Random Musings

Here are some random Sunday musings for you!

We are in a heat wave here in New England! It seems like just yesterday everyone (including me) was complaining about the cold and now....::bam!:: We've gone straight into full-blown summer. Mother Nature occasionally withholds spring from us New Englanders, which is a major bummer. [see meme below for proof 😀)

photo credit

When I can't have spring outside, I make it happen inside! 

I love seeing this candle in the master bath every time I go in there. Mind you, I could do without the scent, but the container is so springy and bright and makes me happy. And apparently my happiness can be bought for a whopping $5.97 (pre-clearance.)

Speaking of things that make me happy. These are AH-mazing:

Granted, I'm the only one in the house that things they're ah-mazing, but hey...more for me. 

Related, these are also ah-mazing (do you see a flavor pattern forming here?):

What else? We are in trip planning mode here, although it seems to have calmed down a bit. The flurry of list-making & research happened in mid/late April. Last year we went to Savannah for our anniversary and this year we talked about a California trip (LA/San Diego) or Vegas/Grand Canyon. 

You can see what won out. It took a bit of convincing myself that there were enough non-gambling activities in Vegas to make it worthwhile. Not that I don't enjoy slots, but I don't think I'd do well in debtor's prison. 😂

And yes, I am old school. I get Fodor's (or Frommer's) guides out of the library to do planning. It's just how my brain works (apparently I have a 90-year old brain in my 54-year old body.) We have our Vegas hotel booked (Mandalay Bay) and our Grand Canyon hotel booked (Maswik Lodge). Watching flight prices (hoping we can use credit card rewards to book) and still need to book our rental car for the Grand Canyon portion of the trip and a hotel at the airport the night before we leave. Oh and restaurants! We need to make our reservations, especially for our anniversary dinner. Since John is a sangria lover, considering Jaleo. Any and all recommendations appreciated!

It seems as though there are lots of exciting sports events happening....none of which I'm interested in...lol. 

• Congrats to the Knicks on their NBA championship!
• Stanley Cup Game 6 is tonight. Carolina is up 3-2 against Vegas. I have no horse in this race, but some minor connections- my dad enjoyed watching Carolina's Sebastian Aho play and former Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy was Vegas' coach until March when he was fired.
• World Cup soccer is happening in Massachusetts. I know Scotland beat Haiti and beyond that? 

March & April: You Take the Good, You Take the Bad

I can't believe it's already the last day of April! I had planned to write this post in March, but that month flew by, too!

March and April are bittersweet. So many positive anniversaries & milestones, but also a sad one.

March

My maternal grandfather would've been 100 on March 26th! He accomplished so much in his life and I honestly don't think I was able to appreciate it all until I was an adult. 

A son, a brother, a husband, a father (to my mom & her two siblings) and a Papa (to my cousin & me). And so much more! He was an accountant by trade but to me the most impressive part was his service in WWII. 

The town that he lived in/my mom grew up in did a yearly project in which junior high and high school students interviewed town residents and told their stories. The title of his report was, "“Marauder Bombardier – Navigator World War Two." He was proud of his service and throughout the years went to many reunions of his squadron. He was the marshal of the Memorial Day parade in town.

My mom has been living back in Massachusetts for a year as of March! 

This photo was taken on March 11, 2022 after we'd packed up her condo in Florida. We still had miles to go before she was officially a resident of Massachusetts, literally and figuratively. We drove her car from Florida to Massachusetts through some sketchy weather, which as we know, Southerners do not know how to deal with...lol. She flew up and stayed with us briefly before the moving truck arrived with her possessions. Soon enough she was all moved in and has really made the condo her home. (She's really good at that- she was HGTV before there was HGTV!)

I am extremely thankful to have her close by, as John and I both enjoy spending time with her. I haven't done the math, but I'm guessing I've seen her more in the past year than I had in the 30+ years since I left for college!

April

On April 9th, 2022, a funny, cute, fresh Golden Retriever came to our house and stole our hearts. Over the past year, he's settled into his role in our family and established daily routines with us. He's a good boy and we are so lucky to have him in our lives. Even though he's currently in desperate need of a bath and smells like Fritos, he brings so much joy to us. He makes us smile, laugh, and yes, sometimes shake our heads. 

