May 29, 2021 BITTER SWEET LOVE

I used to look forward to going to my grandparents house when I was young. It's the only time I can  remember being taken care of.  Not sure if those are the right words--what I'm trying to say is--it was the only time I remember feeling special. I spent my early years taking care of my brothers and little sister. Cooking, cleaning, changing cloth diapers with pins and rubber pants. I can vividly remember telling my 6th grade teacher that I could stay after school for volleyball as long as I got home by 4:00 to put the chicken in the oven. He must have thought I was nuts-- I thought nothing of it. My grandparents knew I was always taking care of others--so when I went to their house--I was treated like a queen. My grandmother made my bed--cooked whatever I wanted for breakfast--lunch--dinner AND we had giant hot fudge sundaes every night for DE. Those were the days. Today I spent three hours in the kitchen making a few platters of eggplant parmesan for my son. It's his birthday so I wanted to cook one of his favorite meals.  Take care of him--make him feel special.  It's funny how a little thing like making eggplant can turn bittersweet. Miranda Schuyler, the main character in Beatriz Williams lovely novel The Summer Wives, return to Winthrop Island after 18 years is also bittersweet. As the story unfolds, it's the summer of 1951 and Miranda has just arrived on Winthrop Island--loosely based on Fisher's Island--for her mother's wedding. Her mother is marrying into a wealthy family--Hugh Fisher--who owns a summer estate on the island. Miranda is also gaining a sister about her age named Isobel. Miranda immediately loves the island but the glamor and lifestyle of the rich is new and uncomfortable for her. Soon she meets Joseph Vargas whose father is a fisherman and the lighthouse keeper. By the end of the summer an event occurs that changes Joseph's life forever and leaves Miranda banished from the island. The book then picks up again in 1969 . Miranda, now a famous actress, has finally returned to the island. The Fisher estate is in shambles, but the island has remained the same except for the police who are  looking for an escaped prisoner named  Joseph Vargas. Find out what happens to Joseph, Miranda, Isabel and the people of Winthrop Island when you read this page turner for yourself. It's a mystery and love story of about 360 pages or a 4 mile run-- that I really enjoyed. 

May 18, 2021 HAPPY TRAILS...................

Went to a funeral today. It was a tough one. Lost one of the good ones. Seriously. They broke the mold after him.  He taught us all  how to live a  more meaningful life just by setting a good example. I'm going to do my best to be a little more like him. I heard the same words over and over today when describing him. He was kind, humble, empathetic, helpful and fully present.  He was also a good listener who never criticized others. Let's all choose to be a little more like our beloved friend. If we all work together--the world WILL be a better place. Happy Trails. 

If you're looking for an interesting book to take your mind off your troubles, check out What's Mine And Yours by Naima Coster. As the story unfolds, It is 1992, and young Gee's father, Ray, is killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The impact of his death on two families is central to this story set in Piedmont North Carolina. Told from alternating perspectives, the story jumps between 2002-2018. The  main characters are  Gee and Noelle. Gee and Noelle actually meet in 2002 when Gee, a black student, is bused to Noelle's mostly white high school in an effort to integrate the schools. Noelle's mother, Lacey May,  actively protests the integration as her daughter befriends Gee and the two star in the school play. Lacey May another important character in the story,  has also had a hard life as her husband, Robbie has been in and out of prison and has a drug problem. The story then flips to 2018 as Noelle finds out her mother is ill and she returns home to repair relationships and come to terms with her life. This is ultimately a family saga about race, class, hardship, poverty, addition,  and  two families whose lives are forever linked by tragedy. This novel is about 350 pages or a 4 mile run that I found interesting and enjoyed. 

May 2, 2021 THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD

 Just registered for my first race in over a year. AND IT'S A BIGGY. A half marathon. I haven't run one since my injury 3 years ago. Not even sure I should attempt it BUT looking forward to getting the gang back together again. It should be VERY interesting. Right now one of us has an injury (NOT ME) another has only been running 3 miles and I've been trying to sneak in a 6 miler on the weekends.  WE ARE DEFINITELY NOT IN HALF MARATHON SHAPE. FYI--They just opened up registration for the 59th Annual John Kelley Road Race. This is the only FREE race around--and they are ONLY taking 1000 runners. So if you've been thinking about committing to a beautiful scenic run--and want to get in some distance--this is the race for you. It's always a great time. They have a band after the race and there's NOTHING BETTER than a COLD BEER and BAD NACHOS. There is also another fun run/walk coming up on May 16th--the 4th annual Dylan Konakowitz Memorial Run. I'll definitely get my feet wet at that run.  They have a great basket raffle, food, drink and music too. If you don't feel comfortable running in person--the run is also available virtually. Check it out.  After you check out the local races, check out this debut novel by Nancy Jooyoun Kim called The Last Story of Mina Lee. Margot Lee is a 26 years old Korean American who moved to Seattle after college leaving her mother behind in Koreatown , LA. She decides to travel to Koreatown to visit her mother, Mina Lee, after repeated attempts to reach her by phone fail. When she arrives home, she finds her mother died in the living room. This discovery sends Margot digging into her mother's past because she is suspicious even though the police believe the death is accidental. The story then flips back and forth between Margot's quest to discover what happened to her mother, and her mother's arrival in the United States in 1987 as an undocumented immigrant. This book is part mystery, part love story and part examination of the immigration process in the 1980's. By the end of this novel, Margot finally understands her mother's struggles-- an orphan of the Korean War who came to American to try to have a better life. This book is about 380 pages or a 4 mile run that is worth the read. It will make you thankful that you are an American, but also give you a little empathy for other people seeking The American Dream.