I Read Therefore I Am discussion

Oh dear what a day - poor Mouser is very poorly she's apparently extremely hyperthyroidic which could be masking other problems and she's completely off her food. If we can't get her to eat tonight she's going to have to go on a drip tomorrow :o(
I'll be back in 20 mins or so after I've put some plastic cat litter in the tray so that we can collect a urine sample to test!

Oh no, bless her! Hope she is feeling better soon

So sorry to hear this Lee. It's awful when pets are ill, you feel so helpless.

Poor Mouser :( I do hope she's OK

Thanks guys, you're right Hilary - I feel totally helpless - she looks so very sad and ill and I can't do anything about it.

Hope your electricity is sorted Hilary

Well electricity was on when I got home but I'll be surprised but grateful if it lasts the day. The wind is so wild it's quite scary. There are a lot of trees round here and they are whipping backwards and forwards, moaning and groaning, and deciding whether to uproot themselves or not. The dog is so spooked by all the noises that she is pacing the floor barking. I didn't walk her this morning as I decided it was just too dangerous. When we've had wind like this in the past it's generally brought down some of the lines so I have readied the candles and set the fire. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Oh Hilary I hope you aren't too cold! Do you have any audiobooks to keep you entertained?

Fingers and toes!

Lee - so sorry to hear about Mouser. Do hope the vets can help her recover.

Hope the power doesn't go off again Hilary - it is pretty wild out there today isn't it!

Good luck anyone who's experiencing today's storm.
Mousers at the vets and it's not sounding too good Shes not diabetic anymore but thats the only positive bit of news we've had so far. They're concentrating on trying to get her to eat at the moment.

Ooh - don't forget the poll is open for Januarys book

oooh poor Mouser - hope the vet's can do something for her.

Excuse the "rant" but I am so annoyed with myself today. I was sure I had Middlemarch but when I couldn't find it thought I must be mistaken and bought it because my book group was due to read it. Today trying to find The murder of Roger Ackroyd, I found my original copy of Middlemarch but can't find Roger Ackroyd.

I simply refuse to buy it again! But did I borrow it from the library, or was it loaned by a friend, I just can't remember. Too many books, too many bookshelves, too many random piles of books and not enough, in fact not any, organisation.

Grrrrrrrr!!

How infuriating - that must be the only downside to owning large numbers of books - apart from the chance of injury from book avalanches of course :0)

I hate when things like that happen Hilary - maybe the sock monster has eaten it?
Hope you find it soon and enjoy (both copies of) Middlemarch ;)

This is why you need something like book crawler to take stock of where your books all are and who you've loaned them out to. Or maybe you need your own part time librarian.

Book crawler is fab - I'm slowly cataloging all my books on there - I love the fact that you can indicate whether you own a book you've read or not and whether it's real or electronic.

I have started using book crawler but just with books I've recently read - I need to get on with it and do them all.

I'm really having trouble concentrating at the moment - seems to be taking me forever to finish a book (and I mean normal books, not like Mason & Dixon books). The only one I have read at anything like my usual speed lately was The Dark is Rising and that was cos it was a kids book - what do you guys do when you hit a reading block???

I haven't got any tips but I do sympathise with you. I'm feeling the same with sense and sensibility. I've been reading it on and off for 6 weeks now and struggling with it as it's just not engaging for me. However, I try never to give up on a book. I think I've only done that twice.

Anyway, not much in the way of help. Sorry.

I usually reread old favourites for a while and go down the comfort read route. Sometimes just browsing the TBR pile and picking the 1st thing I fancy helps - hope you're reading block is over soon :0)

Thanks guys - it's not that I'm not enjoying them, I just can't seem to concentrate - am going to try reading some nice easy books for a while like maybe the rest of the Mistborn books and the Hogfather till my brain decides to work again ;)

I do what Lee does and revisit old favourites. Sometimes you can't keep up the concentration on a "good book" and need to wallow in something really easy and totally "you". I always turn to SF.

Yeah, I started reading the 2nd Mistborn book (The Well of Ascension) and am finding it much easier as it's fantasy written in an almost young adult style. Then I might start Hogfather later when I've put the tree up cos will be feeling very festive and Discworld is an old friend!