(Yes, I was shaking my head in the above one.... but also laughing hysterically)

Sadly, April is also the month I last saw my dad. It's hard to believe two years have gone by. When John & I drove back to Massachusetts in early April 2021, I fully expected he'd be there when we returned six weeks or so later. I look back at my FB messages with him and I think I was willing him to hang on until we got back. 

For all intents and purposes, this is the last photo I have of him. (I took one a few days later, before we left, but it doesn't look like him/how I want to remember him.) The two most influential men in my life. So different in many ways, but so similar, too. (Both use/d laughter as a tool and are/were very good at it, sometimes to my dismay 😵) 

Even though my dad felt like crap, he still got out when he could and walked as far as he could. I can't thank John enough for his support during my dad's sickness. Not only did he emotionally support me, but he supported my dad and my mom and I am forever thankful for having a rock during that time.

It's somewhat fitting that I post this on the day of the Bruins' game seven in round one of the playoffs. Best regular season and can't close out the first round in less than seven. My dad would have SO MUCH to say about this. (During game six I could clearly see him vehemently shaking his head in disgust.) He hated pressure moments in sports, so part of me thinks he would keep an eye on the game from afar and only tune in if they had it in the bag. 

Let's go B's! 

I Have Questions...Lots of Questions (And Maybe Some Answers)

Let's jump right in, shall we? Some are rhetorical and some are legitimate.

• Why is Anna Duggar having a SEVENTH child?
• Admittedly I stalk her on IG. That whole family is a train wreck and I can't look away. I wish I had. Seven kids with pedophile...good idea! 

• Why do major league baseball games take 3+ hours to play?
• I thought they were trying to make these games go faster? No?

• Why in 2021 are some cancers still uncurable?
• Ugh.

• Why does my neighbor insist on revving his Mini Cooper whenever he drives away or drives into his driveway?
• Drives John crazy when I complain about this.😅

• Why did I think it was OK in my teen years to buy cute shoes...even if they only had them in a 1/2 size too small for me? (Had two podiatrist appointments already; bunion it is!)
• I'm thinking specifically of a pair of purple "velvet" shoes with pointy toes and tassels that came from Fayva (who remembers Fayva?) I take an 8. They only had 7 1/2. Sold! I'm paying for that now.

• Why did Secret discontinue the deodorant I've been using for YEARS?
• While I wanted to switch to a deodorant without aluminum, I wanted to do it on my own terms- not be forced into it.
• Have you tried Schmidt's? I tried using the Bergamot & Lime. I love the way it smells but it irritated my skin. (That was the stick. They have a cream, which I may try.)

• Why are newscasters insensitive/clueless when doing stories about people with disabilities?
• A story I saw on the local news the other night started with the newscaster saying, "So & so lives with Down syndrome..." Um, it's not a disease. I know I am extra sensitive about this topic, but I cringed big time when I heard that.

• Why are tray tables so stinking expensive?
• We've had our wood tray tables for years and they're starting to break down/get crappy. I did some Googling and say what? Over $100 for tray tables? Nope- you can hold your food in your lap!

• Why did the store that's less than two miles away from my house stop carrying my favorite wine?
• This is it, in case you were wondering- Toad Hollow Rose. 
• The "Wine Locator" says the store has it, but I think that's a big fat lie.

• Why does it take me months to publish a blog post?
• I started this post on 4/27 and am just publishing it now. 
• I thought about finishing and publishing the post I started about our master bath reno (you know, the one that happened two-ish years ago? 🙄), but thought that could simmer just a little longer.

I hope you've had a great 4th of July! Rainy and gray here in New England, so we laid low and John made chili in the Crockpot. (He makes a really basic recipe, which you can find here, but it's delish!)

Saturday Snippets

Those of you who know me, know I hate getting up early. PERIOD. (And I REALLY hate it on a weekend.)

But getting up early today was for a good cause- I got my first COVID vaccine! A friend of mine tipped me off to a local clinic that had several appointment openings and I was able to snag one. (Thanks Annie!)

