Whatever Wednesday - More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova

 Maddy Banks is a stressed out  NYU freshman. She's always  felt like  the odd one in her family - all Connecticut blonde - perfect mother,  high-achieving older sister, Emily, charming popular brother Jack. Maddy's struggling with  schoolwork, tests, a break-up, and her new passion to do comedy.  Plus she's sure Taylor Swift will want to work with her. 

cover blurb - But she soon  spirals into a wild mania that culminates in a terrifying breaking point and a diagnosis of  bipolar disorder.  Maddy will have to figure out how to  manage being both too much and not enough. 

In  More or  Less Maddy by Lisa Genova, we get to hear Maddy's voice and follow  her mood  swings. She can be so funny and endearing. Then the reader can feel their own heartbeat race as Maddy gets  more frenetic.  Or alas, our narrator dips way too  low. Genova, a PhD in neuroscience, writes a very realistic tale of bipolar  disorder and while fiction, it gives quite the insight into mental illness. Well done and a surprise pick at the library. 

Monday Moments - more dads

 I'll celebrate more  dads here in June.    Kevin has three girls - Makyla 16, Skylar 10, and Dakota 8.  Someone is grounded every day of the week.   Makyla is off for  an adventure to Spain with  a school group.   We are  excited for  her.  

Krystal joined Chris for this outing.  He's dad to Abby, and grandfather to Levi (18 months).

Ray's the  head of this crew.  They were out to play pool.   

And here's Jared with Myles (2 months old) at Folly Beach.  New dad.  New son with first toes in the water. Doesn't look too thrilled.  My brother, David, now a grandfather got  to enjoy this moment. 

Dads are worthy of celebration. 

Finally Friday - Lovely Lake Louise

What better place to start our Trafalgar bus tour, than a stop  at Lake Louise. As you can tell, it was  a  lovely day. 

 It was end of May and snow  still topped the  mountains

Beauty along the little walking path

Blue skies and trees posing

Nature's natural watercolors

Enjoy your weekend!

Juneteenth

 Juneteenth is celebrated to honor those enslaved folks who  finally got word that the Civil War ended and that they were free.  But then  a whole  new world still awaited them, and there is struggle today for  equal rights  and freedoms. 

Here in Texas, in Fort Worth, Miss  Opal Lee will not be walking as usual.  She's  having some health issues at age 98.   She was a school  teacher and is an activist known as the "grandmother" of Juneteenth in her fight to make it a federal holiday.  A museum is being built  in Fort  Worth to showcase the history.  

We actually met her once at the  Jubilee Theater in the audience.  A tiny woman with a strong presence. 

Blessings to her. 

Whatever Wednesday - Whoa Calgary

Whoa Calgary!   Yes, we started our Canada adventure at  the Calgary Tower.  Yes, those are my feet on the observation deck. 

And a sign we don't generally see in TX in  May. Guess it's still possible in Calgary, though we had warm temps  and enjoyed  patio eating without fear.  

This just kicks  off our Canadian Rockies adventures.  Hope you like mountains,  lakes, and glaciers. 
 

Monday Moments - Daydream Drift and Dad

One of those heavenly days that cannot die - William Wordsworth  1800

 Yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream - Kahlil Gibran  1923

So, yesterday June 15th was Father's Day.  Alas, my father has been gone over a year now.  Hard to believe.  Here was his favorite picture of himself - a Navy man.

And here was March 2024.  He passed May 9, 2024.  Age 91

He was hanging around in spirit in Folly Beach as my family - Ray, brother David and his wife Cherie, and my sister Lori - enjoyed time together early May. 

Oh we laughed and told stories - our favorite George moments.  

A good man.  

Finally Friday - The Private Patient by PD James

back blurb - Cheverell Manor, a lovely old house in Dorset, serves as the renowned  plastic surgeon  George Chandler-Powell's private clinic. Investigative journalist Rhoda Gradwyn arrives to have a disfiguring facial scar removed. Within hours of the operation, she is murdered. 

Commander Dalgliesh and his team are called in to investigate. But old crimes and complicated secrets of the past prove complex and perplexing. 

Oh so British, and such a good read. The writing is delightful, the descriptions and settings are rich, and the characters have depth.   The  Private Patient by PD James is an utter gem of a tale.  Kept  me guessing!    Pour a cup  of tea, and start reading....