November 27, 2017 QUEEN OF HEARTS

A whirlwind. The QUEEN was home for the holidays--AND when she's around--IT'S ALL ABOUT HER. Breakfast--lunch--dinner--THE WORKS. There's not a second to spare for READING OR WRITING MY BLOG. SERIOUSLY!! She is a lot of fun to be around--BUT I WAS LITERALLY PUSHING HER OUT THE DOOR ON SATURDAY. It's not that I REALLY wanted her to go--I NEEDED HER TO GO-because I COULDN'T get anything accomplished.  The laundry quadrupled-- food bill doubled--And Chef Lactose Free had to spend HOURS cooking all the family favs without dairy!! Mind boggling. Pretty sure she put me in a trance at the store too because she left with new boots, a sweater and a bunch of bags from Target. NOT sure how THIS happened EITHER but I've  inherited another pet. Now I'm taking care of 2 dogs, 2 frogs, crickets AND a betta fish named ALLEN.  Did I forget to mention that FRED--the elf on the shelf--is back too!! Have NO fear though--life is ALL good for the queen. Before she left, her footman topped off the gas and checked the oil so that her journey back to Neverland would be flawless.  Wouldn't want  the QUEEN to open her wallet--or get her hands dirty.  HUMMM. Can't wait til she comes back for round TWO in December--ONLY THREE WEEKS TO REST UP!!

If you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift, for that special someone, this holiday season--then look NO further. I have the perfect gift. In my world, the perfect gift is always a book, right? So, in that spirit, I am recommending Celebrating the Holiday in classic New England Style A Connecticut Christmas by Caryn B. Davis. Davis has been a professional photographer since 2000 but her career in visual arts has spanned thirty years  and includes as a cameraperson, editor and producer of documentaries. Her book, A Connecticut Christmas, is a photographic journey through New England capturing Christmas traditions, festivals, decorated churches, bridges, town greens, and Christmas trees all over Connecticut. Talk about getting into the Christmas spirit!! Every photograph captures the magic of the Christmas season and is a real treasure.  I enjoyed the entire book and  the narratives that accompany the photographs; especially, the chapters "Nautical Noel", "Christmas Cheer", "Bells, Garlands & Mistletoe" and "Eat, Drink & Be Merry". If you're looking for a gift that keeps on giving, year after year, then do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this wonderful book.  Pretty sure it's available at your local bookstore or contact Caryn Davis at www.carynbdavis.com to get your signed copy. Fun Fact--her book just made the Sunday New York Times Travel section.  ONLY 28 DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS.

November 21, 2017 THINKING OUT LOUD

ODDBALL THINGS I'M THANKFUL FOR THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:

Vodka, cranberry and lime--enough said                                                  $  25.00
Moisturizers, lotions--that keep me smooth as a baby's bottom          $100.00
Foundation--minimize fine lines                                                                $ 42.00
Hair dye--that enables me to "still" look "45" MAYBE                           $100.00
Eyebrow pencils--for making them look real                                           $  12.00
Mascara--for highlighting my eyes and lashes                                         $  22.00
Floss--that prevents gum disease                                                                $    4.00
Underwear--that don't ride up                                                                     $  15.00
Spanks--for sucking it all in when necessary                                            $  40.00
Cozy socks-- that keep the tootsies warm                                                 $    8.00
Sweatpants--elastic waist                                                                              $  30.00
Scarves--for making me look 10 years younger when                             $  30.00
strategically placed                                                                                ______________

 TOTAL                                                                                                                 $428.00

