Book review...

Have you ever been so caught up in a book that you can't put it down? Those of you who read this blog regularly know that I am an avid reader and that I enjoy discovering a new series of books about the same characters.  This started with the "Little House" series and it is still my great delight to discover a new series that I really enjoy.

Currently I'm reading the second novel in "A Scottish Isle Mystery" series by Lucy Connelly.  I will readily admit that I picked up the fifth book of the series, on a display shelf in our local library, because I was attracted by the author's name.  When I discovered it was one in a series I requested the first four and am happily reading my way through them. 

Don't let me mislead you.  If you like very sophisticated angst filled novels about tortured souls you might not find these books to your taste.  But, if you, like me, enjoy a good murder mystery in a book filled with interesting likeable characters set in a small community in Scotland (one of my favorite countries) then I think you will enjoy this series. 

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my book.

Woops...and yummy...

 Last night I forgot to blog.  This is rare for me.  Except when I'm on vacation I write my blog every night.  

In my defense, last night I had a pain in my hip, my real one not my bionic one, took a Tylenol PM, and fell asleep on the job.  But I'm back at it tonight having watched my wonder spouse work for a couple of hours to get my trusty computer connected to the internet with a wired LAN instead of Ethernet.  We're not there yet but he enccouraged me to write this blog and get off my computer so he can get back to work on the improvements.

So here is tonight's blog.

Today I met three of my friends (friends I have know since high school, which is a very long time) for lunch.  We tried a new Indian Restaurant (new to us anyway) called BB's on North Anthony.  It was a delicious experience.  I had a mild chicken currie dish made with a cashew sauce, also a milkshake like drink made from dates and coconut milk, quite tasty.  I highly recommend this place.  

Now I'm signing off so my EE wonder spouse can get back to his improvements.

a traveler's tale....

 My wonder spouse and I have just finished another jigsaw puzzle.  We have promised ourselves that this is the last one until we come home from our cruise in May.  

Here's a picture of the puzzle.  While we were working on the puzzle I kept thinking that the scene looked familiar, but I thought that that was probably just wishful thinking.

However, after we finished the puzzle we decided to try to find out what it was a picture of. You would think that they would have that info on the box, and they did sort of, but it wasn't easy to find.  My spouse found out, by going to a website listed on the box in very small print, that this is a view somewhere along the coast of Amalfi (a stretch of coastline along the west side of Italy).  Then I knew, I really have seen this scene or something very much like it.  

In 2023, before I married my wonder spouse, a girlfriend and I took a trip to Rome and Tuscany and one of the optional tours was a boat ride along this very coast.  I'm sorry that I can't find a photo in my archives to prove it, but I really have been there and it really was just this beautiful.  

just ducky...

 There is a Swedish proverb that I learned recently "Shared joy is a double joy, shared sorrow is half a sorrow."  

Today I was able to share a joy and a sorrow and I think both parts of this proverb proved true.

Every Sunday after the 11:00am service at my church we have a coffee hour. It's a time to chat with friends I know well and also to make new friends.  Today's coffee time began when a friend sat down with me and a few other people at our table and shared live pictures from a camera feed to her phone.  What we saw was a mama duck who had made a nest in my friend's flower bed, up close to the side of the house.  As we looked at the camera we saw the duck sitting on her ground nest.  We were told that she was sitting on 15 eggs.  We all watched for a while as we drank our coffee and ate our cookies. The duck was just sitting there, not doing anything very interesting, until suddenly she raised up, just a little, and a newly hatched duckling poked its head out from under the mama. What a joy.  We all cheered.  Truly a shared joy.

