Whatever Wednesday - Ruth Ware does it again

 Ruth Ware does it again with a high tension thriller.  Five couples on a storm swept island. A killer stalks them. Who "wins"?

One  Perfect Couple is  the name  of a new reality show being filmed.  Lyla, in post doctoral research mode, is  burnt out. Her boyfriend, Nico, is an aspiring actor trying for  a big break. He's sure this reality show is the one. What the  heck - soon they are boating in the Indian Ocean to a tropical paradise. Four  other gorgeous couples will compete for a cash prize. 

But  things just  aren't quite  right.  The "resort" is  half done. The  first challenge proves quite surprising. A  storm wipes  out  electricity, phones, crew,  and more. Santana is limited with her insulin.  Fresh  water runs low. Soon three are dead, then four.  Who  can trust whom? 

I can't write more.  This is  a page turner. Fast paced. Plenty of  intrigue.  Whew! 

Whatever Wednesday - James by Percival Everett

 James by Percival  Everett is a Pulitzer Prize finalist  and very worthy of that title.  cover blurb: A brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn- both harrowing  and ferociously funny - told from the enslaved Jim's point  of view.    Who knew someone could match Mark Twain in clever observation of  American ridiculousness?  Mr. Everett has raised the bar immeasurably. 

Jim hears he's  about  to be sold.  Huck has faked his own death to escape  his violent father.  The two begin their dangerous  raft journey down  the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of Free States. (cover blurb)  

 From Jim's point  of  view,  we see his intelligence, compassion, and internal life  as a man not  a possession. He can read,  write, and speak the King's  English.  But he can turn around and speak as a slave, the way white men expect him to - example "Who  dat dere in  da dark lak dat?"

James is a commanding, entertaining, funny, and heartrending book. I give it a super WOW - must read!     And it's JAMES...not  Jim.

Whatever Wednesday - A Truly Messed Up Family

 The Friday Afternoon Club by Griffin Dunne is A Family Memoir.    And indeed, what a F**cked Up family it is, but sadly immensely entertaining.   I  don't usually use a curse word, but that is truly the best descriptor.

So,  Griffin Dunne is an actor, producer. He was in  After Hours, directed by Martin  Scorsese. A best friend was Carrie Fisher. His father, Dominick Dunne wrote The Two Mrs. Grenvilles and wrote for Vanity Fair - following  famous criminal trials.  This happened after Griffin's sister, Dominique Dunne ( a rising  actress) was murdered by strangulation and the boyfriend basically got off.  Famous  trial!!

Oh yeah, Griffin's uncle was John Dunne, famous  writer, and his wife was Joan Didion!!!!

See all of these exclamation marks. Honest to Gosh, every page of this book is full of fame, fortune, misfortune, shock, sadness,  drugs, New York  City stories, and Hollywood dirt. 

cover blurb - This memoir is, down  to its bones, a family story that embraces the poignant absurdities and best and worst efforts of its loveable, infuriating, funny,  and moving characters - its author most of all. 

I really liked  this book.  As  a fan of  movies, writers, wit,  cleverness, and also shocking behavior  and dirt, I thank  Griffin  Dunne for  baring his  soul and the family's in a very well written witty memoir. Wow!!!

Whatever Wednesday - Tell No One by Harlan Coben

 Tell No One by Harlan Coben is a reliable well written thriller.  This author knows how to keep you turning pages, and there are a lot of twists and turns. 

Elizabeth and David Beck always return to the Lake place that has been a key  to their lives since childhood. But on their thirteenth wedding anniversary, Elizabeth is kidnapped and murdered. David is left for dead. 

But....after eight years, an image of Elizabeth appears on David's computer screen.

back blurb:  Is it just a practical joke? Is Elizabeth alive? Beck is chasing a ghost whose messages hold out a desperate hope - and warn him to tell no one. But soon Dr. Beck himself is being hunted down...

Whew!  Coben kept me guessing. The pace is heart pounding, and the end is satisfying. 

