ten things tuesday

Ten “F” things.

1. Someone I love: family & friends

2. Something I like to eat: fruit

3. A color:  fuchsia 

4. A good movie:  Footloose (the original)

5. A place I’ve been:  Freeport, ME, and France--which I loved!

6. A thing I really don’t like: falling

7. A critter I like: fox

8. Something I can do: feign interest (this is an important skill when dealing with teenagers who have hobbies that I know nothing about)

9. Something I can’t/don’t do: fractions--unless it's percent off sale prices 😁

10. Something I wish for: financial freedom

currently

I am...

Reading: I am listening to The Jane Austen Society

Listening to:  the rain outside

Loving: cooler temps

Thinking: about my contract--I just got my salary agreement in the mail

Feeling: slightly anxious (I don't know why)

Celebrating: I figured out a new-to-me skill 

Grateful for:  time by myself when I feel anxious

Weather: it is 65 degrees and rainy

Enjoying:  a leisurely day

A quote I want to share:

self-care sunday

💙💜💖💓🧡💛💚

Physical = using my pneumatic pump and wearing compression garments even though I wanted to take the day off

Emotional = spending time writing about my feelings

Spiritual = spent some time meditating

Personal = worked on my old laptop, deleting all my personal files

Social = texted with my Pennsylvania sister all afternoon

Household = sorted through a bin of clothing to get some donations

Pampering = had some ice cream for supper

sunday stealing

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Thursday Thunks

1. If you could be a Muppet, which would you be? Janice--she's all about peace & love

2. Why is a chicken crossing the road in the first place?? why does anything do anything

3. What's your favorite muscle? my smile muscles

4. Cheerios or Rice Krispies? Cheerios

5. Is summer ever going to get here? we've been trapped in a heatwave--so I'll say yes, it's here

6. Have you ever had a utility turned off by mistake or some other reason besides weather or nonpayment? yes--the cable cable was ripped out of my TV when ice pulled it as it fell from the roof and I lost my cable

7. What was your "last day" of something? my last day of the 2019-20 school year was June 9

8. If you had to be trapped in a TV show for a month, which one would you choose? I would bartend on Watch What Happens Live (on Bravo)

9. Did you have any type of class trip, band trip, etc in high school? Where did you go, what did you do? I was in several groups that took trips--some were competitions, others were educational

10. Do your feet smell? not right now

11. Do you know how to french braid? I used to

12. Two guys are walking down the street. One drops his hat and reaches down to pick it up, the other kicks him in the ass. Do you laugh? no--that is not my sense of humor

13. You wake up one morning and dogs are meowing and cats are barking - what are fish, elephants and crocodiles doing? sleeping

14. You are going to your high school reunion. What award are you going to win? least changed

15. You find yourself stranded on a deserted island. Soon you find a laptop with a lifelong battery & internet connection, then you find a cave with an endless supply of food and a spring of fresh water. A cruise ship comes along to save you - do you get on it? it depends on if they have safety precautions during this COVID-19 pandemic

16. How many shortcuts do you have on your desktop? 5

17. I offer you a pie... the most delicious pie you have ever seen. You either have to eat the entire thing in one sitting or allow me to slam it into your face, which do you choose? it depends on the type of pie

18. Are you a pen stealer? not usually

19. A dude from China comes up and offers you German chocolate cake, French fries and a Boston cream pie... what color is your car?  dark gray

20. Sometimes you just have to tap your foot to your favorite song - which tv series season finale are you watching? Alone

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

great documentary

What I love about this documentary about Dadhood is that it celebrates fathers--their imperfect attempts at being the perfect Dad.  Gone is the incompetent doofus Dad.  Here are men stepping up.

finished reading

Growing up as a theater kid/nerd, I liked that this book takes place in an arty college that specializes in Shakespeare.  I loved the theater references and jargon.  I liked how Shakespeare is discussed by the characters--so that I didn't have to have a lot of background in Shakespeare to appreciate what the characters were talking about and doing.

I thought the characters were just pretentious enough.  Cliche enough.  And even though I knew who committed the crime, I was still interested enough to find out the details.  I did think the author tried a bit too hard to be literary, which kind of detracted from the whole experience.

