I'm sure many of us post here before or after using a search engine. I first googled Heat Dome and I got weather reports from Kansas. None of the explanations was as good as yours, GP1 or as personal as your last post about your family. Facts are usually not as much fun as stories. That photo you posted of the animal dead from thirst or heat or both told a story, not just about the animal but the family that raises them, feeds them and cares for them. Even with my very limited exposure, I'm sure having your livestock die in a weather catastrophe, over which one has no control, causes suffering which really can't be separated from the economic impact Also, would google tell me how Mulchmama feels about the torrid heat or elicit musings about trading a Chicago winter for more benign summer weather? So when I DON'T want to spend too much time at the computer or don't have time to hear how fellow human beings experience facets of gardening I'd never think of.....that's when I google. Everything else is why I go to Gardenweb. I'm not clear why you remarked that some one could have googled Heat Dome. Did you mean googling instead of posting here? If that is what you meant, I hope I answered your question. No ulterior motive,whatsoever. My question also gave you, like others, the chance to express your feelings about a number of things. And that couldn't have happened if I'd just hit "Google"! This post was edited by idabean on Mon, Sep 9, 13 at 0:45

I read Clock Winder twice, once myself, then again for my book group. I remember enjoying the characters immensely, but that's been many years ago. My book group also read Ladder of the Years and enjoyed it. We're all "of a certain age," and could really identify with certain aspects of the main character and her life. I've never actually given up on a Tyler book, rather I've become somewhat relunctant to read her more recent books. The first book I read by her was Accidental Tourist, which I loved. And the most recent one I read was probably Back When We Were Grownups. I found this Tyler quote, which I loved: "I've always thought a hotel ought to offer optional small animals. I mean a cat to sleep on your bed at night, or a dog of some kind to act pleased when you come in. You ever notice how a hotel room feels so lifeless?"

I finally read Pratchett's first Discworld novel the other day, The Colour of Magic. It was rather silly but fun, and the sly pokes at various popular sff quite clever - the Pern dragonriders lampoon was particularly blatant & funny. This is also one of the books where I turned the page and found myself staring blankly at an expanse of white! I couldn't believe I'd come to the end, and went flipping pages looking for the next chapter. I gather The Light Fantastic picks up the story, but although I liked The Colour of Magic, it wasn't enough for me to go hunting up my copy of The Light Fantastic which has been languishing on my shelves for several years. Instead, I went for a re-read of the Tiffany Aching stories. :) They are still my favorite Pratchett books. Janalyn, I really liked the Gaiman book too, not only for capturing the wonder of childhood, but also for the poignancy of the adult losing that wonder. This post was edited by donnamira on Mon, Jan 20, 14 at 21:30

Thank you for the kind thoughts-Christmas was bittersweet at times, and there were some group tears moments-but over all it was fun-DD and DS-in-L were in from the West Coast and we enjoyed our half of their visit. After an autumn of comfort rereading, I am moving on-first I read Sister Queens by Julia Fox-a tandem biography of Catherine of Aragon (1st wife of Henry VIII) and Juana of Castile, queen of Aragon and Castile in her own right and mother of a Holy Roman Emperor. Interesting parallels even though they met only once after Catherine left for England at age 16. Now I am treating myself with Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson. Charming, light, a bonbon. Work has started up again-deadline on the 3rd-so reading time will become slim and precious. For BookClub in January we will be reading Killing Lincoln