The process was fairly seamless. I got the appointment online and registered online. Funny/weird-related story: in my haste to make sure I'd get one of the open appointments, I was somewhat typing haphazardly in the information form. There was a "Preferred Name" field and somehow (autofill?) Richard ended up there. Which is weird...because it's my Dad's name. (I had visions of getting to the clinic and them calling "Richard" and me thinking- is that me? Is that the guy next to me?) Thankfully, the preferred name never came into play.

I arrived at the clinic and got in the line which was outside, but moved fairly quickly. Once inside, I was asked if I pre-registered and sent to a check-in station. The woman checked me in and scheduled me for my second vaccine. 

Next, it was "have a seat and roll up your sleeve." I was asked a series of questions about allergies and then "take a deep breath." I'd say it was only a smidge more painful than a flu shot. It was a pediatric clinic so I had the honor of getting a My Little Pony bandaid. 😉

I was then directed to another station where my vaccine card was filled out and I was told to sit in chair #10. They set a timer for 15 minutes and when that was up, came to make sure I was feeling OK (I was), handed me my card, and I was on my way.

Since I was in an area that I don't normally go to, I decided to do some errands. While driving, I felt a few tiny stings/sharp pains in my shoulder and I felt a bit woozy, but part of me thinks there's some psychosomatics at play there.

I needed to return something at Eddie Bauer but since it wasn't open and since Whole Foods is in the same plaza and didn't look ridiculously crowded, I decided to pop in there. I haven't been in Whole Foods in maybe three-ish years? And now I remember why. I walked throughout the store with a carriage in the hopes of finding some fun foods that I can't get at my local grocery store. I did find some, but I'd forgotten how ridiculously expensive it is. Needless to say, I walked out empty handed.

I did my return at Eddie Bauer (the lone employee came out of the back without a mask on, but we'll just gloss over that) and then hit Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's is much more my speed price-wise. I got some great frozen items (swordfish!) and some treats for John. 

Came home, had lunch, and then went "regular" grocery shopping. I took Grace (my stepdaughter with me.) It was the first time in over a year that she'd been in a grocery store. Needless to say, she was thrilled. Trips to the grocery store don't do the same for me, but whatever... She did really well and kept her mask on the whole time. I asked her if it felt weird and she said yes. (She has Down syndrome, so it's tough to know what she's thinking.)

After unloading the groceries, I decided to do this:

Here I sit blogging, enjoying the view and the sun. It's an absolutely gorgeous day in New England and it feels like we are FINALLY out of winter (and yes, it is April....)

Before I go, two plugs for your viewing pleasure. 

Last night we started watching This Is a Robbery on Netflix about the 1990 robbery of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. The Gardner is perhaps my favorite spot in Boston and I remember when the heist happened. We're only two episodes in, but so far we like it! 

We won't be watching it tonight, though, because it's the Frozen Four Championship game! I had North Dakota in my bracket to win it all, but they were booted out early on. We are rooting for UMASS for many reasons. It's a local school and they overcame adversity (COVID protocol) to win the semifinal game against Minnesota Duluth. They lost their top scorer, first string goalie, and third string goalie. (The equipment manager ended up being the emergency backup!)  They ended up winning in overtime, which was a thriller. Also, my uncle has done color commentary for UMASS hockey on the radio for over 20 years. Winning this would be a big thrill for him after all of these years. GO MINUTEMEN!

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #13: The Portion Teller by Lisa R. Young

Summary: In The Portion Teller, you’ll develop portion-size awareness and learn how to lose weight without weighing food or counting calories. Using simple visuals such as a deck of cards, a yo-yo, a baseball, and even your own hand, you’ll find out what a serving size is supposed to look like and how many servings you can eat per day from each food group. The visuals are easy to use: If your piece of salmon at dinner is about the size of three decks of cards, you’ve eaten all your meat and fish servings for the day.

Rating: D. This was all repeat information for me (which I should have known going in). I've done Weight Watchers and that also teaches you portion size, so nothing new. She preaches about the visual aide of a portion size, i.e., eat something the size of a deck of cards. My mind doesn't work like that, so it wasn't overly helpful to me. There was a timeline of fast food/restaurant changes that was some semi-interesting.

Book #14: Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Summary: Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.

