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Hi! My name is Margot. My blog is about the things I love to do. That could be what I'm reading, places we visit, my family, food, or whatever else is happening. I hope you'll stay and visit a while.
Contact me by email: joyfullyretired (at) gmail (dot) com. What I’m Reading  Bury Your Dead
 Looking For Me
 Cottage at Glass Beach
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 Wednesday is the day I participate in Wondrous Words Wednesday. It’s the day we celebrate new words we find as we read. It still amazes me that I keep finding new words every week.
I’m still working my way through Bury Your Dead by Louise Penny. It’s a wonderful book that I’m allowing myself to read slowly. I’m savoring every word and in the process I’ve discovered a few new ones.
1. funicular: Armand Gamache walked slowly back up the small hill to Petit-Champlain and the Funicular.
A funicular is special kind of railway that operates by cable with ascending and descending cars counterbalancing each other. In Quebec City, Canada, where Armand Gamacche is helping to solve a crime, he would be riding one of the oldest funiculars in the world, operating since 1879. There are also private funiculars in hilly cities to take residents from the street up to their houses. There are over 300 in Wellington, New Zealand.
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2. imperceptibly: He shifted imperceptibly in his seat, and as he did his perception shifted just a little.
The context following the new word gives a clue. Let’s see for sure: Yes, imperceptible means impossible to perceive. Thanks Ms. Penny. Good writers help their readers understand.
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3. coelacanth: Like what grasses grow on Rum Island, and when the last coelacanth was caught.”
My guess is also from the context of this word. I think coelacanth is some kind of fish. What else is caught? I was right. A coelocanth is a large, bony marine fish with a three-lobed tail fin and fleshy pectoral fins.
Wondrous Words Wednesday is the creation of Kathy at Bermuda Onion. Be sure to vissit her.
 Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea asks us to share the first paragraph of a book we are reading. As you can see it’s called First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros. As readers we are often captivated or turned away by that first paragraph or two. Let’s see what you think about the first paragraph of my current read.
I am so glad to be reading Beth Hoffman’s latest book, Looking For Me. Trust me, it has already captured my heart and I’m only in a few chapters. Here’s how it begins:
“Some people run toward life, arms flung wide in anticipation. Others crack open the door and take a one-eyed peek to see what’s out there. Then there are those who give up on life long before their heart stops beating — all used up, worn out, and caved in, yet they wake each morning and shuffle their tired legs through another day. Maybe they’re hoping for a change –a miracle, even — but runaway dreams and lost years hang heavily on their backs. It’s the only coat they know how to wear.”
What do you think?
Would you keep reading?
Thanks to National Public Radio (NPR), I’ve discovered a series of fun graphic novels meant for 9 to 12 year olds.. They’re the Lunch Lady books by Jarrett Krosoczka. Have you heard about them?
NPR has a book club for kids: Backseat Book Club: Youthful Reads for Junior Brainiacs. The Lunch Lady books are their pick for May.
 When I was a kid we brought our lunches to school, but when my own kids (now in their forties) went to school they had the option of eating in a cafeteria or lunch room. Dinner conversation at home would occasionally be about the school food and the lunch ladies. So I know my kids and my grand-kids will identify with the premise and the imagination of this set of books: “What do you suppose she does? You know, when she’s not a lunch lady?”
As the children in the book eventually learn, the Lunch Lady has super-powers and a host of super-gadgets. In the first book in the series, Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute, the Lunch Lady figures out that the substitute teacher is not really human. (Some thing I think most children suspect.) She can tell this when she watches every classroom on her giant-screen computer in the boiler room.
 The Lunch Lady has a sidekick named Betty. I loved the spatula Betty made that turns into a hand-held helicopter. Each book has some new gadget. Lunch Lady and the League of Librarians is another favorite of mine. In it we find Hover Pizza and the Lingini Lasso.
One of our local librarians loves this book. It’s all about librarians who want to take over the world and wipe out all video games. There are great uses of classic children’s stories used as weapons. See what I mean? Lots of fun.
