75 and counting

75 it is 

Well today of all days I must admit to making it to three quarters of a century years old. Wow!

It has been a journey just like so many others have made before me.  Many did not live to see this milestone. I am thankful.

I have received over a hundred messages so far and it is just past noon, the first being a voicemail at 6:18am from my son and oldest grandson followed by the sweetest text message from my daughter in-love also at 6:18am.

My kiddos sent me a birthday package with all of my favorites plus more. I had a cup of the Chicken and Gnocchi for lunch. Yummy, yummy.   Normally we would be together but alas I am recovering from the flu and have chosen to isolate. I believe in sharing but not flu germs. Plus, COVID has struck me again for the third time. Go figure …

My broker sent me a box of fresh and still warm cookies.  I now live four hours from their office so this is a super special treat. I did not know that companies still did that and I am grateful. Before retirement I sent congratulatory gift baskets when one of my regular customers received their citizenship.  I paid for it personally, it was that important to me. I kept little gifts in my office to mail to my new customers or an achievement, too.

As a practice I choose to see something good in all situations so here it is for my flu which keeps me from my kiddos for a few more days. I have lost seven pounds in four days! Yes, I know that it is mostly fluid lost but I will enjoy the weight while I wait.  Hmmm

I dressed for the day, too. My younger sister bought me a new t-shirt commemorating my life since 1949 which I am proudly wearing with new blue jeggings. No comments from others, please.  I am retired and suits with pantyhose and heels are no longer required or expected.  I even wore new gripper socks vs standard animal print house slippers. Nothing but the best to commemorate this special day. I am smiling.

Found in a Bookshop by Stephanie Butland

I enjoyed this book and for a few reasons and thoughts. It takes place during the COVID pandemic and it surrounds or encompasses those who work or frequent(ed) a particular book store, Lost for Words. Bookstores and churches can be the heartbeat of any community so here we go with a bookstore.

Business is down, extremely down to near survival mode, which can be expected under the circumstances and period in time. The owner has a focus group of sorts and decides on a “book prescription, book pharmacy” approach to sales via letters and emails.  This business decision grew into significant sales but also in community interaction.

We learn about wonderful and interesting people in the community as well as the owner and staff and how books played a role in their respective lives plus their personal challenges. The staff is well connected to their inventory and made interesting selections based on what was shared in the letters or emails received.  Some touched my heart and I felt connected to each of the characters presented throughout the book.

A business decision made from desperation fed the bottom line but equally important enriched the community through written words.  Written words created a connection. Imagine that! 

Willie M. Buck 1939 April 12 to 2024 August 12

It is an odd feeling to realize the end of a generation. This became a reality at the passing of my last aunt on both sides of my paternal side of my family and now my Aunt Willie on the maternal side of my family. She was married to my mother’s youngest brother, Donald Buck.

Aunt Willie was much loved as evidenced by her wonderful memorial service yesterday. It spoke of her volunteer services within her church and her passion for music. She had a most beautiful soprano voice that I have appreciated and loved since the 1950s. I was mesmerized when she was the soloist in church and in the front row of our church choir. I can still hear her laugh which was full and real. I loved the way she would say “Now Donald Buck!”. She loved her children and defended them to the fullest. Her daughter was gifted with the same passion for song and has an equally beautiful voice.

Speaking of her laugh I can hear laughing with those who greeted her in heaven.  She is singing in the heavenly choir. I have the comfort of knowing that I will both see her and hear her singing again. That will be a day and just like the last song sung by everyone in attendance yesterday “l’ll Fly Away” by Albert E, Brumley in 1932.

[Verse 1]
Some glad morning when this life is o'er
I'll fly away
To a home on God’s celestial shore
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)

[Chorus]
I'll fly away, oh glory
I'll fly away (In the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)

[Verse 2]
When the shadows of this life have gone

I'll fly away
Like a bird from prison bars has flown
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)

[Chorus]
I'll fly away, oh glory
I'll fly away (In the morning)
When I die, Hallelujah, by and by
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)

[Verse 3]
Just a few more weary days and then
I'll fly away
To a land where joy shall never end
I'll fly away (I'll fly away)

 

When We Had Wings by Ariel Lawhorn, Kristina McMorris, Susan Meissner

Oh my stars, this is a great book.  I am still so attached to the characters, their respective experiences during WW2 as nurses in the Philippines, held as prisoners of war in multiple camps, their survival, and beyond the war. Additionally, they were required by our US government to sign legal agreements NOT to share their experiences in the public eye or in print. The public media was orchestrated and controlled.

