March 23, 2025 MONEY FOR NOTHING

                                                                                                   Imagine working your ASS off in high school to get into your DREAM SCHOOL and NOT being able to go because they didn't give any financial aid.  Yes, welcome to my world. I'm Not Kidding. THE MIDDLE CLASS ALWAYS GETS SCREWED. We don't qualify for  financial aid--when tuitions run $90,000 a year. MAKES NO SENSE. The only people that can afford to go to college are the RICH and the need-based students who get financial aid to meet their needs. I'm all for that BUT what about helping the middle class. I don't mind paying my fair share BUT $90,000. I'd have to sell my house and live in a tent to afford four years of college when THAT WOULD COST $360,000. So FRUSTRATING. Guess we will be spending the next few weeks applying for merit based scholarships because that's the only way we are going to get any money. Ugh. Life is so unfair. Now for the good news. I just finished a little gem written by Catherine Newman called Sandwich. Rachel (Rocky) and her family have been vacationing in the same beach house in Cape Cod for over twenty years. This year, Rachel and her husband will share the week with their two adult children, Jamie and Nick, his girlfriend, Maya, and Rachel's aging parents. Three generations together for a week. Although Rachel can't wait to have her whole family together again, she's struggling with being in the sandwich generation--middle age--facing menopause, depression and uncertainty. She's torn between the past/present/future as she reflects back on life at the cottage, time honored traditions with family and negotiating change that happens with the passage of time. I totally felt for Rocky because she's a mother who loves her adult children but also mourns the loss of motherhood and her babies. I found this book to be equal parts nostalgic and laugh-out-loud funny as Rachel and family navigate love, change and loss. Enjoy. 

March 2, 2025 COME FLY WITH ME

She said, "Yes, to the dress." Beyond thrilled that my daughter found her wedding dress. I was a little worried that it would take FOREVER because she's generally VERY indecisive. BUT as soon as she tried it on--SHE KNEW. It was a whirlwind of a day. She must have tried on 30 dresses--so many different styles--my head was spinning.  It's funny--many of the things she thought she wanted--including LACE--didn't even make it to the top three. SO MUCH FUN. Just the two of us--shopping, laughing and enjoying each others company. So thankful. Now on to finding a florist........any suggestions?? In the meantime, I'll tell you about this eery book I just finished called Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty. After a long delay, a commuter flight from Hobart to Sydney finally departs. While flight attendant Allegra Patel sees to the needs of the passengers, an elderly woman starts walking down the aisle of the plane predicting the age and cause of death of other passengers. Most passengers think she's a nut and ignore the predictions but others are freaked out because she predicts their death within the year. The plane lands and everyone tries to forget--until her first prediction comes true. The storyline then follows several passengers as they cope with the predictions and then alternates with the woman who becomes known as the "Death Lady."

It's a freaky premise that really made me think about fate and destiny. And would I really want to know the age I'm going to die and how???  Interesting........Find out what happens to the passengers and whether or not the death lady is a real "fortune teller"  when you read this page turner for yourself.  Enjoy!