JUNE 26, 2017 YOU BETTER SHOP AROUND

 BENNY'S. Missing my favorite store--ESPECIALLY--this time of year.  Not exactly sure why they closed last year but-- IT STILL HURTS--OKAY??  Went out to the  "other" stores looking for crabbing nets the other day to NO avail. SO--I decided to make the trek across the bridge and around the corner to the "other" BENNY'S and I'M GLAD I DID.  That's the thing--Benny's has everything. I can get my crabbing nets-- beach chairs-- GIANT PINK OR WHITE swan float,  toaster and new kitchen clock in one place.  HIGHLY EFFICIENT. AAAHHH BENNY'S. It really is like walking into a time warp. I'm back in the 1970's again. Pocket protectors, shirts and ties and really good customer service. HOME AGAIN. Even saw some of the employees from the old store working in this one. COOL. So if you're missing BENNY'S--take the 15 minute drive across the bridge--you'll be glad you did. While you're there--I could use a few new tires and a gallon of paint!
 All this reminiscing made me think of a great book I read a few years back called Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen. Jacob Jankowski is a 93 year old man living in a nursing home with no control over his daily life. In order to escape his prison, Jacob reminisces about the good ole days. Jacob's story is told through a series of memories while waiting for one of his five children to arrive to take him to the circus.
During the depression, Jacob a veterinary student finishing up course work and preparing for finals, learns  that his parents have been killed in a car accident. Distraught over his parents death, Jacob hastily decides to  jump on a train one lonely night--a circus train belonging to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Jacob starts out with menial jobs but is eventually hired by the circus owner, a ruthless man named  Uncle Al, to take care of the animals. Here, Jacob meets an array of characters  including  a drunk named Camel, a dwarf named Kinko, a violent animal trainer named August, his wife Marlena, the star of the circus and an elephant named Rosie. August is a cruel, heartless animal trainer who not only beats his animals but also his wife. As the story unfolds, Jacob and Marlena fall in love much to the chagrin of August who will do ANYTHING to keep his wife. Will Jacob and Marlena escape from August's clutches? Will Jacob and Marlena be able to save the animals that August and Uncle Al  abuse?? Will one of Jacob's children make it to the nursing home to take Jacob to the circus?
Find out when you read this wonderful book for yourself. It is a well-written, easy to read book that is impossible to put down. It's about 330 pages or a 4 mile run that will keep you guessing until the very end.  Enjoy!