- Paul McCartney
Week 7 - "I love..."
Well, that page was easy! And it was hard...as you can see, I had to add an extra spot for Crockett! And while these are the people I love most in the world, there are others that are right up there. And things, and places, and foods, and things to do - there is so much to love. I decided to be as true to the 'photo a day' theme as I could, so a Cajun meal for Mardi Gras and my wonderful massage when I got home made the list, too.
After getting to see Mary Jo and sister Kim last weekend, I got to spend a few days at daughter Kim's house this week. In fact, I headed there immediately after dropping my sister off at the airport Sunday night. I think I got to Kim's about the same time Kim got home. It was the first time I'd gotten to see my sweet dumpling since Christmas - she has grown so much! And she is still a happy baby - a good sleeper and content to be awake and entertain herself, too. It's fun to watch Kim bloom into motherhood as well - she's a natural. Sadly, it's almost time for her to go back to work, and although she's excited about getting back to it, I know she will miss spending her days with her baby.
It was foggy and dreary and cold the first few days I was there, so we didn't get out on any walks, but we did manage to make a Target run, a Costco run, and a girls' lunch. We FaceTimed Elliot on her birthday, went to a fun little Cajun bistro for Mardi Gras, and watched lots of Winter Olympics. We sat in stunned silence as we mourned yet another school shooting. While I don't claim to know the answers to America's issues with guns, mental illness, and bullying, I know that what we are doing currently is NOT working. It's past time for us moms to demand change. Parents should not have to worry about their children being murdered at school! I suspect I was not the only one hugging my babies a lot tighter on Valentine's Day.
On Thursday morning, we took Miss M to her day care for the first time, even though Kim wasn't going to work yet. She had decided to have a few 'trial run' days before it was real. Good plan! I think it was a teeny bit easier to leave her knowing it was just for a few hours, even though Kim wasn't sure what she would do with herself. I was impressed with the place they had chosen, and Kim did great until the director looked at her sympathetically and asked how she was doing. Cue the tears! To cheer her up, we enjoyed a nice Mexican brunch of yummy breakfast tacos, and then it was time for me to head back home. As I drove, I finished the fabulous book I had been listening to for the last week. If you haven't read Beneath a Scarlet Sky by Mark T. Sullivan, I recommend that you give it a try. While it is a World War II novel, it is based on a true story, and it's set in Italy. If you've read many WWII books, I suspect you haven't read many about the war in Italy. There's a reason, and you'll learn more about that when you read this book. Although there are parts of the book that seem unbelievable, there is a lot about WWII that is hard to believe but is true, so I'm willing to suspend judgment. I found it compelling and enjoyed listening to it. I believe it is being made into a movie.
The book I started after that one is a new one called The Wife Between Us, by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen. As you might suspect, it is about a love triangle. Most anything else you suspect will be wrong, and that's all I'm saying. Well, that and I listened to it all day Saturday because I had to know what happened! Other books I've listened to so far this year are The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea (don't waste your time), Beartown by Fredrik Backman (love all of his books - this one is relevant and gripping), and Before We Were Yours: A Novel by Lisa Wingate (this one is sadly based on true events in Memphis, and it will haunt you - read it anyway!). In December, I listened to Column of Fire, the third book in a trilogy by Ken Follett, and I loved it so much it inspired me to listen to the previous two books, Pillars of the Earth (one of my all-time favorites, but last read in the mid-90s!) and World Without End. All of the books are historical fiction, set in England starting in medieval times and ending in the early 1600s. I found them fascinating, and the narrator, John Lee, is fantastic. The books stand on their own, but I recommend reading them in order. They are long - be forewarned!
Next on my list is The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah (The Nightingale) about Alaska. That should make my upcoming drive to Alabama and NC go by quickly! What books are you reading and enjoying? And do you read real books, books on devices, or do you listen to your books? I've always been an avid and voracious reader, and nothing was better than curling up with a big, thick, hardback book. Until I got a kindle...
For years, before kindles, when I traveled by car, I rented books on CDs at Cracker Barrel, and I found I loved listening to a good book. And then, four years ago, I started listening to books so I would walk more. I can't tell you when I last read the words on the pages of a book, either a real one or a virtual one. I still read plenty (on computers and devices), but I listen to all of my 'reading for pleasure' books now. I've found I pay more attention to detail and I'm not in a rush to finish and I don't skip over things when I listen. The only drawback for me is when I don't like a narrator - thankfully, that doesn't happen much, but when it does - I stop listening!
Can't wait to hear what books you love and how you enjoy them. Hoping you have a fantastic week and that you take time to tell the ones you love how much they mean to you. Happy Monday!
Jan
PS Today my wonderful daddy would have been 96 years old. That's hard enough to believe, but it's even harder to realize he's been gone from this earth for 26 years. I miss him daily and am grateful for all he gave me!
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