Finale of Whatever Wednesday Gardens

I  was not  paid by the Oklahoma  tourism board for all  of this promotion.  Remember I was stir crazy from my rotator cuff surgery.  Tired of our lovely home and ready for some new views.  Ray could not deny me a trip.  He drove.   He paid.  He  had fun.   See how much fun he's having.....

I'm doing  well.  If you keep the sling on,  folks are very sweet about opening doors and offering help.  

Weird exotic plants.  A  tad risque!??

 A grand finale bloom.  So gorgeous. 

I hope you enjoyed our two or so weeks visiting Oklahoma City.  Step outside your zone and you'll be surprised. 

Whatever Wednesday - Myriad Gardens in OKC

So, on our  weekend jaunt to Oklahoma City, a total gem was the Myriad Gardens.  This botanical garden covered 15 acres and you could just walk the grounds for free.  Yoga was happening on a Saturday morning. It was a lovely park.  You had to pay for the conservatory and that was SO worth it.

Me

Ray.   Lots  of little water features

 The Crystal Conservatory beckons

OKC was a three hour drive for us and we enjoyed a Friday/Saturday trip.  Sorta backyard....

Don't laugh at what you don't know.  OKC was very tourist friendly and fun.  Who knew??

Whatever Wednesday - Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin

 And this book is going, going, gone.... It's outta here....a real hit!

Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin is a delightful memoir. She brings  her nose  for history and recollection and combines it with warmth and wit.  It's 1950s New York  City. The neighborhood is divided - who do you root for?  Dodgers, Giants,  or Yankees? 

Doris was a daddy's girl and she was by his side to listen to baseball games on the radio and learn  how to mark up a game. She rooted for the Dodgers - Jackie Robinson (her favorite), Roy Campanella, Pee Wee  Reese, Duke Snider, and Gil Hodges. Her  descriptions of teasing jousts with best friends and discussions at  the  local corner store are heartfelt. 

Her mother taught her a love of books and her sisters helped raise her. She writes well about growing  up - life, love, friendships,  death - and  balances it with the ebb and  flow  of baseball.

Wait  Till Next Year is wistful,  poignant, and a delight.  Batter up (this book) and play ball (read it). 

Whatever Wednesday - Flashback to Honors English

 A friend loaned me some books and I've read and enjoyed most of them.  Circe by Madeline  Miller kept going to the  bottom  of my stack. I'd read the cover blurb and inwardly said, "Ugh, Greek mythology." 

As a  longtime reader and lover  of school, I never did enjoy stories of the gods. I loved Honors English in high school,  but the  section on  the Greeks and Romans...eh, not  so much. I'd mix and match them. If I watched Jeopardy and  that was a category, I hadn't a clue.  So, finally ( since Ann said she'd "loved"  this book), I decided to plow into it. 

The writing  was fine. The  story jogged my memory on Helios, god of sun. Circe was banished  to an island due  to  her mix with mortals  and witchcraft. She fooled around with Daedalus and had sons with Odysseus. She endured the wrath of Athena.  I read along as if it was homework again. 

It is a soap opera - family rivalry, palace intrigue, lots of death, lots of sex, and yes Circe was a very strong  female in  a man's world.  Rah. 

(still not into mythology, but I do  respect the  stories and what  they represent) 

Solemn Remembrance

 

Still as clear as a bell in my mind.  The  sunny lovely Tuesday. The drive  to  work, and news on the radio. The shock. The images. The  aftermath.

The spirit of unity  at that  time.  Blood  drives, etc. Folks actually being  a little nicer.  America and it's survivor spirit. 

Now what in 2024?    

Imagine  by John Lennon - play the tune and  reflect 

Whatever Wednesday - Piano Men: Generations

August  3rd, the stage was set at the Arlington Music Hall.  Dueling pianos awaited the Piano Men: Generations show.   Terry and Nick Davies would play the tunes of Billy Joel  and Elton John. 

Here's the gang. We enjoyed  food at the  Grease Monkey across the street (I ate a very yummy burger).  Then we found  our Row E, sat back, and clapped along.     

