I have returned!
And a lovely trip it was, too. Well, two trips, really. Wow, going to Nebraska feels like a really long time ago, now. But yeah, we had a good time with our grandma, and our... er, step-cousin, I guess she is? And various other step-relatives-in-law-whatever-you'd-call-them. Wasn't really a long visit, but fun.
Neffie and I had quite the little "aww" moment when we got to the hotel - I started going through our suitcase to get stuff out and discovered... a toy mouse tucked down among the clothing. Our Ro-kitty has a tendency to sit forlornly inside suitcases and laptop cases whenever packing starts, as if he's hoping that one of these times he won't get forgotten at home. Apparently this time he felt we needed a little memento to bring along. <3
And the cabin was wonderful and relaxing, as always. Hard to believe that we've been going there for 21 years now.... A lot's changed over the years, but one thing hasn't: seems like every year, at least one thing has to break or otherwise Go Very Wrong. This year, we arrived to find that, among other things, the freezer was absolutely covered in nasty mold, the boat wasn't working, the stove wasn't working... and then the grill quit too. So things looked like being a bit of a potential disaster, possibly even one to rival the year when we were trying to clean the place without running water. But we got things sorted out in the end - except for the boat, but that was mostly okay anyway because there was much better fishing right off the dock than usual. So it was good.
Among the things that did change were the friends and family that we visited, which was tough. One of the family friends we usually visit (who we've known since I was about three) did come to see us, but it may be the last time we see him for a long time because he and his new wife are moving to Florida. We didn't get to see my uncle at all, mostly because he just had cataract surgery and wasn't up for it. But the hardest was not seeing my great-aunt Helen, because she's almost certainly going to die any day now. And I just... will probably post something about that later, because right now I'm still in full-on avoidance mode and just trying not to think about it too much.
But. Happier note: it was a really good trip, and we had mostly great weather, and everyone had plenty of time to do whatever they wanted. So Nef and I swam almost every day, and she wrote a ton, and I read a ton, Mom scrapbooked and wrote, the guys golfed and fished, and we ate junk food and stayed up late and slept in, and all was good. *g*
We also went to see Avengers again while we were there! It was insanely hot on Saturday, the cabin doesn't have any kind of air conditioning (we're lucky to manage a few functioning fans), and we didn't feel like fighting with the Weekend Hordes for the lake (okay, it wasn't as busy as all that, but considering things are pretty much deserted during the week we'd rather do stuff when we had the place to ourselves). So we went to Avengers. And it was just as awesome the second time. \o/
Although I did notice one thing that's now driving me just slightly crazy. It was only on the second viewing that I realized that Hawkeye was shooting left-handed, which surprised me. At first I thought it might be an interesting and subtle way of showing another difference when he's being mind-controlled by Loki. But no, he shoots lefty afterward, during the final battle, as well. But... he shoots with his right hand in Thor. And I don't understaaaand, because if the actor is just left-eye dominant and/or more comfortable using his left hand, then why wouldn't he do it that way for both movies? But if it was a matter of conforming to the comics (no idea if comic-verse!Hawkeye is left- or right-handed)... then again, why not both movies? *flails* Okay, yes, Nef finds it hilarious that I'm bugged by this. But I think that I just need to watch the movie again, to see if the bow's design allows for ambidexterity.
Ahem.
Anyhow! Now for my traditional commentary on the books I read while I was there!
Alas, I failed yet again in reaching my goal (which I've been attempting for the last few years) of finishing 20 books while I was there. But I was close! I managed to finish nineteen and one-quarter books. And if I'd had just another two or three hours of reading time, it would have been an even twenty. So not too bad! XD
With no particular rhyme or reason... a few thoughts on them:
The Short and Bloody History of Knights, Spies, and Pirates (John Farman) - Eh, it was okay. It didn't have as much new information, or as amusing a writing style, as I'd hoped for, but it was a fun enough read.
A Preface to Paradise Lost (C.S. Lewis) - Ooo. I actually managed to find a C.S. Lewis book I hadn't read yet! \o/ And wow, much more fascinating than I'd expected. On the one hand, it's C.S. Lewis, and when have I not loved his writing? But on the other... poetry of pretty much any kind is a taste I've found it sadly difficult to acquire, and I expected a lot of elaboration on the dry technicalities of poetry, which is even harder for me to get into. XP But it was actually far more interesting and thought-provoking than I'd expected, and I definitely enjoyed it. Yay!