Rating: B-. I didn't like this as much as I liked Beartown and A Man Called Ove. I felt like this book specifically was similar to Amy Sherman Palladino's writing (Gilmore Girls, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), but in a slightly annoying way. Punchy. No breather. By the end of the book I was kind of over that style of dialogue (which is odd since I love both of the shows I mentioned.) 

Book #15: The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg

Summary: Does this really need a summary? Welcome to Whistle Stop in the current day (with flashbacks, of course.)

Rating: A. I loved this. I love Flagg's writing style and sense of humor. It was a light book in an often heavy world. (Don't take as long next time to write another book Fannie Flagg!)

Book #16: Becoming by Michelle Obama

Summary: Becoming is the memoir of former First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama, published in 2018.

Rating: A-. As a friend said to me- I felt like I should've liked this more. I was not at all interested in the pre-Barack story of her life (not sure why?), but once she met Barack, I was interested. She clearly did not want to be involved in politics, at all (and I felt like this book was her way of saying, "I did it, but I hated it.) The time when she and her family were living in the White House was of the most interest to me, as I've always been intrigued by it (and never been inside!)

Week 3 of 2021: A Picture-a-Day

Monday: It was MLK Day (no work), so John & I went for a walk in the afternoon. We walk by this each time we take a walk and each time, what do I think those grassy mops in the water look like?

Cousin Itt from the Addams Family!

Tuesday: Progress, progress, progress on the built in bookcases in our living room. I married a talented man!

Wednesday: While working on the built ins, John was watching the inauguration on his phone. There were a lot of great moments in the ceremony, but the poetry reading by Amanda Gorman, was amazing. It gave me great hope for the future.

Thursday: For the Boston Bruins home opener, the team honored a 40+ year season ticket holder who passed away from COVID-19 two weeks prior. The anthem was sung outside of his house with his family packed on his porch. A nice tribute.

Friday: Friday was a sing along kind of day. I went from Foreigner to Fleetwood Mac and then to the Pointer Sisters. Listening to this I was thrown back to junior high. We had a talent show and my friends & I did a routine to "I'm So Excited." The big controversy was that we wanted to throw glitter at the end and our principal was against it. Yeah, we went to Catholic school. Apparently glitter is sacrilegious. 😎

Saturday: Woke up to this. Even though it was only an inch or so, it was not welcome.

Sunday: The puzzle is DONE! This was one was tougher than it looks, but it was enjoyable.

BOOK REVIEWS 2021

Book #5: We Came Here to Shine by Susie Orman Schnall

Summary: Set at the iconic 1939 New York World’s Fair, Susie Orman Schnall's We Came Here to Shine is historical fiction featuring two bold and ambitious women who navigate a world of possibility and find out what they're truly made of during a glorious summer of spectacle and potential.

Rating: B+. I specifically gave a short summary to entice you. This is a fast/simple read but the backdrop of the 1939 World's Fair was fascinating- slighty more fascinating to me than the actual characters. It's a fun read.

Book #6: Dare to Lead by Brene Brown

Summary: The ultimate playbook for developing brave leaders and courageous cultures. Daring leadership is a collection of four skill sets that are 100% teachable. It’s learning and practice that requires brave work, tough conversations, and showing up with our whole hearts.

Rating: B-. Admittedly this was not a "for pleasure" read. My supervisor recommended it and I decided to give it a shot. Brown is hilarious and her wit and humor helped me to get through the book. Admittedly, I did take a lot of notes (stickies galore) and want to document them here:

• (page xviii): "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better." WOW- right off the bat this book was speaking to me & my personal experiences.
• (page 8): "Rather than spending a reasonable amount of time proactively acknowledging and addressing the fears and feelings that show up during change & upheaval, we spend an unreasonable amount of time managing problematic behaviors." This is cited as one of the 10 reasons that get in our way of leading bravely. Agree!
• (page 20): In relation to the first bullet above, Brown refers to critics as "cheap-seats feedback." She constantly reminds the reader to avoid the cheap-seats feedback. (I need to work on this!)
• (page 21): "Cruelty is cheap, easy, and chickenshit." Hilarious, but oh so true..
• (page 38): "What does support from me look like?" I really like the way this is framed and will try to use this going forward.
• (page 63): "I am a traveler, not a mapmaker. I am going down this path same as and with you." This is brillliant.
• (page 214): Brown talk a lot about assuming positive intent. I have some work to do this in this area, but I am glad Brown continued to hammer this principle.
• (page 256): Box breathing/tactical breathing- strategies for reckoning with emotion.
• Inhale deeply through your nose; expanding your stomach, for a count of four.
• Hold in that breath for a count of four
• Slowly exhale all the air through your mouth, contracting your stomach, for a count of four.
• Hold the empty break for a count of four
• (page 258): I am going to write these out and put them on my computer monitors:
1. Do I have enough information to freak out about this situation?
2. If I do have enough data, will freaking out help?