L-R  Nell, Charla,  Claudia, Barbara, Me, Sharon.   Fun  crew!

The father and son due were great and their band was excellent.   Here's the son doing his  best Billy Joel "Angry Young Man".  

Such a fun  evening.  We  left  humming  our favorite  tunes. 
 

Whatever Wednesday - Renaissance Tapestries

Once again the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth brings us Renaissance treasures to enjoy.  This stunning Italian armor is  our introduction to the Battle of Pavia, fought on February 24, 1525 by the forces of Charles V (Habsburg ruler, Holy Roman Emperor) versus the King of France, Francis I. 

After a long siege in Pavia in northern Italy, Charles V proved the victor. His technological superiority was thanks to powerful weapons and riflemen. 

 Seven tapestries were designed by court artist Bernard van Orley and woven in the Brussels atelier of Willem and Jan Dermoyne.  They were presented as a gift in 1531.  They've been restored and are now on display.  Absolutely stunning in color, depth, detail, and size.  I was in awe as I spent over an hour studying the detail and historical story told in these tapestries. 

Here's an example of just one teensy piece. Notice the rich colors, the teeming masses, action, detail, and expressions.   Every piece has a huge story to tell of battle, Pavian life, and death. 

Along with the tapestries are pieces from the Farnese Armory - masterworks of steel carving and fretwork. 

Thank you Kimbell Art  Museum in Fort Worth.  Go visit and support your local museums.  They are a treasure unto themselves. 
 

Whatever Wednesday - Trust Her by Flynn Berry

 Wow and whoa - aye, it's the Troubles again.  In Trust Her by Flynn Berry, we revisit Northern Irish sisters, Tessa and Marian.  They've been relocated from Belfast to Dublin under aliases.  Life is good with new jobs, kids, and just life. 

But the past resurfaces and danger looms.  What to do?  Search out an old handler, Eamonn, and try to convert him to an IRA informant.   ????  Is that a good idea and will it work? 

So many twists and turns in this book.  Flynn Berry can make  your stomach drop and your heart ache. 

We want the children to stay safe and the sisters to survive.  Quite the thriller and I truly did not know how this book would end. 

Whew!   Grand writing and a page turning finish.      Enjoy! 

Whatever Wednesday - Country Road

 An old friend from high school posted this picture from PA on her way home from work.

This sums up my past in the suburbs. 

Just nostalgia here for me. 

Enjoy a moment.  Thanks!

Whatever Wednesday - Marjorie Post fictionalized

 Marjorie Merriweather Post was a woman for the ages.  Her Magnificent Lives is captured in fiction by Allison Pataki. I'd say the author did her research well and had a blast putting it into a very captivating story. 

Raised modestly in the Midwest, even after her father founded Post (cereals), she had a good head on her shoulders for business, never took success for granted, and appreciated what she earned and made a point of giving  back. 

Her only foible was men.  Married four times - Edward Close, E.F. (Ned) Hutton, Joe Davies, Herb May. Oh my, they all had issues.  But through it all, she held her head high, managed her properties, and stayed close with her daughters.   She's famous (or should I say infamous at this juncture in America) for creating Mar-A-Lago (Yikes). (Frankly, I bet she is rolling in her grave. Sigh!) 

back  blurb- Before turning thirty she controlled millions, becoming the wealthiest woman in the U.S., but it was her life force, advocacy, passion, and adventurous spirit that led to her stunning legacy. This author has crafted an epic reimagining of a remarkable life...an intimate portrait of a larger-than-life figure and a powerful story of one  woman finding her voice and embracing her power, while shaping  history in the process. 

Truly fun and informative read. It made me look up some  real  life  facts.  Very impressive woman for the times - Marjorie Merriweather Post.  Magnificent!

Whatever Wednesday - Ray Reunion Time

 Saturday, June 22nd, Ray trekked out  to east Texas for the 91st annual family reunion.  Here's his group - they are from the Cleo connection.  Many of the other family units boost a lot more  people.  Ray figured there  were over one hundred  people  there for the Sunday BBQ  feast. 