From the publisher:

Oliver Marks has just served ten years in jail - for a murder he may or may not have committed. On the day he's released, he's greeted by the man who put him in prison. Detective Colborne is retiring, but before he does, he wants to know what really happened a decade ago.

As one of seven young actors studying Shakespeare at an elite arts college, Oliver and his friends play the same roles onstage and off: hero, villain, tyrant, temptress, ingenue, extra. But when the casting changes, and the secondary characters usurp the stars, the plays spill dangerously over into life, and one of them is found dead. The rest face their greatest acting challenge yet: convincing the police, and themselves, that they are blameless.

saturday 9

Beautiful People

1) This song is about the fantasy of being one of the "beautiful people," but how hollow the reality can be. Do you often find yourself envying others for what they have? no, I don't

2) Ed Sheeran sings that he and his girl don't fit in well because they're "just ourselves." Who among your close friends do you find it easiest to be "just yourself?" my bestie and my Breakfast Club

3) The lyrics refer to Hummers and Lamborghinis. What's your dream ride? well--a jaguar for fancy cars or a brown VW Beetle for regular cars (and it has to be brown)

4) Ed believes in giving back. One cause he supports is No Cold Homes, which helps ensure that everyone in the English city of Bristol has the fuel needed to keep their homes safe and comfortable. Here in the United States, he's raised funds for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Is there a cause that's near and dear to your heart? I frequently knit for my local homeless shelter and baby hats for preemies

5) Ed's arms are covered in tattoos, so clearly he doesn't suffer from trypanophobia, or a fear of needles. How about you? Do you look away when the doctor gives you a shot? I an also not suffering from trypanophobia--I love watching when I get shots or have blood drawn

6) One of Ed's tattoos is a bottle of Heinz Ketchup. What condiments would we find if we peeked into your refrigerator this morning? a couple of salad dressings, mayo, and sweet and sour sauce

7) Ed is a natural redhead, a trait he shares with only 2% of the population. Does red hair run in your family? my dad was a redhead and my three sisters and I are all redheads --we are the lucky ones!!!

8)  In 2019, when this song was released, the FDA recommended the approval of a drug for treating peanut allergies in children. Do you suffer from any food allergies, or sensitivities? not really

9) Random question: What of these do you think is the biggest contributing factor to success -- hard work, luck or talent? well, I think it's a combination of the three but I think talent is the core

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules: *Grab a book, any book. 

*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's ok.) 

*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) 

*Post it. 

 I'm reading If We Were Villains.

From page 56:

They glared at each other for so long that I glanced toward the prompt table before James blinked and said, "Line."

I felt a sympathetic twinge of embarrassment.  Richard, waiting in the wings to enter as Caesar's ghost, shifted his weight, arms folded tightly.

finished reading

I could not put this creepy, atmospheric book down.  I can't say too much about it other than it's twisty and it has a satisfying ending.  The book is split between first and third-person narrative, as well as past and present. The present sections take place the night of the wedding and are told in the third person.

From the publisher:

The bride ‧ The plus one ‧ The best man ‧ The wedding planner ‧ The bridesmaid ‧ The body

On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed.

But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast.

And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why?

three on thursday

Click here to join in

Thing one: I found a swing dress that I absolutely love and have ordered it in every color.

Thing two:  I attended a virtual workshop this morning that was absolutely fantastic!

Thing three:  I got some yarn mail today and I'm so excited to see what happens with it!  I have plans, but we'll see.

finished reading

There are echoes in this book of The Wizard of Oz, The Odyssey, and Charles Dickens (the plight of orphans).  This is a storyteller's tale.  And William Kent Krueger is a magnificent storyteller.

