifi in my place, as well as an alternate if needed. Is my son a keeper or what! 🙂

And the pampering continues today! Two months ago we found a hair stylist who looked at a picture I brought in on my phone and tried his best to emulate it – taking into account that my hair won’t do ANYTHING on its own. It’s thin, fine, and totally uncooperative. I came out looking as if ‘someone had a plan,’ rather than an exploded mushroom. I’m hoping he can work a miracle again today.

After my haircut, fingers are crossed that Brian will be able to find some tennis shoes to replace the ones he is using now which have the tread totally worn off. I hope he finds something he is happy with today at the big mall.

I hope that YOU are being pampered, too, or that you figure out things you can do for yourself that make your face explode into a wide, wide grin today.

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June 15, 2025 · 9:56 pm

Why I Write

  1. “We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.”
    ―Anaïs Nin

Kateryna Hilznitsova – Unsplash

Writing is a greedy obsession. We write because we HAVE to write. It’s a compulsion, a need to reach out, to connect, to communicate. We would write whether anyone read our words or not, but it feels empty and we lose our enthusiasm, our motivation.

Of all the things I left behind when we moved to Thailand, the thing I wanted to get back as soon as possible was my blog. I tried to write it using my phone, but it was really difficult for me. I’m still learning how to do things on the MAC (I was using Windows), but it’s such a relief to be able to include a picture or two now. I’m not back to full speed with my more ‘normal’ posts yet, but I’m getting there slowly.

For me, the reaching out, the communicating is the most important reason I write. I feel connected to the people who take the time to read my blog. Some have become long distance friends. I love sharing what is happening, how I feel about it, exciting things I’ve seen, new things I’ve learned, wonderfully talented people I’ve found on the net, and more.

Reading comments is an important part of my day. I want to know what you think. Sometimes I get spam or someone being mean for no good reason and I blow those off. More often, I hear that someone has related to something I’ve said, it made them feel, it reminded them of a similar thing in their lives. Sometimes I get treasured messages of support, or kudos because someone likes the way I have written something, or agrees with what I’ve said.

It’s greedy because ‘I’ wrote it, ‘I’ wanted to reach out, ‘I’ put it out there, and ‘I’m’ getting to read any feedback. Me, me, me. BUT – in that greediness, I HOPE I’m providing a real person’s outlook on things, honest appreciation for other’s work, a bit of entertainment or a smile or two.

The blog is good because you can receive emails each time I write, or you can simply come to the site when you’re in the mood and scroll down.

THANK YOU for reading what I write. THANK YOU for hitting the ‘like’ button when you want to. THANK YOU for writing a comment when you have the time or inclination. All are much appreciated. 🤗

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June 9, 2025 · 3:22 am

The Gift of Reading

Michael Bednarek – Fine Art America

Reading is one of the MANY things that increases my quality of life.

I got in trouble as a 3 or 4 year old, sitting on the floor of our living room. My dad was reading a book on archeology. My mom was sitting in her chair with her 3 Chihuahuas working the Sunday New York Times Crossword Puzzle. My brother was on the couch with a whole pile of comic books. I looked around several times and then I said, in the middle of the silence, “I wish to HELL I could read!”

The silence lasted a bit longer while my brother looked smug that I would obviously get in trouble. Instead, my mom got up, gathered some things and sat down on the floor with me and began to teach me.

The only time I wasn’t a voracious reader for pleasure was when I was finishing up my Masters Program at Tulsa University. I had to read so many things and regurgitate them back to my professors to the point that when I graduated, I didn’t read anything for pleasure for a couple of years, and when I did, I found myself doing it as if I would be tested on it.

I’m reading Mind Games by Nora Roberts right now. I’m really into it. If you’ve already enjoyed it, please don’t tell me how it turns out. I think this is one of her best – and that’s a lot coming from an avid fan like me.

I love the way you can escape from whatever is bothering you in a book. You can visit a different place, meet different people, become engrossed in a different situation, learn things, and more.

I hope that you have found the joy of reading, too. I think it’s priceless.

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April 5, 2025 · 12:24 am

Saturday in Thailand 4-5-2025

It’s almost noon here. If I’m calculating correctly, that means it’s midnight on the 4th for people in the United States. I hope that my publishing this doesn’t cause notifications that wake you up.

I took a picture of my brand new computer (!) with my phone but I can’t get it to show up here yet. It’s lovely. It’s lovely, purple, and the brains of the thing are in the monitor. Other than the slim monitor, there is what to ME is a teeny tiny keyboard on which I am bringing “fumble-fingered” to a new art form. Then there is the rectangular “mouse.”