Me and my mate Wendy had the afternoon off today and spent it in the pub - I'm feeling very festive now - what's everyone up to this weekend?

I've been putting the Christmas decorations up! Feeling very festive too now although I'll be working the rest of the weekend :) Lucky you guys getting Friday afternoon off!

I'm nursing a poor pooch who has just been spayed. Actually, it's me you need to feel sorry for as I am supposed to keep her quiet, fat chance, and allow her no off lead exercise until next Friday. Consequently she is bouncing off all four walls, wants to play all day and is driving me mad!

Awwwww - good luck Hilary! (you are going to need it ;))

Sounds like you're going to have a great week Hilary!

I'm off for a posh Christmas lunch with some old friends to Jesmond Dene house tomorrow. It's an old tradition we've been doing for many years now and I'm really looking forward to it after the intense week I've had at work (spent three days on interview panels in Leeds and Cumbria).

@ Hilary - good luck :0) - I bet she manages to make you feel terribly guilty about keeping her in - I know that long suffering look.

@ Laurel - have you started at Cafe Neros yet? Hope all your customers are full of festive cheer and tips.

@ Tracey - sounds lovely - make sure you eat and drink just enough not to feel unwell the next day :0)

Hope you haven't woken with a hangover lee after your afternoon at the pub.

Thanks Lee. Hope you're feeling okay today yourself. Have a good weekend everyone.

No hangover I'm glad to say :0)

Hilary wrote: "I'm nursing a poor pooch who has just been spayed. Actually, it's me you need to feel sorry for as I am supposed to keep her quiet, fat chance, and allow her no off lead exercise until next Friday..."

Poor girl - and poor you! A week's a long time to have to keep her on a lead isn't it. I'm going to let Molly have one season before having her spayed. The vet mentioned the possibility of just having her ovaries removed which would mean only keyhole surgery. (Not looking forward to her season either as our neighbours on both sides have entire male dogs - I've a feeling they'll be bashing the fences down!)

@Joy. I would have spayed her before her first season as I have with other dogs but she came into season on her 6month birthday! I don't have any entire dogs in the area and it wasn't really too bad. However, I do feel her character changed after her season. She is much more wilful and intolerant of things she doesn't want to do. She probably would have been the same whether I'd caught her before her season or not and it's just that's she's growing up, but I can't help wondering,

Lee wrote: "@ Hilary - good luck :0) - I bet she manages to make you feel terribly guilty about keeping her in - I know that long suffering look.

@ Laurel - have you started at Cafe Neros yet? Hope all your c..."

Yeah I started this well but was just doing training on the coffee machine etc but today was my first full shift! I mean really, on a Saturday in the metro centre, this close to Christmas? They didn't even let me get my armbands before they chucked me in the deep end lol! am really enjoying it though, thanks :)

Gosh, that sounds like really hard work Laurel. Can't imagine how busy you are at this time of year, but glad you're enjoying it.

Oh dear - I think I need to wake up! I was wondering why on earth you needed arm bands - and imagining a poolside Cafe Nero :0)
Hope it all goes well and that very soon you will not be in need of any floatation devices.

One of the Kindle daily deals sounds right up a lot of people streets to day - a truly disturbing horror story http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0...

Lol, a poolside coffee shop would be awesome! We could branch out into cocktails!

Mmmmmmm , cocktails

Yeah I think I had too many last night! Luckily am off work today (got to love a Monday off)

You lucky thing :0)

hee hee, it's what I say to people when they commiserate with me for having to work all weekend...just wait till Monday morning and I will spare a very brief thought for you as I turn over and go back to sleep!

Slightly forced Lol!

Sorry ;)

Evening everyone! I've had a manic few days, been so busy!! Barely had time to read so I am waaaaaayyyyy behind on group reads :(

Hopefully things will calm down a bit this week - though the weekend will be a rush, as I will be doing the drive to my parents' on Sunday. It does mean though, that on Sunday late afternoon/evening I will be waited on hand and foot :)

That's definitely worth the drive!

Hi Ellie, don't worry I'm running behind as well due to general December busyness and my brain having a bit of a meltdown last week - we will get there eventually!
Have a nice time at your parents, will be lovely to get waited on ;)