Some of my favorite quotes:
“Of all that we're asked to give others in this life, the most difficult to offer may be forgiveness.”
― William Kent Krueger, This Tender Land

“If we were perfect, the light he shines on us would just bounce right off. But the wrinkles, they catch the light. And the cracks, that’s how the light gets inside us. When I pray, Odie, I never pray for perfection. I pray for forgiveness, because it’s the one prayer I know will always be answered.”
― William Kent Krueger, This Tender Land

“Ask me, God’s right here. In the dirt, the rain, the sky, the trees, the apples, the stars in the cottonwoods. In you and me, too. It’s all connected and it’s all God. Sure this is hard work, but it’s good work because it’s a part of what connects us to this land, Buck. This beautiful, tender land.”
― William Kent Krueger, This Tender Land

“We breathe love in and we breathe love out. It's the essence of our existence, the very air of our souls.”
― William Kent Krueger, This Tender Land

From the publisher:

1932, Minnesota—the Lincoln School is a pitiless place where hundreds of Native American children, forcibly separated from their parents, are sent to be educated. It is also home to an orphan named Odie O’Banion, a lively boy whose exploits earn him the superintendent’s wrath. Forced to flee, he and his brother Albert, their best friend Mose, and a brokenhearted little girl named Emmy steal away in a canoe, heading for the mighty Mississippi and a place to call their own.

Over the course of one unforgettable summer, these four orphans will journey into the unknown and cross paths with others who are adrift, from struggling farmers and traveling faith healers to displaced families and lost souls of all kinds. With the feel of a modern classic, This Tender Land is an en­thralling, big-hearted epic that shows how the magnificent American landscape connects us all, haunts our dreams, and makes us whole.

...a magnificent novel about four orphans on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression.

wordless wednesday

ten things tuesday

Ten “N” things.

1. Someone I love: niece Natalie

2. Something I like to eat: noodles

3. A color: navy

4. A good movie: The Naked Gun

5. A place I’ve been: Newport--Maine & Rhode Island

6. A thing I really don’t like: narcissism 

7. A critter I like: Narwhal

8. Something I can do: nap--I'm a champion napper

9. Something I can’t/don’t do: neigh--I'm really bad at animal noises

10. Something I wish for: nachos

currently

I am...

Reading: I am starting  This Tender Land

Listening to:  the fan blasting

Loving: a clear schedule

Thinking: about how COVID-19 has changed what my summer looks like.  

Feeling: at loose ends, I don't quite know what to do with myself

Celebrating: this might be the end of having my legs wrapped--I got new garments today!

Grateful for:  shopping online, seriously

Weather: it is 84 degrees with a "real feel" of 88 and sunny

Enjoying: a leisurely afternoon, now that I'm home from the lymphedema clinic

A quote I want to share:

self-care sunday

Spent the day doing some reading and reflecting and knitting dishcloths.

finished reading

An important and difficult read.  I know I have LOTS of work to do and it isn't easy to admit that I live a very privileged life.  Some of it is unavoidable--living in the whitest state in the union and the oldest per capita population in the union.  But some of it is avoidable and I'm going to challenge myself to change my thoughts, beliefs, and actions.

From the publisher:

Me and White Supremacy teaches readers how to dismantle the privilege within themselves so that they can stop (often unconsciously) inflicting damage on people of colour, and in turn, help other white people do better, too.

When Layla Saad began an Instagram challenge called #MeAndWhiteSupremacy, she never predicted it would spread as widely as it did. She encouraged people to own up and share their racist behaviors, big and small. She was looking for truth, and she got it. Thousands of people participated in the challenge, and over 90,000 people downloaded the Me and White Supremacy Workbook.

The updated and expanded Me and White Supremacy takes the work deeper by adding more historical and cultural contexts, sharing moving stories and anecdotes, and including expanded definitions, examples, and further resources.

Awareness leads to action, and action leads to change. The numbers show that readers are ready to do this work - let's give it to them.

daddy's day

I am so very, very lucky I have an excellent relationship with my Dad.   I spent time with him for Father's Day and spoiled him with some delicious cinnamon rolls (from our favorite bakery) and a Pearl Harbor novel for him to read as he sits on his lovely back porch.  We talked about our respective health--he's recovering nicely from double pneumonia/sepsis and my recent check-up.  We talked about teaching.  We talked about retirement.  We gossiped about distant relatives.  We talked about TV and movies.  We talked about travel.  And memories.  We laughed a lot.  I just adore him.

