It's been an appointment week here at Casa Kittling, but at least they're Denis's appointments and not mine. There's nothing wrong with Denis, they're just normal, annual appointments with his doctors. One wasn't, however. The week's first appointment had him going to get the lift serviced on the back of the Jeep. I've had to resort to using an electric scooter to get out and about which means that we have to have some way to transport the thing when we leave the house. With all the pandemic hoohah, Denis had neglected routine maintenance on the lift, but when it started trying to fold my scooter, Denis took it in. All better now! (And I think the scooter breathed a sigh of relief. I wouldn't want to be folded. Would you?)
If Denis has been scurrying around to various appointments, what have I been doing?
Reorganizing and restocking, that's what. I cleaned up two major areas: the medical supply drawers in the linen cupboard outside the bathroom, and my completed knitting projects.
I never know when my leg is going to go haywire, so I've got quite an assortment of ointments and bandaging. Then there are those vitamins and supplements most of us seem to require. Now those drawers are nice and tidy again and contain all the essentials that Denis and I might need in the future.
I've been quite successful at giving away all the afghans I've made, but it's the small items like scarves and cowls that have been piling up. Daisy is usually the person who keeps these things at a manageable level, but pandemic travel restrictions means she's missed a couple of visits, so they've been piling up. Now each one is in its own sealed package, and they're all in large clear zippered vinyl bags. Daisy may need an extra suitcase the next time she visits. Or... I might offer a free cowl or scarf with future giveaways. I've thought of this before but always decided against it, thinking that no one would be interested.
Now that I've done some reorganizing and restocking, it's time to hit the books.
Enjoy the links!
►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
- A brief history of the legal thriller.
- The Duchess of Cornwall's latest book recommendation is a hit with fans.
- Target hits books.
- SA Cosby: "The holy trinity of Southern fiction is race, class, and sex."
- Would you give up air conditioning if you knew it would save the planet?
- How an 18th-century cookbook offers glimpses of Jane Austen's domestic life.
- Why do American crime writers love British manors so much?
- Four lessons the U.S. can take from Iceland's highly successful four-day workweek trial.
►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄
- An amateur treasure hunter in England has discovered an early medieval sword pyramid.
- Machu Picchu was built decades earlier than thought.
- Archaeological "treasures"-- including 2,400-year-old fruit-- have been found in an ancient Egyptian city.
- A shipwreck filled with wine jugs proves Rome was a nonstop clambake.
- A sacred stone tied to the legend of Romulus and Remus has been unearthed in Rome.
- Grazing goats and sheep help uncover historic gravestones in Ireland.
- A trove of Roman weapons has been unearthed at an ancient settlement in Spain.
- These millennia-old cave paintings may be among India's oldest.
►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄
- Dogs know when humans are lying to them.
- Sneaky birds are being caught on video while yanking hair from live animals.
- A stranded killer whale survived with the help of humans.
- How a Great Dane helped a girl with a genetic bone condition walk without assistance.
- Giraffes have highly complex social lives akin to elephants.
- Watch these owls throw a porch party at 10:30 PM that triggered a newly installed video doorbell.
- Olive and Mabel take home bronze and gold Olympic medals for performing well in dog-related sports.
- Dogs sniff out answers to bat and bird fatalities near wind turbines.
►The Wanderer◄
- Are these the last days of India's touring tent cinemas?
- Five castles to stay in during your next trip to the UK and Ireland.
- The twenty most idyllic towns and villages in the UK.
- Ten amazing lighthouses you can rent.
- Eight locations across northeast England where Vera has been filming season eleven.
- The history of the world's first cruise ship built solely for luxurious travel.
- The oldest sweet shop in England.
►Fascinating Folk◄
- Major Charity Adams, the pioneering officer who led an all-Black Women's Army Corps battalion in a daunting World War II mission: saving soldiers' mail.
- Freddy Fernandez-Ramirez ("Ranger Freddy") wants everyone to feel welcome in the desert.