The Battle Belongs to the Lord (K. Scott Oliphint) - Hmm, I have slightly mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, it's an excellent book and makes a very compelling argument for actually using the Bible in apologetics. On the other... as good as it was, by the end I felt more convinced of the necessity than actually equipped to do so. Still, very good book.
Civilizing Your Puppy (Barbara Wrede) - Considering it's been a good eight years since I've trained a puppy, I decided it was about time for a refresher. *g* This book was one of the ones that the breeder recommended to us before we got Strider, and it really is excellent. Not a lot of emphasis on how to teach tricks, more overall perspective on dealing with puppy difficulties, and a lot of practical advice for stopping trouble before it starts and breaking the bad habits that tend to particularly drive you up the wall. Plus plenty of fun stories from her personal experience raising and training a whole lot of dogs. :)
Death Count (L.A. Graf) - Pretty good, as Star Trek novels go. (Yes... I love ST:TOS books, though I rarely indulge in them except at the cabin and my expectations for them are pretty much the same as for fanfiction in general.) Characterization and writing style were both decent, and it was an interesting plot. The main drawback for me was that it was primarily focused on Chekov, Sulu, and Uhura, and since, of the main characters, Sulu and Chekov tend to be the ones I'm least interested in, it's harder for them to hold my attention. In this case, though, that effect might've also been heightened by some fanfiction I read recently - the writer of that did such a good job in her take on Sulu and Uhura's interaction, particularly, I found him much more interesting than usual, and in contrast this book's portrayal of the three of them felt a bit... lacking. Not bad, not OOC, really, just a bit shallow in a way that didn't quite ring true. *shrugs*
The Moon By Night (Madeleine L'engle) - Mmm. Admittedly, I didn't like it quite so well as the first book. Mainly because angsty teen romance elements tend to leave me pretty "meh", especially in comparison to the cozy family loveliness of Meet the Austins. Still, I really enjoyed it. The family camping was just so very nostalgic, reminding me of all the similar trips that we've taken over the years, all the more so because we've actually been to many of the same places they went. It really made me want to go camping again, even if we don't all fit so well in one tent anymore. :)
Chain of Attack (Gene DeWeese) - Another ST novel - one I liked much better. Good battles and exploration and a little more focus on Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Plus Spock getting a chance to be awesome and heroic at the end. *g*
Bonecrack (Dick Francis) - Oh yes, definitely liked this one. I do just so much enjoy the protagonists he tends to write - pretty much average guys, but smart and with plenty of common sense and courage and just plain stubborn when they're landed in a tight spot.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo (Collection of poems translated by J.R.R. Tolkien) - What I said earlier about poems? Yeah, more something I wish I could "get" and enjoy than anything I have a real taste for. Which would be why it took me so long to get around to reading this, although I bought it a while back. But oh, I really did like these. Apparently I just need to figure out right kind of poetry in order to find things I enjoy. Maybe someday I'll get the hang of it. XD I think of the three Sir Orfeo was my favorite, but they were all really good.
The Disinherited (Peter David, Michael Friedman, and Robert Greenberger) - I'd say this is decidedly my favorite of the three ST books I read. Plenty of good battles and intriguing mystery being investigated, interaction that gave me fits of giggles, and a great parallel plotline that gave Uhura plenty of opportunity to shine and be awesome at what she does. There was also plenty of intriguing development and detail for a couple of alien races, which is one of the things I tend to particularly love. And although there was a fair amount of Chekov focus, it was developed in a way that proved much more interesting overall than Death Count.
The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction (Alan Jacobs) - This was rather a last-minute addition to my list of books to bring. I'd never heard of it until I happened to notice it on cirtholiens reading list. I'm glad I brought it! Excellent and thought-provoking all around. I was also interested in his (largely positive) take on fanfiction, and its place in the way that many passionate readers and fans enjoy books.