These nurses, many deceased, had information that was shared 50 years after the war plus research by   these authors that allowed for a brilliantly written story to be created around these facts.  Several people in the book were used in their original context from that period of history and quotes were included in this work of fiction. The three main nurses were based on real nurses as were other characters; Army nurse, Navy nurse, and Filipina nurse.  

I generally go from a finished book immediately to another book. I just cannot do that at this point in time.  I need to continue to process and dwell on what was written in this book. Yes, it really touched my heart and emotionally. Yes, I also cried.\ 

If you even remotely enjoy historical fiction, add this to your list or better yet move it to the top of your list and read it now.

Cooking from novels vs novel cooking

Yes, to me there is a difference.  For me there is nothing novel about cooking even cooking for one. I am also a bibliophile so when I can combine that with cooking then BONUS.

I was pondering breakfast and then early dinner followed by memories of books that fed these thoughts. I had a few small tomatoes, a partial package of spaghetti noodles, bacon that needed to be cooked, and a little minced garlic.  Hence Shakshuka for brunch and Spaghetti Carbonara for later. My meal planning for today is more than food, it is from reading.

Shakshuka came from reading “All the Flowers in Paris” by Sarah Jio.

Spaghetti Carbonara came from “Garlic and Sapphires” by Ruth Reichl.

Just like when I find unfamiliar words then search the meaning, the same holds true when a meal is mentioned but recipe not provided. Reichl included it in the book. With Jio, the recipe would not have provided added value to the story but the quick breakfast choice was important for what was going on at the moment.

Both books I would highly recommend and each could not be more different when it comes to genre.

So that being said or read, it would be interesting for me to know what other books inspired you as the reader to prepare a meal or a dish. Computer la-la land may not work best for my endeavor so I will post this to my blog then also to Facebook.

Here is to scrolling on …

Wild Prayer

Until recently I had never heard the term "wild prayer". According to the devotional by the same title here's the definition and a few comments from the writer Reenukumar which now makes perfect sense.:

"What are wild prayers? Prayers that give earthly license for heavenly interference to accomplish the unimaginable and the unprecedented. Many times, we are tempted to only take prayer requests that have a precedent in history of being answered. We ask God for the same miracle that has happened in the life of another person. But God waits to propel our situations into ground-breaking, history-making miracles if we have the faith to ask for that which is infinitely above and beyond human reach."

These words went straight to my heart. Why do so many model their prayers from what is seen or experienced by others when our needs and desires of our heart are our own? Just as no two people are the same, the same holds true for our prayer life whether it is one of need or from our own wishing list. We certainly are bold in other areas without little regard to how it hits so why are we shy when it comes to prayer?

Be outrageous! That meaning that only God can answer those things or affect change in people, situations, or circumstances that are beyond our physical reach. One cannot force change, real change, lasting change, but our God can and does regularly. He is still and always will be in the miracle making business. The only difference is you and also me.

The Women by Kristin Hannah

I appreciated this book on many levels. I easily recall this time in history since I graduated from high school in 1968 during the heat of the Vietman War. Some of my friends did not return, one was a POW for five years, and those who did return were forever changed by their experiences and especially by certain Americans and lack of support from our own government.

The women in this book were even more neglected and ignored and even disbelieved of their support in the war. They played a role and this book is well written to extoll those truths.  The characters are well developed and I still feel attached to them. The men in the story are somewhat typical of men but they were veterans which has value, to me. 

The main character is Frankie McGrath and she certainly had her share of problems on her return from the war, even from her own parents which was even harder to believe. I was surprised at her treatment but certainly recall my husband pulling my hair rollers from my head and throwing them like grenades across our bedroom. I also remember his nightmares which is exactly the same thing these nurses experienced as well but no one believed them. They were regularly ignored and even denied veterans services for their mental health care which is now commonly referred to as PTSD.

All veterans matter!

The author, Kristin Hannah, again does not disappoint her readers. She does her research and brings her characters to life.  She never ceases to amaze me at her skill to incorporate facts into her stories and this one is no exception.