Even if you’re not in the 9 to 12 year old age range, you are still allowed to read and enjoy these books. This seventy-something checked these out fron my local library without having to give a phony excuse like “they’re for my grandchildren.” They’re too much fun to pass up. Go ahead and try them.
 Author: Sonia Sotomayor
Publisher: Knopf, January 2013/Ramdom House Audio
Format: Audiobook, Read by Rita Moreno
Genre: Memoir
My Rating: A+
Some of us believe that the people who sit in positions of power are born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They are wrong. Sonia Sotomayor’s life proves that there are outstanding exceptions to that old hypothesis. Born into a large Puerto Rican family, Ms. Sotomayor spent all of her growing-up years in the “projects.” In other words, she grew up poor.
Young Sonia learned at the age of eight that she had juvenile diabetes. Both her mother and father were unable to cope with her illness so Sonia learned to give herself injections of insulin and manage all aspects of her disease. This was one of the defining moments in the development of her character. She was, and is, very self-motivated and has done an excellent job of managing her education and career.
Education was a strong motivator in the Sotomayor household, as it often is in poor families. A good education is seen as the best way out of the cycle of poverty. Sonia and her younger brother often spent four to five hours a day doing homework and reading, especially a set of Encyclopedia Britainnica. Sonia’s one other pleasure was watching the TV show Perry Mason. From that show she developed her goal of being an attorney and then a judge.
Sonia applied herself full-force in everything she did. She won a scholarship to Princeton. Once there she felt as if her classmates “were from another planet” and she thought they felt the same way about her.
In those days (1972) there was the attitude that the students at these prestigious schools via Affirmative Action were somehow handed a gift they didn’t deserve. Ms. Sotomayor felt the negative effict of that attitude. But, her grades and test scores were so high she didn’t feel it was a gift; she felt she earned her place at the school. She went on to graduate Summa cum laude and was admitted to Yale Law School.
Ms. Sotomayor again graduated at the top of her class at Yale. Rather than pursue a job at one of the top law firms, she joined the New York District Attorney’s office. Her goal was to get as much courtroom experience as possible and as soon as possible. She certainly got it. The story of her twelve years at that job was eye-opening and one of the best parts of the book.
Actually, all of Ms. Sotomayor’s life was eye-opening. There is so much more than what I’ve mentioned here. In My Beloved World she is very open about her family, her beloved but alcoholic father, her marriage, and all of the friends and mentors she met along the way. I also liked hearing about her link with Puerto Rico and especially her relationship with her paternal grandmother.
I wanted to read this memoir by Sonia Sotomayor because she is the first hispanic justice to serve on the Supreme Court. In the past I’ve read books by and about the other two women on the court. I got a lot more than I expected by reading My Beloved World. It was pure pleasure getting to know the person of Sonia Sotomayor. She has led a remarkable life – actually an inspirational life. I know she is and will serve as a role model for many young women.
In My Beloved World you’ll learn the story of Ms. Sotomayor’s life up through her appointment to the Federal Court of Appeals. I hope this means there will be another book covering the rest of the story. As you can see from my rating of the book, this is one of my top reads of the year so far. I can confidently recommend it to you.
I read this book via audiobook and Rita Moreno. The actres did a perfect job with just the right performance, accent, and a lot of passion. Whether you read this via paper or audio, do read it. It’s a heartwarming study of a woman who will be making important decisions for years to come.
Wondrous Words Wednesday is a fun meme created by Kathy @ Bermuda Onion. I love to play each week. It keeps me looking for new words wherever I’m reading.
Occasionally I come across a word that looks sort-of familiar. Instead of skipping over the word, I’ve challenged myself to stop and check it out. I’d like to share a couple of those with you this week.
pundits: In my mind, a pundit is someone who shares his/her opinions (usually ranting) on TV political talk shows. I came across the word while reading Deadly Harvest. Here’s the sentence:
“Disgruntled voters were flocking to him, and pundits were beginning to think that he could become a real threat to the BDP.”
