Paging All Bookworms! discussion

Thinking of everyone in the path of Florence ..... What's the worst weather you've experienced?

We were driving to Memphis for Christmas some years ago and got hit by a huge blizzard / ice storm. It was clear when we left Wisconsin, started flurrying in southern Illinois. By the time we stopped at a motel just across the Mississippi in Missouri it was a full-blown blizzard. We got the last room, only because we had called ahead for a reservation. Snagged a couple of burger at McDonalds before they closed and settled in. Hubby had the presence of mind to drive around the building checking for prevailing winds ... AND to bring our snow shovel INSIDE (rather than leave it in the trunk of the car). Next day we were the only ones prepared to dig out. We were only about 150 miles from Memphis but it took us 8 HOURS to drive that distance. The roads were covered in a sheet of ice and it seemed that there was no salt/sand to put on the roads. Horrific. Fortunately we got were we were going safe and sound, if exhausted.

This is nothing compared to a hurricane, but being snowed in at work during a 3 day blizzard is pretty stressful. Also, a few years ago, we drove home from the casino and a short way out of town ran into a big thunderstorm with constant lightening, high winds and down pour rain. Almost immediately after we got home we saw facebook pictures of the damage from the storm and couldn't believe we had driven through near tornado conditions.

Saturday, Sep 15: My hubby is on "cat duty" this weekend while our neighbors are away which got me thinking .... Do you have any pets?


We do not because, before he retired, my husband was in international business and we traveled A LOT. He was away 120-130 days a year. Now we're just used to the "freedom" of no kids, no pets. But we're happy to help out with neighbors when they're away.

Book Concierge wrote: "Saturday, Sep 15: My hubby is on "cat duty" this weekend while our neighbors are away which got me thinking .... Do you have any pets?.."

We have 2 cats and 2 dogs, so we always have an animal under foot. I think we are done with animals, though. It makes it hard to just get up and go on vacation somewhere. Like BC says, we have no freedom.

Book Concierge wrote: "Saturday, Sep 15: My hubby is on "cat duty" this weekend while our neighbors are away which got me thinking .... Do you have any pets?


We do not because, before he retired, my husband was in inte..."

3 cats, 1 dog. I think I will always have cats but when our dog is gone I think that will be it for dogs. Like the other 2 have said, we want to be able to go for a few days without worrying about animals. The cats would be fine for a day or two but a dog is a whole lot more worry.

We also feed two stray cats but as much as I hate to do it, I think I am going to take them to the shelter so they dont have to be outside in the cold again this winter.

3 dogs, 1 cat. The cat does feel a bit outnumbered. Our third dog has recently turned a year old and is a Hurricane Harvey rescue. We got her at a time when our other two dogs, 15 and 6, seemed to be having serious health issues and we feared losing two dogs and being without a dog. Now everyone is healthy and we'll have a full house for quite a while. They keep us entertained and keep us walking.

That being said, having dogs does tie you down. We didn't have any for the first fourteen years of our marriage when we did more traveling and moving.

Tuesday, Sep 18 - Do you think you have saved / are saving enough for retirement?


My parents trained me early on to always "pay yourself first" - by which they meant that a portion of every paycheck should go to savings. In my early years, that savings was frequently used for major purchases ... furniture or to get my teeth fixed. But by the time I was in my 30s I was regularly saving for retirement. As soon as IRAs came into being I had one. Now that I'm actually retired ... well, my husband and financial advisor assure me I have enough, but I still feel the need to save more...

Book Concierge wrote: "Tuesday, Sep 18 - Do you think you have saved / are saving enough for retirement?


My parents trained me early on to always "pay yourself first" - by which they meant that a portion of every paych..."

I did not start saving for retirement until 2007. At that time the stock market was at an all time low which was the perfect time to open an IRA. But it is worrisome that if the stock market should take a big dive we could lose a lot. Between me and my husband I think we have enough but worry about a catastrophic illness. I would like to save more but hubby only wants to work 2 more years.