A SENSE OF HUMOR                                                                         PRICELESS   

Yaa Gyasi's debut novel Homegoing; however, is no laughing matter. This book is a wonderful piece of historical fiction set in the Gold Coast that follows the life of an Asante woman named Maame and her two daughters. As the story opens, Maame has set fire to a Fante village in order to escape bondage leaving her daughter Effia behind. After returning to her village, Maame marries a chief and has another daughter, Esi. Later,  Effia is married off to a British Governor named James Collins, who is in charge of Cape Coast Castle. Her sister Esi is kidnapped from her village, sold into slavery and eventually sent to America. The book follows the lives of both Esi and Effia as well as  their descendants in the Gold Coast (Ghana)  and America in alternating chapters.   Gyasi, although born in Ghana, came to the United States as an infant. In 2009, she returned to Ghana on a research grant from Stanford University. She visited Cape Coast Castle and was  inspired to learn more about the time period including the Anglo-Asante Wars, Slavery and  life in the Gold Coast. For her efforts, Gyasi has earned at least three book awards including the Hemingway Foundation/Pen Award.  This important piece of literature is a must read. It is only 320 pages or a 4 mile run that is both captivating and devastating.                                                         

November 16, 2017 IT TORTURES ME

 I've lost the battle against PIRIFORMIS SYNDROME.  It's time to CROSS TRAIN--NO RUNNING for TWO WHOLE WEEKS. That translates into time at the DREADED GYM. Dragged my sorry BUTT--literally and metaphorically--to the gym last night. 20 minutes on the elliptical-- 20 minutes on the bike --15 minutes on this stepper thing. Besides the fact that the gym is SMELLY AND HOT--I don't really like using the machines because they are TOO EASY TO ABANDON. Follow my logic-- IF I GO OUT FOR A RUN--I HAVE TO COMMIT TO IT BECAUSE I HAVE TO GET BACK HOME. On a machine though--I can think of 100 reasons to get off.  I ACTUALLY have to  bring an extra shirt to cover the CLOCK because it drives me CRAZY. What do you mean I've only been on this torture chamber for 5 minutes!!  I'd rather run through sleet--snow--north winds--ANYTHING--to avoid THOSE  machines. SERIOUSLY. This is my favorite season to run and I'm gonna spend it WHERE???  THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT.

Sheri Fink, an American journalist, gave many people the opportunity to  speak in her multi-award winning non-fiction book of 2013 Five Days at Memorial:  Life and Death in a Storm-Ravaged Hospital. Fink's book details the events that took place at Memorial Medical Center in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. After the hurricane, the hospital was left without power and thousands were trapped inside before being evacuated on day five. During the evacuation process, Doctors de-prioritized the critically ill patients--and actually euthanized several--thinking they should get the healthier patients out first to save as many as they could. Fink not only told the events from the perspective of several of the people involved, she also examined the legal and ethical issues that resulted from this tragic situation. A doctor and two nurses were charged with second degree murder; however, the charges were eventually dropped. Fink's book was also a critique of the healthcare system and the government for failing during this disaster. This informative, often frightening book is about 550 pages--or a good 7 mile run--that will have you shaking your head and asking yourself how this could have happened!

NOVEMBER 12, 2017 TELL IT LIKE IT IS

I PLEAD GUILTY. As an educator, I have met ALL kinds of kids. It's my business. I know when a kid is on the spectrum or suffers from mental health issues. I've seen it enough.  I've done the dance--tried to mention the "QUIRKY" behavior or "ISSUES"  to the parents YADA YADA-- AND URGE them to discuss IT with their pediatrician. DON'T THINK ONE PERSON HAS  EVER TAKEN MY ADVICE.  I get it--NO ONE wants to hear that their kid is different--BUT the reality is that THESE KIDS ARE NOT GETTING THE HELP THAT THEY DESPERATELY NEED. They grow up ISOLATED--LONELY--ANGRY-- unable to understand social cues. MANY become FRUSTRATED--DESPERATE ADULTS. If we want to see a change IT MUST start in schools WHEN THE KIDS ARE STILL YOUNG. Educators and other professionals need to SPEAK UP-- use their expertise. A DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM OR MENTAL ILLNESS SHOULD BE on par with a diagnosis of DIABETES. If a kid had Diabetes--NO ONE WOULD IGNORE IT RIGHT??  THIS HAS TO BE MANDATORY--SO  CHILDREN CAN GET THE SERVICES THEY NEED.  THE SYSTEM MUST CHANGE. WE ALL NEED TO DO A BETTER JOB--PARENTS, EDUCATORS, GOVERNMENT. LET'S BE HONEST--HELP GUIDE--NOT HIDE.  THE PROBLEM IS REAL. We can't afford to sweep it under the rug anymore.

