February 23, 2025 YOUNG AT HEART

Is sixty too old to reinvent yourself? To make a BIG change? As I look back over my career--I can definitely say that I like change. I'm NOT one of those teachers who can teach the same thing for thirty years. I've taught 5th grade, middle school English, High School English and for the last 6 years High School Art. Next question---would I even get hired for a new position at my age?? I don't feel OLD but then again who wants to hire someone my age when they could get someone YOUNGER with more energy-ideas-gusto.  It's a catch 22. I am an experienced teacher--BUT is there a point when you're TOO EXPERIENCED?  These are the things I'm pondering these days--REINVENT OR WHAT?? That's the question I can't seem to answer. Thankfully lost myself in a really good book called The Echo of Old Books by Barbara Davis that helped me forget my little problems for awhile. As this gem unfolds, Ashlyn Greer, a rare book dealer from New Hampshire, is spending the day at a thrift shop looking through old books when she comes across a beautifully bound book.  Intrigued by the book, Ashlyn immediately buys and reads it.  The book which was written in 1954 and authored by Hemi, tells his side of a tragic love story set during World War II with a woman named Belle.  Ashlyn becomes obsessed with the book and is determined to uncover the mystery, especially, after another book is found, told from Belle's point of view. This lovely novel flips back and forth between 1941 and 1984 as Ashlyn discovers the truth about the two lovers who were ultimately betrayed by family secrets and lie.  This book is filled with twists and turns and unforgettable characters who unknowingly help Ashlyn come to terms with her own life and help her trust and love again. 

February 16, 2025. THE WAITING

 

Stressful time of year for high school seniors--if they don't go ED. College lingo for early decision. Going through the college process has been a totally different experience with Tim. He's a stellar student with lofty goals. He applied to 14 schools and wrote AT LEAST 20 essays.  It's  been a game of hurry up and wait. Hurry to get in all college applications/essays--EA--early action or RD--regular decision. The only good thing about EA is that it's NOT binding BUT the problem is we really don't find out much about financial aid yet. The problem with RD is that we don't know if he's even accepted until about April 1st--BUT by that time we find out about financial aid right away. SO WE WAIT. And hope he gets into one of his TOP CHOICES and either gets a decent scholarship/grant money to make his dreams come true. If you are a fan of Elizabeth Strout's books and love her characters Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge, and Bob Burgess then you must read her new book Tell Me Everything. This beautifully written novel is once again set in Crosby, Maine. There's been a murder in town, and Bob Burgess is hired to defend a hermit accused of killing his mother. In a town a small as Crosby, this is a major event. Famous author Lucy Barton, having moved to Crosby during the pandemic with her ex-husband William, walks weekly with her friend Bob as the two ponder life, choices and the human condition. Bob also introduces Lucy to Olive Kitteridge, now 90 and living in a retirement community. Olive is still her old salty self, but the two hit it off as they tell each other stories about people they knew and call them "unrecorded lives." Strout's rich characters are vividly portrayed as they grapple with understanding love, human connection, the importance of story telling and as Lucy Barton struggles to understand "What does anyone's life mean? I thoroughly enjoyed every minute back with this cast of characters and I'm sure you will too. Enjoy.

