Whatnot – 05/03/23

Hillside of flowers.Hello, friends. After all the rain we’ve had, everything is green and flowers are popping up all over. It’s so pretty! We are supposed to get a little more rain later this week. I hope we do. We’ve had a couple of 90+ days already and I am not ready for summer temps.

My reading has been like molasses. Slow going. I finally finished Demon Copperhead. It was very good and like everyone told me, very long. I don’t mind long but it seemed like it was maybe 75 pages too long. Now that that’s done, I can write the review and dive into my next read, The Last Word by Taylor Adams.

In a couple of weeks, my daughter will be flying in for a short visit. She will be done with finals and will be starting her new job shortly after. She only has a week or so. Just enough time to hit Disneyland, and the beach. Two things she misses dearly. 

I am giving another message for student ministry on Mother’s Day. I just finished writing it. I just need to fine tune it. It’s about how everyone (should be) invited to the table. The IN group and the excluded are topics students can relate to and honestly, adults too. Inclusion is very important to me. 

Last weekend we visited the Auschwitz exhibit at the Reagan Library. It was very good. Quite moving. It included an audio tour and took a good three hours but it was all so well done. I spent a lot of time pondering the personal articles belonging to children. It was all so powerful. I highly recommend going if it comes to your city. 

Yesterday was my husband’s birthday. He went to dinner with friends. I think this weekend we will grill and then go see the new Guardians movie. 

That’s it from me. I’m still trying to navigate chronic pain. Some days are better than others. Today, is a good day. I hope you are well. Have a good week. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Whatnot – 04/19/23

Novelist, Haruki MurakamiI was very excited to read that Haruki Murakami has a new novel coming out! It just came out in Japan but with translation needed, it probably won’t hit the US for 1.5 to 2 years. I am not a patient person! Its title is The City and Its Uncertain Walls. If it sounds familiar it’s because it’s based on a short story of the same name. I seriously cannot wait. I hope I am lucky enough to receive a review copy. 

In other news, I am just plodding along trying to get through each day. The treatment for my autoimmune issues is not working. In fact, I think I may have gotten worse. The doc did say it would take awhile for the meds to kick in but it’s been six weeks and nothing. I go back in June.

Tonight I am going to a Lacrosse game to see one of our students play, and then heading to book club. We are discussing Demon Copperhead. It might be one of my favorite Kingsolver books ever. I do hope I can finish the book before our meeting because as of this morning I am still flipping pages. Fingers crossed. 

I was supposed to attend a concert with my in-laws this Friday but it was cancelled for a third time and probably will not happen now. It was to see Gordon Lightfoot. Do you know who that is? He is very ill. I’m not all that familiar with his songbook but my in-laws were really looking forward to it. 

All the pets are good. My daughter’s cat Jinx is a teenager now and has settled down a little. Root Beer is still a Queen, and The Otter Pup has been quite funny lately. She is very particular about what she wants and lets you know it. The humans are good too. 

Have a good week. Once I make it to Wednesday I seem to be able to power through the rest of the week okay. I wanted to go to the LA Times Festival of Books this Saturday but honestly, I don’t think I can handle all of that walking. 

Chatting with friends about books and life…