HAPPY BIRTHDAY and VALENTINE'S DAY TO ME!!

Ah..... it's FRIDAY THE 13th, it's MY BIRTHDAY and I could do anything I wanted to today. I love to watch a movie on the BIG SCREEN, so I saw 2 movies today (BIRDMAN and AMERICAN SNIPER). Yes, I even paid for both movies. Admittedly, years ago, I'd watch 2 movies, but pay for only one. I felt really "cool", like I was getting away with something, but now I can't live with the guilt. So, guilt-free, with a bag of popcorn in front of the BIG SCREEN, I was in HEAVEN. Had wood-fired Margherita Pizza after the movie - YUM. And I just poured a nice glass of chilled Rose Wine for myself (on to a Bordeaux next.....)

And so it's VALENTINE'S DAY tomorrow. Sadly no one has asked me to be their VALENTINE (yet). This happened last year....... And the year before that!! WHAT is going on?! Ok, maybe I need to ask a little LOUDER........

I hope YOUR VALENTINE'S DAY is a joyful one!!

Joan

BOOK - "THE OTHER STORY" by TATIANA de ROSNAY

Sorry folks....... The worst book.  What happened to the writer of "SARAH'S KEY"??  I felt like she did some research and then had to add every single detail that she discovered - overkill.  Not impressive. I really struggled to finish it and by the end was no happier with it, than I was halfway through.

Joan

BOOK - "VALLEY OF AMAZEMENT" by AMY TAN (no spoilers)

What an enjoyable book.  Almost 600 pages but I didn't want it to end.  AMY TAN told the story of Violet's life - a young girl in Shanghai who was forced into a life as a Courtesan. I had no idea before this book that a COURTESAN (a prostitute, especially one with wealthy or upper-class clients) and a CONCUBINE ((in polygamist societies) a woman who lives with a man but has lower status than his wife or wives) were two different roles. I also didn't know that men in China in the early 1900's were polygamists.  

This young girl, Violet had sheer determination, which drew me in immediately and kept me intrigued. And as my friend Lisa looks for, it has a "tidy ending".

A few excerpts that will give you a taste for why I enjoyed this book:

Page 4

Mother gave her to me when I told her I wanted a friend. The cat had once belonged to a pirate, she said, who named her Carlotta after the Portuguese king's daughter he had kidnapped. No one else had a pirate's cat, whereas anyone could have a friend. A cat would always be loyal, unlike a friend. Mother said she knew that for a fact.

Page 31

I had forgotten.  No one celebrated birthdays in the house. It was not a Chinese custom.  ......I was now eight, no longer the innocent little girl who trusted her feelings. I had once expected happiness and lately had received only disappointments, one after the other. I now expected disappointment and prayed to be proven wrong.

Page 114

How can a woman so smart become so foolish? It is a weakness in many people - even the richest, the most powerful, and the most respected. They risk everything for the body's desire and the belief they are the most special of all people on earth because a liar tells them so.

Page 115

"Only Americans think they have rights," Magic Gourd said. "What laws of heaven give you more rights and allow you to keep them? They are words on paper written by men who make them up and claim them. One day they can blow away, just like that."

Page 205

"Accept love when it's offered, Violet. Return love and not suspicion. Then you'll receive more."

Page 423

"The world does not care for the woes of another when they have their own," she said.

Page 465

"You nearly froze your little bum," she said. "What foolish things we endure for love."

I stiffened.  What was she saying?

She patted my back. "I have done it many times, to my detriment, but never to my regret."

Page 555

"He's a good man," she said. "Considerate. The best life you can have as you get into old age is good food, good teeth to eat it with, and few worries when you go to bed at night.  A good husband is extra and can vary whether the number of worries you have is more or less. Mine are less."

Joan

VET DERMATOLOGIST - WHO KNEW?!

The house sure was quiet on Thursday morning without WILLOW around.  Even if she's sleeping, I feel her energy and without her, it was so still........

No worries - it's nothing serious. THANK GOD for educated medical professionals. My sister's dog RUBY had to see a Dermatologist several years ago. I knew there were specialists for dogs/cats/horses and other critters, but before Ruby's experience I had never really given it any thought that there would be a need for a dermatologist.  But why wouldn't there be?