- A brief survey of famous authors and their favorite cocktails and colognes.
- Amelia Earhart's forgotten fashion line.
►Craftsmanship◄
- Queen Elizabeth II has an eye-watering collection of miniatures.
- Tom Daley's Olympic knitting is moving the needle in a big way.
- The underrated haute couture of Jacobean needlework.
►I ♥ Lists◄
- Ranking the twenty-five greatest songs of all time.
- Five episodes of The X-Files that were inspired by real-life mysteries.
- Five biographies and memoirs that read like fiction.
- Thirteen uplifting science fiction novels.
- Eleven funny murder mystery books.
- Seven novels in which the dead step in to solve their own murders.
- Nine novels about women fighting for a just society.
- Ten books of everyday social anthropology.
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.
Don't forget to spend some Me Time curled up with a good book!
I admire your 'clean and straighten' commitment, Cathy. Everything always looks so much better once you take a little time to organize and straighten things up. And it's good to hear your scooter once again has a good place to be when you go out. Let's hope your leg continues to heal quickly... As for me, I have a shipwreck to explore!
ReplyDeleteWhat I don't understand is why we let areas get cluttered up again after we spend all that time uncluttering them?
DeleteYour cleanup efforts are inspirational, Cathy...I wish they could push me a little harder, though, toward doing more of that myself. I was inspired to get rid of some clutter for about an hour last week, and although I managed to carry about 40 old jigsaw puzzles to Goodwill, my good intentions sputtered immediately following that trip.
ReplyDeleteI'm enjoying the links, as always. One of them has already inspired a quick Tweet to Target about its atrocious book-banning policy. I buy books there out of convenience and impulse...but that may be as dead now as the books they decide I'm not mature enough to read and consider on my own. I don't need anyone deciding what I read, and I will not spend money with people who think they preemptively need to do that for me.
I was very unhappy when I read that Target link, too-- and I fired off some well-chosen words their way.
DeleteBan book banning!
DeleteSome of my favorite books which taught me a lot and formed my world view are on the long-time banned books' list like books by Toni Morrison, John Steinbeck, Alice Walker, etc.
DeleteGlad to hear your days are still free of appointments and that you felt well enough to do some organizing. It always feels so good to clean out the clutter. I'm off to check out the Duchess of Cornwall's book recommendations. Have a good weekend!
ReplyDeleteShould I admit that I was pleasantly surprised by her choice?
DeleteGlad to read no more appointments for you right now, and glad your vehicle is being fixed to hold your scooter.
ReplyDeleteThe links are good. I have read some of the books about activism by women. But I'll write down the others.
I thought that link would interest you. :-)
DeleteI look longingly back at the activism past, and send my best wishes to those presently engaged. It does give one hope to see people, especially youth of all nationalities, out promoting social justice.
DeleteYes, it does.
DeleteI'm adding to the list (groan).
ReplyDeleteChin up, Kathy. I have some books coming up that you won't be adding to your list.
DeleteOh, interesting. What could those be? Books set in WWII?
DeleteScience fiction? Paranormal? Westerns?
Can't wait to read about these.
They're a combination of genres you don't like and books I didn't particularly like.
DeleteWell, I will relish the book reviews then. Always up for that.
DeleteFaithful Reader here, stopping by to disabuse you of the mistaken notion that "no one would be interested" in your knitting as a giveaway - I think that's a great idea!
ReplyDeleteNow I'm off to check out that Target link first, and then many others ...
Well... one person has spoken up about the knitting!
DeleteI think many of us would be interested! I am in awe of your knitting abilities! Thanks for more good links and encouragement to organize a bit!
ReplyDeleteTwo for knitting-- and you're welcome!
DeleteAwesome: My comment about your knitting of afghans, both the skill and the productivity.
ReplyDeleteI won't be giving away afghans... I don't think!
DeleteIt was an observation and a compliment.
ReplyDelete