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

Sizzle

Poems by Emily Dickinson

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

My Favorite Books of 2011

I love to plan ahead and anticipate which books I want to spend time with in the new year. I find it helpful to first stop and take a look at what I read the past year. I enjoy reading the “best of” lists in the Times, at NPR, and a variety of other sources,, [...]

Virtual Advent Tour: Do I Really Need a Perfect Christmas?

The Virtual Advent Tour has become an annual event among the book blogging community that I enjoy. Bloggers who wish to can sign up for a day in which they share their thoughts about Christmas. Today it’s my turn. Ever since I read Perfect Christmas by Felicity Cloake I’ve been thinking about my own attempts [...]

We’re Off For a Holiday Visit

This afternoon my husband and I are off to see our special granddaughters and their parents. We haven’t seen them in person since September. We’ve seen pictures like the ones above, but you know it’s just not the same. Besides, there’s nothing like spending Christmas with a child who still believes in Santa Claus. Lou [...]

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

Come, ye thankful people, come, raise the song of harvest home; All is safely gathered in, ere the winter storms begin. God our Maker doth provide for our wants to be supplied; Come to God’s own temple, come, raise the song of harvest home. ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~ I hope your belly [...]