Sunday Stealing

DIY Meme

1. Would you rather have every traffic light turn green or always get the best parking spot? (Kwizgiver) I don't drive so I don't care about parking spaces. But I'm usually late, whether in a rideshare or on a bus or on foot, so I'm a fan of green lights.

2. What's the most difficult thing you have ever done? (Gold in the Clouds) Said goodbye to my two of my closest friends within months back in 2024. Death is a bitch. It's not negotiable. I have found going on after losing John and Henry is the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm not sure I'm through it yet.

3. What information do you know that you are proud of/happy about, but others say, "Who cares?" (Roger) I once won a trivia contest – completely without cell phone or Google – for knowing Elizabeth Taylor's full name was Elizabeth Rosamond Taylor Hilton Wilding Todd Fisher Burton Warner Fortensky.* It was at a rib joint, so my friend John and I got a break on our bill because of this incredibly trivial trivia.

4. What mystery do you wish you knew the answer to? (Myra/Mevely) Why do bad things have to happen? Fortunately I'm a Christian and I know that when I get to Heaven I will get the answer.

5. What small, ordinary thing brings you disproportionate joy? (Country Dew) My morning shower. Washing my hair and scrubbing my face while listening to my shower radio gets my day off to a great start.

6. What time do you go to sleep/wake up?  (Annie) Whenever. I'm no longer a desk jockey who is a slave to a train schedule.

7. What is your favorite sleeping position? (Lisa) On my left side.

8. Describe your personal Utopia. (Pandora) Listening to the Beatles while eating cheesecake with strawberries and drinking icy cold Coke. 

9. Imagine that you have a machine that can create any new invention for you based on your description. What you ask the machine to create, and why? (Plastic Mancunian) I'm on the top floor. The laundry room is in the basement. The elevator is not convenient and it's incredibly dispiriting to haul my clothes and detergent and fabric softener down there only to find no washers or dryers open. If there was a way I could know that the machines are available for use, I would be eternally grateful.

*I actually said "Burton" twice since they married and divorced twice, but the judge said it wasn't necessary. 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? And Never Let Her Go by Ann Rule. My library's algorithm says I'll like this book, and it's right. But I didn't have to check it out, I already have it. I read in 2001.

 

Ann Marie Fahey had a good job, working for the governor. She had a wide circle of friends. Finally she had a boyfriend she wanted to settle down with. And then she disappeared. It was when the police started looking for her that her secret life came to light: she'd been having an affair with a powerful older man.

 

This book reminds me of vacations. I was in a hotel room in the spring of 2001, moving kind of slow one morning, on a spa getaway, when I saw Mark Harmon on Regis and Kelly. He was promoting the made-for-TV movie based on this book, in which he played the powerful older man. I didn't see the movie but I remembered the title. Months later, in Key West, I was reading the book while sipping a boozy drink onboard Captain Runaground, a completely unseaworthy boat permanently docked and converted to a restaurant. I was alone because my friend Henry had to work that day and besides, he never understood my affinity for this dive. 

 

2. What did you recently finish reading? Nothing but the Night by Greg King and Penny Wilson. 19-year-old Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, were Jewish, gay, and intellectual. They were also very twisted and in 1924, they kidnapped and killed 14-year-old Bobby Franks just for fun. They wanted to toy with authorities and see if they could pull off "the perfect crime." They could not. They got caught in no time (little more than a week), and that was with crude 1920s-era forensics. Their wealthy parents hired no less than Clarence Darrow to save them from the death penalty in the first "trial of the century."

 

This book did a very good job of invoking Jazz Age Chicago. WWI had been an earthquake. The old rules suddenly didn't apply, and society was in tumult. Before I picked up this book, I didn't realize that the Leopold, Loeb and Frank families lived within three blocks of one another. This made it easy for the press to put the Kenwood neighborhood under siege. I was also surprised by the condensed time frame. Poor Bobby was murdered in May, and Leopold and Loeb were sentenced in September (4 months). Justice moved faster in 100 years ago. For example, in the next "trial of the century," Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were found dead in June 1994, and OJ Simpson was acquitted in October 1995 (16 months).

 

Still, I didn't love this book, and not just because Leopold and Loeb were odious. The authors made some rather sensational claims and didn't back them up. It felt as though they were just saying shit to make their book stand out among the true crime tomes. Too bad. This case gets under my skin because the murder was so pointless. I want to learn why it happened, not to hear baseless conjecture. 

