August 31, 2017 SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THING

This getting back into the school GROOVE is a killer. It's been a whirlwind--running here/there--bombarded with  questions AND information that my brain  ACTUALLY HAS  TO PROCESS. AND I'm supposed to look professional too.  NO MORE SHORTS AND TEE SHIRTS. I Wore REAL shoes with a HEEL the other day and thought I would die. It was HELL. WHY Can't we just wear flip flops year round?? I swear my feet are getting WWWIIIDDDEERR--with each passing year. Must be all the running that somehow NOW has to get sandwiched in after school and preferably before dinner.  That's REALLY the worst part of going back to school. IT'S REALLY HARD TO RUN AFTER SCHOOL. My feet hurt, I'm dehydrated, hungry, bloated, tired AND JUST NOT IN THE MOOD. As I ran over these complaints in my mind yesterday-- WHILE RUNNING at 4:00--I had to remind myself to flip it around. I had to tell myself to be thankful that I can still run--regardless of the time of day. Just getting out there WILL HAVE TO BE present enough for now.

Britt-Marie the main character of Fredrik Backman's book Britt-Marie was Here has her hands full too. I first met the character Britt-Marie when I read Backman's My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry a while back. Britt-Marie is an odd duck. She's a neat freak, cleaning fanatic who can't stand the site of dirt or disorder. She also has difficulty in social situations because she has spent many years taking care of her husband without venturing out on her own.  In this book, Britt-Marie has left her husband, Ken, after she finds out he has been unfaithful to her. Britt-Marie is on her own trying to manage in a world she doesn't really understand.  She finds a job in the town of Borg taking care of a run down recreation center--her only prospect because her skills are limited. Borg is a rundown, sad town.  After a financial crisis, many  businesses have closed down and most people have moved away.  Britt-Marie finds herself surrounded by the left overs--several quirky characters who need her help. Britt-Marie has never been needed like this before. In order to help her new found friends, Britt-Marie must face her own ghosts, let down her guard and learn to love again. Find out what happens to this interesting, funny cast of characters when you read Backman's sequel of about 320 pages. This is an easy read--a 3.5 mile run--that will have you laughing one minute and teary-eyed the next. Enjoy.