What a Difference a Month Makes

My last post was just about a month ago and I was lamenting about going into triple digits on the quarantine/work from home situation.

At that time, we were working from home until August 31st, which would've brought us to 171 days.

Now?

296 days

Yes, you read that correctly. We are home until January 4, 2021.

2021- that's next year.

We are staying home into a new year.

We found out on a Friday and my immediate thought was, "No- I hate this and this is going to ruin my weekend." (It was at this point that I decided my quarantine theme song was "It's My Party" by Lesley Gore.- I'll cry if it want to!)

Shortly after we found out, a co-worker posted in Teams and said something simple that changed my perspective. She has young children and daycare is up in the air and for her, this decision made work for the next five months stable. She knows we're working from home. Period. There's no maybe we'll go back. We are working from home. So, I put on my big girl panties and decided that was the angle I would take.

I ordered a white board and markers and started to make my space a little more office-like. That coupled with my new chair has really helped.

Am I still bored with the whole quarantine thing? Yes! Do I know it's the right thing to do to stay home as much as possible for safety reasons? Yes! (And I will continue to do so.)

One of the things I've complained about the most is missing professional sports. I'm a big hockey and baseball fan and usually have a game on every night in the background, even if it doesn't get my full attention. I've missed that.

My team, the Boston Red Sox, played its first game on Friday night.

I was pretty excited for it.

But remember- this is baseball in a pandemic.

photo credit

It's a bit difficult to see, but at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox play, they filled the seats above left field (known as the "Green Monster") with cardboard cutout fans.

For some reason, this really weirds me out. In some ballparks, they have them fairly close to home plate, which is even worse, in my opinion (they show up on camera more often.)

So, this coupled with the fact that there are empty seats in the rest of the ballpark as far as the eye can see, the fact that the commentators are not in the park, and the fact that fake crowd noise is piped in all make me totally underwhelmed with the comeback.

Oh and not to mention that four days in, games are already being cancelled because large numbers of players on one team (specifically the Miami Marlins) are testing positive for COVID. They just played the Phillies, so now the Phillies need to get tested and quarantined.

It's a slippery slope and people's lives are more important than America's pastime. It will survive without this weird/shortened season. ::steps down from soapbox::

I have been reading up a storm and am behind on reviews, so here are a few to help me work toward catching up:

Book #25- The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Summary: Set in the English countryside in 1950, it features Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old amateur sleuth who pulls herself away from her beloved chemistry lab in order to clear her father in a murder investigation.

Rating: A+. HALLELUJAH! This book was a breath of fresh air. It had that "Harriet the Spy" air to it (if you didn't read that book as a child, you should read it now.) Flavia de Luce is adorable, endearing, smart, charming, you name it. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!


Book #26- How to Set a Fire and Why by Jesse Ball

Summary: Lucia’s father is dead, her mother is in a mental hospital, and she’s living in a garage-turned-bedroom with her aunt. Making her way through the world with only a book, a zippo lighter, a pocketful of stolen licorice, a biting wit, and the striking intel­ligence that she tries to hide, Lucia spends her days riding the bus to visit her mother and following the only rule that makes any sense to her: Don’t do things you aren’t proud of. But when she discovers that her new school has a secret Arson Club, she’s willing to do anything to be a part of it, and her life is sud­denly lit up. As Lucia’s fascination with the Arson Club grows, her story becomes one of misguided friendship and, ultimately, destruction.