For the past 3 years WILLOW (she's only 4) has been scratching off and on, so my trusted Vet, DR. DAVE suggested it was probably seasonal outdoor allergies - treatable but not curable. Over a year ago he recommended that we try a drug called Atopica - daily pill at $6/day (regularly used by Vet Dermatologists to reduce itching). After a year and still some intermittent scratching I started questioning it. Basically I just don't like pharmaceuticals and prefer to avoid them if possible (for both myself AND my dogs). If there is a more "organic" way to treat something I prefer to go that route. So, I asked DR. DAVE if we could try something different.... blah blah blah..... which led to my decision to take her to a VET DERMATOLOGIST for a consultation. And we're off!

Jane's poor dog Ruby was diagnosed with skin cancer during her visit, so I was ready for anything (ok, I was worried.....). Thankfully it's just a large variety of allergies (trees, grasses, weeds, molds) for my precious WILLOW.

Under light anesthesia, 66 allergens were tested and we have now entered the world of me giving her allergy shots!! I gave the first shot yesterday and I was TERRIBLE - I put the needle in, she jerked, I reacted by pulling it out....... put it right back in, but the plunger was already pressed - so..... I have to wonder, did the serum go in the first time or did I accidentally press the plunger when I pulled it out, thus putting the serum into the air (or her hair)??

I'm resolved that I CAN DO THIS!!!

Shots every other day for a month and it eventually spreads out to every 3 weeks, just in time for my 3 week trip to Europe in May.  Phew!

Joan

A TREAT OUTSIDE OF LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA

FINALLY - some photos of my most recent trip - to the ADRIATIC region!!

SANDRA, SUE ANN and I signed up for a 4-day pre-trip extension in the fabulous, small city of LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA.  I really loved it there.

One of the more memorable moments for me was visiting PREDJAMA CASTLE built in the Middle Ages (12th Century) into the side of a mountain, in front of a cave.  PREDJAMA literally means "in front of the cave". 

Thankfully our group was small, because the driveway was too narrow for the bus.  We took turns in small cars that drove us down the lane.

It was a phenomenal structure built into the mountain for protection during the unsettled Middle Ages. The cave offered a secret exit to freedom. We were fortunate enough to go inside, walk through the rooms, climb the stairs to different levels and even see the huge cave inside the mountain where they could be completely protected from intruders. 

"Baby, it was COLD inside", which really stimulated one's imagination about what it would be like to actually LIVE there.

This shows the CASTLE starting in the 12th Century, then 13th, 14th and 15th Centuries with final  renovations (an extension to the front) from 1570 - 1585, bringing it to its present size.

A walk through the moated entryway.......  Don't you love with the boot scraper?

Once inside, most of the rooms were "decorated" with mannequins and furniture to give you an idea of how it might have looked during medieval days.  

SANDRA and SUE ANN found the wine cellar (but of course!!).

The torture room. Goodness!! 

The story of the "wooden horse" in the second photo - men were strapped onto it and their feet were weighed down with the rocks underneath - for LONG periods of time. And their view? The man hanging by his hands.  Although I'm not a man, I can imagine what pain that horse could cause. OUCH!!  

 

 These weapons looked pretty nasty to me!!

But the views of the countryside from the windows were serene and spectacular to this "Country Girl at Heart".

 Leaving the CASTLE........ what a beautiful landscape!!

A great view of the JOUSTING area, as I took a final look back at the CASTLE.

My next Blog Post will include a video I took while looking out one of the open-air windows. And if you'll listen closely, you'll hear the light chime of a bell, twice.

Joan

PROMISES, PROMISES.......

Yes, I know...... I DID promise to begin posting photos from my trip to CROATIA, but THE FUNNIEST THING HAPPENED AT BOOK CLUB that I just HAVE to share with you first.

If only I had thought to videotape this.........

We are sitting in a circle in my family room, 7 of us, discussing "ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE" by Anthony Doerr.  No one was sitting on the ottoman.

About an hour into our discussion, my precious, darling German Shepherd, WILLOW saunters over to the ottoman........ gently puts her front paws over it....... leaving her back paws on the ground....... with her belly arched over this thing....... and looks back and forth at each of us as if it were perfectly natural for her to be there discussing the book with us.  And she stayed in that position long enough for me to get up and get my cell phone to photograph her!!  What an UNBELIEVABLE DOG!!