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

sunday stealing

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15 Questions You Never Thought You'd Ask

1. If you could spend a day in someone else’s shoes who would it be and why? a pampered pooch
2. Which celebrity gets on your nerves the most, and why? I don't know if she counts, but Tomi Lahren
3. If you were going to bury a time capsule, what would you put in it? a mask, a print out of Maine CDC daily update
4. What is your saddest memory? recently it was when my dad was in the hospital and I couldn't visit him
5. Would you rather be in your pajamas or a suit all day? it depends on the type of suit--like I would hate to be in a suit of armor all-day
6. What’s the strangest place you’ve ever gone potty? in Spain, I had to squat over a hole in the floor in a restroom there was a handle to hold on to
7. How old were you went you had your first kiss? I think I was 15
8. Do you have any strange or unique phobias? nothing I consider strange or unique
9. If you could bring back one toy from your childhood, what would it be? I can't think of anything that's not still around
10. If you could be any Disney villain, which would you be? Aunt Sarah from Lady & the Tramp
11. If your life was a novel, what would the title be? What If This Is As Good As It Gets
12. What do you need more of in your life? money
13. What are your top 3 quotes? 

"A happy soul is the best shield for a cruel world." ~Atticus

"A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything." ~Irish proverb
"She's strong but she's exhausted." ~RH Sin
14. What do you want people to remember about you? that I saw them for who they are
15. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made? oh, I don't know

solstice

saturday 9

Daddy Don't You Walk So Fast

1) This song is about a little girl who runs after her daddy. When is the last time you ran? Were you trying to get somewhere in a hurry, or playing a sport?  the last time I ran was.... so long ago, I can't even remember but it must have been trying to get somewhere in a hurry

2) This song was a top ten hit for Wayne Newton. Mr. Newton is better known for his TV work, having made more than 150 appearances since 1963. Have you ever been on TV? Or in a YouTube video? I have been on TV, interviewed by the local news and I have been in the background of a YouTube video

3) The road leading to Las Vegas' McCarran International Airport is named Wayne Newton Blvd. in his honor. When is the last time you were at an airport? Were you flying somewhere, picking someone up, or dropping them off? I was picking up a suitcase that didn't make it home with my colleague and since I live in the town where the airport is, I offered to save him the trip

4) Wayne says Elvis Presley haunts Las Vegas, and believes that The King of Rock and Roll has given him performing and parenting tips from beyond the grave. When did you last see Elvis? On TV, on a t-shirt, poster or magazine cover, or as a ghostly apparition? I saw Elvis on a t-shirt

5) When Sam walks with her own dad, the problem isn't that he walks fast. It's that he's always stopping to pick up litter he finds on the grass. Litterbugs are his pet peeve. What's your pet peeve? My biggest pet peeve right now is people refusing to wear masks in public places

6) Sam's own father often traveled for business, and always gave her the complimentary soaps, shampoos or body lotion he got from the hotel. When she went away to college, she used her collection of little bottles and was grateful for all the money they saved her. What's something you've done recently to economize?  well, it wasn't intentional but I stopped my bi-monthly manicures

7) It was her father who taught Sam to drive. Are you a better student or teacher? so, here's the deal--if I'm interested in the subject, I am an excellent student but if it's something I'm not terribly interested in, I would rather teach

8) Sam's father also always asks if her car in "tip top" condition. Most recently he reminded her to test her headlights, tail lights and turn signals while the car is parked to make sure they're all working. Do you have a car maintenance tip to share? no, but on my Amazon wishlist is a tire pressure gauge so I can learn to do that myself

9) Sam's father satisfies his afternoon sugar craving with an almost endless stream of Butter Rum Lifesavers. Do you usually enjoy a between meal snack? not usually, but I wouldn't turn one down

reading is fun

I got the most delightful mail today!  I joined in a virtual "book club" that discussed I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sánchez and was gifted several goodies!  Thank you so very much Kym, Carole, and Bonny--not only for the fun gifts but for selecting a book that has stuck with me and that I have recommended to several of my students.  I love talking about books!

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules: *Grab a book, any book. 

*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's ok.) 

*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) 

*Post it. 

 I'm reading Me and White Supremacy.

From page 12%:

The Basics

For our first seven days of this journey, we are going to be diving into what I consider some of the basic foundational aspects of white supremacy.  Some of them you have heard of, such as white privilege and white fragility.  Others may be new to yo u, such as white silence and white exceptionalism.

three on thursday

Click here to join in

Thing one:  Rating Advanced Placement Psychology exams is more interesting than I  expected it to be.  I love it!

