August 8, 2024 I'M YOUR ICE CREAM MAN

 

Back in the day, the dreaded ice cream man patroled the neighborhoods better than the cops. Remember? An hour wouldn't go by without that DAMN BELL or SONG ringing in my ear. I SWEAR it's the ONLY time my kids could hear. They could be crabbing 10 miles away, swimming underwater or jumping off the raft AND THEY'D HEAR IT. They were conditioned much like Pavlov's Dogs. They'd come running like they were in an Olympic marathon--begging for money for ice cream FROM the ice cream man. It didn't matter that we had a freezer FULL of the same thing---THEY WEREN'T BUYING IT.   We spent so much money on--CRY BABYS--CHIPS GALORE--CHOCO TACOS--TWO-BALL SCREWBALLS--SHOTS--BOMB POPS--STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES--it was ridiculous. AH---but those were the days.........missing them and wondering--Ice cream man--WHERE ART THOU? While I ponder the disappearance of the ice cream man, I might as well review a lovely novel that I recently finished by Valerie Perrin called Fresh Water For Flowers. As this story unfolds, Violette Toussaint is an older woman who lives alone and runs a small cemetery in Bourgone, France. She spends her days arranging funerals, tending her gardens, taking care of her pets and watching over the cemetery. Although her life is quiet, she has developed many friendships over the years ---with the grave diggers, priests, mourners and regular visitors. One day she meets Julien Seul, who comes to the cemetery to discuss having his mother's ashes scattered over a grave. The two develop a friendship that makes Violette question her life as she then looks back to the past--where the reader discovers what happened in Violette's life that she ended up as a caretaker of a cemetery. This beautifully written novel was translated from French to English--the characters are richly drawn and the story is unforgettable. The author also does an impressive job  of weaving the past with the present in this love story, that's filled with sorrow, betrayal and mystery. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Enjoy. 

August 4, 2024 LEARNING TO FLY

 

Kamala Harris is like a breath of fresh air. She's an intelligent, compassionate person with impressive public speaking skills to boot. That's something the Democratic party DESPERATELY NEEDS if they want to win this election. The excitement surrounding her nomination is real. Donations are piling in and people finally feel hopeful. Her credentials are impressive--former Attorney General, District Attorney, Senator and Vice President of the United States. And SHE'S A WOMEN. She cares about reproductive freedom, women's health care and access to abortion. This is the 21 century---we don't want to go back to the 1950's or the dystopian plan called PROJECT 2025. I can't fathom why any woman would vote for anyone else for those reasons alone. Harris said, "We have the choice between "freedom" and "chaos"---We all lived the chaos of the Trump years once AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENED. I can't do THAT again.  I'll get off my pot now---and review Ann Napolitano's lovely novel Dear Edward. As this heartbreaking story unfolds, 12 yr old Edward Alder is on a flight from Newark to California with his 15 year old brother, Jordan, and parents, Bruce and Jane. Several hours into the flight, the plane crashes outside of Denver and Edward is the only survivor. When Edward gets out of the hospital, he is taken in by his aunt Lacey and uncle John and moves to New York. This is where Edward befriends Shay and learns to deal with the grief of losing his family and the guilt associated with being the only survivor of flight 2977. This haunting but ultimately hopeful story flips back and forth between chapters as the reader meets several passengers on the plane including Crispin Cox, Ben Stillman, Linda Stollen--and Edwards present life and how he heals and begins to live again. This is a well written book with many interesting characters that I definitely recommend. It's an easy read of about 350 pages that you will never forget. 