And YES, of course, who would have a Book Club without WINE AND CHOCOLATE?!!


Joan

DO I LOOK LIKE I'M BEHIND IN MY READING?!!

Before I start blogging photos from my trip to Croatia, I thought I'd take a moment to show you around my home to help you understand why I just posted three books summaries in a row.  I'm always reading AND I still have SO MANY calling my name - 

ON MY BOOKSHELVES......

ON MY FIREPLACE.......

ON MY KITCHEN ISLAND......

ON MY DINING TABLE.......

AND FOR DECORATION, IN A WOODEN BOWL (Thank you sister Jane for this idea!)

And this doesn't include my Barnes & Noble "Wish List".  YIKES!

I hope you noticed all of my BOOKENDS too!  Yeah, I kinda have "a thing" for unique bookends..... Don't you love them?!

JOAN

BOOK - "THE PARIS ARCHITECT" by CHARLES BELFOURE (no spoilers)

I promise to stop with the Books and will start posting photos of my CROATIA trip in my next Blog post.  But when I had 2 Book Club books due in the same week, both about World War II, I felt compelled to share with you a quick intro to the second one.

In school in the 1960's we were not taught about World War II and it wasn't discussed at home. Perhaps because it was still too "fresh". Now it seems that there are many books recounting stories, which can be quite tough to read.  Is it because it reminds us that not all of us are kind, compassionate and pleasant? That some humans can treat other humans so horribly without thinking twice?

"THE PARIS ARCHITECT" was another "WOW" book for me, but it also gave me a heavy heart while reading, because of the atrocities described. Until I read "SARAH'S KEY" by Tatiana de Rosnay, I didn't even know that Jews were rounded up in Paris!! My favorite city in the world. How could that be? This book is an even clearer reminder that it's true.

Again, I liked the short chapters - they make me feel "Ok, I can read just one more chapter......ok, just one more....... etc."  

I loved the creative mind of the main character, architect Lucien. He designed hiding places in apartments and houses for Jews. With his talent, he had the ability to save a life or more!

I struggled with the question of "if MY life, or the life of one of my loved ones depended on my turning in another human being, a stranger, a Jew, would I act on it? Could I live with myself after that?" Truly the ultimate in "bullying" by the Germans at that time......

So, I really didn't like reading about the atrocities, however, I did like that the result of reading this book made me "FEEL" and "QUESTION" and "WANT TO DISCUSS".  

A few passages from the book:

Page 4

     "His father, a university-trained geologist of some distinction, had had the same dog-eat-dog view of life as the most ignorant peasant. When it came to the misfortune of others, his philosophy had been tough shit, better him than me. The late Professor Jean-Baptiste Bernard hadn't seemed to realize that human beings, including his wife and children, had feelings. His love and affection had been heaped upon inanimate objects - the rocks and minerals of France and her colonies - and he demanded that his two sons love them as well."

     "His father tested them at suppertime, setting rocks on the table for them to name. He was merciless if they made even one mistake, like the time Lucien couldn't identify bertrandite, a member of the silicate family, and his father had ordered him to put the rock in his mouth so he would never forget it. To this day, he remembered bertrandite's bitter taste."

     "He hated his father, but now he wondered if he was more like his father than he wanted to admit."

Page 6

     "Once on the street, he couldn't help looking back at the corner where the shooting had taken place. The Germans and the body were gone; only a large pool of blood marked the spot of the shooting. The Germans were unbelievably efficient people. The French would have stood around the corpse, chatting and smoking cigarettes. Full rigor mortis would have set in by the time they had carted it away. Lucien almost started trotting but slowed his pace to a brisk walk. He hated being late, but he wasn't about to be shot in the back of the skull because of his obsession with punctuality."

Page 10

     "Still he admired these great apartment blocks that Napoleon III had championed. His admiration had grown when he'd visited his brother in New York before the war. The apartment buildings there were junk compared to those in Paris."

If you've read this book, and would like to share your reaction, I'd be interested to hear about it.

Joan

BOOK - "ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE" by ANTHONY DOERR

"ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE" - I closed the book and said out loud "WOW. What a story".  

I love the 1-3 page chapters and that Anthony Doerr alternates chapters describing the life of 6-yr old Marie-Laure (recently blind) and then that of 7 yr-old Werner, beginning in 1934.  Werner, at 14, because of his skill with radio transmitters, was plucked from his orphanage for special schooling that will proudly lead him into the German army. Other than sharing that the book is set during the war, I won't tell you anymore, as I knew nothing going into the book and I really liked it that way.