Thing two:  My first mani/pedi since before the pandemic was delightful.  I don't know if I'll go back to having them regularly, but for now, it's nice!

Thing three:  It is 93° and steamy.  I've got a fan blasting at me.  Hopefully, it will cool down some tonight so I can sleep.  That's what makes me cranky--when it's too hot to sleep.

wordless wednesday

ten things tuesday

Ten things on my Amazon wishlist:

1)  RBG Funko figure.  She deserves a place of honor in my classroom.  She's feisty and fierce!

2)  A collapsable shovel for my trunk.  Winter in Maine, ya know?

3)  Korean face masks. My face needs some TLC.

4)  Tire Pressure Gauge. It looks easy enough to use.

5)  A Rock Painting kit.  It's a gift idea for my great-nephews' summer birthdays.

6)  Blank Jigsaw Puzzle pieces.  I thought it would be a creative project for my students.

7)  The Executioner.  A hand-held bug zapper that I want to get for Dad.

8)  Microfiber cleaning cloths.

9)  Dw Home Sandalwood & Myrrh candle.  This. Is. Amazing!

10) A sleep mask.  I need a new one.

currently

I am...

Reading: I am starting  The Guest List

Listening to: traffic sounds

Loving: working on AP Psychology exam scoring.  I'm 13 hours into my 35 hours and I have to force myself to take a break.

Thinking: about heading out to the laundromat, it seems like a good day for it

Feeling: content and happy

Celebrating: no real events to celebrate

Grateful for: opportunities

Weather: it is 72 degrees with and sunny

Enjoying: my new technology (I did upgrade my phone and laptop)

A quote I want to share:

busy busy

I spent most of the day working on rating AP Psychology exams.  I had one specific question to focus on and read 100+ answers.  A long day.  But I love it!  I can already see how I can help my students break down the type of question and how to format the answer in an easier manner.  I've got 35 hours to work in 7 days.  Although, I made a big dent today.

sunday meme

Unconscious Mutterings

Week 874 - June 7, 2020

I say ... and you think ... ?

1. Dish ::  dinner
2. Crunch :: chips
3. Fire ::  bonfire on a summer night
4. Alaska :: wilderness
5. Heights :: the bottoms of my feet tingle
6. Force :: Jedi knight
7. Birthday:: celebrate
8. Sauce :: gravy
9. Gift :: surprise
10. Winner :: award

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

finished reading

A new-to-me mystery series that I will devour!  It had an interesting setup, where the main detective (the protagonist of the series) only shows up about half-way through.  The narrative is from different perspectives of characters involved in the events and sometimes there is a repeat of happenings from different points of view.  I would definitely call this a slow burn story.  Tension builds until the very end--with a reveal that is satisfying. 

I love the Inspector, Vera Stanhope!  She's a complex and unusual character.

From the publisher:

At the isolated Baikie's Cottage on the North Pennines, three very different women come together to complete an environmental survey. Three women who, in some way or another, know the meaning of betrayal...

For team leader Rachael Lambert the project is the perfect opportunity to rebuild her confidence after a double-betrayal by her lover and boss, Peter Kemp. Botanist Anne Preece, on the other hand, sees it as a chance to indulge in a little deception of her own.

And then there is Grace Fulwell, a strange, uncommunicative young woman with plenty of her own secrets to hide...

When Rachael arrives at the cottage, however, she is horrified to discover the body of her friend Bella Furness. Bella, it appears, has committed suicide - a verdict Rachael finds impossible to accept.

Only when the next death occurs does a fourth woman enter the picture - the unconventional Detective Inspector Vera Stanhope, who must piece together the truth from these women's tangled lives...

saturday 9

The Rain, The Park, and Other Things 


1) The Cowsills were a family band who had three hit singles. Can you name another group of popular singing siblings? The Jackson 5, The Band Perry, The Jonas Brothers, Carpenters, Hanson, I could go on and on...

2) This was their first hit, and it reached #2 on the Billboard charts. It was kept out of the #1 slot by the Monkees and "Daydream Believer." What's your favorite Monkees song? today I'll go with Last Train to Clarksville

3) After seeing the Cowsill brothers perform with their mother and sister, TV producers were inspired to create the sitcom, The Partridge Family. Did you ever watch it? I wanted to BE a Partridge!!!

