7:58 O My goodness, what a beautiful, COMPLICATED!, piece of music. Your friend is an incredible pianist. In love with life, Dyanne P.S. I will be researching more of his performances!

The wait must be excruciating Kate but I’m so glad you are still able to read and distract yourself even only for a while . I’m with you on the French Revolution, it’s the reason I still haven’t attempted A Tale of Two Cities and just can’t summon up interest in Les Misérables despite so many of my friends adoring it 🤷‍♀️

It is nice to see that you appreciate that you were loved as a child. I was the youngest of six and was told I was the mistake of the family and told that the first four were wanted last two were unwanted. My mom once told me, when I was 13, that she was sick of spending her money on me. ( I had asked for female products)

Having someone's descendants read the audiobook of their memoir is such an incredibly cool idea! Makes me want to pick it up just for that unique listening experience!

I'm so sorry about your bloodwork. :( I don't have a physical chronic illness. I've watched a dear, dear loved one struggle with it for years and it's helped me understand just how little I can understand about the daily struggles of chronic pain. All the best to you in your journey and I really hope that your appointment goes well! That is SO many Victorian books and I have two more books to add to my TBR. :D I've been enjoying your President book reccs. I always want to learn more about history but don't even know where to start, what biographies are good, so it's always fun to hear about history books that other people enjoyed!

Sending hopes and prayers for answers after the waiting.

I am sorry you've had such a tough week. I can only relate to your situation tangentially. My husband sustained a head injury over two decades ago and he still suffers with chronic pain, but no one ever believes him. It has been incredibly frustrating, so I have such empathy for your situation. I hope the memoirs give you some hope while you wait to see the new doctor. The John Hendrix graphic novel looks great. I'll have to find a copy.

I am very thankful you have so many of us waiting for you Saturday Book Musings! Keeping you, Peter and your entire family covered in prayer.

I'm so sorry to hear of your rough time. I Love Lucy is good binge watching for comfort viewing 🙂

I so understand that frustration and disappointment when we're ill and need answers and then things dont go smoothly when we think theres hope. Gosh, it really mentally takes its toll. I have so been there. Most people I know have never been in those circumstances. But our tough health experiences give us great wisdom, and we have the ability for such strong compassion for others because of it too 💗 thank you for another reading update, happy to see you as always!

Thanks Kate for this video made my day I enjoy watching this .❤

Sorry you had a rough week. Bummer the persimmons did you wrong. They reminded me of my dad last week. Praying this week is a better one for you. Waiting is hard. ❤️❤️❤️

Such a great list! I have added a few to my TBR. I am currently re-listening to Middlemarch. It's also one of my favorites. I told Steve that young men need to read the sections on Dr. Lydgate and Rosamund and make sure that they are marrying someone who loves them for who they are and not what they can do for them! 😂

Always nice to see your kind countenance pop up on my computer screen! I'm sorry for your frustration in regard to the medical treatement you are pursuing. You and your family remain in my prayers. I'm continuing on with The Heir of Redclyffe and enjoing it even more, now that the plot has kicked in in high gear. Yonge does an exceptional job in slowly "soaking you in" with her characters and giving you a sense of moving along in time with them in their sphere. I feel like I've seen them grow up, which heightens the sense of drama when their troubles start. Nice to know about the Tolkien-Lewis graphic novel. I had no idea. By the way, I did a graphic novel with Tolkien and Lewis as supporting characters for Image comics back in 2003. It featured the most eccentric Inkling, Charles Williams.

I'm praying this delay in your bloodwork and getting new done is for good reason. ❤ I'm excited for you to get to this new Dr. Have you heard of Mikayla Peterson's testimony on the Lion Diet and how it helped her body to heal? I know you and i have discussed how your issues may be linked (and hopefully this dr will help you fix those things). I know dieting is different from health issues involving the gut but i think a person's mindset is critical in acceptance of healing. "I get to eat these foods that make me feel good" vs "i only get to eat these foods" is a big shift in thinking when i comes to health imo. I eat a very (some would say) restricted diet out of choice but it's to control health issues that could be very bad with long term consequences if i ate how i used to. And after dieting for most of my life, i get excited TO GET TO eat the foods i do because there is no "food noise" in my head, no cravings, no "starving", no watching for the next mealtime, no weighing or measuring foods etc. It's a big mindset shift but one I'm happy to have gone through to feel my best.