There is something about books that are staged during World War II that attracts me.  Reading this one, I actually experienced something physical - a heavy heart trying to understand humanity; more appropriately stated "the lack thereof".  WHAT leads a man, a man with serious leadership skills, to convince a nation, to convince magnitudes of people that a certain segment of the population needs to be exterminated??  And the resulting "herd mentality" that follows his lead??  I guess my reaction occurred for one, because Anthony Doerr, as the writer, has such a wonderful talent for taking the reader into the story.  For instance, I could feel her aching feet as Marie-Laure walked for miles with her father away from Paris to escape the danger looming there.  WOW.  Again, WOW.

A few excerpts won't hurt - they don't tell you the story, but will show you the talent of Anthony Doerr:

Page 84

     "You know the greatest lesson of history?  It's that history is whatever the victors say it is.  That's the lesson.  Whoever wins, that's who decides the history.  We act in our own self-interest.  Of course we do.  Name me a person or a nation who does not.  The trick is figuring out where your interests are."

Page 436

     She can hear him standing out there.  Working out some cost-benefit analysis.  Then he turns and recedes down the street, dragging his fear like a cart behind him.

Page 437

     It seems to Werner that in the space between whatever has happened already and whatever is to come hovers an invisible borderland, the known on one side and the unknown on the other.

Page 456

     Von Rumpel's daughters were fat, roiling little babies, weren't they?  Both of them always dropping their rattles or rubber pacifiers and tangling themselves in blankets, why so tortured, little angels?  But they grew!  Despite all his absences.  And they could sing, especially Veronika.  Maybe they weren't going to be famous, but they could sing well enough to please a father.

Page 459

     Only two walls of the hotel stand, joined at the corner, bits of plaster attached to the inner wall.  Beyond it, houses display their interiors to the night. The rampart behind the hotel remains, though many of its embrasures along the top have been shattered.  The sea presents a barely audible wash on the other side.  Everything else is rubble and silence.

Page 461

     The sound makes him jerk backwards, and he knocks his head on the top of the wardrobe, and the candle falls......

     He watches the candle roll, its flame pointing up.  Why?  What curious principle demands that a candle flame taper always toward the sky?

Page 464

     Werner thinks about the men in the sunflowers and a hundred others: each lay dead in his hut or truck or bunker, wearing the look of someone who had caught the tune of a familiar song.  A crease between the eyes, a slackness to the mouth.  A look that said: So soon?  But doesn't it play for everybody too soon?

Page 469

     "When I lost my sight, Werner, people said I was brave.  When my father left, people said I was brave.  But it is not bravery; I have no choice.  I wake up and live my life.  Don't you do the same?"

   

Joan

BOOK - "THE KITCHEN HOUSE" by KATHLEEN GRISSOM

In 2014 I read "THE KITCHEN HOUSE" by Kathleen Grissom, 368 pages, published in 2010. Chosen by someone else for our Book Club, I was skeptical at first for some reason, but I am glad I read it and I do consider it a very good book.  It's artfully written and thankfully the dialect wasn't distracting.  

SHORT SUMMARY -

A young, white, Irish girl ends up in VA, living with black slaves and develops a very strong bond with them - a family bond.  Her name is "Lavinia" but they call her "Abinia".  The story is told from her perspective and in alternating chapters, from the perspective of another character, Belle.  Belle's mom had a love affair with her boss (Captain), a white man, but Belle looks black like her mom.  The Captain's family had no idea he had fathered Belle.  "The Big House" is where the white folk lived and "The Kitchen House" is a separate dwelling where the slaves lived.  Lavinia ends up married to........ Ok, I won't spoil it, but sadly, he is abusive to her.  The slaves had an unspeakably hard life and were treated mercilessly, but the bond between them was tight.  The ending scene is how the book begins. 

The following are a couple of passages that moved me and inspired......

Page 124

     I went to her, hiccuping between sobs.  She sat on a bench, took her pipe from her mouth, and lightly tapped my chest with it.  "So you think that you wanna be cullad?"

     I nodded.

     "Why that be?"

     "I don't want to live in the big house.  I want to stay here with you and Belle and Papa."