As it turns out, I was mostly right. A pundit is an expert in a particular subject or field (not just politics) who is frequently called on to give opinions about it to the public.
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While reading The Paris Wife I cam across another familiar word: quintessential. I thoughtr it meant that someone was perfect. Turns out I was close but not quite on the mark. Here’s the sentence and the definition:
“Ours was the quintessentially good family with Pilgrim lineage on both sides and lots of Victorian manners keeping everything safe and reliable.”
Quintessential means the some one or thing represents the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class. Synonyms are stereotypical, model and standard.
How was your week with words?
Did you find any new ones?
Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea asks us to share the first paragraph of a book we are reading. As you can see it’s called First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros. As readers we are often captivated or turned away by that first paragraph or two. Let’s see what you think about the first paragraph of my current read.
 I’m listening to this very popular memoir by our newest Supreme Court Justice – Sonia Sotomayor. My Beloved World is pure inspiration. Here’s the first paragraph:
I was not yet eight years old when I was diagnosed with diabetes. To my family, the disease was a deadly curse. To me, it was more a threat to the already fragile world of my childhood, a static of constant tension punctuated by explosive discord, all of it caused by my father’s alcoholism and my mother’s response to it, whether family fight or emotional flight. But the disease also inspired in me a kind of precocious self-reliance that is not uncommon in children who feel the adults around them to be unreliable.
What do you think?
Would you keep reading?
 Author: Michael Stanley
Publisher: Harper Paperback, April 30, 2013
Genre: Detective Fiction/Police Procedural
My Rating: A
In September 2011 I told you about Death of the Mantis by Michael Stanley. (Click the title for my review.) I loved it and especially Kubu, the main character. And now, the authors have created a fourth book in the series, Deadly Harvest. It’s even better than the previous books.
Throughout this series I have been transported directly into Botswana. I’ve been given a good look at the culture, scenery, and now the politics of this country in southern Africa. It has completely erased my ideas of Africa as a dense jungle.
In Deadly Harvest, Kubu, the Assistant Superintendent in the detective division, is asked to investigate a death threat against a politician. Shortly after that the man is murdered. In addition to solving the murder, Kubu is asked to mentor Samantha, the first woman detective on the police force.
Samantha is working on a case involving missing girls. Soon it becomes apparent that Kubu’s case and Samantha’s case are intertwined. Although the story is clearly set in twenty-first century Botswana, there is still an element at work that involves old traditional witch doctors. It’s actually rather frightening when it is revealed that many of the secret potions are made from human body parts.
The story itself is an excellent police procedural. It’s even more interesting as it takes us through the maze of Botswanian life. But, what really makes the book an outstanding one for me is the character of Kubu. In my last review of Death of a Mantis here’s what I said about Kubu:
“Kubu is a large man in stature, in heart and in wisdom. He’s loyal to his friends and colleagues, and deeply in love with his wife and new baby.”
That hasn’t changed, although the baby is now three-years-old. The authors do such a good job of developing Kubu and are now doing the same with Samantha. I like the addition of Samantha. She’s a young woman to be admired. She has been very persistent in her goal of becoming a detective. It’s nowhere close to easy in this male-dominated world where she works and lives. She has a passion for working on crimes against women and is very determined. I’m looking forward to reading more about Samantha’s work in the future.
If you are new to this series, I strongly recommend you give the books a try. It’s not necessary to start at the beginning. Each book stands alone. Deadly Harvest is a compelling story all by itself.
As I mentioned in my review of Death of the Mantis, Michael Stanley is a team effort. The Michael part of the team is Michael Sears and the Stanley part is Stanley Trollip. I don’t know how they do it but, in my opinion, it definitely works. You can find their blog here: Michael Stanley. The blog has a great interview with Kubu. Good fun.