As I Was Saying... (G.K. Chesterton) - <3 In the past, I've mostly read his fiction (love the Father Brown mysteries), and I wanted to branch out a bit so I decided this "Chesterton Reader" would be a good place to start, with a selection from a variety of his works. I'd expected more of a collection of his essays and shorter works, so I was a bit disappointed to realize that it was actually mostly excerpts and abridged bits from longer works. (I have a deep suspicion and several long-standing grudges toward abridged editions.) But I still loved it, and have definitely added several of his longer works to my to-read list as a result. It's funny, he's one of those authors whose works I can love, and yet... for some reason, I keep thinking of his works as being terribly thick and difficult reading, even though every time I go back to him I'm reminded that it's actually not. In many ways his style reminds me of C.S. Lewis (well, it's me more accurate to say that Lewis reminds me of him, given that Chesterton came first and Lewis loved his works), and he is one of those writers who is so brilliant and logical and sane that (even when I don't agree with him) just reading his works feels like blowing the mental cobwebs away and leaves me thinking more clearly and feeling more strongly about things. He can also be really, really hilarious. I mean... the beginning of his autobiography alone:
"Bowing down in blind credulity, as is my custom, before mere authority and the tradition of the elders, superstitiously swallowing a story I could not test at the time by experiment or private judgement, I am firmly of the opinion that I was born on the 29th of May, 1874, on Campden Hill, Kensington..."
Oh yes, definitely gonna have to read the rest of his autobiography.
Straight (Dick Francis) - Another good one! Overall. I was rather disgusted with the hero for a bit near the end because seriously? Sleeping with his - recently deceased - brother's mistress as some odd way to honor his memory, planning to do it again, even though they both know it won't work long-term, she doesn't plan to leave her (good, if not particularly exciting) husband and she's actually got a decent marriage... *sigh* Sorry, but I just can't sympathize with that sort of "romance." Especially given the pain those kinds of attitudes have caused in my own extended family. :/ I did enjoy the book as a whole, though, and that aspect didn't dominate enough to spoil it for me.
The Rogue Crew (Brian Jacques) - Mmhmm, had to continue my tradition of reading at least one Redwall book while at the cabin. ^^ And this was a lovely one, with plenty of my favorite things: the hares, and otters, and even a tentative-ally bird of prey.I'm sad now that the tradition's going to have to come to an end soon, unless I start re-reading some of them, since there are only a handful left that I haven't gotten to. :(
Silver Pigs (Linsey Davis) - Another last-minute addition - I saw sholio talking about it on her journal, and just had to order it. Wasn't sure if the library would get it to me in time, but fortunately it came in just before we left! Overall, it was a good, fun book - and really, you just have to love the idea of an ancient Roman PI. The tone and writing style was very reminiscent of Nero Wolfe-esque detective novels, while at the same time being very Roman and ringing true for the ancient world setting. I really wanted to love it unreservedly. The only thing that prevented me from doing so were the bits of unnecessary crassness that kind of danced along the edge of going too far for me at a couple points. The first few pages had me rather "Eh... not sure where this is going", but seemed to be setting the protagonist demonstrating how tough, worldly and all that he is, and I guessed/hoped it wasn't going to go on to become pervasively crass. And in fact, I utterly loved the middle of the book. And the slow evolution of the love interest was excellently done, and the first person perspective was brilliantly handled. And then... there were a couple bits at the end that had me kinda. :/ Hmm. So... a little bit with the mixed feelings, there, but I did enjoy it enough to want to check out the sequel and see where things go.
Arrow (R.J. Anderson) - *hugs book* Hjkfdlafjadkl. I love this series so much. And yes, it took me this long to get to this one. I kept looking at Barnes and Noble and the online used book places I order from, and they didn't have it, because it apparently wasn't being released in the States... *pouts* Checking the library for it again was kind of a forlorn hope, but I was delighted to find that they actually have it now. And it was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Honestly, I think I've liked each progressive book better than the one before. I'm gonna have to see if I can find a place to order it from, now that it seems to be more available. And then... the quest for Swift.