Book Concierge wrote: "Tuesday, Sep 18 - Do you think you have saved / are saving enough for retirement?

I have a pretty good retirement plan through my work and I have done well saving, but I started a bit late. Also, my husband has no retirement plan, so we have some work to do.

Sunday, Sep 23: Where do you get the books you read?

I mostly get my books from the library. If I buy a book (text version), I get it from my independent local bookseller. I do have an audible account now because I was so frustrated by the long waits for holds of digital audios with my library's overdrive system.

Book Concierge wrote: "Sunday, Sep 23: Where do you get the books you read?

I don't like paying full price for books, so I get most of mine from Books-a-Million (usually the discount section) and www.betterworldbooks.com. There is also a local used books store I go to. Lately I have been using the library more.

Book Concierge wrote: "Sunday, Sep 23: Where do you get the books you read?

I mostly get my books from the library. If I buy a book (text version), I get it from my independent local bookseller. I do have an audible acc..."

I have a lot of books I get from used book sales and garage sales. I usually have 1 or 2 library books and/or e-books checked out at a time. If I do buy a new book it is either Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Book Concierge wrote: "Sunday, Sep 23: Where do you get the books you read?

Library, thrift stores, good deals on Amazon for Kindle books. I never spend more than $3 on a book.

Tuesday, Sept 25: If you could ask one person, alive or dead, only one question, who would you ask and what would you ask?

Book Concierge wrote: "Saturday, Sep 15: My hubby is on "cat duty" this weekend while our neighbors are away which got me thinking .... Do you have any pets?


No pets for me.

Book Concierge wrote: "Tuesday, Sep 18 - Do you think you have saved / are saving enough for retirement?


I am fortunate that I have a traditional pension. I also rolled over money and started an IRA when I retired. I still probably don't have enough because I like to spend but I'll get by.

Book Concierge wrote: "Sunday, Sep 23: Where do you get the books you read?

Amazon, Barnes & Noble, used book stores, people getting rid of books

Book Concierge wrote: "Saturday, Sep 15: My hubby is on "cat duty" this weekend while our neighbors are away which got me thinking .... Do you have any pets?


We do not because, before he retired, my husband was in inte..."


I have to change my post. I do not have a dog anymore. He went to doggie heaven on Monday. It is so hard to lose a beloved pet.

Leah wrote: "Tuesday, Sept 25: If you could ask one person, alive or dead, only one question, who would you ask and what would you ask?"

That is a really hard one. I would have to pick one of my parents and ask them why they did the crazy things they did.

Koren wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Saturday, Sep 15: Do you have any pets?


I have to change my post. I do not have a dog anymore. He went to doggie heaven on Monday. It is so hard to lose a beloved pet.,..."

Oh, Koren ... I'm so sorry. That IS hard.

Book Concierge wrote: "Koren wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Saturday, Sep 15: Do you have any pets?


I have to change my post. I do not have a dog anymore. He went to doggie heaven on Monday. It is so hard to lose a bel..."

Thank you BC.

Saturday, 29Sep18: Do you ever go to author events? Tell us about one.

Just saw Tommy Orange, highly acclaimed author of There There. I was actually a bit disappointed in his presentation. However, when I had the chance to speak to him in the signing line he was completely engaging and charming.

Hoping to go see William Kent Krueger this afternoon ... as in right NOW ...

Book Concierge wrote: "Saturday, 29Sep18: Do you ever go to author events? Tell us about one.

Just saw Tommy Orange, highly acclaimed author of There There. I was actually a bit disappointed in his prese..."

Author events are quite rare where I live but occasionally they do have one. I did see William Kent Krueger a couple of years ago and he was very good. I hope you got to see him. A few years ago the library sponsored Marsha Wallace (you would remember her if you ever saw the Bob Newhart show). I saw another guy quite a while ago and have forgotten his name. That's about all I've seen.

I DID go to Krueger's presentation. This is the second time I've seen him at an event. He really is engaging and interesting.