Gradually, people left to head home and I realized that one other person and I were the last ones left at our table.  She was a casual friend, someone I know from committee meetings but not really well.  I asked her how she was doing, remembering that she had been having some health problems, though I didn't know the details.  She said "ok" but her voice didn't sound like she was really ok so I said that I knew she hadn't been well during the last couple of years but really didn't know the details.  She told me all about the very rare cancer that she had been diagnosed with and all the tests and teatments she has been going through since 2019.  She talked and talked and I listened.  I think that sharing her sorrow really did help, at least I hope so.  She seemed 'lighter' and happier as we parted.  

So remember that Swedish proverb and make time to share other people's joys (that's easy) and sorrows (harder but you might really be helping someone).  All you risk loosing is a little bit of your time.

Books, books, books...

 Today, according to my west coast brother, is "Independent Bookstore Day."  While I enjoy browsing in a bookstore, independent or otherwise, as much as anyone, I do wonder sometimes how they stay in business. 

I imagine that, in some large cities, libraries aren't as conveniently located as they are in Fort Wayne.  The Allen County Public Library has a wonderful large downtown library, with one of the best geneology sections in the country, and 13 branch libraries, one of which is within walking distance of my house. Lucky for me I can get all the books I want or need at our local branch at no cost, and usually in large print which I find very helpful.  

Many years ago I taught in a small town in the Catskills.  At that time I couldn't afford cable TV (the only option that worked in the mountains) but I discovered that my little town had a wonderful bookstore (with shelves and shelves of paperback books) located right next door to the laundromat.  What could be more convenient?  I read all of the novels by John D. McDonald and discovered many other fine authors along the way.  So I must admit, independent book stores do have their place.  I certainly helped keep that one in business.  

Date Night...

 My wonder spouse and I regularly go to Philharmonic concerts but tonight's event was really special.  It felt like we were on a date.  It started with him holding me very close as we walked from our car to the venue - the newly renovated downtown Philharmonic Center. 

Of course he was holding me close so we were both protected by his big umbrella as we dashed through the deluge, but still it was fun to be held so close.

The evening kept getting better.  We had reserved seats at one of the little tables right in front of the stage.  The other couple at the table were very nice so we had some pleasant conversation before the show started and at intermission.  My wonder spouse bought me a glass of wine and then the show began.

We were treated to two hours of dazzling piano music performed by Jodie deSalvo.  If you've never heard of her, look her up.  She is amazing.  The music ranged from Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven (the entire sonata) to Gershwin tunes and so much more.  

Because we were seated so close to the front I could watch her fingers flashing over the keys.  I've said before that I like to see music being performed, not just listen to it.  I couldn't have asked for a better seat to do just that.  Thank you, Wonder Spouse, for a fabulous date night. 

the nose knows....

 Once again my west coast brother has come through with some days to recon with.  He did all this while traveling and overcoming the perils of auto-correct.  His morning text to me tried to tell me that he was in Kansas rather than Klamath Falls. 

The reasons to celebrate today are because it is "English Language Day," "Spanish Language Day," "German Beer Day" and "International Nose Picking Day."

 Concerning nose picking, my brother's words of wisdom to me were "You can pick your nose, but you can't pick your family."  Happily, our family noses are all pretty ordinary looking, fairly straight, not too long nor bumpy, just ordinary.  I've never felt any desire to have my nose altered in any way, and I'm also very happy with my family.

Sadly, I don't speak Spanish so I will not be celebrating the Spanish language although I do think it's quite nice to listen to, or to read in the menu at my favorite Mexican restaurant.  Since I type all of my blogs in English I'm obviously celebrating "English Language Day" although in my case it might be better described as "American English Language Day."

"German Beer Day" resonates with me because I am of German ancestry, but this is the wrong day for celebrating it.  Every summer one of the major festivals in Fort Wayne is the week-long German Fest.  There you can buy all sorts of delicious German foods (a frankfurter with sauerkraut is my favorite) and really excellent dark German beer.

You really should come to German Fest and, to appreciate the full experience, savor your beer while watching the Weiner Dog Races. Watching those dachshunds run on their stubby little legs while their ears flop wildly is my very favorite part of German Fest.