JULY 28, 2024 FOREVER YOUNG

My mother-in-law turned 93 years young the other day AND she's still living large. Plays bridge twice a week--takes piano lessons--tends to her gardens AND really enjoys her life. She's taking advantage of every minute she has left on this planet. She's a lucky woman. With  plenty of family around, She NEVER  feels lonely. She is truly blessed in that sense. We had a birthday celebration last night and she played the piano -- we sang songs -- had a few cocktails--just like the old days. Did I mention--she still looks fabulous--she could probably pass for 75. She was also blessed with great skin. Praying I look half as good as she does when I get older AND want to  have just as much fun. Life is short SO enjoy and cherish it. If you want to find out where life has taken Eilis Lacey, the main character of the novel Brooklyn, you'll have to check out the sequel by Colm Toibin called Long Island. If you remember--Eilis came to New York from Ireland, met and married a plumber named Tony Fiorello. As the sequel unfolds, Eilis is now forty years old and lives on a cul-de-sac with Tony, her two children and Tony's extended family in the neighboring houses. One day while Tony is at work, a man shows up at their house looking for Eilis. He tells her that his wife is pregnant with Tony's child and he refuses to raise it. He says he will be dumping the baby on her doorstep. After this shocking news, Eilis decides to return to Ireland to make amends with her mother and brother as well as introduce them to her children. While in Ireland, Eilis catches up with old friends from her tiny village and bumps into her old love, Jim. Old feelings stir as Eilis starts to question her life and future. Find out what happens to Eilis and family when you read this novel that I really enjoyed. Just hoping there's another installment of this series. 

July 18, 2024 RUNNING ON EMPTY

 

Ran the annual Sailfest 5k on Sunday. NO TRAINING AT ALL. It was a last minute thing. Got together with old running friends to relive our glory days. Not sure when they changed the course but it's basically an in and out--NO HILLS. Thank God. Back in the day--there were a few serious hills that killed me every time. Sadly--this race--without hills--killed me too. I'm just not in shape to run in the HEAT-HUMIDITY. There wasn't a breath of air out there. My first two miles were pretty good BUT then I DIED. I couldn't keep up the pace. I actually had to stop and walk several times because I felt like I was going to THROW UP.  I'd rather run in the dead of winter through a snowstorm then run in that heat again. Ha. After every race--we always share a beer. Couldn't find a bar open. Luckily--Muddy Waters--in addition to coffee-tea-smooothies--HAS ICE COLD BEER. They saved the day. Cheers! If you like books about books--I can't resist them--then check out The Bookman's Tale by Charlie Lovett. The main character of this mystery is Peter Byerly, an antiquarian bookseller and recluse. After his beloved wife, Amanda, dies of cancer at a young age, he is paralyzed with grief. He decides on a whim to leave North Carolina for their home in England to try to pick up the pieces. One day while in a rare bookstore, Peter comes across a Victorian watercolor from the 18th century that looks just like his wife. He becomes obsessed with finding more about the painting and in doing so discovers a rare copy of Pandosto, which is believed to be source material for some Shakespeare plays. Somehow the Pandosto and the painting are linked and Peter is determined to find out how. Along the way, Peter meets an Art Scholar named Liz who helps him solve this literary/art mystery that is full of twists, turns, suspense, murder and intrigue. This is a well written, historically accurate pay turner--a great escape! It's only about 350 pages. Give it a try and let me know what you think. 

July 11, 2024 WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

Finally......a break in the humidity. I don't know about you BUT this humidity is a killer. It just sucks the life right out of me. I become a huge blob--can't get out of my own way. What a difference a day makes--I feel completely energized again--the sun is shining, birds are chirping and I'm NOT dripping in sweat. Don't think the weather affected me this way when I was younger BUT in my advancing age----I really feel it. I'm just hoping that July's not the new August and August's isn't the new September. That would be a shame. The only good thing about the humidity is that I read a lot--because I can't move. Literally read a 500 plus page book in a few days that I really enjoyed called Three by Valerie Perrin. Set in a small town in France called La Comelle, it is 1986 when ten year old Adrein, Etienne and Nina  meet and become inseparable. They share good times, bad and the usual ups and downs of growing up. They vow to move to Paris together after graduation to attend school and become musicians, but something happens and the future is forever changed. They no longer speak. It is now 2017 and a car is pulled out of the lake in their hometown with a body in it. Who is the body? What does this have to do with the three friends? This interesting story of friendship, betrayal, grief and forgiveness spans several decades as the narrator, Virginie, takes the reader through their lives which are filled with twists and turns and ultimately a redemption of sorts because time heals all. This is a lovely story originally written in French and translated by Hildegarde Serle. It did take me a bit to get into it, but then I couldn't put it down. I was competely drawn into their world and needed to know what happened to these friends and how it would end. Give it a try. Let me know what you think. 