 Edith Wharton tried to expose problems in society in the early 1900's in her wonderful novel The House of Mirth. Wharton was truly a Renaissance woman.  She was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in Literature, and designed several homes including one in Newport Rhode Island, and her primary residence, The Mount, which is still open to visitors today in Lenox, Massachusetts.  She's an interesting woman because she rejected the social norms of the day and considered them superficial and oppressive. In The House of Mirth, Wharton not only criticized the social pressure  women felt to conform through her main character, Lily Bart, but she also attacked the corruption of the upperclass as she portrayed them as  heartless, cruel and materialistic. In the novel, Lily Bart is a stunning beauty, well-bred and educated--with one flaw. Her family lost all of their money so she must depend on her beauty and the kindness and favor of others.  Her vocation-- find a wealthy husband with the right social status to secure her place in New York City society. Lily is torn though.  She yearns to be free of social conventions to live her life the way she sees fit.  As a single woman, she has no rights, no property, no money and is forced to rely on men. She's twenty-nine and her prospects for marriage are waning. Will Lily break free from the mold and live life on her own terms or will she be forced to marry because she is penniless?? After all, that's what she's been bred to do. Find out when you read this portrait of what life was like for  women at that time period. It's a beautifully written classic of about 340 pages or a 5 mile run that will make you happy it's 2017.

November 8, 2017 STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE

STOP THE VIOLENCE. When reading about Devin Kelley earlier this week, I couldn't help but notice similarities between him and Adam Lanza.  BOTH had SERIOUS known psychiatric problems that went untreated. BOTH had families that "accommodated" their mental conditions.  BOTH threatened others with violence AND STILL  had access to guns. BOTH were TICKING TIME BOMBS.  BOTH left a trail of bread crumbs a mile long. Kelley actually broke into an Air Force base with a gun to carry out death threats in 2012.  Lanza ACTUALLY belonged to a cyber-community of MASS murder enthusiasts where he frequently commented on his obsession with Columbine and even stated, "Serial killers are lame....mass school shootings are where it's at." I wonder how many of his CYBER friends knew he planned a mass shooting?? THIS IS INSANITY.  I  know it's a slippery slope but--MAYBE--JUST--MAYBE--individuals with mental health issues and violent tendencies should be identified by the Federal government.  I know I'm opening a can of worms.  I know that can turn into a witch hunt but we have to end the SENSELESS violence that is becoming second nature in our society.

Chief Superintendent Armand Gamache of the Surete du Quebec,  also wants to save lives in Louise Penny's newest novel Glass Houses. If you've read my blog before, then you know that I'm a huge fan of the Gamache series. Couldn't wait to read lucky thirteeen!  In this installment, it's fall in Three Pines, the community has just celebrated Halloween but  one of the guests refuses to leave the party. He appears the next morning on the village green  dressed in black. He stands statue-like for several days refusing to move. He seems to be haunting someone. To the relief of everyone, he finally disappears one morning but not before someone is murdered. Gamache and his crew are called on to investigate. Who was the figure in black??  Did he murder the victim before he left Three Pines?? Was it a set up?? Who was the victim?? What does the murder in Three Pines have to do with the largest drug dealer in Canada?? Find out the answer to these and other questions when you read this great mystery for yourself. It's about 390 pages--or a 5 mile--that is impossible to put down. 