Rating: B. This is an odd book. It's not a young adult book, but could be. It was a little too "dark side" for me. If you're interested in getting into the mind of a teenager who's lost her way and is willing to set fires to find it, this is your kind of book.


Book #27- Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

Summary: This is the sequel to Backman's Beartown (which I suggest you read prior to reading this.) A small community tucked deep in the forest, Beartown is home to tough, hardworking people who don’t expect life to be easy or fair. No matter how difficult times get, they’ve always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So it’s a cruel blow when they hear that their town’s ice hockey club might soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in the neighboring town of Hed, take in that fact. But the arrival of a newcomer gives Beartown hockey a chance at a comeback.

Rating: A.  I absolutely LOVED Beartown and I think I liked this one a bit more. As someone who grew up in a community where hockey is a big deal, I was able to relate to some of this. I was rooting for certain characters and hoping others would fall. It didn't disappoint.

Do You Believe In Miracles? (and three book reviews)

February 22nd- a day that will live in infamy...for two reasons.

On February 22nd, 1980, the US Olympic Hockey Team beat the Soviet team- the "Big Bad Wolf." This became known as "Miracle On Ice." Not only did the US pull off an epic upset against the "enemy" Soviets, but many Americans felt that this was a "check" in the win column of the Cold War between the two powerhouses.

In 2004, a movie was made about this story- simply called Miracle.

It's one of my top 10 favorite movies of all time. It's such a feel good story and a reminder that the underdog can prevail. In fact, since the making of that movie, many professional sports teams have shown the movie in their clubhouses before important games to remind players of what can be done when you set your mind to it.

This is one of my favorite scenes from the movie- when the US Olympic Hockey Team coach Herb Brooks (played in the movie by Kurt Russell):

So many great quotes-

• "Great moments are born from great opportunity."
• "One game. If  we play them 10 times, they might win 9. Not this game. Not tonight."
• "This is your time. Their time is done. It's over."
• "THIS IS YOUR TIME!"

Here's the final minute of the game with the call by legendary sports broadcaster Al Michaels:

From this, a legendary phrase was born- "Do you believe in miracles?"

Fast forward 40 years to February 22nd, 2020. Another "miracle" of the hockey variety takes place.

The Carolina Hurricanes were playing the Toronto Maple Leafs in Toronto. James Reimer (#1 goalie for the Canes) was injured only minutes into the game and soon exited. Enter backup goal Petr Mrazek. With a minute left in the second period, Mrazek was taken out by a Leafs player.

Enter the backup to the backup.

The emergency goaltender.

A 42-year old Zamboni driver named Dave Ayres came into the game.

Why am I calling this a "miracle?"

The emergency goalie almost NEVER gets into games. In the last few years, I only remember one other time this happened. It's almost like a position player coming in to pitch in a baseball game. Someone who normally doesn't play the position is thrown into the fire. I think that hearing these types of stories gives everyday people (non-professional athletes) a reminder that this could happen to anyone. Ayres played in the minor leagues for years. He stayed close to the game...and he got his chance.

Oh, and did I mention he was also the recipient of a kidney transplant?

GO DAVE!!!!!

Here's Canes' coach Rod Brind'amour's post game speech and Dave's reception from the team:

Did I mention he made eight saves and the Canes won the game??!?!?!

Book #6 of 2020: If At Birth You Don't Succeed by Zach Anner

Summary: This is a memoir of young comedian/filmmaker/YouTube star Zach Anner. Zach was born with cerebral palsy. He chronicles the different stages of his life and the challenges he faced- all with a sense of humor.

Rating: B+. I thought this was a very "real" account of someone with a disability's life. Anner doesn't hold back and shares things from going away to college to control of bodily functions to his first sexual experience (a real topic for adults with disabilities that I don't hear much about.) This was eye-opening.

Book #7 of 2020: A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

Summary: This story begins during the Spanish Civil War, and spans oceans and continents' worth of political upheaval. When Franco's fascists defeat the Republican army, an exodus of thousands escapes into France. One refugee is Roser, a young pianist, widowed and pregnant with her first child. The chances for her survival become complicated when her dead husband's brother Victor offers her an "opportunity:" Get married – though neither of them wants to – because it will improve their chances at survival.