The Napoleon of Notting Hill (G.K. Chesterton) - Oh wow. I don't even know how to put my feelings for this one into words. It was so good. I was going along enjoying it, smiling with Auberon, who loves the ridiculous and laughs at everything that the rest of the world treats with deadly seriousness, and then there's Adam, who takes seriously and loves the things that the rest of the rest of the world considers ridiculous, and he's right too. And then everything is... it's hilarious, and truly epic and beautiful and heroic and heartbreaking and nonsensical and bizarre and satisfying, and every time I thought I had the point there'd be something more... Just... *flails in incoherent feelings stuff*
Right Ho, Jeeves and The Mating Season (P.G. Wodehouse) - :D :D :D Oh, I love Wodehouse. So very much. I do prefer the short stories, generally, though, for much the same reason that I like the short Scarlet Pimpernel stories: higher Concentration of Awesome. In the SP novels, you can go whole long sections at a time without any appearance by Percy (or Chauvelin, even!), where in the short stories he's guaranteed to show up at least once, and generally gets a fairly large amount of "screentime" (even if most of it's in disguise). Same thing with Jeeves and Wooster. The basic plot format is: there's a problem, various people (largely Wooster) attempt to solve the problem but only make it worse, Jeeves offers up a brilliant idea at the last minute and all is well again. In the collections of short stories, you get that payoff over and over again, where in the full-length novels you only get it once.
But that is not at all to say that I don't enjoy the novels, because I most certainly do. Why the extended SP comparison, though? Because in Right Ho, Jeeves Wodehouse makes several SP references. Which is an Awesome Thing Indeed, and a sure way to win my heart. Even if the idea of Wooster attempting to emulate Percy is enough to make me sporfle. ;D
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With (Clarice Rutherford) - This would be the 20th one, which I didn't quite finish. Another re-read - very good, solid training book, with a lot of useful information on puppy mental/emotional development at different ages.
Just for fun (because obviously, with varying page sizes and all, it doesn't carry much consistent significance), I decided to do a rough page count. Looks like the tally is about 4660 pages. Cool. ^.^
We'd hoped to visit the puppies on the way home, but sadly at the last minute it didn't work out. Wah. But we're hoping we'll be able to get there in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, a new picture!
They're growing up so fast! Mom keeps staring at this particular picture in horror and repeating, "They're going to grow into those paws!" ;D
And now I'm too tired to go back and proofread any of that, so for now I'll just hope I haven't said anything too stupid or left too many typos or half-finished sentences. Heh.
Oh, and on a final note... Um, I have committed Avengers fanfic. I didn't intend to. I really, really didn't. But then I just happened to stumble across a prompt that went and took my brain hostage. So I had to write it. XD Anyhow, if you care to read it, it's posted here on AO3.
Neffie and I had quite the little "aww" moment when we got to the hotel - I started going through our suitcase to get stuff out and discovered... a toy mouse tucked down among the clothing. Our Ro-kitty has a tendency to sit forlornly inside suitcases and laptop cases whenever packing starts, as if he's hoping that one of these times he won't get forgotten at home. Apparently this time he felt we needed a little memento to bring along. <3
And the cabin was wonderful and relaxing, as always. Hard to believe that we've been going there for 21 years now.... A lot's changed over the years, but one thing hasn't: seems like every year, at least one thing has to break or otherwise Go Very Wrong. This year, we arrived to find that, among other things, the freezer was absolutely covered in nasty mold, the boat wasn't working, the stove wasn't working... and then the grill quit too. So things looked like being a bit of a potential disaster, possibly even one to rival the year when we were trying to clean the place without running water. But we got things sorted out in the end - except for the boat, but that was mostly okay anyway because there was much better fishing right off the dock than usual. So it was good.
Among the things that did change were the friends and family that we visited, which was tough. One of the family friends we usually visit (who we've known since I was about three) did come to see us, but it may be the last time we see him for a long time because he and his new wife are moving to Florida. We didn't get to see my uncle at all, mostly because he just had cataract surgery and wasn't up for it. But the hardest was not seeing my great-aunt Helen, because she's almost certainly going to die any day now. And I just... will probably post something about that later, because right now I'm still in full-on avoidance mode and just trying not to think about it too much.