November 5, 2017 CHAPEL OF LOVE

Engagements. Different strokes for different folks. The romanticists find the perfect place--get down on one knee--and pop the question. Everyone is happy--as long as she says YES. Creative fellows hide the ring in sandwiches-- milkshakes--bags of chips--which is totally cool--I guess--unless it gets swallowed by the PROPOSEE--which has actually happened--SERIOUS MOOD KILLER.  The realists-propose while doing mundane things--washing dishes--raking the yard--or even using the bathroom. Hey--can you get me a roll of toilet paper--by the way--wanta get hitched?? HHUUMM.  There are also the efficient proposers --no sense wasting time--the clock's a ticking.  I actually read about a  gynecologist who proposed to his girlfriend during her exam. He pretended to pull the ring out of her vagina. A dream come true for EVERY woman--CLUELESS. He probably thought it would be a great story to tell at cocktail parties too??  What about the BLOCKHEADS who tattoo their proposals??? Now that's intelligent??  What if she says NO?  Last but certainly not least--the PATHETIC LOSERS. Believe it or not some are proposing VIA text--must have to send some cute emojis to soften that blow right?? Feel sorry for the women who actually accept that proposal.

Newlyweds,  Lilian and Leonard Barber, seem like just the sort of lodgers Mrs. Wray and her daughter need in Sarah Water's The Paying Guests. Set in 1922 in Southern London, Mrs. Wray, once well-to-do, has come upon hard times. The Great War is over, debts have piled up and she is  forced to convert part of her villa into an apartment to make ends meet. Her daughter, Francis, is practically a spinster at age 26. She feels it's her duty to live with mother and take care of the house.  Lilian and Len move in and immediately change the atmosphere. They listen to music, dance, and smoke--all the things Francis longs to do. As Len spends his days working for an insurance company,  Lilian stays behind to keep house. Soon after, Francis and Lilian's friendship turns into a love affair and Lilian a finds out she's pregnant.  What will happen between Lilian and Len?? Lilian and Francis? Will Len find out about her affair? Does Lilian even want the baby? Who will be murdered?  Find out the answer to these and many other questions when you read this book for yourself. It's about 550 pages--or a 6 mile run--that will blow your mind.

November 3, 2017 IT'S A HEARTACHE

REJECTION. It's a fact of life.  Having a BROKEN heart is ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATING. Believe me--I KNOW.  I remember it well. First love-- Senior in high school--madly in love with BLAH BLAH-- broke up with me to DATE other girls. CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT NONSENSE???  My heart hurt for at least a year. I smiled on the outside but felt like I was dying on the inside. I WAS CRUSHED. Life did go on and I  DID get over it. I actually saw him a few years back---believe me--IT'S ALL GOOD. I've also broken a few hearts along the way too--SO SORRY--Even wrote a Dear John letter once. Still feel guilty about that one--wish I could apologize--young and dumb.   As of late--I seem to be RELIVING MY EVERY BATTLE WITH CUPID--while trying to help my own kids navigate the affairs of the heart. Seriously, when my daughter was heartbroken a few years back--I could REALLY feel her pain. I wanted to help--put a band-aid on her BOO BOO to make it all okay--but I couldn't.  THE ONLY CURE--TIME AND DISTANCE. Unfortunately, growing up is hard and the lessons ALL come with a  price.

When I think of books about heartache, one really stands out. It was written in 1977 and to date has sold over 33 million copies. It's also number one on the list of best romance novels ever written. Can you guess?? The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough. Even though I read it over thirty years ago, I remember it as if I read it yesterday. TALK ABOUT HEARTACHE. This wonderful saga focuses on three generations of the Cleary family and spans 1915-1969 . Paddy and Fee Cleary have just relocated to New Zealand where Paddy has been offered a job working for his rich sister, Mary, at her sheep station called Drogheda. Here, the family, which includes several older sons and a four year old daughter named Meggie, meet a young, ambitious priest named Ralph de Bicassart. Ralph has befriended Mary in hopes  that she will  bequest him money to further his career. Over the years, Meggie and Ralph develop a special relationship that Mary is determined to stop. On her deathbed, it seems as though Mary has two wills. One that guarantees Ralph all the money he would need  to rise to the top of the Catholic Church, or a second will that would leave the money to her family and businesses. She makes Ralph decide between Meggie and the Church. Will Ralph choose Meggie or the Church? Will power and ambition be more important to Ralph than his desire for Meggie? Will Ralph and Meggie ever consummate their passion? Find out the answers to these questions when you read this book turned mini-series for yourself. It is a bit of a commitment--690 pages--or a 6 mile run--that you will never, ever forget.