Friday, May 31, 2019

A Clearing Out Weekly Link Round-Up




I wouldn't believe it if it hadn't happened to me. I think I told you-- well, I know I told somebody!-- about reorganizing cupboards and countertops in the kitchen. We also had our combination pantry/broom closet scheduled for a clear-out, too, but things kept getting in the way. Last week, Denis said that we'd do it this Tuesday. I raised an eyebrow, knowing what was already scheduled for that day, but I didn't say anything. I figured we'd do it if he remembered, and if he didn't, I'd keep my mouth shut. He didn't remember.

We had a well-deserved lie-in on Wednesday, and when I finally showed myself, all I wanted was some tea and some time to read email and the like. Denis had other plans, and he kept at me until I got to moving in the right direction. That's a first!

We cleared out the pantry, and now you can barely tell it's the same space. It's amazing how a person can spend a lot of time clearing out and reorganizing an area and then turn right around and junk it up again.

We were ruthless-- especially with the time- and labor-saving machines I bought to help me with housecleaning only to find that they really didn't suit my requirements. We put several things out at the curb. If the wrong person had driven by, we risked getting fined by the city, but we knew the people in the area well enough to know that our stuff wouldn't be out there long enough to gather one speck of dust. We were right. Now we have a pantry with a couple of empty shelves (!!!), and it's reorganized so that the door actually shuts and latches without a fight. I think it's time for some R&R now, don't you?

But I'd better mosey out to the corral first. Head 'em up! Moooove 'em out!



►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
  • Book editor Juliet Grames reflects on the many rules she's recently broken.
  • What's behind the American cult of eternal adolescence.
  • A new study reveals how one person's "smellscape" can differ from another's.
  • The true crime that captivated one of America's most enigmatic writers.
  • Ohio becomes the latest state to attempt to stop book donations to the incarcerated.
  • Vochol-- the VW Bug decorated with over two million glass beads. 
  • How do you turn kids into bookworms? All ten children's laureates share their tips.
  • Kristin Scott Thomas joins Lily James and Armie Hammer in a new Netflix adaptation of Rebecca.


►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄
  • Bengal tigers may lose a vital habitat by 2070. 
  • The key to biodiversity in Antarctica is penguin poop.
  • 108 neglected lions were found on a South African breeding farm.
  • This horse was the gold standard for Roman chariot racers.
  • China's proposed national panda park will be three times the size of Yellowstone. 
  • How evolution brought a flightless bird back from extinction.
  • Seven hungry kookaburras laugh at a man with food.


►Fascinating Folk◄
  • Meet Marion Donovan, the mother who invented a precursor to the disposable diaper. 
  • Mary Baker, the English servant girl who pretended to be an exotic island princess.
  • Bertha Heyman, the Prussian grifter who swindled her way to her own one-woman show.

►I ♥ Lists & Quizzes◄



That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.

Have a great weekend, and read something fabulous!



10 comments:

  1. A good clear-out can give you a real feeling of satisfaction, can't it, Cathy? You have more space, and your place looks more like you want it to look. That's great! Now, those Egyptian tombs are calling me...

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  2. An empty shelf???? I wouldn't recognize one myself, but congratulations. Love this week's links, particularly, Cathy!

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    1. Not one but TWO empty shelves-- and so far they've managed to stay that way. I'm shocked, I tell you! Glad you enjoyed the links.

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  3. Amazing to actually have two empty shelves.
    I also cleared out some things in cabinets, but I don't have empty shelves.
    There is something about spring that gets out spring cleaning genes going.
    I see a lot of good links here.
    I did put the latest Denise Mina and Kate Atkinson books on library reserve. I'll have to wait until they get in a good quantity.Meanwhile, with all of my book ideas, grabbed the latest Linwood Barclay off the shelves and am hooked; it's A Noise Downstairs. It's Harlan Coben meets Fiona Barton. Creepy, yet a pageturner.

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    1. Neither one of us have trouble finding something good to read. Right now I'm in Depression-Era Kentucky with the pack horse librarians.

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  4. Ooh, now that's a book I'd like to hear about and pass along to a friend who is a retired librarian and now archaelogist.
    I went outside to do errands on Friday and had book separation, but I got more books at the library, including Death at Sea, Montalbano short stories!

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  5. I finally took a box to GoodWill that has been sitting in the garage for weeks. I also have a box of books that needs to go to a friends Little Free Library. Oh, gosh, the pantry--it has two years since I gave it a good clean. Now, I'm tired and guilty just thinking about it all.

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    1. I've often said that I'm glad we don't have a garage-- too dangerous!

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