June 30, 2024 CLOSING TIME

 

Back in the day--I went to Kalamian Rug Shop to pick out rugs. I'd take a few home to see if they looked good--bring back the ones I didn't like--pay for the rugs I kept. It was a super convenient, easy way to get what I wanted. Fast forward--there is NO WHERE to buy rugs anymore. Drove all over creation AND NO LUCK. Spent SEVERAL hours online shopping for rugs. There are over 5 billion rugs online so the whole thing gave me a GIANT headache. I actually like to touch the rugs, check out how soft/hard they are and see the colors IN PERSON.  So now I guess I'm actually going to have to order rugs--and return the ones I don't like. That sounds like a HUGE pain in the ass to me. It's not like I'm returning a pair of jeans. RUGS are big--awkward--and expensive to return. Shaking me head......Just finished a good mystery set in a bookstore called Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore by Matthew Sullivan. Set in Denver, Lydia Smith is a clerk at the Bright Ideas Bookstore. This is a funky store complete with "Book Frogs"--lonely regulars who hang out at the bookstore--among them is her favorite--Joey Molina. One night at closing time, Joey's dead body is found on the second floor--an apparent suicide. Equally disturbing, is the picture he has in his pocket of Lydia as a young girl. After Lydia inherits Joey's collection of books, she discovers a mystery--hidden messages throughout the books. What do they mean? What do they have to do with her?  Will they involve her own childhood trauma? Read this interesting mystery, with several twists and turns to find out the answers to these questions and many more. It's about 300 easy pages that you will find hard to put down. 

June 18, 2024 SHOCK THE MONKEY

 

Took my son to look at UCONN yesterday. Haven't been in that area in forever. I used to work at the Papa Gino's at the East Brook Mall in Mansfield 40 years ago. OMG. Can't believe it was that long ago. Felt a little nostagic so I made a point to stop at the mall on my way home. Talk about a blast to the past. It was like walking into a time warp. Sadly, many of the stores are closed---as most malls have really suffered since COVID--but I was thankful that the PAPA GINO'S was still there--AND it looked exactly the same. It was all I could do not to walk behind the counter and start making a pizza--wipe the counter down--or go the the register to take an order. That was my first REAL job and I loved it. Worked our tails off for $3.00 an hour. Great friends and a tons of memories were made in those restaurants. Who knew then that those were the days.....Speaking of a time warp--I just finished Lisa Grunwald's new book The Evolution of Annabel Craig. This super interesting, well-written historical fiction novel  is set in Dayton, Tennessee, during the Scopes Monkey Trial and is told by the main character, Annabel Craig. Annabel was born and bred in Dayton, a  quiet, conservative town. After her parents die, Annabel meets a new lawyer in town named George Craig and they marry within the year. During this time, the town locals talk John Scopes, a biology teacher, into teaching the theory of evolution, which is prohibited in Tennessee because of the Butler Act. He is arrested and the town is suddenly a hot spot. Famous lawyers and preachers come from all over as witnesses in the trial--it's the Bible and Christianity VS Darwin's Theory of Evolution. The trial not only divides the town and pits neighbor against neighbor, it also sparks Annabel's own evolution and journey of self-discovery. Interestingly, this event from 100 years ago, reminds me a bit of what's happening in our world today and is a reminder that we should all be a little more opened minded and reflective in order to make our world a better place.