3. What will you read next? I don't know.

 

  

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Like My Mother Does (2011)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Lauren Alaina tells us she knows she's beautiful and strong because she sees herself as her mother does. Who in your life consistently sees the best in you? Oh, this question makes me miss my late friend Henry so much! No one has ever, ever seen me as he did. I remember one night we were having a late dinner and he stared into my eyes and said suddenly, "Your (facial) features shouldn't work together, but they do. It's what makes you so beautiful. Like Sophia Loren." Trust me, I am not beautiful and I only resemble Loren in that we both walk upright and neither of us has a tail. But that was Henry. He loved me and saw me as all things wonderful.

 

So very not me.

2) She sings that her mother is her "rock." In this context, what do you think that means? Unwavering in support. 

 

3) When Lauren performed this song in concert, she brought her mother Kristy up on stage and held her hand as she sang. Kristy said she was touched, but also embarrassed because her daughter was the entertainer, not her. Do you get shy when all eyes turn to you? It depends on the situation. I can present and sell with tremendous confidence. But I die inside when people sing "Happy Birthday" to me.

 

4) Lauren began reading in pre-school and always read well above grade level. As a child, were you a big reader? Are you a big reader today? Yes.

   

5) According to the National Restaurant Association, we like to eat out on Mother's Day, and brunch is especially popular. If you could have whatever you want for brunch, what would you order? Eggs Benedict.

6) Mother's Day is the third biggest card-sending holiday in the US, just after Christmas and Valentine's Day. Who received the last card you purchased? I just mailed a birthday present to my friend Amy and there was a card with the gift.

 

7) While flowers are the most popular Mother's Day gift, jewelry comes in second. Are you wearing any jewelry as you answer these questions? If yes, did you receive it as a gift or buy it yourself? I am wearing plastic faux pearl stud earrings, purchased myself on a card from Claire's Boutique. (Sophia Loren would not be caught dead in these.)

 

8) According to the National Retail Federation, more and more of us are celebrating our mothers by taking her to a paint and sip event, a pottery class, or candle or soap making. Which of those four options do you think you'd enjoy the most? Soap. Or even better, lotion (though that wasn't one of the options).

9) While there's a spike in phone traffic on Mother's Day, these days it seems the trend is texting. On holidays, do you receive more calls or texts? Texts. I miss calls.

 

 

 

A candle for Henry

I attended Christmas Eve service this evening from my hotel room in Grand Rapids. I admit it was kinda neat to be in my pajamas, propped up by pillows, worshiping. I've attended Zoom church before, but I've never been this casual about it. At home, I'm always at my dining room table, and I'm never in my pjs.

The informality made it easy for me to be distracted. For example, when the choir began singing "Veni, Emmanuel," I opened another window and checked my Facebook feed. I flashed back to all those Christmas Eves I worshiped with Henry in Key West. He would not have approved of my flippancy. Raised Catholic, schooled by Jesuits, he respected all aspects of a church service and loved a hymn in Latin. When I didn't bother to stifle a yawn during the homily, I could feel Henry's side eye from above.

When we got to my favorite part of the Christmas Eve service – when the lights go down and we sing "Silent Night" by candlelight – I was rapt. But again, I was thinking more of Henry than the Christmas story. We sang the verse three times: first in English, then to show solidarity with our neighbors besieged by ICE we sang in Spanish, then we closed in English. Yes, from my tummy in my hotel room, I sang along. "Brilla la estrella de paz," or "the star of peace shines." 

Our minister told those in attendance: "As the candlelight in the sanctuary increases, so does the hope and courage and love that we bring to one another." In 2026, as we approach the midterms, I must do what I can to bring hope and courage and love to my fellow Americans. To see that the star of peace shines. That was my Christmas Eve takeaway. It may have been more obviously about Henry than the birth of the Christ child, but then again, who brought Henry into my life in the first place, and who is Henry with now? So it's full circle. It goes back to Christ exactly the way it's supposed to. 

When I'm away from home on Christmas – which has been more often than not these past 15 years – I always pack a teeny-tiny nativity scene for my nightstand. I will say a prayer tomorrow, as I do on hotel Christmas mornings. 

But that's Christmas morning. Tonight, Christmas Eve, is about candles and light and hope and courage and love. And Henry. His goodness and his example. I miss him desperately, but am grateful I knew him and am grateful that he's in Heaven and grateful I can carry him with me.