But. Happier note: it was a really good trip, and we had mostly great weather, and everyone had plenty of time to do whatever they wanted. So Nef and I swam almost every day, and she wrote a ton, and I read a ton, Mom scrapbooked and wrote, the guys golfed and fished, and we ate junk food and stayed up late and slept in, and all was good. *g*
We also went to see Avengers again while we were there! It was insanely hot on Saturday, the cabin doesn't have any kind of air conditioning (we're lucky to manage a few functioning fans), and we didn't feel like fighting with the Weekend Hordes for the lake (okay, it wasn't as busy as all that, but considering things are pretty much deserted during the week we'd rather do stuff when we had the place to ourselves). So we went to Avengers. And it was just as awesome the second time. \o/
Although I did notice one thing that's now driving me just slightly crazy. It was only on the second viewing that I realized that Hawkeye was shooting left-handed, which surprised me. At first I thought it might be an interesting and subtle way of showing another difference when he's being mind-controlled by Loki. But no, he shoots lefty afterward, during the final battle, as well. But... he shoots with his right hand in Thor. And I don't understaaaand, because if the actor is just left-eye dominant and/or more comfortable using his left hand, then why wouldn't he do it that way for both movies? But if it was a matter of conforming to the comics (no idea if comic-verse!Hawkeye is left- or right-handed)... then again, why not both movies? *flails* Okay, yes, Nef finds it hilarious that I'm bugged by this. But I think that I just need to watch the movie again, to see if the bow's design allows for ambidexterity.
Ahem.
Anyhow! Now for my traditional commentary on the books I read while I was there!
Alas, I failed yet again in reaching my goal (which I've been attempting for the last few years) of finishing 20 books while I was there. But I was close! I managed to finish nineteen and one-quarter books. And if I'd had just another two or three hours of reading time, it would have been an even twenty. So not too bad! XD
With no particular rhyme or reason... a few thoughts on them:
The Short and Bloody History of Knights, Spies, and Pirates (John Farman) - Eh, it was okay. It didn't have as much new information, or as amusing a writing style, as I'd hoped for, but it was a fun enough read.
A Preface to Paradise Lost (C.S. Lewis) - Ooo. I actually managed to find a C.S. Lewis book I hadn't read yet! \o/ And wow, much more fascinating than I'd expected. On the one hand, it's C.S. Lewis, and when have I not loved his writing? But on the other... poetry of pretty much any kind is a taste I've found it sadly difficult to acquire, and I expected a lot of elaboration on the dry technicalities of poetry, which is even harder for me to get into. XP But it was actually far more interesting and thought-provoking than I'd expected, and I definitely enjoyed it. Yay!
The Battle Belongs to the Lord (K. Scott Oliphint) - Hmm, I have slightly mixed feelings on this one. On the one hand, it's an excellent book and makes a very compelling argument for actually using the Bible in apologetics. On the other... as good as it was, by the end I felt more convinced of the necessity than actually equipped to do so. Still, very good book.
Civilizing Your Puppy (Barbara Wrede) - Considering it's been a good eight years since I've trained a puppy, I decided it was about time for a refresher. *g* This book was one of the ones that the breeder recommended to us before we got Strider, and it really is excellent. Not a lot of emphasis on how to teach tricks, more overall perspective on dealing with puppy difficulties, and a lot of practical advice for stopping trouble before it starts and breaking the bad habits that tend to particularly drive you up the wall. Plus plenty of fun stories from her personal experience raising and training a whole lot of dogs. :)
Death Count (L.A. Graf) - Pretty good, as Star Trek novels go. (Yes... I love ST:TOS books, though I rarely indulge in them except at the cabin and my expectations for them are pretty much the same as for fanfiction in general.) Characterization and writing style were both decent, and it was an interesting plot. The main drawback for me was that it was primarily focused on Chekov, Sulu, and Uhura, and since, of the main characters, Sulu and Chekov tend to be the ones I'm least interested in, it's harder for them to hold my attention. In this case, though, that effect might've also been heightened by some fanfiction I read recently - the writer of that did such a good job in her take on Sulu and Uhura's interaction, particularly, I found him much more interesting than usual, and in contrast this book's portrayal of the three of them felt a bit... lacking. Not bad, not OOC, really, just a bit shallow in a way that didn't quite ring true. *shrugs*
The Moon By Night (Madeleine L'engle) - Mmm. Admittedly, I didn't like it quite so well as the first book. Mainly because angsty teen romance elements tend to leave me pretty "meh", especially in comparison to the cozy family loveliness of Meet the Austins. Still, I really enjoyed it. The family camping was just so very nostalgic, reminding me of all the similar trips that we've taken over the years, all the more so because we've actually been to many of the same places they went. It really made me want to go camping again, even if we don't all fit so well in one tent anymore. :)
Chain of Attack (Gene DeWeese) - Another ST novel - one I liked much better. Good battles and exploration and a little more focus on Kirk, Spock, and McCoy. Plus Spock getting a chance to be awesome and heroic at the end. *g*
Bonecrack (Dick Francis) - Oh yes, definitely liked this one. I do just so much enjoy the protagonists he tends to write - pretty much average guys, but smart and with plenty of common sense and courage and just plain stubborn when they're landed in a tight spot.