February 2, 2025. LAND OF CONFUSION

CHAOS-CONFUSION-RIDICULOUSNESS. That about sums up the NIGHTMARE of Trump's first few weeks.  Guantanamo Bay--INTERNMENT CAMP--for the WORST CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO ARE HARMING AMERICANS. Okay---so lets dehumanize the immigrants so that ICE can round up THE USUAL SUSPECTS. ICE has been spotted in New London questioning illegals. How do they EVEN know who is legal or illegal. We will probably have to start carrying our papers around--like in Casablanca-- so we don't end up in jail. Pretty soon --they'll be invading schools and ripping kids from their desks to get rid of the bad apples. It's insane. We also have POWER HUNGRY Elon Musk giving the old  Nazi salute---AND PEOPLE CLAPPING. Don't even get me started on eliminating DEI--the Gulf of America or Trump's insane executive order stating that there are only two sexes. Hope voter remorse is kicking in for all the idiots that voted for that horse's ASS. I really need to either bury my head in the sand or read a million good books to get through the next four years. Actually just read a lovely novel by my favorite Irish writer, Niall Williams, called Time of the Child. This gem is the sequel to This is Happiness---my favorite book from 2022. In this novel, it's 1962, in the weeks leading to Christmas--and the rain won't stop. It''s practically a character in the book. One evening after The Fair, young Jude Quinlan finds an abandoned baby in the churchyard. He brings the baby to Doctor Troy, and his daughter, Ronnie, is totally taken with her.  In order to keep the Church and State away--they try to keep the baby a secret but the villagers start to gossip and chaos ensures. Find out what happens with Ronnie, Dr. Troy and baby Noelle when you read this magical story for yourself. I loved being back in Faha--to visit with the rich characters again-- Canon Tom, Father Coffey, Ganga, Doady and all the other quirky people who make up the town are true to their Irish ancestry and made me laugh-out-loud several times. 

January 25, 2025. BEER IN MEXICO

 Celebrated my 60th birthday in style. Turks and Caicos. The water was amazing. The sand like baby powder AND the Island beer. CRAZY. There' s a local brewery -- Turk's Head Brewery that makes some pretty damn good beer. BUT what I could NOT GET ENOUGH of was the Lager--I-Ain-Ga-Lie. The name alone had me hooked. I couldn't resist saying it ---It became my mantra for the week. If  lager isn't for you--the light beer--I-Soon-Reach was refreshing and the India Pale Ale famously titled Down-Da-Road is equally good.  These are all classic island sayings that have been around forever. I-Ain-Ga-Lie is a famous saying for when people tell tall tales or fish tales around the bar-- I've been known to tell a few myself. I really love the name I-Soon-Reach too because islanders are notoriously late so they say I-Soon-Reach meaning that they will probably get in the car soon. Too funny. I'm gonna start calling into work late to see what they say when I tell them--I-Soon-Reach. Down-Da-Road is similar. I'll see you soon---I'm just Down-Da-Road. I'm thinking of incorporating these three sayings into my vocabulary so that I can pretend I'm still in Turks & Caico living da good life. I-Ain-Ga-Lie--that's where I wanta be. Just finished a good read that I think you might enjoy called The Wedding People by Alison Espach. The main character of this gem is Phoebe Stone, a divorced, deeply depressed English professor from Missouri. Phoebe is thinking of ending it all and decides to do the deed in Newport, Rhode Island at the Cornwall Inn. When she arrives at the inn, Phoebe is mistaken for a wedding guest and befriends the bride to be, Lila. When Lila hears Phoebe's plan, She talks her out of suicide because it will ruin her BIG day. Lila then invites Phoebe to the week long pre-wedding events where she befriends Gary, the groom,  his daughter, Juice, along with a cast of characters that are laugh-out-loud funny. Find out what happens to Phoebe and Lila as the wedding day approaches when you read this fun book about new beginnings, surprising friendships and starting over. 

January 5, 2025 THE WEIGHT

I'm actually afraid to weigh myself right now. I've been chowing on cookies, lemon bars, brownies and candy since Christmas Eve. It's BAD. Time to get back to my routine. If I don't stick to THE PLAN--I'm out of control. Thank God I've been on school vacation-- At least I ran a lot--even in the bitter cold--AND  did a lot of yoga. Hopefully that will help balance the SCALE--a bit. I'm going back on the straight and narrow--sticking to the plan--living the clean life--logging into My Fitness Pal--TOMORROW. It's tough living when your vanity knows NO bounds. Ha! On to book news. I have really fallen in love with this French writer named Valerie Perrin. I reviewed two of her books last year and recently finished her debut novel Forgotten on Sunday.  Set in a small town in Milly, France, Justine and her cousin Jules, have lived with their detached grandparents since the mysterious death of their parents several years earlier. After graduating high school, Justine works as a nurses aide at a retirement home called The Hydrangeas. At the home, Justine bonds with a 100 year old resident named Helene and records Helene's life story that includes a lost love from the war. Justine also opens up to Helene about the death of her parents. The mystery involving the death of her parents is not the only mystery in the novel, another involves the retirement home. Investigators are brought in to find out who has been calling families of the patients, forgotten on Sunday, on Saturday nights to tell them their family member has died.  In the mix is also a guy from the Paradise Club who seems quite fond of Justine but she can never remember his name. There is a lot going on in this somewhat dark story that I totally enjoyed. The writing is beautiful, the plots--twist and turn, the characters are richly drawn and very flawed --but aren't we all. If I were you--I would definitely pick up a copy of this very different book that might help you forget how cold it is outside. 