4) In the song, the narrator takes a flower from a girl in the park. Are there flowers in your home right now? no

5) He isn't sure if the girl was real, or if he dreamed her. Tell us about a recent dream you had.  since it's been a few days, I can't remember any details but a friend and I went on some kind of scavenger hunt-type escapade

6) At the height of the Cowsills' popularity, they were hired by the American Dairy Association to promote drinking milk. If we were to peek into your refrigerator right now, would we find any milk? I have not had milk to drink since I was 13 years old--it's a texture thing, and I do not have any in the fridge

7) After the band stopped performing together, John Cowsill went on to become a back up musician for the Beach Boys. His job has kept him on the road much of the time. When you travel, do you enjoy staying in hotels, or would you rather stay with friends/family? I like having my own space--having said that, I love staying with family but prefer hotels when visiting friends

8)  In 1967, the year this song was popular, Elvis married Priscilla in Las Vegas. Have you attended any weddings yet this year? Are there any weddings in your future?  no weddings this year or on the horizon

9) Random question: Are the bottoms of your feet ticklish? I think so, I'm not really sure, the only time they get touched is when I have a pedicure/massage

the friday 56

The Friday 56

Rules: *Grab a book, any book. 

*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader (If you have to improvise, that's ok.) 

*Find any sentence, (or few, just don't spoil it) 

*Post it. 

 I'm reading The Crow Trap.

From page 56:

Dougie's first wife had been a beauty; from her, Neville had inherited the black hair, brown skin, the intense eyes.  Bella had spoken of her occasionally without jealousy.

"She was only a girl when they met, a bit wild by all accounts.  Look at her picture.  You can see why he fell for her."

three on thursday

Click here to join in

Thing one:  I had my haircut today.  I have missed my stylist--we've been together since 1991! 

Thing two:  I stopped by the school building today to take care of some final paperwork--which included awarding the Daughters of the Revolution scholarship!  I've never actually been the person to make an award like that, so it was special.  The recipient is deserving and was very humble.

Thing three:  Dad is feeling much, much better--stronger every day.  And he's off the antibiotics and hopefully, the nasty side-effects will clear up in a day or so.  What a relief.  I want to go over to visit every day!  I'm trying to minimize our contact, though.

just finished

Streaming for free for the month of June. Go watch it.

finished reading

What a twisty, creepy, atmospheric update of Henry James' Turn of the Screw.  It's a rather gothic novel, told in epistolary format.   Through the main character's letters, there's a voyeuristic feel to living in the state-of-the-art, high tech home.  I couldn't put this book down!

From the publisher:

When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

wordless wednesday

ten things tuesday

 

Ten things about today:

1) 

2)  I'm back in bandages.  Hopefully, not for long.

3) I have a mani/pedi appointment next Thursday.

4) I have a hair appointment this Thursday.

5) Dad is much better.  Still weak but so happy to be home.

6)  I forgot how tedious it is to set up new technology--updating all the operating systems, etc.  But I do love my new laptop!  Nothing too flashy, but it's fast!

7) Speaking of new technology, I'm still trying to decide about upgrading my phone.  Should I?  There's nothing wrong with my current phone.  I keep getting alluring, tempting upgrade offers, though.

8) There's a different bird outside my window--a new song!  I hope my regular bird is still around, I haven't noticed it for a couple of days.

9)  A very dear family friend is turning 100 on the 15th.  I mailed her a birthday card and thanked her for being a teacher, mentor, and inspiration to me.  She's starting to fail--a touch of dementia--and sleeps more, I hope she'll remember me.

10) It's funny/odd that I've been working from home since March with loosely structured days.  Since school officially ended for me at 11:30, I have a sense of lightness, freedom, and excitement.  I don't know what I'm excited for--nothing's going to change, except I won't worry about grades as much.

currently

I am...

Reading: I am starting  Turn of the Key

Listening to: my stomach is rumbling

Loving: today's outfit

Thinking: about upgrading my phone to the iPhone 11

Feeling: it's back to bandages for my lymphedema treatment--I've been maintaining but no progress is being made, so we're back to therapy until my stubborn ankles get the memo!  C'mon ankles!