  

Photo by Kabir Tamang on Unsplash 

Sunday Stealing

Stealing Some Fun

1. Describe your favorite cake. Right now, I'd like a piece of carrot cake. I think it's the cream cheese frosting.

2. Think of the best party you've ever attended. Were you a host or a guest? Well, I was both a host and a guest. When I was in high school, a girl in our crowd had a November 2 bday. It was my idea to throw her a surprise party by faking a Halloween party. I pitched in for the pizza and chips and soda, but it was held in the rec room of a girl who lived closer to the birthday girl. She was the only one in costume – she was a clown – and I have such fond memories of her laughing, in costume, surrounded by a pile of gifts. 

3. When you choose a greeting card, do you pay more attention to the words or the pictures? I can't separate the two.

4. What's your favorite holiday? I'm looking forward to Christmas this year. I've struggled this time of year because for decades, I spent the holidays with my friend Henry in Key West (his birthday was 12/22) and he has passed away. But this year I have my niece's baby to fuss over. It will be Violet's first Christmas and I feel honored to be included.

5. Who is your favorite character on your favorite TV show? I've recently discovered Modern Family (2009-2020). My favorite character is Phil Dunphy. He is very positive, kind of clueless, and all heart. He's always sharing advice, like: Marry someone who looks sexy while disappointed.

 

 

Use it. That's what it's there for.

I keep my money in different "funds," all within my savings account. Every month I earmark money for the dentist, for insurance, for vet bills, etc. Then I don't touch it until it's needed for that purpose. Since I am the keeper of both the funds and the calculator, I can move the money back and forth if I need to. (That's how my kitchen remodeling fund became my Paul McCartney concert ticket.)

When my friend Henry had his accident back in 2018, I began a "fund" for him. $15/week went into it. I knew how he and his husband Reg struggled financially in the best of times, and Henry's medical bills were an additional, almost unbearable burden. I used the money from this fund to help Henry with "extras," especially at Christmastime. I sent postage stamps, so Henry could afford to send the holiday cards he lovingly created. When I visited them for the holidays, I took Henry shopping so he could have something for Reg under the tree. Their dogs received a Chewy delivery or two. Lots of little things, paid for out of this "fund" so my own budget felt no strain.  

Henry's been gone a year, but I've kept the fund up, just changing the heading in my spiral notebook from "Henry" to "Friends." It's up to $880. 

No, make that $780.

I just sent Joanna a Target gift card with $100 on it. 

When she paid for my birthday lunch on 11/22, she jokingly expressed relief that there was still credit available on her Visa card. I was surprised – she chose the restaurant (the iconic Walnut Room) and as soon as we sat down she asked what alcoholic beverages we were going to toast with. She told the waiter that "of course" we were having Frango Mint cheesecake for dessert. We could have done the Walnut Room for less, or we could have dined at a more affordable restaurant. But this is what Joanna chose ... for me. Because she knows how hard my birthday is without my friends Henry and John. She wanted to make my birthday perfect and it was.

Joanna is 70. Her business is struggling and she has no retirement savings. She is very matter-of-fact about her "life on the edge." Of course, Joanna is matter-of-fact about big things. The woman is conversational about losing everything in Katrina! Two divorces. The slow, painful cancer death of her older brother. Her lover's dementia. Things that would have knocked other women on their asses, Joanna absorbs and then gets on with life. As was said of that other formidable daughter of the South, Scarlett O'Hara, Joanna "takes her fences cleanly, like a good hunter." She doesn't falter or show fear, she just goes ahead with no fanfare.

I admire her. I appreciate her.

So I sent her $100. It will be enough to give her a little wiggle room, but not enough to cause her embarrassment. After all, we don't exchange Christmas gifts and she hasn't asked for my help, making her dignity is a consideration.  

Perhaps she will use it as Henry would – to buy a gift she couldn't otherwise afford. Or maybe she'll spend it as I would – to pick up stuff for my pantry. 

It won't have any long-term impact on Joanna's finances, but it will make next week easier.

I happen to be reading Bruce Springsteen's memoir as I post this and think of him exhorting "Rosalita" – Use it, Rosie! That's what it's there for! 

I heard you, Boss. I used the "Friends" money. That's what it's there for.

 

PS Henry would approve. He was the most loving person I ever met. I like that I was able to spend what was originally "his" money this way.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Ja-Da (1918)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here. 