     Mamma's voice was tender.  "Chil', there things in this world you don't know about yet.  We your family, that never change.  Even when you find a white boy and gets married, we still your family. Mama always your mama, Belle always your Belle."

     I stopped crying.  "What about Papa and Ben?" I asked hopefully.

     "They watch out for you just like now.  Abinia" - Mamma looked into my eyes - "you on the winnin' side.  One day might be you lookin' out for us."

     Her words calmed me, but that day I was awakened to a new realization that made me aware of a line drawn in black and white, though the depth of it still had little meaning to me.

Page 188

     "Once I had learned of Miss Martha's sorry circumstances, after I knew that she had asked for me, for Isabelle, I felt compelled to see her and to have her see me.  I grew convinced that if she saw me, she would become well again.  

Page 259

     Mama dropped her head, but not before I saw her fear.  "Masta Marshall," she said, "I don't know nothing' 'bout foolish talk."

     Marshall twisted my arm painfully as he drew me from the kitchen.  He turned back to Mama.  "I'll sell anybody who brings talk like that up to the big house."

     My arm burned.  "Marshall!  You're hurting me," I said, trying to pull free.  I looked to Mama for help, but her eyes were down, and I saw for the first time the true extent of her helplessness.

Page 276     

"Mama says in some ways, Lavinia thinkgs like a child.  She don't always get what's going on.  She comes back here, wanting everything to be the same.  It's like she don't know that when she nmarries Marshall, she's gonna tak on his world.  Mama's trying to help her see it right, but like Mama say, sometimes we got to live it out before we learn."

Isn't THAT the truth?!

Joan

"LIFE BEFORE DEATH"

Yes, "LIFE BEFORE DEATH" - let's live it to the maximum and consciously.

My sister posted a video on Facebook today that really made me re-think about "ATTITUDE" - what we can each "CHOOSE" to think about and also alternate ways that we can each "CHOOSE" to mentally respond to annoying situations that can arise daily.  

We lead busy lives and when there is an interruption or an irritation of being slowed down by someone, we really don't need to stress about it, do we?  We can "CHOOSE" to look at the situation differently, and as a result, it can change the way we feel - in a VERY positive way.

For many years now, I've been trying to use this technique in my life.  When I do, it DOES make a difference and I believe that's one reason why I truly have "A ZESTY LIFE".

I hope you'll take the time to WATCH and REALLY LISTEN TO this 9 minute video and perhaps you too will implement, re-implement or reinforce some changes to your thinking (yes, you can take "baby steps"......), adding empathy and years to your life.

"THIS IS WATER" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKYJVV7HuZw

xo
Joan

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Is it really 2015 already? It seems like yesterday when we celebrated "THE MILLENNIUM", doesn't it?!! Yikes, that was 15 years ago. Ok, we continue to move forward..... often faster than we might wish for.......

So, let me ask, "Do I have any "Blog Groupies" who've noticed that I haven't posted a blog for a while?" Like over a month!! Believe me, there's a good reason - 

I'VE BEEN LIVING THE ZESTY LIFE!!

I took a three-week trip overseas that included mostly CROATIA's coastline, but also a stop in MONTENEGRO (oh my gosh, the arrival by boat was breath-taking!!), BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA (an emotional downer/awakening seeing first-hand the effects of war) and 4 days in LJUBLJANA, SLOVENIA (I LOVED it there AND was introduced to PUMPKIN SEED OIL, which, over vanilla ice cream is "to-die-for").

Naturally I took a few (hahahaha) photos to share with you, which I'll do over the next couple of weeks. I have certain family members and friends who have limited attention spans (giggle), so I won't post too many at a time - I'd hate for someone to lose interest and "tune-out" before seeing everything I want to share (you KNOW who you are......).  xo

WELCOMING A NEW YEAR, I'd like to share something that my friend SANDRA emailed me this morning. The words really hit me and I hope you too are moved by them.

(Author unknown)

"At birth, we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel on our side. However, at some station our parents step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone.

As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of our life.

Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum. Others will go so unnoticed that we don't realize they vacated their seats. This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells. Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way, love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are. It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.

I wish you a joyful journey on the train of life. Reap success and give lots of love. More importantly, thank God for the journey.

Lastly, I thank you for being one of the passengers on my train."

I mean it!

Joan