All my computer habits are wrong now and I’m frantically practicing and taking notes on how to add websites I frequent to a special favorites folder, get ONTO the websites and do what I normally do, all the while typing the wrong keys… I will learn how to use this. It’s sleek, stylish and not at all like its owner – but that can be one of its character-building tasks. 🤪

I went to get an audiogram this morning regarding the sudden hearing loss I have since I left the hospital. We will now take the results back to the ear specialist I saw last evening. I really am amazed that people have evening hours and have appointments on the weekends here. I’m going to get used to this in a hurry. 😄

My husband and I have an appointment for pedicures tomorrow (Sunday!) This is especially wonderful since my husband has Type II Diabetes and needs to take care of his feet, which have numb spots. His toenails are especially hard to cut, so having a pedicure by someone who understands his situation will be wonderful. I’m going along for one, too, just to indulge myself. Neither of us has ever had one.

We are trying to do two walks a day now, continuing to try to build our strength. Yesterday we took one while the maids were here to clean the air bnb. It’s included in the price of this place. This is the first time I have ever had anyone clean a place I lived, and I really like it. Our son has a maid come either once a week or once every other week, I can’t remember. He says it costs next to nothing. Amazing.

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February 27, 2025 · 11:21 am

“Ch-ch-ch-ch-anges…”

Elizabeth Westfall-Pinterest

I am still among the land of the living and am finally feeling strong enough to try to get one blog post written this morning.

There are lots and lots of changes going on around here, due to the sudden events of the past 2 weeks or so. I appreciate your bearing with me on things I’m having to do differently as I adapt.

To summarize the events of February, my husband and I both were diagnosed with Flu A (husband flu plus pneumonia. Me flu plus bronchitis.) at our walk-in clinic on the 6th. The doc there strongly suggested I go to the ER due to low blood oxygen. We went home and I called a friend, who drove me to the ER. I was admitted there, transferred to the ICU, had two operations in three days due to my heart stopping beating, one for a temporary pace maker and the other for a permanent one. I was released on the 12th.

I asked our son to come home from across the world from us. He dropped everything and traveled 24 hours to get here. He has handled all the cooking, cleaning, medications, animals, taking care of us beautifully. I honestly don’t know what we would have done without him.

We are both improving very slowly. I am on oxygen, but am trying to wean myself off of it as I can.

Yesterday our new bed came and the fridge guy came to look at the ice maker in the new fridge. The bed will be fine, though we both need to do some adaptation. The tech ordered a part for the fridge, so that will be handled eventually, too.

The most impactful thing from all of this is that my husband and I have always planned carefully for future scenarios, not wanting to be caught flat footed. We honestly hadn’t thought about the fact that I could croak first. This has upended everything. We also never planned for both of us to be sick at the same time, and that upended anything that was left. I have to admit I am rocked down to my core on this one. I could handle being the survivor, but I seriously worry about my husband’s ability to function by himself.

This will take a lot of thinking and replanning, and possible scenarios we never even considered before.

Again, thank you for taking the time to read all of this. I hope to be able to get back to the regular blog posts starting tomorrow. I’m trying to give myself some slack, though, since I tend to give out at the slightest effort, and will need to work to build my stamina again.

Meanwhile you’ve been on my mind and I hope you’re doing well.

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December 23, 2024 · 9:34 am

Books and Coffee

2nd Nature by Hand – Etsy

I can’t imagine a life without books. To say I’m a voracious reader is a vast understatement. I’m usually reading at least two at once. We have books in every room of our home. We built floor-to-ceiling bookshelves in almost every room and we still have to juggle to find room for our collection.

I’ve loved reading from the time I was very small. I sat in the middle of my parent’s living room, watching my dad devour a book on geology, my mother with her lapboard, working the Sunday NY Times crossword puzzle, and my brother reading a comic book. Frustrated, I finally blurted out, “I wish to HELL I could read!” After several moments of complete silence, my mom sat on the floor and started to teach me.

Now I have a master’s degree as a ‘Reading Specialist,’ taught in the public schools in Tulsa OK for 8 years (getting in trouble for teaching phonics to my kids while playing my guitar.) I ran my own reading clinic for three years, helping a lot of kids discover they WEREN’T ‘stupid,’ teaching them the keys to making sense of it all.

Between books, the Internet, and YouTube now, there isn’t enough time in the day to learn all I would like. I love the fact that you can learn so many things in the privacy of your home that may change your life.

I have favorite authors – Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb, Robert B. Parker, Lee Child, Grisham, so many others; and it’s a gift that I’m discovering new authors, such as R.G. Ryan.

I hope that kids are receiving books this Christmas and that their parents are reading to them, showing them how much fun it is to read and learn, helping them get books from the library and build their own collection – encouraging them to escape from current worries, to dive into other worlds.

@becauseallthebooks via G. Loganberry

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December 1, 2024 · 9:52 am

Reading Addiction

Cheryl Silva Burrhus-Pinterest

I’m always reading at least one book for pleasure – not counting those I’m reading to learn skills, make new recipes, directions, manuals, etc. My husband and I spend some time before we go up to sleep reading. I love to escape to well-loved books or find new authors that grab my attention.