My tradition is  to NOT go - too darn  hot.  The past two  years I did drive Ray's folks for the Sunday meal, so they could  visit.  Last  year was the  official 90th  and that was special.   This year, the heat  was going to be even crazier and the folks mobility has  gone downhill.  

Thus, I had friends  over and floated in our pool for  "Sangria Sunday".   Ray enjoyed all of his cousins, etc.   He did win  the 42 domino tournament.  Rah!   Son Kevin's volleyball team won.  So a good time had  by all.  And Ray had a big card signed by various family members to present  to Ray's folks, so they were thought of  and  remembered. 

Another reunion is on the books. 

Whatever Wednesday - July 4th Celebration

Happy July 4th everyone

No, this flag is not upside down - duh!    

I truly hope America finds its way to support its allies (hello, Ukraine - beat Putin at his stupid game)

 Enjoy summer, family, burgers, beer, sunshine, beaches, pools, and freedom.  Democracy.

Let's reflect on history. The Founding Fathers. The Constitution. 

What  do we really want  to present  to the world?    Not the ravings of a lunatic. 

Oh dear Lord. 

Cheers all???????????????????

Whatever Wednesday - Motown Sound

left to right - Me,  Sharon, Becky, Charla, Nancy

 No, this is not group of show ladies. It happens to be some of my pickleball gang that I ran into at the Arlington Music Hall.  Turns out that Saturday, June 1, this was the hot place in town to be at 3 pm.  Who knew?

As  part of my getting back  into routine, and back into fun stuff, I treated myself at the last minute to a ticket. Never been to this venue, but heard it was nice (it is- very comfy seating). I like Motown music and hoped  the group  would be good (and they were). And when I sat down in row P, there were Marie and Greg, and also the above named friends.  A grand coincidence. 

The Sound of Motown group of four men turned  out to have  very good voices.  Our "Smokey" was perfect and could hit those high notes. The choreography was not quite as smooth as the Temptations  or Miracles  or Pips, but was worthy of the reasonable  ticket price. A fun two hour show - we tapped our  toes and hummed on the way out of the theater. 

Boogie on down to local  shows!

Whatever Wednesday - end of story by A. J. Finn

 Well,  this is a tricky book that kept  me guessing up until  the end of story.  A.J. Finn is very clever. 

Sebastian Trapp, a mystery novelist, invites Nicky Hunter,  an expert in detective  fiction, to come tell his story.  This is a man who's wife and son died/vanished (?) many years  ago.   How, who,  what, and why?  

He's  dying while living  with his gorgeous second wife, Diana.  His daughter, Madeleine is a bit of a lost soul. There's  a wayward nephew, Freddie, and other strands of questionable  characters.

It's up to Nicky to weave together the strands.  

cover blurb - And when a corpse appears in the family's koi pond, both Nicky and Maddie are shocked  to find that the past isn't gone - it's just waiting.  And is it Cole,  Maddie's brother, who is texting  her?

p. 310  Sebastian says, "Where the mystery and the violence are mostly within you, and where the clues  are almost ineluctably lead you someplace you don't want to go."   "We're all in that story. Life is  a thriller. The ending  is fatal and the conclusion is final."

Whoa!!!  This is a very good mystery/thriller.  The pages turn quickly and in the end you'll  say, "Holy cow! Didn't see that coming."  

Whatever Wednesday

 Surprise!

I've stolen this photo from my brother (thanks David) to use on a Whatever Wednesday post. 

He and Cherie were up  in Portland, OR and got to visit the  carved troll exhibits that are around the city. How cool and crazy is this?

Wacky and really amazing. 

Whatever Wednesday - My Dad's Drawings

During house cleanout - we all reviewed my dad's portfolio.  He liked drawing the movie stars, back in high school days

Esther Williams

Veronica Lake

Betty Grable

 Gene Tierney ( I  think)

Happy Wednesday everyone