Celebrating: tomorrow at noon is the end of the school year, but between you and me, I'm already finished.

Grateful for: years of therapy that taught me how to distract myself when I am overwhelmed by emotions

Weather: it is 66 degrees with a strong breeze and partly sunny

Enjoying: taking it easy today 

A quote I want to share:

finished reading

I wanted to love this book.  I never quite connected with the titular wife, Juliette, though.  The story is told in dual narratives--present-day remembrances by Juliette and the Captain's log flashbacks by Michael.  I liked that Juliette and Michael navigate their political, philosophical, and personality differences in the confined space of their yacht.  And I was on edge for their lack of experience, that tension was well done.  There was a lot of sailing jargon and the experience of self-reliant living off the grid which was interesting.

From the publisher:

Juliet is failing to juggle motherhood and her anemic dissertation when her husband, Michael, informs her that he wants to leave his job and buy a sailboat. The couple are novice sailors, but Michael persuades Juliet to say yes. With their two kids--Sybil, age seven, and George, age two, Juliet and Michael set off for Panama, where their forty-four-foot sailboat awaits them--a boat that Michael has christened the Juliet.

The initial result is transformative: their marriage is given a gust of energy, and even the children are affected by the beauty and wonderful vertigo of travel. The sea challenges them all--and most of all, Juliet, who suffers from postpartum depression.

Sea Wife is told in gripping dual perspectives: Juliet's first-person narration, after the journey, as she struggles to come to terms with the dire, life-changing events that unfolded at sea; and Michael's captain's log--that provides a riveting, slow-motion account of those same inexorable events.

Exuberant, harrowing, witty, and exquisitely written, Sea Wife is impossible to put down. A wholly original take on one of our oldest stories--survival at sea--it also asks a pertinent question for our polarized political moment: How does a crew with deep philosophical differences and outmoded gender roles bring a ship safely to shore?

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

self-care sunday

Taking it easy today.  Letting my subconscious process the whirlwind of last week.  It's important to listen to my body and my soul now.  Staycation is on the horizon.

so sad

This sweetie died in a car accident last night.  I am heartbroken.  Since having a class with her, she became one of my favorite people because of her outgoing, energetic personality.  I don't think I ever saw her in a bad mood and if she ever complained it was in a funny way.  We talked every day for two years at school.  I'm going to miss her.  17 is too young.  She made a lasting impact.

saturday 9

When Love Goes Wrong (Nothing Goes Right) 

1) This is from the movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Have you seen it? yes, but I don't remember anything

2) The lyrics tell us that, when love goes wrong, "a match won't light." When did you most recently light a match?  about a week ago, I lit a candle

3) The duet is performed at a French sidewalk cafe, where Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe are (literally) sharing a cup of coffee. With whom did you most recently have coffee? I was by myself

4) The tune was written by prolific composer Hoagy Carmichael. He was influenced by his mother, who earned extra money for the family playing piano during silent movies. Who in your life influenced your career choices?  my dad was a beloved high school English/Speech/Music teacher

5) Jane and Marilyn shared something beyond movie stardom. They were both married to Hall of Famers. Marilyn Monroe was married to Joe DiMaggio, who was inducted into the baseball Hall of Fame in 1955. Jane was married to quarterback Bob Waterfield, inducted into the football Hall of Fame in 1965. Which sport would you rather watch: baseball or football? in person--baseball, on TV--football

6) Jane and Bob Waterfield were high school sweethearts at Van Nuys High. The Southern California school was used as a set for the 1982 movie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Tell us something about your high school.  Uhm--I was on the editorial staff of the yearbook and editor-in-chief my senior year and we sold more books my senior year than they ever have sold 😀

7) Marilyn and Joe DiMaggio met on a blind date at a Hollywood restaurant called Villa Nova. Have you ever arranged a blind date? If so, did the couple hit it off and end up dating? I have not arranged a blind date although I have played matchmaker successfully

8) In 1953, when Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was released, a tornado did severe damage to Waco, TX. Tell us about a major weather event that you endured (tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, etc.).  blizzards and extreme temperatures with dangerous wind chills

9) Random question: You see a filthy puddle. Floating on top are cigarette butts, a leaf, and a $1 bill. Would you bend over and rescue the dollar? I would not rescue the dollar