Renos continued and the Normal Stuff

A few updates on this 'so far' mild, sunny Saturday. We're supposed to be getting rain for the next few days. I checked out a yard sale this morning on my way to bringing the car in for a tire check-up and after leaving the yard sale, I discovered another local 'little lending library'. I'll definitely check it out. Didn't want to do so today as I had no books to trade if I found one.

Carpets now removed

Our preparations for receipt of our new wood floors in the hallway, lounge and dining room continued on Thursday. Jo had offered our old carpet, which was still in excellent shape, for free on our local internet buy and sell site. A couple had said they wanted it, the only condition we put was that they were to help remove it. Jo and I started tearing up the carpet early Thursday and she kept trying to contact them to ensure they were going to arrive in the afternoon. By noonish, Jo and I had finished with the dining room, the carpet was all rolled up, the under layer as well. Still no sign of our young couple. Jo phoned and emailed, no response.

It looks pretty empty now, eh?

So what ended up happening was that she and I spent the rest of the day, removing the carpet in the lounge as well and rolling it up. Jo put a new offer on the 'buy and sell' site, asking $100 for the old carpet. It seemed more than fair since we now had to remove the carpet ourselves. Since our floors were going to be delivered Friday sometime, I finished removing the under layer Friday morning and putting it in the garage.

Our new floors

Good thing, as our floor guy, Dean, called at 8 saying he'd be delivering the floor boards around 9:00. Perfect timing. The floors arrived. Dean helped me move the biggest rug into the garage as well. He dropped off the floors. At noon a nice lady and her friend arrived and purchased the old carpet, she planned to install it in her mother's place. Nice to see it being used. So now Jo and I have four days to paint the living room, one room that we never have touched yet and the downstairs hallway. We picked up some paint yesterday and if we can find the energy, will try to do some of the painting today. Then next Wednesday, Dean starts installing the floors. Yay!!! I think the puppies might be spending a couple of days at doggie day care. The hammering might get them a mite excited. By Friday, we hope the floors will be installed and then we can start moving furniture back in from the garage and also finish painting the upstairs hallway and the stair case in preparation for the new upstairs carpet to be installed.. Whew.. We're getting there. :)

A Bit of History

Continuing my excerpts from the featured book, I move along to 1645. I ended up my last excerpt with the passage of the 'Blue Laws' in New England. Today's Great Historical Events excerpt starts in 1645.

"1645. First trial and execution in New England, of four persons for the 'crime of witchcraft.'
Clayborne's rebellion in Maryland
1646. John Elliot preaches to the Indians in their own tongue.
1647. Massachusetts made the support of schools compulsory, and education universal and free. (Ed Note. I should lend this book to the current resident of the White House.)
1647. Stuyvesant arrives at New Amsterdam.
1651. Navigation act passed by England restricting the commerce of the colonies.
The English Parliament attempts to subject the colonies of Virginia, but is defeated by the colonists.
Thirty lashes were inflicted on Obediah Holmes for preaching Baptist doctrines in Massachusetts. (Ed Note. Interesting that so many folks seemed to want to come to the New World to get away from oppression and intolerance (at least, from my limited knowledge of history), and they seemed to find it there as well.)
1652. The first regular book-seller in America was Hezekiah Usher, of Boston. (Ed Note.. Yay!!)"

Next post will start in 1656, with the persecution of the Quakers. Not the uplifting way I was expecting to start it. Yes, that was sarcasm.

Letters of Congratulation

Today's excerpt was written in 1813, from Sir Walter Scott to Robert Southey congratulating him on his investiture as Poet Laureate.

"Edinburgh, November 13, 1813.

I do not delay, my dear Southey, to say my gratulator. Long may you live, as Paddy says, to rule over us, and to redeem the crown of Spenser and of Dryden to its pristine dignity.
I was greatly delighted with the circumstances of your investiture. It reminded me of the porters at Calais with Dr. Smollett's baggage, six of them seizing one small portmanteau and bearing it in triumph to his lodgings.
Adieu, my dear Southey; my best wishes to attend all that you do, and my best congratulations every good that attends you  - yea, even this, the very least of Providence's mercies, as a poor clergyman  said when pronouncing grace over a herring.
My best compliments attend Mrs. Southey and your family.

Ever yours,
Walter Scott."

Robert Southey was an English poet of the Romantic 'Lake School' period. He was Poet Laureate from 1813 until his death in 1843. He assumed the post after Walter Scott refused it.

The Birth Day Thing - Today's entries focus on November 10, 1965 (my 10th birthday) and the year in general.

US Billboard #1 song, 10 November 1965 / UK #1 Single, 10 November 1965

This is an easy one this time as the US and UK #1's are the same song. This will happen only 3 more times until 2017.

Get Off of My Cloud by The Rolling Stones. The Stones formed in 1962. Their original line-up consisted of Brian Jones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts and Ian Stewart. Stewart was removed from the official line-up in 1963, but did tour with them. Since 1962, they have released 30 studio albums, 23 live albums, 25 compilation albums, 3 extended play singles and 120 singles. I readily admit that they are not my favourite band. I've never bought an album or a single. But, they seem to have survived my lack of support. ;0). Get Off of My Cloud was their 5th #1 single. Not too shabby. It was written by Jagger and Richards as a single to follow (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction. You can hear the 1965 version by clicking on the bold title.. Great song, even with my lack of support. ;0)

New York Times #1 Fiction Best - Seller, 10 November 1965

The Source by James Michener. I did have a copy of this book at one time, but I don't know that I ever read it. It is another book of epic proportions by Michener, the second since 10 Nov, 1955 to be #1 on the fiction list. It tells the story of the history of the Jewish people and the land of Israel from the very beginning until the birth of the modern state of Israel.







Pulitzer Prize Winner - 1965

The Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau. The Keepers of the House was written in 1964 and tells the story of 7 generations of the Howland family that lived in the same house in rural Alabama. The majority of Shirley Ann Grau's works were set in the Deep South. She was born in Louisiana in 1929. Her most recent work, a collection of stories was published in 2006.







Nobel Prize Laureate - 1965

Mikhail Sholokov (Russia). Mikhail Sholokov was a Russian / Soviet author who lived from 1905 - 1984. His most famous work was And Quiet Flows the Don. He was awarded the Nobel Prize "for the artistic power and integrity with which, in his epic of the Don, he has given expression to a historic phase in the life of the Russian people,"

Hugo Award Winner - 1965

The Wanderer by Fritz Leiber. The Wanderer was the first novel to win the Hugo Award without first being published in a hard copy format or appearing in some form in a genre magazine. It tells the story of a wandering planet that enters the solar system. It follows various groups of people to portray the impact of this planet on the entire population of the Earth.







Edgar Award Winner - 1965

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold by John le Carré. This was le Carré's third novel. I'm so glad to see it on the list of Edgar Award winners. I read it in 2012 and it was one of my favourite novels of the year. This was my review of the book.

"Fantastic story. A classic spy novel, classic le Carré story. His third novel, after Call For The Dead and A Murder of Quality, it features tired spy, Alec Leamas, the British Secret Services Berlin organizer, who is called home for a special mission. I won't get into too many details as there are so many interesting surprises throughout the story, that I wouldn't want to ruin it. There is a brief role for le Carré's most famous spy, George Smiley, but the story revolves mostly around Leamas. The spy craft is interesting, the plot twisting, the story fascinating and one you will have difficulty putting down. An excellent story for those who enjoy spy dramas and also a nicely historical feel for the cold war between the West and East.. Great stuff.."

So there you go, another year complete. Enjoy your weekend. Read a good book.