 

1) The lyrics tell us the melody is soothing. What calms you when you're upset or anxious? These two.

 

 

2) There was a lot going on in 1918 – like WWI and the Spanish flu pandemic – that left people upset and anxious. In those days, radio wasn't yet a staple in American homes so people received their news through newspapers. Today with podcasts and 24 hour cable news and social media and other news outlets available, do you ever feel like taking a break from current events? Yes. I'm tempted to dial back because current events can leave me feeling hopeless. But I'm haunted by something my friend John said: In Berlin before the War, they didn't know they were living in Berlin before the War. That reminds me that it's my duty as an adult and a citizen to know what's going on and to do what I can when I can.

3) In addition to newspapers, magazines were a big deal in 1918. Women turned to publications like Ladies Home Journal and McCall's for trends and tips about fashion and housekeeping. Do you have any printed magazines in your home now? Vanity Fair and the AARP magazine.

 

4) Today schoolchildren often learn "Ja-Da" because it's easy to sing and play. Was music part of your grade school curriculum? Yes. Some days we had music, other days we had art. 

 

5) Composer Bob Carleton published more than 500 songs in his career. He had no songwriting partner, handling the words and lyrics himself. What's your favorite song? Was it written by a single composer or a songwriting team? Well, it's credited to Lennon-McCartney, but I'm pretty sure it was all Paul.

 

 

 

 

6) Bob got his start in his hometown of St. Louis, playing piano in his parents' saloon. When you think of St. Louis, what comes to mind? The Cardinals! As a Cub fan, that's the only possible answer.

 

7) In 1918, Americans were buying more cars and Studebakers were a familiar sight on the streets and highways. Today that name is mostly forgotten. Can you think of a brand that used to popular but has disappeared? I remember when Sears stores were preeminent, but now they're all but gone.

 

8) During WWI, Americans were familiar with "Meatless Days." Back then we were encouraged to cut back on the consumption of meat as a patriotic gesture to help the American and Allied troops. Today "Meatless Monday" highlights health and the environment. Think about your diet. Do you try to eat more grains, fruits and vegetables? I try. I'm not altogether successful, but I try.

 

9) Random question: Where did you get the shirt you are wearing right now? I'm wearing a gold nightshirt. It was a gift to me from my dear friend Henry.

 

 

 

Happy Birthday to Me, Parts 4 & 5

The Main Event. My friend Joanna really came through on my actual birthday, and I am so grateful. I admit that my birthday has been a day that leaves me emotional since I lost Henry and John. For decades they – like my mom and my oldest friend – were the ones who fussed over me the most. When you share a birthday with a national holiday, like me with Thanksgiving, friends tend to say things like, "Let's do something after the holiday." As an adult, it's hard not to sound petulant when you insist, "NO! I want to tear paper off a giftie on my special day!" Yet it's true. On the actual day, I want to feel special and celebrated. If I don't have that, I'm afraid I feel bad and lonely.

Enter Joanna. She started planning my birthday in October, when she got back from her month-long holiday in London. I know she has had severe financial/business woes, so when she first brought up the topic, I suggested inexpensive options. "No," she insisted, "that's not good enough for your birthday." And she kept reiterating – Saturday, November 22. She said she wanted to celebrate me on my birthday (so important). 

It began at the Cultural Center. If you ever visit Chicago, be sure to swing by. It used to be the Chicago Public Library and it is impressive, with a shiny spiral staircase and a Tiffany glass dome. There are always free art exhibits and, since it's right across the street from Millennium Park, lots of good places to eat.

So I was excited started my special day with a one-performance-only play – Siskel & Ebert at 50. The two Chicago movie critics who became national figures and shaped film-going for 25 years got their start here on our PBS station in 1975. Before the play, a live band played their original theme, Billy Joel's "Root Beer Rag," and afterward, both of their widows told stories. Since Joanna and I are both film lovers and met at through out movie group, this was perfect (and free!).

Original artwork created for this performance

 

Then we went to The Walnut Room for a late lunch/early dinner. Can't put too fine a point on what a big deal this is as Christmastime here. We had their famous chicken pot pie for lunch and then split a slice of Frango Mint pie for dessert. (Where better to enjoy Frango Mints than where they were introduced?) Here's a shot of the beautiful Walnut Room tree, this year a salute to Marshall Field's. Joanna and I posed in front of it as a waiter patiently took our photo (we were probably the 2000th customers he did this for).