Rating: A. I love Allende's writing and this book was no exception. This saga was rich with drama and deep characters (does that make sense?) Excellent story- highly recommend (and if you haven't read any of her other books, do that, too!)


Book #8 of 2020: A Place For Us by Fatima Farheen Mirza

Summary: As an Indian wedding gathers a family back together, parents Rafiq and Layla must reckon with the choices their children have made. There is Hadia: their headstrong, eldest daughter, whose marriage is a match of love and not tradition. Huda, the middle child, determined to follow in her sister’s footsteps. And lastly, their estranged son, Amar, who returns to the family fold for the first time in three years to take his place as brother of the bride. What secrets and betrayals have caused this close-knit family to fracture? Can Amar find his way back to the people who know and love him best?

Rating: C. I really really really wanted to like this book more, but I found it very difficult to get engrossed in. The characters were interesting but I just found myself slogging through mud trying to finish it. I can't quite pinpoint why. If you've read it, what was your opinion?

Sunday Stuff

As mentioned in my last post, it was snowing & frigid here last Sunday. The cold weather continued through Monday (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day), and since we had the day off, I decided to make White Chicken Chili in the Crockpot.

I make this recipe from Spicy Southern Kitchen blog. It's extremely simple and is very hearty. (And who doesn't love to eat their dinner with Fritos?!)

At work recently, the group I'm in was talking about a chili cookoff. There was a lot of trash talking going on about "real" chili and I brought up white chicken chili. It was dubbed "amateur hour." LOL.

Another recipe on this blog that I really want to try is Slow Cooker Brisket Chili. I will definitely report back on how that turns out once I make it.

Coincidentally, dinner tonight is a recipe from this blog, as well- Stuffing Topped Pork Chops. Not exactly gourmet or healthy, but they look good nonetheless!

We finished another puzzle- in record time. This is the cheapo one I mentioned in my last blog post. The quality was actually decent but it was too easy.

I think we will take a break from puzzles for a short while. :)

I just heard that basketball great Kobe Bryant perished in a helicopter crash this morning. Another reminder that life is short and every moment should be enjoyed. Hug your loved ones a little tighter tonight.


Book #5 of 2020: Beneath the Tamarind Tree by Isha Sesay

Summary: In the early morning of April 14, 2014, the militant Islamic group Boko Haram violently burst into the small town of Chibok, Nigeria, and abducted 276 girls from their school dorm rooms. From poor families, these girls were determined to make better lives for themselves, but pursuing an education made them targets, resulting in one of the most high-profile abductions in modern history. While the Chibok kidnapping made international headlines, and prompted the #BringBackOurGirls movement, many unanswered questions surrounding that fateful night remain about the girls’ experiences in captivity, and where many of them are today.

Rating: C. When I updated Goodreads to indicate that I was reading this book, I happened to scroll down on the page and see some reviews written by readers. This *may* have prejudiced my feeling about this book. I noticed that one reviewer stated that Sesay, the author, was somewhat narcissistic and spent the time bragging about herself and focused on her life. I'd have to say I agree. This book could've been half as long and told the incredible story of the Chibok girls and been much more effective. Sesay focused on trying to get a "scoop" and took focus away from the real heroes. It's too bad, because this is an important story for people to hear- one that in the Western world many are no aware of.

February 2019 In Pictures

Here are some pictures from February of this year that I haven't shared on social media.

February 2nd:

My birthday celebration! We went to CR's The Restaurant in Hampton, NH (one our faves!)

And for dessert, we had homemade doughnuts with dipping sauce. Yum!

February 4th: 

That time my alma mater got a police escort to the Beanpot (and then won it all!)

February 8th:

Let's just say I had NOT had a good day...

February 9th:

Then there was that time when the flu ran rampant through the Sullivan household. (This stuff is liquid gold.)

February 12th:

I've used Clinique products for close to 30 years (eek!), but just started using this in February. I love it. A little goes a long way and it leaves my face feeling super clean.

February 16th:

Drinks I want to try from Boozy Blender book:

February 23rd:

My first ever pecan pie!

February 25th:

Sitting in a common area at work & playing with the panoramic view.

February 26th:

Even though your co-workers might drive you nuts, thank your lucky stars you're not dealing with this...