Thanks for your kind words, Diamondettes.

Someday I want to take a road trip to Oregon; everyone seems to love it.

I'm off to Florida again next week to celebrate my son's birthday. It's a surprise; and the entire family is going to converge there (7 of us) so it should be great fun.

I've received the novel, so I'll be starting it soon.

Wishing you well. M

We had a great trip; we happened to be on the beach when a sea turtle nest started to hatch and it was fun watching them make their trip to the ocean. A bunch of us wrangled with the seagulls who were trying to make off with the little guys.

I brought my book; I discovered I accidentally ordered the Weight of Winter instead of a Week in Winter. Haha! So, I'm half way through with that one and then I will move on to the Binchy novel, which I have just received.

Hi Diamondettes, sorry to be gone for so long. Life is that way sometimes. I read almost all of the Binchey book, but couldn't finish it. It was OK, but I guess I wasn't curious enough to finish it. Is anyone interested in picking a read for January? No pressure, just trying to understand who may be interested in continuing with our reading.

Nice to hear from you! I've been gone from MFP for awhile (and the waistline shows it). I've been reading, mostly because I need to read in order to go back to sleep at night. I read a mystery by PD James, which was very good, and now I'm reading Death in Disguise by Carolyn Graham. I've also discovered the Murder She Wrote cozy mysteries and I'm enjoying those because I love the Jessica Fletcher character. I'm still a big fan of Angela Lansbury's book Positive Moves and I follow her stretching routine at least 3 times a week. I love the way it makes me feel in the morning.

Hi M and L, I've been back for a week now. I discovered Joan Smith mystery books, and I'm enjoying 2 of them right now. Still also enjoying the occassional Murder She Wrote book. I do miss the good books M used to pick out so reliably.

I also read (most of) a book that has really helped me a lot with my eating - it's called Eating Less by Gillian Riley. Actually, that's an understatement, it has changed my whole relationship with food. I finallly got tired of being overweight and I'm taking a pre-diabetes class at the Y, joined Weight Watchers, and took up Tai Chi.

Would love catching up with both of you. M

So good to hear from M. Started tracking on weight watchers website so have been neglecting MFP pals. Now I'm not tracking at all, just attempting to eat healthier, and it's working to drop small amounts of weight. I'm still benefitting from the Eating Less book.

This business of getting old is, well, getting old! Ha ha! Was doing my beloved Tai Chi and messed up my knee; and can barely walk. I think we are in the same place (with your shoulder), it knocks me off my train, too. Health is everything. For me, it's the emotional issues that really affect my eating choices and exercise routines. I'm living with my daugher, son-in-law, and grandchild, in Sonoma county, in order to help them afford a decent place to raise their child. It's such an emotional mind field! Maneuvering this is my current self-challenge. But I do love knowing my grandson in a more intimate way than just seeing him for a few hours each week. Even though I've lost the reliable flexibility of my body that I had in my youth, my age has given me advanced mental flexibility. It's my new secret weapon.

I've discovered Susan Goodman, and read The Widow's House - it was wonderful. Thought I had the end all figured out, but then it turns out, I didn't! I've just checked out her book The Seduction of Water, so that's next, after I finish Nevada Barr's The Rope. It's one of the first Anna Pigeon books, before she became a park ranger.

Reading is a good distraction from hearing about Russia all day long. I promise I will check back here more often to keep caught up.

M