 

While I enjoyed our meal, I felt a little bad about it because I know Joanna is cash strapped. But this was her choice. She was very proud that she managed to get us a table. I appreciate that she wanted to make my day special. She also gave me a Beanie Baby – a white angel bear. It's a collector's item. She wants me to have it. That's the important thing.

The Final Act. Last week I was surprised to get a text from my former co-worker. I haven't heard from her in forever! She said she and her husband wanted to come out to my neck of the woods to celebrate my birthday. I was so touched that she remembered. So yesterday, the day after my special day with Joanna, we had a lovely lunch at Cooper's Hawk, a restaurant we all like (even though only her husband had wine).

 

My birthday these days isn't the same as it was a decade ago. I miss my mother fussing over me, I miss John wanting to party down, I miss my oldest friend wanting to take me to lunch and then start our Christmas shopping, I miss Henry telling me how much I would always mean to him.

But it's not without joys. I savor them.

 

 

Happy Birthday to Me, Part #3

More gifts came in the mail! First was the lemon-scented Yankee Candle. I suspect that was from my Cousin Rose, but there was no note so I'm not 100% sure. While I appreciate the thought and like the scent, this will be a regift. Candles just aren't safe here with my feline roommates.

Speaking of cats, I got a page-a-day cat trivia calendar. I suspect this is from my oldest friend, but again, no note. There was a time when she and I exchanged page-a-day calendars every year, so I really hope she did choose this for me. It would mean a welcome return to normal as she battles bipolar disorder. (But she's not answering my texts, so I wonder if her mood downshifted between when she picked the gift and its arrival.)

Then there's the personalized water bottle from Mme. Snarky Pants. How perfect is this? OK, so the one she sent is ginormous and my name is not Melissa, but you get the idea. It's especially fitting because of something that happened to me at work yesterday. I was in the storage room, searching for an empty carton to store the unsold Halloween merchandise. ZAP! I solved the mystery I've been reading. All the pieces just snapped into place. So clearly while my body was at the card shop, my attention was really on the case in 1990s Miami with fictional crime reporter Britt Montero. This mug just reinforces that Snarky "gets" me. 

Birthdays and holidays have been hard since John and Henry died. I'm glad – I'm lucky! – I have people who still fuss over me.

 

I wore Henry's necklace

 

The Wrigley Building, 10/18; Chicago Sun Times

Yesterday I attended my third No Kings protest. While the above photo is of the main rally in Chicago's Loop, I went to the one in my neighborhood. I wanted to be there for my minister, who made the opening remarks. She was followed by a performance by a group of senior women who sang an original composition for President Trump ("Now You've Pissed Off Granny") and "Amazing Grace." Then we marched from the WWI memorial, past the post office and my church (along with two other churches) and through the business district, past the card shop where I work.

Sounds pretty Norman Rockwell, doesn't it? Well, according to Speaker Mike Johnson, I'm a pro-Hamas, America-hating member of Antifa. That's what this Administration does when you disagree with it – they demonize you. MAGA supporters choose to believe it because, well, they accept whatever fits their narrow worldview.

I have not posted about what life has been like during Operation Midwest Blitz because it's too depressing. Armed men who refused to wear masks to protect their fellow man during the Covid-19 pandemic now wear them to scare us as they pick up our neighbors and "disappear" them into the facility in Broadview. I am not kidding. 

These are not "the worst of the worst" that Kristi Noem and Tom Homan brag about bringing to justice. These are Uber drivers and Home Depot day laborers. My friend Kevin no longer buys tamales at lunch because the lady who sold them off the cart in front of his office building is now gone. My friend Jamie was standing feet away from a protester named Levi who was pulled into the Broadview facility and detained for hours. ICE agents have been spotted waiting in the parking lot outside the children's museum. Yes, you read that right. They want to arrest parents in front of their children. They intend to separate families.

ICE is legally prohibited from entering businesses or residences in my neighborhood, so we have a protocol in place at the card shop where I work. They can stalk sidewalks and parking lots. If I feel "unsafe," I am to go into the office in the back, lock the door, and call the local police. Yes, I am supposed to wait for my beat cop to come protect me from my federal government. Mike Johnson doesn't talk about that, does he? 

