MaeLyn's Musings

The last several months of "safer at home" has meant a lot of time spent within my own four walls. Of course, I'm a homebody anyway, so I'm probably not home much more than I was before COVID and quarantine, but I've had more time with my family around, and less time on the desktop computer that I share with Peter. Of course the usual things like housecleaning and laundry haven't changed much, but I have had a lot of free time on my hands. Here are some of the things I've been doing to keep myself busy over the last few months: Books read:   Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge Series (20 books),  Charles Todd's Bess Crawford Series (9 books),  Jacqueline Winspear's Masie Dobbs Series (Books 1-10... I have 5 more to go).  Miscellaneous Agatha Christy books  The first six or so Lillian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who..." books  and I don't know what all else I might have picked up to read in an afternoon. The first three above are historic...

Agatha Christie I've been reading a lot of Agatha Christie lately. Nothing helps me unwind in the evenings like a good old murder mystery. After a certain point, I've come to learn a few things about her mysteries. Here are some of the things I've learned: While the detective (whether Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple or someone else) will know who did it before everyone else because They are privy to inside information They are just plain smarter than everyone else.  The detective won't divulge all the information they have until the very end. This is because They are missing one pertinent fact such as motive and want to divulge everything at once They want to wait until the perfect moment, when all the suspects are gathered together and the police are waiting in the other room to arrest the suspect at the perfect psychological moment. If the detective decides that the murderer deserves mercy, the detective can let them know privately that they are discovere...

So I've heard back from a couple of you in regards to my logic problems. I'm glad that you are figuring them out. I guarantee that they are possible. For those of you who solved the other three already, here is a fourth one for you. This one is actually based on a true story, and answers could potentially be found in other sources, but I would recommend using the clues to find the answers. It's more fun that way. Each of the Hiatt kids selected a book to read from a library. Can you figure out the title, author, # of pages and picture on the cover of each book? The four books are the one Cressida Cowell wrote, the book with 89 pages, Insurgent, and the book Joshua read. Shel Silverstein wrote Runny Babbit and there is a dragon on the cover of How to Train Your Dragon. Squish has more pages than the book with a white rabbit on the cover. Hannah read the book with 525 pages, which did not have a white rabbit on the cover. Of the book Joshua read and the book with 214 ...

Last Saturday, I had John with me when I went to the library, but I had a list of books that the other kids wanted me to look for, including a request from Josh to get a book about robots. I picked up this book ( Welcome to your Awesome Robot , by Viviane Schwarz) thinking that it looked interesting. This book is full of ideas and inspiration on how to build your own robot out of a cardboard box and other things that can be found around the house. In the book, the child climbs inside the box and functions as the brain/motor of the robot. Of course my kids had to do things their own way, but they used the ideas in the book as a jumping off point. They found the stash of cardboard boxes from Christmas that I never got around to breaking down and taking to the dumpster, and now the boys' room is full of scraps of cardboard, duct tape, scissors, paper, and a few very cool looking creations. Josh's creation features a keyboard on top, with a view screen, antenna, and vario...

If you chose anybody from tale, book or movie,  to trade places and lives for a while,  Who would you choose? What would you do? Which character best fits your style?  Would you like to have tea with Anne-with-an-e?  Or ride on a raft with Huck Finn?  Would you like to consort with Darcy or Wart?  Or Pocahontas or Abraham Lincoln?   Would you go to school to learn how to rule, To become a wizard, or spy?  Or maybe a ranger, or viking in danger, An inventor or wise private eye? Would you put up a fight to become a great knight? Or would you rather find pirates and treasure? Would you ride a big horse as a matter of course, Or find some sweet child to nurture? Would you climb up a mountain to drink from a fountain  that promised you eternal youth? Would you follow a star or drive in a car As you sought for an egg or a tooth? You could be a hobbit, fairy, elf, or rabbit, Or would you rathe...

What are you reading? What is the most recent book you have read? Do you like it? Would you recommend it to someone else? Here is what I would like from you (yes, you, the one who is reading this blog right now): Click on the link below that says "comments". Write the name of the book you are reading right now (or most recently finished). On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being you really like it, 1 you hate it, rate the book and type the number. Write yes or no, whether or not you would recommend the book to someone else, like me. If you have any additional comments about the book you can type them, too. For example, here's mine: The Dragon Reborn, 5, yes. This is the third book of the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan, and I am reading this series for the second time. If you are the type that has multiple books in progress at the same time, feel free to list all the books you are reading. I look forward to hearing from you!

This picture has been my full time project for the last week or so. Drawing each book in perspective was a nightmare, but I think having a reading corner like this - with a big comfy chair, a light, and shelves full of great books - in my home would be heavenly.

I like to read. I mean, I really like to read. According to Shelfari , I read 230 books last year. This year I've only read 158 so far. Almost all of these books are fiction. When I read, I like to escape from real life. For me, a good book transports me to another world. I like reading books in series, so that world expands and grows. One of my favorite series is Anne McCaffrey 's Dragonriders of Pern. She has created an entire world with a history, a culture, a life of its own. With a compelling blending of science fiction and fantasy in the earlier books, she makes the existence of dragons (through genetic engineering) seem plausible.  I enjoy how different books she has written tell about the same events from different points of view.  When I am reading her books I feel drawn into her society. Another series I enjoy is Raymond Feist' s Riftwar Saga, as well as other series set in that universe. Several years ago, I came across a copy of the first book, Magician: App...

I have a new favorite book! I actually first read it about ten years or so ago, but I read it again this last week, and really enjoyed it. It is about a kind of super hero. He rescues people who are in danger and sneaks them to safety. He has a secret identity, so while everyone knows what he does, no one knows who he is - not even his wife! He doesn't have super powers or magic or anything except for his wits, his friends, his daring and a lot of money. (No, he's not batman.) Most of the story is told from the point of view of his wife, as she discovers who he is and struggles with difficulties of her own. The setting of this story is the French Revolution, and the book was written a little over 100 years ago. Does anyone know what book I'm talking about? Has anyone else read it? If so, what did you think of it?

Tuesday exhausted me. Wednesday I recovered. The kids had the day off school so I took the day off as well. I read a couple of Hannah's books, "The View from Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg (yes, I did have to go look that up. She also wrote, "From the mixed up files of Mrs. Basil E Frankwiler") and "The Tiger Rising" by Kate DiCamillo.(Author of Because of Winn-Dixie) I relaxed on the couch most of the day while the kids were in and out, on the computer, playing with friends, making concoctions in the kitchen, playing games, doing puzzles and having fun. I didn't go anywhere. I renewed the one library book I had that was due yesterday online so I wouldn't have to go to the library. Steven took John to scouts last night. I had a very relaxing, enjoyable day. Today, I've paid the piper. I got the kids to school, then came home to clean the mess that resulted from the kids' activities yesterday. I cleaned out the cat's litter (Okay, I ...

Lately I've been reading a lot. Most of the books I've read recently are geared towards young people, and I've been borrowing Hannah's books to read while she is in school because they are good! If anyone is interested, (and has similar taste in books, and would like some light reading) here is what I've been reading: The Cat Who .... series by Lilian Jackson Braun.  These are detective/mystery type books, but there are actual cats involved. The books in the series stand on their own and don't necessarily have to be read in order, but sometimes it helps because it gives you more background on the characters involved. Eragon by Christopher Paolini. I read this a long time ago along with its sequel, but I wanted to refresh my memory before I read the third book in the series. Strong influences from Tolkien and David Eddings. Percy Jackson and The Olympians   series by Rick Riordan. It helps if you have some basic knowledge of Greek Mythology because in the ...