February 21, 2018 FOREVER IN BLUE JEANS

Shopping. It's a REAL CHORE. The clothes out there are so weird. Cutouts in the front, back, arms, chest, belly button. At this point in my life--LESS IS MORE or is it--MORE IS LESS?? Anyway-- It's time to cover things up--SADLY.  No more bikinis, short-shorts, mini skirts,  halter tops, tube tops, strapless dresses for me. Time to leave--A LITTLE MORE TO THE IMAGINATION--which is probably FAR BETTER--than the reality. So--can't dress like my daughter--AND--don't want to look DAWDY--It's a fine line to tread.  AND-- just when did the  peasant blouse become hip again?? Go back to the 1970s. SERIOUSLY--unattractive--shapeless pieces of material--guess they're RETRO but they look completely out of place in 2018.  Think I spent two hours shopping and ONLY came home with jeans--thanks  to my good buddy Levi Strauss. Tried and true-- Never out of style.
Kate Priddy, the stylish main character of Peter Swanson's psychological thriller Her Every Fear, has  everything wrong except her wardrobe.
After being stalked by an ex-boyfriend, Kate is fragile. She suffers from severe anxiety and devastating panic attacks. In an effort to make a new start, Kate decides to swap apartments with her cousin, Corbin Dell, for six months. Kate moves to a beautiful apartment on Beacon Hill in Boston and Corbin takes over her flat in London. Upon moving in, Kate discovers that her neighbor Audrey has been brutally murdered. The police investigate, Corbin becomes a suspect,  and Kate is thrown into a murder investigation after Corbin disappears. Did Corbin kill Audrey or could it be Alan, the sext tenant from across the courtyard?? What about Audrey's old friend Jack?? Find out who killed Audrey and why when you read this mind-blowing novel told from multiple points of view that will keep you on the edge of your seat. This page turner is about 300 pages--or a 4 mile run--that will leave you freaked out!!

FEBRUARY 17, 2018 LET'S GET PHYSICAL

The dreaded physical. It's this week--time  to face my nemesis--THE SCALE.  This weighs HEAVILY on my mind. NO PUN INTENDED. I've been STRESSING about it all week. Been trying to watch my food intake--to tip the SCALES OF JUSTICE-- in my favor before the big day. I've been known to try all kinds of tricks-- dress lightly--take off my shoes--cut my hair --ANYTHING to tip the scale in the right direction--Hell--I'd probably strip naked but the damn scale is out in the hallway. WHY?? Don't they realize every pound  matters???   It's a vicious cycle--it's crazy I know--but THE STRUGGLE IS REAL. The older I get--the MORE that  DAMN scale moves IN THE WRONG direction. NOT DOING ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY--must be a metabolism thing. That's what I keep telling myself anyways. I MIGHT LOSE THE BATTLE OF THE SCALE THIS WEEK BUT THE FIGHT will continue against the BULGE. All this talk about weight made me think of the 200 pound diving suit Anna Kerrigan had to wear  in Jennifer Egan's new book Manhattan Beach.

In her newest book, Egan tackles the genre of historical fiction as the reader is transported to  Brooklyn, New York,  when gangsters ruled the docks, night clubs and were the law. As the story begins, Anna Kerrigan is a twelve year old girl who goes on errands with her father. On one such errand, they go to the home of Dexter Styles--a wealthy mobster. As this sweeping novel continues, Anna is now twenty and  employed at the Brooklyn Naval Yard during World War II. Her father has been missing several years and Anna has to work  to support her mother and sister. Against all odds, Anna  becomes the first woman diver, one of the most dangerous jobs at the shipyard. While at a night club one night, Anna see Dexter Styles and decides to find out what happened to her father. This novel has it all--love--betrayal--war--sex--racism--you name it. Find out what happened to Anna's father, mother, sister, Dexter and several other characters when you read this hard to put down novel. Egan is a great writer and the winner of a Pulitzer prize for good reason. It's a bit of a commitment though, at 440 pages--it equivalent to about a 6 mile run-- that's worth every step.

February 13, 2018 I'M SICK Y'ALL

Three little letters--F-L-U--that's where I've been. Every year that little bugger seems to find me--it's EVERYWHERE. Every other kid at school is hacking & sneezing in my face-- And as much as I disinfect the desks--REFUSE TO SHAKE THEIR HANDS AT MASS--or EVEN touch their pens or pencils--it still finds me. It's like a silent nuclear submarine with secret sensors--waiting to ZAP me. YUP--it got me again. Of course--I tried to ignore it completely. Went on a 5 mile run  Saturday--followed by yoga--two basketball games--and a quick trip to the grocery store. By Sunday I was pretty sick--but went to the gym anyway--I know this makes NO rational sense to a SANE person--JUST LIVING IN DENIAL BECAUSE IT'S WHAT I DO BEST. Got home from the gym ready to die and have since-- spent several days in the PRONE position--wishing it away. Finally able to sit up--open my eyes at the same time--read--and write my blog.

If you're looking for a sentimental, uplifting story this dreary February, I have just the book for you--Elizabeth Berg's new novel The Story of Arthur Truluv. Arthur Moses, the main character of this novel, is a widower who packs his lunch everyday and heads to the cemetery to talk to his dearly departed wife, Nora. There he meets a lonely, motherless teenager named Maddy. Maddy is a misfit at school who is picked on constantly by her peers. She also feels unloved by her grief stricken father who is unable to communicate his feelings to her.  Somehow Arthur and Maddy, geriatric and teenager, form a bond that ultimately saves both of them. Find out what happens when Arthur opens his heart and home to not only Maddy but also his overbearing, heartbroken neighbor Lucille too.  This is the story of three lonely people who come together as a family to support one another in love and friendship that you will not forget. One of the great things about this book is that it isn't a huge commitment either. It's only about 220 pages--or an easy 3 mile run--that will leave you wanting more.