Another lovely video! ❤

I’m so sorry things have been so difficult for you. I know it’s hard to stay optimistic when you’re going through health struggles along with all the work it takes to continue looking for doctors and treatments that might help. I have fibromyalgia and a nerve issue that causes pain so I absolutely empathize with you and hope that you find some answers and relief soon. I really look forward to these videos and love seeing what you’re reading! I’m adding The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating to my list. Hope you are having a better week! ❤

I'm sorry you had such a hard week, so frustrating! I'm glad you found the Sarah Ramey book, I recommended it to you a couple of years ago I think (a comment on the video where you said you were going to try Wim Hof). I can't say I hope you enjoy it, she went through such a rough time, but I do hope you get some benefit from it.

(Melanie here) Thanks for another interesting video. I am checking out a few of these books :) Sending love and prayers!

I am so sorry you and your family are having all these challenges! Best wishes to you all. Thank you so much for mentioning Parcheesi! I remember loving it as a kid so, promptly went out and bought it. My husband and I are now enjoying nightly games instead of scrolling and watching tv. We are in our late 70’s so hoping it will be beneficial to our brains too!

Good to hear Luther get some love here! :) I definitely want to hear your thoughts on the book about Lewis and Tolkien. And I am praying for you as always!

Kate, you’re already one of THE MOST optimistic and resilient people I know. I’m sure, as you share in this video, that you have your ‘down’ days, but seriously, when this journey through chronic illness is done (may it be so!!), you are going to have impenetrable joy and strength!! We continue to pray for you and Peter, as well as David and Arthur. Another CMY to celebrate, even if it’s not right in the ‘top tier’!! I can’t wait to resume my Lottie reading next month with Love and Life!!

Praying for you Kate, sorry for the rough week. I hope your bloodwork goes smoothly next time. We are using Our Great Big World this year as well and enjoy it. We are doing some of the suggested read-alouds. I am looking forward to Paddington and Owls in the family (re-reads for us all). I enjoy the Flavia books on audio as well. The narrator is excellent!

Your 'Fairy Tales of Ireland' looks amazing! I want to grab that one. I've been so curious about Mythmakers! My sister suffers from chronic illness and has for years. I have seen what she goes through - I really hope answers and ways of coping come soon....💕💕💕

You can't go wrong with that kind of dr. They get your individual thumb print so to speak. No two people are the same even if they have the same thing. So it's really coming up with a Taylor made picture of your condition. Sometimes you have to work through the layers. I have wanted to do this for decades but cannot afford it. But I am praying for you and that God will guide your doctors wisdom and unfold the problem. God bless you and your family

Haha! 😆 We are in the French Revolution for our world history! 🤣 My teens are reading Tale of Two Cities and Les Mis! I’m hoping to buy Mythmakers for my son’s birthday . I started reading the Snail memoir and was enjoying it!

Oooo! A Brink memoir?! 😅♥️

We love the Vos Bible. ♥️ Freedman!!! I looooove your homeschooling’content’! 😁♥️

I’ve been hoarding your one video, now I have two. I’m so sorry that you had such a rough week, friend. 😖😣

I read the first Flavia de Luce book, The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, because of your review. loved it and have read them all. Can't wait for the new one. I want to add the Lincoln book and The House of My Mother. Am praying for your health and your family. Hope you get answers soon.

I have the Freedman Lincoln book here just waiting to be read! Another Russell Freedman book that I have enjoyed is We Will Not Be Silent: The White Rose Student Resistance Movement That Defied Hitler. ETA: I have to get The Mythmakers as I loved Hendrix's Faithful Spy!

I've yet to read any Charlotte Mary Yonge, though I've seen her memorial in Winchester cathedral, maybe for Victober this year, I'll pick one up.

