Sunday Bookends: Cool bookstores and I finally finished The Two Towers

/ Lisa R. Howeler

It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, what the rest of the family and I have been reading and watching, and what I’ve been writing. Some weeks I share what I am listening to.

This past week was a long, rough week with some medical challenges for my elderly parents. I’m pretty wiped out but not as wiped out as my mom who is facing an exhausting situation. If you are a person who prays, we could all use some prayers, but especially her.

Yesterday, The Husband, the kids, and I headed an hour south to picturesque Lewisburg, Pa. for a small break and to visit a comic store for free comic book day. We also visited a couple of bookstores, one independent and another a Barnes and Noble built inside of a three-story former hardware store.

The Barnes and Noble is three stories and features an escalator to reach the second level. It is also a merchandise store for Bucknell University, which is a university that is considered Ivy League, but which I learned yesterday is not officially “Ivy League.”

According to various sites, including College Advisor, Bucknell is considered a “hidden ivy” because of its strong academic reputation and its high rankings in various educational programs.

Regardless, it is a well-known college and, from what we’ve witnessed a few times, quite the party college. There was a noisy frat party going on as we visited a playground after visiting the bookstores and having some lunch. Plenty of young women in sun dresses. There were more girls than boys around, so maybe it was a sorority party instead. Hmmm….

Well, anyhow…we enjoyed our visits to the comic book shop and bookstore. The bookstore, called Mondragon, featured a variety of used books and records.

I didn’t find anything I really wanted but I enjoyed looking at the wide variety. I did find one book of recipes by artist Georgia O’Keefe, and Little Miss found a fiction book about horses.

We didn’t buy any books at Barnes & Noble because I wasn’t super impressed with their selection and rarely buy new. It is, however, a very pretty store.

I finally did it this past week! I finally finished The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkien. It took me forever, thanks to life events, and reading a couple of other books.

I enjoyed it despite the wordiness, but I will be taking a bit of a break before I start in on The Return of the King, the final installment of the trilogy.

I’ve been reading Grave Pursuits by Elle E. Kay but it deals with a serial killer and that’s been a bit of a heavy topic with all that’s been going on in my life so I’m setting it aside temporarily. I am really enjoying it, and the writing style, though.

Instead, I am continuing All Things Wise And Wonderful by James Herriot, reading a chapter or two at night before bed.

I also started Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns. I like it so far.

And I plan to finish The Hardy Boys: The Twisted Claw by Franklin W. Dixon this week.

The Husband is reading Snow by John Banville.

Little Miss and I are reading Magical Melons by Carol Ryrie Brink.

The Boy is listening to a Warhammer book. I don’t remember which one.

This week I have been watching Murder She Wrote and The Dick Van Dyke Show. Comfort watches.

This week on the blog I shared:

Nancy Drew is 95! History, creation, lasting influence, controversy, and more.

This past week I enjoyed a episode on the True Drew podcast about the 95th anniversary of Nancy Drew.

Now It’s Your Turn

What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to, or writing? Let me know in the comments or leave a blog post link if you also write a weekly update like this.

This post is linked up with The Sunday Post at  Kimba at Caffeinated Reviewer, The Sunday Salon with Deb at Readerbuzz, and Book Date: It’s Monday! What are you reading hosted by Kathyrn at The Book Date.

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32 thoughts on “Sunday Bookends: Cool bookstores and I finally finished The Two Towers”

  1. Sorry to hear about the situation with your parents. I don’t do praying but sending supportive and empathetic thoughts your way. A good idea to dial back on challenging reads and watches and pick up comforting ones.

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  2. I can relate to health issues with your parents. Sending prayers your way. Georgia O’Keefe is one of my favorite artists. It would be interesting to see her recipes! I hope that Barnes and Noble has an elevator. 🙂

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  3. So sorry to hear you’ve been dealing with health problems in your parents. We’ve been there – I know how difficult it is. Sounds like a lovely day trip for your family. We drive through Lewisburg on our way to and from my hometown (Rochester, NY) from our home in Delaware, and we’ve camped just outside town at RB Winter State Park, which is very nice.

    That’s a beautiful and unique-looking B&N! And thanks for the heads up on Nancy Drew’s 95th anniversary! I just got a pair of adorable earrings that are tiny Nancy Drew books 🙂

    Great comfort watches, too – two old favorites. We are very excited that Poker Face comes back this week, after several YEARS between seasons one and two. Natasha Lyonne is fabulous in it.

    Hope you have a good week, enjoy your books, and that your parents are OK.

    Sue

    http://bookbybook.blogspot.com

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  5. My best wishes for your mother and you! I remember how it was to see my mother age, it was tough.

    I only managed The Towers once, all the battle scenes wore me down. My favorite is the first book, I read that one several times and the third one twice.

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  7. Oh wow; that is probably the most lovely Barnes and Noble I’ve ever seen. I will definitely be sending all the well wishing to your mom and your family as you all help her in whatever capacity you can.

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  8. Spending time in any book store is such a treat… it was a favorite Friday evening activity when our girls were growing up! We’ve always loved “The Dick Van Dyke Show” too – another family favorite! I’ll be holding your mom in my prayers and you, too, as you navigate it all, LIsa!

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  9. I will be praying for your mom as well as the rest of your family and you. It is so difficult to see your parents age…not that I did much of that as Dad died young. But, I’m seeing it through my kids’ eyes as they watch Mike. I will pray for healing, comfort, and strength. Prayers are powerful.

    There is nothing like the smell of books in a building, right? I found out earlier this year we have a Carnegie library in our ugly little town. It’s not used as a library, and luckily, even though absolutely everything around it was recently torn down, it was not! I think it’s just used for municipal storage which is a shame. I hope, at some point, they do something more historical and useful with it. I am reading a book by Judi Dench about when she played characters in Shakespeare’s plays. We started watching “The Residence” on Netflix. I’m enjoying it. Mike is snoring his way through it!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    • It is hard watching them get older. She sounded a little perkier tonight and that was nice to hear. I’ll be over there later this week helping out and it’s tough to see them both struggle but I am grateful for the time I have with them.

      That Judi Dench book is on my list to read.

      I don’t what a Carnegie library is! I will have to look that up. I am intrigued.

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  11. Praying for your family, especially your mom. I know how hard that is to go through, I went through it with my mom.

    That bookstore reminds me of The Strand in NYC. I remember we walked up and then back down 4 flights of stairs. I bought Donna Bell’s Bake Shop: Recipes and Stories of Family, Friends, and Food by Pauley Perrette which had been released earlier in the year.

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  13. I just prayed for your parents and entire family.  I’m so sorry for what you all are going through…it can be heart rending, can’t it?  Hugs.  I’m so glad you and your family broke away for a bit.  Where better to recharge than a bookstores…well maybe a library?  I also rarely buy new.  Beautiful photos! 

    Yes, when my parents are struggling, lite fiction is the way to go for me.  Thank you for sharing.

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  14. What a lovely time you had on your small break. And congrats for finishing book two of the series. I greatly prefer The Hobbit to LOTR, but I am a simple person.

    Of course I am sending prayers and good thoughts for your mom.

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  15. I need to add that bookstore, the independent one, to my list for my future trip that I will take to your area. Whenever that happens. It looks like it was a wonderful day. You needed it.

    Did you see they are thinking of making a Murder She Wrote movie ( I think movie) with Jamie Lee Curtis playing Jessica Fletcher?

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