Readers’ Workouts – 9/20

by Carol3 Comments
Here are my steps for the week. I was kinda slacking this week.   My current plan is to do cardio on Tuesday (60 mins), upper body on Wednesday, cardio on Thursday (60 mins), a total body workout on Friday, cardio on Saturday (60+ mins), and a core workout on Monday. I'm also trying to do a 10 minute-ish Pilates workout each day. I took a bit of a break this week. I helped Amber with some school work, got caught up on laundry and dishes. Thursday - Walk with the dog. Saturday - Walk with the dog. Dance Class. Sunday - Walk with the dog Monday - Walk with the dog. 20 mins core. 6 mins Pilates booty I usually listen to a book while I'm walking, jogging, whatever. This week I finished A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny and started Bangkok 8 by John Burdett. 2016 miles: 328.4 How was your week? Readers’ Workouts is hosted by Joy at Joy’s Book Blog ....
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The Terra-Cotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri

by CarolNo Comments
I've been reading the Commissario Montalbano out-of-order over the last few years. I enjoy them but not enough to go out of my way to read them. Most I've picked up on audio from the library when they've been available. I like Montalbano. He's amusing in a crass way. He's as interested in literature and food as he is catching criminals. He can be philosophical one moment and wise-cracking the next. He cynical, but also has a soft side. He can be tough as nails, but the idea of a promotion or talking in front of the media terrifies him. This time around we've got two things going. There's a Mafia gun situation and the mystery of the two people killed 50 years ago. I like that both get solved. The current mystery needs to be dealt with, but the older one captures Montalbano's imagination. The secondary characters are well-developed, even those that end up dead. The mysteries were well done. The present day situation had well-placed...
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Thursday’s Tale: A Murder of Crows

by Carol1 Comment
I was listening to A Great Reckoning the other day and it mentioned that the phrase "a murder of crows" came from folklore. I knew the phrase but never knew where it came from, so I though it would be a perfect story to share today. There's just one minor problem - I can't find the story. I thought I'd go ahead and tell you what I did find though. There are several different explanations for the origin of the term, a "murder of crows," mostly based on old folk tales and superstitions. For instance, there is a folktale that crows will gather and decide the capital fate of another crow. One such tale, "A Parliament of Crows" is mentioned in a couple of places, but I can't find the actual story. Although these are mostly considered folklore, apparently some actual instances have been witness. In Sweden the trials are called “kråkriksdag,” roughly translated as “crow’s parliament” with stories of crows acquitted and...
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Readers’ Workouts – 9/13

by Carol3 Comments
I'm posting a day late, but here are my steps for the week. Saturday really upped my average - but I was totally paying for it on Sunday and Monday.   My current plan is to do cardio on Tuesday (60 mins), upper body on Wednesday, cardio on Thursday (60 mins), a total body workout on Friday, cardio on Saturday (60+ mins), and a core workout on Monday. I'm also trying to do a 10 minute-ish Pilates workout each day. Tuesday - 60 mins elliptical, Walk with dog Thursday - 25 mins elliptical, Walk with dog, 10 mins Pilates abs Saturday - Half marathon, Dance class Sunday - Walk with the dog, Fishing Monday - 10 mins arms https://www.instagram.com/p/BKLGiF6DNj5/?taken-by=carolsnotebook My time for Saturday's half-marathon was pretty bad: 2 hrs 412 mins. I should have done a better job training than I did and the heat didn't help. But I finished and that's what counts, at least for me. I like the long sleeve tech shirt they gave out this year. Dance class...
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Murder in G Major by Alexia Gordon

by Carol2 Comments
Murder in G Major drew me in because of the mix of mystery and music, set in Ireland to boot. I did have a problem with the whole set up of how Gethsemane at the school and cottage; it just seemed a bit of a stretch, but it's certainly not the first cozy mystery to force its heroine into the spot she needs to be. It's not surprising really that the Irish town is full of an odd mix of people, some good, some bad, some amusing, some crazy. Actually, even the cottage being haunted fits. I did love the interactions between Gethsemane  and her ghost, the composer Eamon McCarthy. She's feisty, he's a hot head, together they're perfect. I liked the school kids too, even if they weren't really given much screen time. The mystery itself was good, just the right amount of clues and suspects. and there was one bit of the ending that I just loved. This is the first in the series and...
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Readers’ Workouts – 9/6

by Carol4 Comments
I'm posting a day late, but here are my steps for the week. I averaged over 9000 steps a day, which is great.   My current plan is to do cardio on Tuesday (60 mins), upper body on Wednesday, cardio on Thursday (60 mins), a total body workout on Friday, cardio on Saturday (60+ mins), and a core workout on Monday. I'm also trying to do a 10 minute-ish Pilates workout each day. Tuesday - 5 mile run, 10 mins Pilates (stretching) Wednesday - helped carry a really heavy tv, 10 mins arms Thursday - 2.1 mile run, 38 mins Pilates Friday - Walk with the dog and walked ½ mile before the football game Monday - Walk with the dog I usually listen to a book while I'm walking, jogging, whatever. This week I finished The Terra-Cotta Dog by Andrea Camilleri and started A Great Reckoning by Louise Penny. 2016 miles: 303 How was your week? Readers’ Workouts is hosted by Joy at Joy’s Book Blog ....
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