Hi Kate. I don't know the details of your health issue, but I suffer from a number of health problems, including an inflammatory condition, fibromyalgia and digestion problems. I have been on the Low FODMAP diet for the last couple of years (alongside DF, GF and low sugar) and whilst it hasn't 'cured' my underlying condition, it has really helped to reduce my symptoms. If you haven't looked into the Low FODMAP diet (developed with considerable scientific research by Monash University here in Australia) it might be worth investigating. Persimmons are moderately high in fructans, (one of the possible 'triggers' in FODMAP) so might have contributed to a flair-up of your symptoms. Again, I could be way off as I don't know the details of your health struggles, but just thought I would offer this as a suggestion to look into. Blessings!

Hi Kate! I love persimmons! I lived in areas of the world where they grow naturally - its actually one of the things I miss most living in Maine. Keep your head up with the health issues! You will look back on this time and know you conquered! Wolf Hall is high on my TBR....oh 'Romancing the Stone' ...so nostalgic for me! I had an interesting experience with 'Impossible Creatures' I read it out loud to my son and my mind wandered so much I read it from cover to cover and can't tell you what happened! So many people like it that I know it must just be me so I am going to read it to myself again. Lovely video!💕

The Three Brides cover did not disappoint! 😂

I have a chronic illness myself and I understand your mixed feelings about how much to share. I want to bring awareness to "invisible" diseases and I want people to have an understanding of what life is like for a chronically ill person.But, at the same time, I don't want to come across as pitiful and negative. Similarly, it's hard to know when to take things easy and when to push myself. I tend to give myself grace, which is what my doctor recommends. I really enjoy your channel, you are so perceptive and articulate about your reading. Thanks for sharing your life and your reading life.

I feel exactly the same about reading in winter!!

Love Ladyhawke!!

Hi I’m related to Anthony Trollope

What a lovely video! I'm so sorry about your rough year :( 2024 was rough for my family, too, and the refuge that a good piece of engaging fiction can give us in that time can be such a true gift from God. <3 Here's hoping 2025 is easier on you and yours. Anywho, I'm walking out of here with 8 books on my TBR! :D Not counting Mary Younge - I'm saving her for when/if I get a good ereader. Thanks for a lovely video.

the female characters in the series are absolutely unbearable to read. that only is reason to stop reading the series.

When it comes to Ronja Rövardotter there is a good swedish Tv series in 3 parts from 1984. It is according to me about 3000 times better than the ghibli version. ( And then I do actually like the ghibli version) . It is made when Astrid Lindgren who wrote the book were still alive and had some influence over the production.

Definitely praying for you as you do this new treatment!

Such a great book year! I have written down several in my book journal on my recommended by Kate! ❤

I just finished chaper 22 Christmas at Noningsby and I believe Orley Farm has finally captured my interest. You're right, this has been so wordy... In regards to certain authors, I rememer ❤Jennifer Brooks would say "why use a sentence when a paragraph will do!"❤ Thrilled about your love for Wolf Hall and the possibility you may read the entire series this year!!!! 🙏Peter, you and your family🙏

Oh, that's such a gift that Peter could play in the snow again before his next round of chemo! I've never tried persimmons, but I am curious about them because they're in so many k-dramas. 😄 I will continue to pray for you and solutions that address all aspects of your health. ❤️ I've had a hold on the audiobook of Impossible Creatures since September and have ~three more weeks to wait!

You weren't kidding about the cover for The Three Brides! 😂

Your so well read.....all over the place and I love it....admittedly I enjoy your middle grade selections and YA....and lots more

Another lovely video! ❤ I am so excited for these reprints of CMY! I am going to order the Step mom one first! I am continuing to pray for you and Peter! ❤❤❤ I had to laugh when you said I get bored with talking about my chronic illness. I totally get that! 😂❤❤❤

There’s a great Emily collection from 1941 that has a lot of explanatory introduction. Worth seeking out to get some more out of her work. I’d have been lost without it too.