June 3, 2017 MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR

Yesterday was officially my last day of school. YIPPIE--made it through  another year--RELATIVELY unscathed.   And the best part--the sun was FINALLY shining. It's been tough goings with the weather--had to run last Sunday in the pouring rain--been trying to wait the weather out since.  It was beautiful yesterday-- sunny and breezy--perfect for an afternoon run. Believe it or not-- my legs are STILL sore from that race--so I've been taking it SLOW. That just shows my age!  I've also been taking it slower at school over the last few weeks. Just exhausted from the RAT RACE--so are the kids. We are ALL ready for a break from the clock. I've  noticed that this time of year-- my FILTER doesn't work as efficiently EITHER.   I few semi--inappropriate things have slipped out now and then so--I KNOW IT'S TIME FOR A BREAK. It happens to everyone. We hit a point during the race--at work or on the road--where our bodies AND minds  weaken--and all of a sudden something pops out--that normally would have been swallowed. YIKES!! If they ever escort me out of the building you'll know why! If they do though, I hope it's by my favorite inspector from the Louise Penny series--Chief Inspector Armand Gamache.

While most people binge watch shows on Netflix, I actually binge read books.  I have a confession to make -- I CANT NOT stop reading the Gamache series. I  finished book seven--A Trick of the Light the other day-- and had to force myself to wait two days before  starting  the next one. THEY ARE THAT GOOD. Penny's mysteries are all character driven stories that happen to be great  mysteries too. The experience is enhanced too if you read them IN ORDER because the major characters appear in each story and they are realist and richly portrayed. I seriously want to go live in Three Pines and hang out in the bistro with them.  In A Trick of the Light, Gamache is once again called to the tiny village of Three Pines after a body is discovered at the home of his good friend and artist Clara Morrow. Clara, a wonderful artist, has finally been discovered and her work is being shown in a prestigious gallery in Montreal. Her dreams have finally come true right?  After the show, the guests arrive in Three Pines for a celebratory party that ends in murder as Clara's childhood friend is found dead in her flower garden. There are many suspects-- including Clara, her husband Peter and a host of other people who are involved in the art world.  Gamache takes the reader into the dark world known as the art scene-- a place where there is competition not only between friends but also husband and wife. Gamache will not only find the killer in the end but even more important--make  the reader reexamine the  human condition--jealousy, guilt, greed. If we are not careful--Penny will teach us a thing or two too.  This exciting page turner is about 350 pages--or about a 5 mile journey--that will leave you hungry to read the next installment. Guaranteed!