Monday Moments - Boo

 Happy Halloween!

Finally Fair Friday

Finally Friday - flashback to October 13th and our visit to the great State Fair of Texas.  

First the pig races.  Now this big fella is retired and eats fried Oreos. 

Auto show - the only thrill for us is the new Corvette Z model.  We did wander the outdoor truck area, but Ray's not shopping  now. We are happy with our rides. 

The Hall of State had a Dallas Mavericks basketball exhibition. It was fun and interesting. Seeing Dirk's size 16 shoe - oh my! Looked like a paddle boat. 

We ate our Fletcher's Corny Dog, wandered the Creative Arts building, enjoyed the Stunt Dogs, Stunt Bikers, and the Bird Show. Plus so much more. 

I do not believe there is an issue with the economy. Folks turned money into "coupons" and spent like  crazy.  Lines for Midway rides and games were crazy at $10 a pop.  And everyone was buying and smiling. 

Happy Fall Friday Y'all!
 

Whatever Wednesday - Serious Writing

 Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips is homework. My PA book club gang just read and discussed it. I think if I'd had my friend's note summary of characters ahead of time I would have enjoyed this book. 

The author tells us month by month, from a different female character perspective, what life is like and the sorrow and sense of loss impacted their relationship and decisions. There's a lot of disappointment, and the atmosphere is bleak. 

The book takes place in the outer reaches of Russia. The names are all tricky and I kept getting confused (my bad, my ignorance). Two young girls are kidnapped in the first chapter. From there we do meet a variety of women and hear their stories. Slowly the author pulls bits and pieces of everyone's story together. So many coincidences. Will the girls be found? Are they alive? 

You read the value of women based on the police work (or lack thereof). You read the value of ethnic characters based on the police work (or lack thereof). The author tackles a lot of issues in this book. 

The writing is excellent and Disappearing Earth is a challenge. Whew!

Monday - Makes One Think About Life

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano will stick with me for a long time. This poignant tale of a twelve-year-old and his life turned upside down is well executed, written, and very touching. 

Edward, his older brother, his parents, and 183 other passengers board a flight from Newark to LA. A Colorado crash leaves Edward as the only survivor. He becomes That Boy and has to learn to live again. 

First he has to physically heal. The mental healing - will it ever end? In alternating chapters, the author gives us the family dynamic on the plane, as well as letting us meet other passengers. And then the anchor chapters are Edward's adjustment to living with his aunt and uncle, gaining a best friend in the odd neighbor girl, Shay, dealing with school, camp, plus the pressure of being "famous" and being approached by strangers in person and by letters. 

How does Edward resolve his life as he gets a bit older? What does he want to do with insurance money? How can he perhaps help other lost souls?  Lots of questions to make one think about ones own life.

  Dear Edward is a quiet gem of a book. Well done. 
 

Finally Friday - a trip to France in a book

Ohh la la. Finally Friday, let's travel to France and meet The Chanel Sisters - Antoinette and Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel. Author Judithe Little has done her research and gives us a fictional version of  the sisters' lives and loves. Abandoned as children, they are raised by nuns for a simple life. 

back blurb The walls of the convent can't shield them forever, and when they're finally of age, the Chanel sisters set out together with fierce determination to prove themselves worthy to a society that has never accepted them. 

Coco Chanel has the style, the oomph with her hat creations and then simple but elegant clothes. Antoinette has the sales and dollar sense to guide her. The two are glamorous, strong, willful, and get the backing by various loves. The early 1900s they are on top, WWI proves challenging, and after the war, the Chanel name soars. 

This is a fun quick  read about strong girls with dreams who do make them come true. The French backdrop adds that je ne sais quoi atmosphere. 

 

Wednesday Winery and Historic Site - Belle Meade

A final bit of my summer trek. I stopped at Belle Meade just outside of Nashville TN.  What a delightful tour of thirty acres. John Harding founded this family home in 1807 with a cabin and 250 acres. He earned a living boarding horses and ultimately turned the property into one of the finest stud farms in the nation. 

The old smokehouse

Slave quarters

Mausoleum

Belle Meade is a gorgeous property and I enjoyed visiting the Carriage House, Gardener's House, Dollhouse, Ice House, Dairy, and the main mansion. The tour discusses the family history as well as the slave situation. The grand finale of the tour is a visit to the winery. I enjoyed the summer favorite - a blackberry blush. 

Sweet summer memory

 

Monday Madness - Long Road to Mercy by David Baldacci

This is the first book in the Atlee  Pine  series and Long  Road  to Mercy by David Baldacci kicks off  a fun ride.  

Atlee remembers the day her twin sister was kidnapped. She's still haunted by it. Now she  works for the FBI and is a lone  agent in Shattered Rock, AZ responsible for the Grand Canyon area. 

A mule is  found stabbed at the bottom of the canyon and the rider is missing - Pine is pulled  into a terrifying case. 

 Cover blurb - If she disobeys direct  orders by continuing to search  for the missing  man, it will mean the  end of  her career. But unless Pine keeps  working the  case and discovers the truth, it could spell the very end of democracy in America as we know it...

Baldacci knows his stuff and  writes quite a credible tale. His heroine, Atlee, is a force  of nature. The pages turn as we stay on the precipice, awaiting a fall.   Whew!  I look forward to reading  the rest of the series. Stay tuned  for more reviews. 

 Yep - very true as we approach November Election Day 2022.  Democracy  - it needs  to stand.