Thanks to the publisher for my copy of the book and to TLC Book Tours for allowing me to be a part of it all. To see other stops on the book tour, visit the schedule here: TLC Book Tours
 Author: Debbie Macomber
Publisher: Ballantine Books, 2013
Genre: Women’s Fiction
My Rating: B+
For me it all began in 2004 when Debbie Macomber introduced The Shop on Blossom Street. The owner is Lydia Hoffman, a cancer survivor and an excellent knitter. In her new shop Lydia starts a class for begining knitters. It attracted women from different walks of life who somehow, over knitting, learned to be friends and to help each other in ways beyond the class.
Debbie Macomber has been sharing with us, her loyal readrers, the lives of all those who have come to Blossom Street ever since. I’ve followed them all as a fellow knitter and as a student of human nature.
Now in her eleventh Blossom Street novel, Ms. Macomber brings us the story of Libby Morgan. Libby, a corporate attorney, sacrificed everything in order to make partner. Instead of a partnership, Libby is let go.
With no job prospects in sight, Libby renews her friendship with Lydia and begins spending more time at the yarn shop. Libby gradually forms a familial bond with Lydia, her daughter and her daughter’s teenaged friend. It wouldn’t be a complete Debbie Macomber novel without a little romantic interest. A handsome doctor fills that role.
The most important thing Libby does in this new phase of her life is take the time to learn what’s really important in life. She learns the things she was too busy to learn when she was trying to become a partner. As is the case with most things learned, there will be a test. Libby has to make a decision about the direction her life will take now.
I’ve beren reading Ms. Macomber’s novels for over 20 years and she has yet to disappoint me. I also like her inspirational writings and her knitting books. I keep up to date with her work via a newsletter she sends monthly as well as her website.
I was very happy to learn via her newsletter just the other day that Starting Now came out as number one on the NY Times Best Seller list for hardcovers. I was so glad to hear that. It proves I’m not the only one who loves Macomber’s books. I recommend you give them a try.
Source: I won this book on Early Reviewers at Library Thing.
 Wondrous Words Wednesday is a fun meme created by Kathy @ Bermuda Onion. I love to play each week. It keeps me looking for new words wherever I’m reading.
I found several new-to-me words while reading a NY Times book review of The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud. (The article is here.) Here’s what I found:
1. manque: “She’s also an artist manqué . . .”
Manque means having failed to become what one might have been or unfulfilled.
2. immolate: “I’ll just burn, from the inside out, self-immolating like those monks doused in gasoline.”
Immolate is a verb meaning to kill or offer as a sacrifice, especially by burning.
3. simulacrum: “. . . for the painter Alice Neel, a tiny simulacrum of the asylum where she once recovered from a breakdown.”
I had a hunch on the meaning of simulacrum, but wanted to make sure. It is a noun meaning an image or representation of someone or something.
Those are my new words for this week. What word have you found?
Diane at Bibliophile By the Sea asks us to share the first paragraph of a book we are reading. As you can see it’s called First Chapter, First Paragraph Tuesday Intros. As readers we are often captivated or turned away by that first paragraph or two. Let’s see what you think about the first paragraph of my current read.
I’m reading Deadly Harvest by Michael Stanley. This is my second book in the Detective Kubu series. It’s a disturbing story of young girls missing and murdered in Botswana. Detective Kubu handle the case.
As she walks home, Lesego’s head was full of Christmas. She knew her sister would save some of her tips and buy her a small present. Lesego had no money, so she was making Dikeledi a doily from scraps of red material left over from her needlework class. She was trying to embroider “Dikeledi” across it in blue, but she’d made the first letters too big, and the whole word wouldn’t fit neatly. She frowned. She was going to have to start it again.
What do you think?
Would you keep reading?
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A Favorite Quote "A peasant that reads is a prince in waiting.”
― Walter Mosley
Goal: 28/93  Goal: 19/36
What's In a Name?6
Goal: 1/6
My Perpetual Challenges  Goal: 33/87
Goal: 7/50
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