I dressed for Saturday's protest with care. I wore an Anthony Rizzo foundation t-shirt because it champions pediatric cancer research, and this administration has drastically cut funding to universities that do this work. I put on a necklace I got in Key West, because my darling friend Henry worried so about being "a gay brown man in Trump's America." I used to think he was paranoid. I know now he wasn't. I miss Henry ever day, but I am glad he isn't living through this. A Puerto Rican, he was born an American citizen. I can't bear to think of him being required to prove it, just because of his skin and his accent.

It's ruefully amusing that Donald Trump so obviously lusts after a Nobel Peace Prize. He may be trying to stop wars internationally, but he is using force against us here in Chicagoland. I don't know what award they give for that, but it ain't the Nobel Peace Prize. 

PS While Chicago is safer today than it was during Trump's first Administration, there is still a serious problem with violence. It's not because of illegal immigrants, though. The cause is – wait for it – illegal guns that come in through the porous borders with our neighboring states. Indiana and Kentucky both have far more lax gun laws and it's just lucrative to sell guns here. If Donald Trump was really interested in saving lives, he would send the ATF here, not ICE. But I'm not stupid. I understand that gun fetishists vote MAGA. He doesn't want to make me safer. He wants to pander to his base to solidify his own power. And so I march and work the campaigns of progressive candidates. 

I'm a fan of Madisonian Democracy. NO KINGS!

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Richard Nixon: The Life by John A. Farrell. Here's the thing about Trump: he's so awful that everyone else moves up a notch. Nixon served in wartime even though, as a Quaker, he didn't have to. He never disparaged veterans the way Trump mocked John McCain. He never splashed his visage on the side of federal buildings the way Trump (and authoritarians and dictators) do. He didn't ignore the sovereignty of governors by deploying federal troops onto residential streets. When faced with the end of his Presidency, Nixon somehow managed to avoid leading an armed insurrection on the Capitol. So there's that.

 

Since the Nixon era now feels like The Good Old Days, I figured it was time to revisit the man and his Presidency. I enjoyed Farrell's fair but unflinching view of Ted Kennedy's life and career, and I hope I'll learn a lot from this book.

 

This book and I have a conflicted history. My friend Henry bought it for me for Christmas 2017, the last holiday we spent together before his accident changed everything. His friend owned the bookstore and he supported her after Hurricane Irma by giving me a $100 gift certificate. What fun we had that day. Henry couldn't believe I chose a book about Nixon (among others). I finished the Grafton book and the Bobby bio and had begun to read the Nixon book when Henry had his accident and the book – which still had its Key West bookmark – made me too sad. I abandoned both books till now. It's time. I'm going to finish this one and, hopefully, get to Bruce before the year ends. 

 

Here is post about the day we bought these books

2. What did you recently finish reading? Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryfam by MC Beaton. My response to this addition to the series – #10 of 33 – is mixed. I read these mysteries for more than whodunit. I like Agatha, the deeply flawed, often grumpy heroine who turns to sleuthing because, frankly, she's bored after retiring from PR agency life in London. I like the country life as vividly painted in these books, filled with quaint names and eccentricities and customs and secrets. 

In book #9, Agatha went on vacation to a small rural town. Beaton introduced us to a new setting a new cast of characters with affection and specificity, but Agatha herself felt a little "off." She not only didn't feel like the character I got to know, I didn't even like her anymore.

This time around, Agatha is back to being Aggie (God, how she hates being called Aggie!). I'm glad because I missed her. But the setting, the village of Fryfam, feels less charming than weird and goofy. There are too many new characters and none of them is memorable. 

I hope when I return to the series for #11, Beaton will address both sides of the equation.

3. What will you read next? I don't know. Nixon is going to take a while.

 

  

 

WWW.WEDNESDAY

 

WWW. WEDNESDAY asks three questions to prompt you to speak bookishly. To participate, and to see how other book lovers responded, click here. 

PS I no longer participate in WWW.WEDNESDAY via that link because her blog won't accept Blogger comments. I mention this only to save you the frustration I experienced trying to link up.

1. What are you currently reading? Agatha Raisin and the Fairies of Fryham by MC Beaton. My girl Agatha begins this story at loose ends. Her neighbor (and great love) James Lacey has left town on an extended vacation didn't even bother to say goodbye. She's bored and anxious in her little Cottswold cottage and believes a change of scenery will help. She recalled that a fortune teller told her that her future and true loves lies in Norfolk, so she decides to pack up the cats and spend autumn about 3 hours away in Norfolk.

