November 18, 2023 WILD HORSES

 I think I've finally lost it. Got up this morning--bright and early. Super excited. Going to Radio City Music Hall to see the Christmas Show. I'm all showered--make up applied--dressed--bag packed. READY TO GO. And I find out it's NOT TIL TOMORROW. What a DOPE. How did I mess that up???  UGH. There's nothing worse than being ALL DRESSED UP AND READY TO GO---AND THERE'S NOWHERE TO GO. So I did what any reasonable person would do--changed--went to yoga class--followed by a 4 mile run. Didn't tell you the best part--my partner in crime--thought it was today too. That makes me feel A LITTLE BIT BETTER--I think??? SO--we will wake up bright and early again tomorrow and get it right--At least we will already know what we're going to wear. This one will definitely go in the record book. Just read an incredible book based on a true story about a horse named Lexington who was a record breaking stallion, Geraldine Brooks novel Horse. This saga flips back and for in time between 1850 and 2019. As the story unfolds, Theo, an art historian, finds a painting of a horse in a garbage pile near his house. He decides to take it to a friend at the Smithsonian to see if it's valuable. Meanwhile, Jess, an osteologist, discovers bones at the Smithsonian, that she thinks belong to Lexington, the greatest racehorse of all time. Theo and Jess meet one afternoon after a bike mishap and realize they are both interested in discovering more about the horse and their friendship develops from there. Meanwhile, Martha Jackson, an art gallery owner, is given a painting by her maid. It is a painting handed down in her family and she wants to know the value because she needs money. Back in 1850, Jarrett, a slave on a plantation, forms a life-long bond with a newborn foal, who turns into the greatest racehorse of all time.  He also forges a long friendship with a painter named Thomas Scott, whose subject is horses. This is historical fiction at its best. It's a story about American horse racing in the deep South before the Civil War and during the Civil War. It's also a story about slavery, art, greed, love and horses that I found super interesting and well written. It's about 400 pages of reading that's worth your time. Enjoy. 

November 10, 2023 ALIVE AND KICKING

 

Soccer. ECC finals. Double Overtime. Double PKS. What a way to lose a game. That's what happened the other night at my son's soccer game. And he's the GOALIE. Poor Kid. --Almost the same thing happened 10 years ago at my daughter's State Semi-final game. It's a killer. Losing in penalty kicks in overtime?? There's got to be a better way to end a game. UGH. Sports teach kids so many lessons. Commitment--teamwork--discipline--resilience AND coping with failure. No matter what game you are playing--someone has to lose AND YOU WILL NOT ALWAYS WIN. Accepting success with humility and defeat with grace are lessons that are invaluable not only in soccer BUT IN LIFE. The boys have moved on to States--just made it to the QUARTER FINALS. Keeping my fingers crossed and loving every minute of it. I also spent the last week reading National Book Award Finalist, Tea Obreht's book, The Tiger's Wife. This novel takes place in an unnamed Balkan country that has survived many years of war. The main character, Natalia and her lifelong friend Zora, are medical students traveling to an orphanage to give much needed innoculations to the kids. During their journey to the orphanage, Natalia finds out that her cherished grandfather has died. As a child, Natalia was very close to her grandfather and she spent several hours at the zoo with him as he told her fantastical stories of The Deathless Man and The Tiger's Wife. While working at the orphanage, Natalia remembers those stories that her grandfather said--made him a man. The novel shifts back and forth between the tiger and town of Galina where her grandfather grew up, the deathless man, and Natalia's time at the orphanage. This book is part magical realism, part mystery, love story and the tragic consequences of war. It's a lot. I enjoyed the writing and many of the well written characters, but I was a little confused at times because it does jump around a bit. And the magical realism part troubled me a bit too. Magical realism isn't really my thing, but some people love it. All in all though, I enjoyed the book but it is a dense 350 pages. Let me know what you think.