Welcome

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

Gods In Alabama

The Red Pony

Read-A-Longs

Clarissa

My Book Rating System

A = Excellent in every way
B = Very good story
C  = Good/Average
D = Poor
F = So Bad I couldn't finish it

Archives

Literary Road Trip in Kansas

A Literary Road Trip is a chance for me to look closely at the authors who claim Kansas as home. [For why I chose Kansas, visit this blog post.] There are so many wonderful authors from the state that it makes me proud to feature them. The name Max McCoy comes up quite often around [...]

A Holiday Book: Bluebird Winter

by Linda Howard HQN Books, Originally published in 1987, Re-released in the anthology entitled Under the Mistletoe My Rating: C+ How do you feel about coincidences? Some people say there is no such thing as a coincidence; everything that happens is meant to be. How do you feel about the spirit of Christmas? Some people [...]

Classics Circuit: Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell

Throughout my life, when I’ve had an option, I’ve read primarily contemporary novels. Of course, now that I’ve lived so long, some of those novels are now considered classics. But I have a desire to go back and read some of the “real classics” that I missed out on. When The Classics Circuit was formed [...]

Screenplay: The Big Sleep

The Big Sleep Screenplay by William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, and Jules Furthman Based on the book (same name) by Raymond Chandler Directed by Howard Hawks Released in 1946/Filmed in 1944, pre-release in 1945 but never in theatres My Rating: B+ This month’s assignment for the Words Behind The Pictures Challenge was to pick one of [...]

Book Review: The Perfect Christmas

by Debbie Macomber MIRA Books, 2009 My Rating: B I think I’ve read almost all of Debbie Macomber’s stories. I get her newsletter and follow her website (especially the knitting section). So I guess you could call me a fan. It was a real treat when her publicist sent this Christmas book. Debbie always writes [...]