January 1, 2025 BEST BOOKS OF 2024

 

Can't believe I've been writing this blog for 9 years. Time sure flies when you're having fun. Looking back at 2024---I read at least 55 books and got around to reviewing 35.  Not too shabby. Without further ado--these are my favorite books of 2024

1) Fresh Water For Flowers by Valerie Perrin. Reviewed 8/8/24. Blog title--I'm your ice cream man.

2) The Women by Kristin Hannah. Reviewed 3/2/24. Blog title--Where have all the flowers gone.

3) James by Percival Everett. Reviewed 9/2/24. Blog title--Amazing Grace.

4) Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano. Reviewed 8/4/24. Blog title--Learn to fly.

5) All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker. Reviewed 11/23/24. Blog title--Wall of denial.

6) Lost Man's Lane by Scott Carson. Reviewed 9/20/24. Blog title--Super freak.

7) Leaving by Roxana Robinson. Reviewed 8/17/24. Blog title--Tattoo.

8). The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon. Reviewed 10/14/24. Blog title--Going to the chapel.

9) Death at the Sign of the Rook by Kate Atkinson. Reviewed 11/30/24. Blog title--That smell.

10) Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pett. Reviewed 4/7/24. Blog title--Octopus's garden.

Looking forward to a new year filled with LOTS of memorable books. Happy Reading. Have a safe and healthy New Year. 

 

December 27, 2024. MARRY YOU

Weddings. Back in the day they were pretty standard.  People had a rehearsal dinner followed by a  wedding/reception the next day. THEN IT WAS OVER.  Remember tossing the bouquet to an eligible female?  OR the groom stripping the garter off  the bride's leg and tossing it to an eligible man? What about  money dances? Well I do and those were GOOD TIMES.  I asked my daughter if she had ever heard of these things and she looked at me like I was crazy.  Pretty much have had to learn a whole new vocabulary for today's weddings.  Did you know that 90% of couples today have a "First Look." They actually get together right before the wedding to see each other and take photos. What happened to seeing the bride AT THE ALTER?? I'M NOT A FAN BUT......And nowadays they have "Welcome Parties"  after rehearsal dinner and  "After Parties"  after the wedding AND Brunch the next day.  I'm NOT making any of this up. It's a marathon of events. Won't be quitting my job for at least another year AND at this point I might have to get a part to job for this craziness. Good thing we only have ONE princess in our family.  Back to the books. Recently finished the sequel to Peter Heller's The River called The Guide. First off, It's not necessary to read The River in order to appreciate The Guide. Jack, the main character, appears in both novels. In the sequel, Jack is grappling with the death of his best friend and decides to take a job as a guide at a private fishing lodge in Colorado. Kingfisher Lodge is a flyfishing mecca and safe space for wealthy, famous people as Jack quickly realizes his charge is a famous singer and accomplished flyfisherman named Alison. Early on, Jack discovers things aren't what them seem at the lodge as he finds several hidden cameras, gates locked from the outside and even a property owner next door who has hired gunmen to keep people off his property. Guests also start to disappear and a strange virus forces a lock down at the lodge. The fishing lodge apparently is more than just for fishing and it's up to Jack to find out what's really happening before someone gets killed. Heller is a great writer who incorporates lovely descriptive writing about the wilderness and flyfishing into this Wilderness Thriller. I enjoy all of Heller's books and this one does not disappoint. It's a quick read with interesting characters. Hopefully there will be another installment of the series as I enjoy reading about Jack and the wilderness.