I told you I was in withdrawal yesterday having finished The 5th Doctor by R. G. Ryan – his Jake Moriarity series. We follow each other on X, and I complained to him about his not writing fast enough. (I’m old and I won’t last forever.) He answered, saying that there were 5 more in the pipeline for publication (HOOOOOORAAAAAAAY!) with a prequel to what I’ve read coming out next spring. I’ve written it on my calendar to start checking for it around March.

Meanwhile, I’ve downloaded a spate of poorly-written books on my Kindle. I read a few pages and then delete in disgust. I really enjoy finding new authors, but it’s a bit like kissing frogs.

I decided that I’m going to divide my time between two wonderful favorite authors, reading one book by each – rinse – repeat. SO – I’m re-reading the J.D. Robb (Nora Roberts) “In Death” Series and the R.G. Ryan “Jake Moriarity” series. I’ll juggle between the two. Two strong main characters with a group of friends and family I love. A really nice way to spend my reading time. :0)

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November 28, 2024 · 9:45 am

Just Let Me Finish This Chapter!

JoAnne White-Pinterest

I guess you would call me a voracious reader. I have always loved books, from the time I was a young kid, sitting on the floor, looking around the living room in my parents’ home. My dad was pouring over a book from the library on geology, his secret career wish (though he was a top advertising creator on the radio in Tulsa OK, winning awards.) My mom was working the Sunday New York Times Crossword Puzzle and CryptoQuote. She was actually able to FINISH both most weeks. My older brother was reading one of his treasured comic books. I couldn’t hold it in any longer and said plaintively, “I wish to HELL I could read!” Happily, my parents ignored my language. My mom motioned for me to join her in her chair and proceeded to start teaching me.

I have a group of favorite authors. My home is full of wonderful books, though I try to use my Kindle as much as possible because if I don’t, we’ll have to get a bigger house!

My newest favorite author is R. G. Ryan. He has created a series of books centering around Jake Moriarity, a ‘finder of people.’ I discovered Ryan on X, followed him, and tried the first book in the series, Watercolor Dreams. To say I loved it is a vast understatement. I was sucked into the world he created, really liked the people and wanted more.

His newest in the series is called, “The 5th Doctor”.


I went to Amazon and downloaded it late yesterday evening. When my husband wanted me to come to bed, I was saying, “Just let me finish this chapter!” I finally went up to bed around 2am. I’m still having a bit of trouble getting anything else done today because I’d like to get back into it.

I recommend the whole series of Jake Moriarity books. The characters are people you would want to know, and feel you DO know, with the relationships evolving from book to book. The plots are always interesting with plenty of heart-stopping action, but the thing that draws ME is R.G. Ryan’s sense of humor and humanity. The first makes me snort from time to time as I read and the second make me tear up.

I recommend you start with the first book in the series, Watercolor Dreams and enjoy them in order.

I wouldn’t be at all surprised if YOU’LL discover a new favorite author, too.

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September 29, 2024 · 9:53 am

Unlimited

I have the old style Kindle Fire 7. If things go the way things have in the past year, it’s probably on its last legs and will die a cruel death soon. :0(

I have always liked REAL books. They are in shelves all over our house, plus in ‘discrete’ piles :0) elsewhere – I LOVE real books and fought the idea of getting a Kindle for a LONG time after my husband got one. He loves his and rarely reads a real book anymore. I do like the fact that I can throw my Kindle in my purse and take it places and read where I’m having to wait a long time.

I also fought the idea of Kindle Unlimited, where you pay a monthly fee in order to have access to lots of ‘free’ books at no extra charge. The main reason I like this now is that a LOT of books being written these days that are truly awful, in my humble opinion. I like characters with whom I can identify or I can admire. I like plots where I care what happens to those characters. I won’t read a book with lots of grammatical or spelling errors. I also don’t like ‘formula’ stuff that is predictable, being buried in questionable language, or kind of shocked by too much explicitness when I appreciate ‘romance.’

I can upload a book, get started with it, and send it back from whence it came in a matter of seconds without feeling guilty about having ‘bought’ yet another bad book not worth reading. There is no limit. I DO have to return one in order to download another from time to time, but that just takes a second.

I still prefer a real book, but paperbacks now, since the arthritis in my hands makes it uncomfortable to hold a hardback these days. The Kindle enables me to read as much as I like without guilt – a great thing for sure!

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March 11, 2017 · 2:43 pm

Purrfect Afternoon

Kaopu.info

We’ve just had lunch. I’m heading up to work in the art room for awhile, making presents for good friends and relatives. I’m in the middle of a new book, and then I’m planning for a nap before it’s time to

  1. decide whether to cover the veggies or not, and
  2. prepare dinner

A PURRFECT Saturday afternoon…

 

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