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, Pearl, and Sir Orfeo (Collection of poems translated by J.R.R. Tolkien) - What I said earlier about poems? Yeah, more something I wish I could "get" and enjoy than anything I have a real taste for. Which would be why it took me so long to get around to reading this, although I bought it a while back. But oh, I really did like these. Apparently I just need to figure out right kind of poetry in order to find things I enjoy. Maybe someday I'll get the hang of it. XD I think of the three Sir Orfeo was my favorite, but they were all really good.
The Disinherited (Peter David, Michael Friedman, and Robert Greenberger) - I'd say this is decidedly my favorite of the three ST books I read. Plenty of good battles and intriguing mystery being investigated, interaction that gave me fits of giggles, and a great parallel plotline that gave Uhura plenty of opportunity to shine and be awesome at what she does. There was also plenty of intriguing development and detail for a couple of alien races, which is one of the things I tend to particularly love. And although there was a fair amount of Chekov focus, it was developed in a way that proved much more interesting overall than Death Count.
The Pleasures of Reading in an Age of Distraction (Alan Jacobs) - This was rather a last-minute addition to my list of books to bring. I'd never heard of it until I happened to notice it on cirtholiens reading list. I'm glad I brought it! Excellent and thought-provoking all around. I was also interested in his (largely positive) take on fanfiction, and its place in the way that many passionate readers and fans enjoy books.
As I Was Saying... (G.K. Chesterton) - <3 In the past, I've mostly read his fiction (love the Father Brown mysteries), and I wanted to branch out a bit so I decided this "Chesterton Reader" would be a good place to start, with a selection from a variety of his works. I'd expected more of a collection of his essays and shorter works, so I was a bit disappointed to realize that it was actually mostly excerpts and abridged bits from longer works. (I have a deep suspicion and several long-standing grudges toward abridged editions.) But I still loved it, and have definitely added several of his longer works to my to-read list as a result. It's funny, he's one of those authors whose works I can love, and yet... for some reason, I keep thinking of his works as being terribly thick and difficult reading, even though every time I go back to him I'm reminded that it's actually not. In many ways his style reminds me of C.S. Lewis (well, it's me more accurate to say that Lewis reminds me of him, given that Chesterton came first and Lewis loved his works), and he is one of those writers who is so brilliant and logical and sane that (even when I don't agree with him) just reading his works feels like blowing the mental cobwebs away and leaves me thinking more clearly and feeling more strongly about things. He can also be really, really hilarious. I mean... the beginning of his autobiography alone:
"Bowing down in blind credulity, as is my custom, before mere authority and the tradition of the elders, superstitiously swallowing a story I could not test at the time by experiment or private judgement, I am firmly of the opinion that I was born on the 29th of May, 1874, on Campden Hill, Kensington..."
Oh yes, definitely gonna have to read the rest of his autobiography.
Straight (Dick Francis) - Another good one! Overall. I was rather disgusted with the hero for a bit near the end because seriously? Sleeping with his - recently deceased - brother's mistress as some odd way to honor his memory, planning to do it again, even though they both know it won't work long-term, she doesn't plan to leave her (good, if not particularly exciting) husband and she's actually got a decent marriage... *sigh* Sorry, but I just can't sympathize with that sort of "romance." Especially given the pain those kinds of attitudes have caused in my own extended family. :/ I did enjoy the book as a whole, though, and that aspect didn't dominate enough to spoil it for me.