February 6, 2018 IF THE BOOT FITS

WHY?? I CAN NOT for the life of me FATHOM why running shoes have to change???? I've been wearing BROOKS ADDICTION 12 for a least 3 years AND LOVE THEM. Went online to order another pair and they are NO LONGER AVAILABLE  unless you have a ridiculously TINY size and  narrow feet. Since I have GIANT-FLAT-WIDE feet--I was out of luck. SO I ORDERED the ADDICTION 13 model--SUPPOSED to be new and improved right?? Well--They're NOT. They are REALLY NARROW-- SMALL TOEBOX --ZERO FLEXIBILITY--All for the low price of $140. So much for NEWER IS BETTER. So frustrating. Runners like to stick with what works--why reinvent the wheel??  It's a pain in the neck to try  different brands AND it's expensive--Kind of like buying a different brand of jeans.  DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO--hoping they stretch out--loosen up--and eventually feel like home. Michael Oher reflects on  homelessness to finding his forever home in his book I Beat the Odds:  From Homelessness, To the Blindside, and Beyond. 

Even if you've seen the Blindside, please read this book. It is an incredible story told by the person who lived it. Oher grew up in Memphis with an addicted mother--into a cycle of poverty and hopelessness. His honestly about what it's like to be trapped in the cycle-- while dreaming of another life is heartbreaking. Football became his way out. Oher worked hard, turned his life around and his dream became a reality after he was adopted by the Touhy family. His story is amazing. He had the courage to change--to break the cycle. His determination to succeed in life is second to none.  I especially loved the last two chapters of the book where he shares his secrets for success. One that pops into my head that I have employed myself over the years--surround yourself with who you want to be. Seek out people who are positive role models and friends who share your values. I urge you to read this important book for yourself--the cycle of poverty is real--the system is real--and it must end. This book is 270 pages--or a 3 mile run--that you will never forget.

February 4, 2018 LOTTERY

Hit the jackpot yesterday. No--not the lottery as in money--but the next best thing--the LIBRARY LOTTO. Went in looking for a few good MEN--I MEAN BOOKS--and came out with an armload of newbies.  Actually had to put a few titles back--No way I can get through more than FOUR books in the allotted two weeks they give for NEW books--unless I quit my job.  There's nothing better than having a pile of books waiting to be read in FEBRUARY. It's what gets me through the drudgery and dullness known as WINTER. I have to lose myself in another world--forget that cold and damp--if only for a little while!! Case in point--just finished a book where I got to spend time in Denmark after World War II-- with some really interesting people to boot--thanks to Jens Christian Grondahl's lovely book Often I Am Happy.  

I was initially attracted to this book because of the title. It seemed oddly worded so I picked it up and am so glad that I did. The title of this little gem actually comes from a poem written by B. S. Ingemann that tells it all:
          Often I am happy and yet I want to cry;  
          For no heart fully shares my joy.
          Often I am sorrowful yet have to laugh,
        That no one shall my fearful tear behold.
Ellinor is a seventy year old woman whose second husband Georg has just died. In the wake of his death, Ellinor decides to write a letter to her long dead best friend, Anna, who was also Georg's first wife.  In her letter, Ellinor reflects back on the last forty years--her courtship with her first husband, Henning,  the close friendship the two couples shared, and  even the complex relationship she had with her mother that she is finally beginning to understand. She writes about her own life as step mother to Anna's twin boys and the hardship of living in her friend's shadow. She shares her secrets, fears, memories, and deepest thoughts with Anna.  Though the prose is minimalist, the writing grips the heartstrings and doesn't let go. This is short book of only 160 pages that could be considered a novella--seriously a 2 mile run-- but the complexity of the human experience as told by Ellinor is unforgettable.

February 1, 2018 GROUNDHOG DAYS

Wonder if Punxsutawney Phil is going to see his shadow tomorrow?? And what does that mean anyway?? Pretty sure I've had it backward forever. APPARENTLY--if Phil sees his shadow--he goes back in his hole and hibernates another 6 weeks because he thinks it's still winter!! If he doesn't see his shadow--winter is almost over-- there will be  an early spring--hibernation OVER. Anyways, Americans have been celebrating this strange tradition since  the 1800s when  the Pennsylvania Dutch--German settlers--immigrated to America. They actually used badgers in their native land--but since they're in short supply in the Northeast-- badgers became  groundhogs. It's a cute tradition but I'll have you know-- Punxsutawney Phil is actually only right 30% of the time. Praying for clouds tomorrow but not putting the turtlenecks away for another 6 weeks!!

Just read a little gem I picked up at the library last week called The Burning Girl by Claire Messud. I was initially attracted to the word burn--heat--because it's been so cold outside. Strange connection I know but I'll take all the heat I can get this time of year. Anyways, this lovely novel is a coming of age story about  two girls, Julia and Cassie, who live in the fictional town of Royston in Massachusetts. They have been inseparable since nursery school--opposites in every way--who refer to themselves as "secret sisters." As the girls enter adolescence; however, their paths diverge. Cassie looks for friendship elsewhere as she faces an identity crisis, leaving Julia heartbroken and wondering why.  Cassie's path becomes dangerous and the decisions she makes ultimately  change their lives forever. This is the story of  those magical early friendships, the reality of growing up and then realizing that some friendships don't survive the passage of time. Find out what happens to Julia and Cassie when you read this book yourself. It's about 256 pages --or a 3 mile run--that deals honestly with female adolescence and the obstacles they face.