Day Shift by Charlaine Harris

by Carol5 Comments
I want to live in Midnight. It's a really, really small town full of really, really odd people, but they are all so friendly toward each other and protective of each other. I'd love to visit Fiji's shop or have dinner with them all at the (only) local restaurant. I guess this is a mystery - who killed Manfred's client, but there is a lot going on in the background. The new hotel in town is questionable. And the new kid in town could be more dangerous than they suspect. As far as the mystery goes though, I was surprised by the whodunit and equally by the "justice" they received. We learn a lot about the characters and who/what they are in this one, it's more about them than the actual plot in some ways. But I thoroughly enjoyed it. I listened to the audio and the narrator did a good job. She gives everyone their own personalities, even the visitors to town. The...
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Thursday’s Tale: The Dancing Monkeys

by Carol2 Comments
Today I've got one of Aesop's fables, "The Dancing Monkeys." A prince had some monkeys trained to dance. Being naturally  great mimics of men's actions, they showed themselves most apt  pupils, and when arrayed in their rich clothes and masks, they  danced as well as any of the courtiers. The spectacle was often repeated with great applause, till on one occasion a courtier, bent on mischief, took from his pocket a handful of nuts and threw them upon the stage. The monkeys at the sight of the nuts forgot their dancing and became (as indeed they were) monkeys instead of actors. Pulling off their masks and tearing their robes, they fought with one another for the nuts. The dancing  spectacle thus came to an end amidst the laughter and ridicule of the audience. I guess there are two possible morals: "Not everything you see is what it appears to be" or "It is difficult to change who you are." I found this cute video...
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Readers’ Workouts – 6/9

by Carol5 Comments
So, here are my steps for the week.   And here's my current workout plan. It's an 8-wk plan, but I've only got the first 4 below. I failed at week three, so I'm doing it again this week. I'm still getting into the swing of summer. My week: Tuesday - 1½ hours of weeding Saturday - Planted the garden. Sunday - 50 minutes on the elliptical (which I'm counting as Monday's 40 minute run), 20 minutes on arm machines at the gym. We went fishing in the evening which is kinda almost like exercise. Monday - ½ hour of strength exercises, including squats, lunges and crunches I'm doing a Whole30 this month, which means no added sugar, alcohol, grains, dairy or legumes. I've been posting food photos on Instagram. After the 30 days is over, the idea is to add those back into your diet one at a time and evaluate if it affects how you feel, sleep, etc. So far, what I miss most are pasta...
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Thursday’s Tale: Einion and Olwen

by Carol1 Comment
Today's story comes from Wales. It was published by Walter Y. Evans-Wentz in his book The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries. One day when it was cloudy and misty, a shepherd boy going to the mountains lost his way and walked about for hours. At last he came to a hollow place surrounded by rushes where he saw a number of round rings. He recognized the place as one he had often heard of as dangerous for shepherds, because of the rings. He tried to get away from there, but he could not. Then an old, merry, blue-eyed man appeared. The boy, thinking to find his way home, followed the old man, and the old man said to him, "Do not speak a word till I tell you." In a little while they came to a long stone. The old man tapped it three times, and then lifted it up. A narrow path with steps descending was revealed, and from it emerged a...
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