The Rogue Crew (Brian Jacques) - Mmhmm, had to continue my tradition of reading at least one Redwall book while at the cabin. ^^ And this was a lovely one, with plenty of my favorite things: the hares, and otters, and even a tentative-ally bird of prey.I'm sad now that the tradition's going to have to come to an end soon, unless I start re-reading some of them, since there are only a handful left that I haven't gotten to. :(
Silver Pigs (Linsey Davis) - Another last-minute addition - I saw sholio talking about it on her journal, and just had to order it. Wasn't sure if the library would get it to me in time, but fortunately it came in just before we left! Overall, it was a good, fun book - and really, you just have to love the idea of an ancient Roman PI. The tone and writing style was very reminiscent of Nero Wolfe-esque detective novels, while at the same time being very Roman and ringing true for the ancient world setting. I really wanted to love it unreservedly. The only thing that prevented me from doing so were the bits of unnecessary crassness that kind of danced along the edge of going too far for me at a couple points. The first few pages had me rather "Eh... not sure where this is going", but seemed to be setting the protagonist demonstrating how tough, worldly and all that he is, and I guessed/hoped it wasn't going to go on to become pervasively crass. And in fact, I utterly loved the middle of the book. And the slow evolution of the love interest was excellently done, and the first person perspective was brilliantly handled. And then... there were a couple bits at the end that had me kinda. :/ Hmm. So... a little bit with the mixed feelings, there, but I did enjoy it enough to want to check out the sequel and see where things go.
Arrow (R.J. Anderson) - *hugs book* Hjkfdlafjadkl. I love this series so much. And yes, it took me this long to get to this one. I kept looking at Barnes and Noble and the online used book places I order from, and they didn't have it, because it apparently wasn't being released in the States... *pouts* Checking the library for it again was kind of a forlorn hope, but I was delighted to find that they actually have it now. And it was wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. Honestly, I think I've liked each progressive book better than the one before. I'm gonna have to see if I can find a place to order it from, now that it seems to be more available. And then... the quest for Swift.
The Napoleon of Notting Hill (G.K. Chesterton) - Oh wow. I don't even know how to put my feelings for this one into words. It was so good. I was going along enjoying it, smiling with Auberon, who loves the ridiculous and laughs at everything that the rest of the world treats with deadly seriousness, and then there's Adam, who takes seriously and loves the things that the rest of the rest of the world considers ridiculous, and he's right too. And then everything is... it's hilarious, and truly epic and beautiful and heroic and heartbreaking and nonsensical and bizarre and satisfying, and every time I thought I had the point there'd be something more... Just... *flails in incoherent feelings stuff*
Right Ho, Jeeves and The Mating Season (P.G. Wodehouse) - :D :D :D Oh, I love Wodehouse. So very much. I do prefer the short stories, generally, though, for much the same reason that I like the short Scarlet Pimpernel stories: higher Concentration of Awesome. In the SP novels, you can go whole long sections at a time without any appearance by Percy (or Chauvelin, even!), where in the short stories he's guaranteed to show up at least once, and generally gets a fairly large amount of "screentime" (even if most of it's in disguise). Same thing with Jeeves and Wooster. The basic plot format is: there's a problem, various people (largely Wooster) attempt to solve the problem but only make it worse, Jeeves offers up a brilliant idea at the last minute and all is well again. In the collections of short stories, you get that payoff over and over again, where in the full-length novels you only get it once.
But that is not at all to say that I don't enjoy the novels, because I most certainly do. Why the extended SP comparison, though? Because in Right Ho, Jeeves Wodehouse makes several SP references. Which is an Awesome Thing Indeed, and a sure way to win my heart. Even if the idea of Wooster attempting to emulate Percy is enough to make me sporfle. ;D
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With (Clarice Rutherford) - This would be the 20th one, which I didn't quite finish. Another re-read - very good, solid training book, with a lot of useful information on puppy mental/emotional development at different ages.
Just for fun (because obviously, with varying page sizes and all, it doesn't carry much consistent significance), I decided to do a rough page count. Looks like the tally is about 4660 pages. Cool. ^.^
We'd hoped to visit the puppies on the way home, but sadly at the last minute it didn't work out. Wah. But we're hoping we'll be able to get there in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, a new picture!
They're growing up so fast! Mom keeps staring at this particular picture in horror and repeating, "They're going to grow into those paws!" ;D
And now I'm too tired to go back and proofread any of that, so for now I'll just hope I haven't said anything too stupid or left too many typos or half-finished sentences. Heh.
Oh, and on a final note... Um, I have committed Avengers fanfic. I didn't intend to. I really, really didn't. But then I just happened to stumble across a prompt that went and took my brain hostage. So I had to write it. XD Anyhow, if you care to read it, it's posted here on AO3.