March 22, 2026. KILLING IN THE NAME

As an employee of Papa Ginos at The New London Mall in 1984--I was a bit apprehensive when the Crystal Mall opened its doors. I worried that the mall would close and I'd be out of a job.  But--that didn't stop me from going to see what all the hype was about. I'll never forget my first trip. I literally lost my car. I had never been to a mall SO big. I didn't realize there were so many entrances and exits. I still laugh when I think about the hour I spent walking around the parking lot looking for my little blue car. I went to the Crystal Mall yesterday-- 42 years later--and what a shock. There are only a few stores open. Although the original New London Mall is gone--it's still a shopping center albeit without Papa Ginos.  No such luck for the Crystal Mall with Electric Boat taking over the entire space. Sad but times change. In other news, I just finished a book I think you might enjoy call Buckeye by Patrick Ryan. Buckeye is a lovely novel that spans 50 years--from 1920s-1970s. Set in Ohio, it follows the lives of two couples, Cal and Becky Jenkins and Felix and Margaret Salt. As the story unfolds, Cal is haunted because he can not serve in WWII as he was born with one leg longer than the other. After high school graduation, he dates and quickly marries Becky, a spiritual medium. The couple settle into life and quickly have a son named Skip. Margaret Salt is an orphan who hopes marriage will solve her problems. After her husband Felix deploys, he serves aboard a naval vessel for 4 years. When he finally comes home,  he is traumatized, but seems better after Margaret announces her pregnancy and they have a son named, Tom.  I don't want to say too much more because I don't want to ruin the story, but major themes include secrets, forgiveness, complexities in marriage and the impact of war. This well-written saga is filled with interesting, rich characters that will stick with you for a long time. It will also make you question why people never seem to learn that WAR SOLVE NOTHING. 

March 7, 2026. KOKOMO

Spent the last week in Aruba with friends. It's just what I needed to get  through the rest of this God- forsaken winter. Totally lucked out too--Missed the BLIZZARD OF 2026.  While New Englanders were shoveling out--I was relaxing drinking a pina colada--with a floater-- on Baby Beach. Sorry. Don't know about you but winters are getting tough for me. I can't stand the COLD-- AND THE WIND is unbearable. Don't remember it being like this when I was younger. Climate Change?  Looking forward to springing ahead this weekend--daylight savings and warmer weather. Cheers to making it through another winter. Read a few good books over vacation, but one I really enjoyed was called Heft by Liz Moore. Arthur Opp is an obese, former English teacher, who hasn't left his home in ten years. His only contact with people comes from couriers when they deliver food, groceries and other necessities. He spends most of his time thinking about Charlene Turner, a former student he met eighteen years earlier, when he was teaching night school in Manhattan. Arthur and Charlene became friends during the semester and briefly dated before Charlene called it off, however, they continued to correspond for several years until the letters finally stopped. It's now been 20 years since Arthur has heard from Charlene--who out of the blue calls him to ask him to tutor her son, Kel. Kel is a baseball prodigy trying to juggle school with taking care of his mother. This quirky story is told through alternating voices--Arthur and Kel--as both try to navigate loneliness, trauma, and ideas of family in this hopeful novel that I truly enjoyed. Don't want to say much more. Give it a try and let me know what you think.