 

She lands in Fryham. It's an odd little town. Very insular. Everyone knows everyone else, so she sticks out like a sore thumb. Weird shit starts happening – items disappear from her rented cottage while unidentified lights flicker in her backyard. None of her new neighbors seem willing to weigh in on, or even acknowledge, these occurrences. No one has gotten dead yet, but it's only a matter of pages, I'm sure.

 

I enjoy Agatha because she is a lot like me – short tempered, cynical, yet romantic. If I had more money, I'd love to spend my retirement like she's spending hers – taking off on short trips and having adventures. (Though I really don't think I'd like to run into dead bodies everywhere I go.) 

2. What did you recently finish reading? JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography by RoseMarie Terenzio and Liz McNeil. John's friends and coworkers remember his life and their relationships.They paint a three-dimensional picture of a complex man. He was impatient and impulsive but driven and self-aware. He was very loyal and kept friends throughout his life, and the vast majority of them were neither wealthy nor celebrities. He suffered three major traumas by the age of 14 – he lost his father, his uncle and his stepfather – and was forced to mourn in public each time. The psychic toll, plus the price of fame and the weight of carrying his father's name, may have contributed to his recklessness. It also imbued him with empathy. I liked him. (Even though his taste in music left me cold.)

This book found me at the right time. It ends with the people who loved him recounting their reaction to his death in real time, and how they've dealt with the aftermath. It was strangely comforting to read of their fury, even 25 years later. The tragic, unvarnished truth is that his bad judgement killed him, his wife and her sister. 

In 2024 I lost my friends Henry and John. Henry got drunk and rode his bike through a red light and into the side of a van. John knew he was ill and refused to see a doctor until it was too late. I loved them both so very much and am so very mad at them for leaving me when I still need them. When they didn't have to! Reading the passages from John's friends was cathartic. I was heartened by something a priest said to Ann Freeman, mother of both Carolyn and Lauren Bessette: "God is big enough to handle our anger." I will carry that in my heart.

3. What will you read next?

 

  

 

August Happiness Challenge – Day 9

My 2025 Happiness Icon

Today's happiness: Henry's "casserole," baseball and a caturday cuddle. Today, like yesterday, was a quiet day filled with little jolts of joy. 

 

1.  I ordered a deep dish cheese and sausage pizza from Lou Malnati's. It reminded me of my late, dear friend Henry. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, deep dish Chicago-style pizza genuinely confused him. "How is this pizza and not a casserole?" he would ask. I miss Henry so much, but remembering his unique way of looking at everyday life makes me happy. I was lucky to have him in my life for 30+ years.

 

2.  The Cubs really haven't been that good since the All Star Break. But tonight, they were very good, beating St. Louis 9-1. If you're not a baseball fan, you might not get how important that is. The Cubs and Cardinals are one of the game's oldest and most ferocious rivalries. It not only makes me happy that my guys finally got hot again, I'm happy that it happened in St. Louis.

 

3.  My Connie Cat watched the game with me, luxuriating in scritches under her chin and belly rubs. The affection that flowed between us was sweet.

 

So of course I'm happy.

 

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

Photo by Ayşegül Baykal on Unsplash

 

 

 

 

Saturday 9

 
Saturday 9: Jive Talkin' (1975)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

This month we're going to recall Summer Songs. These will all be records that topped the charts during August.

1) Number 1 on the charts in August 50 years ago, "Jive Talkin'" was originally called "Drive Talkin'," because it was inspired by the "chunka-chunka" sound the Bee Gees' car made as it rolled over the bridge from Biscayne Bay to Miami every morning. Tell us about a drive you make regularly. What do you love, or hate, about it? I don't make any drive regularly – no car – but I do walk 7 minutes to my job at the card shop. I enjoy going through the local business district as the stores are opening. It's neat to see awnings adjusted and A-frame chalk signs coming out. Before I had this job, I never paid attention to how retailers wake up to start the day. 

2) Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb always enjoyed singing together and as kids, practiced their harmonies in the bathroom because that's where the acoustics were best. Do you sing in the shower? Yes. Badly.

3) Early in their career, the brothers wrote and recorded a radio jingle for Coca Cola. If we were to peer into your refrigerator right now, would we find any carbonated beverages? Always. I allow myself two mini (7.5 oz) Cokes each day.

4) Though their sound depended on tight harmonies, all three Bee Gees were heavy smokers, which is bad for the throat. Do you smoke? Are there smokers/vapers in your life? One of the girls at the card shop says she is a "social smoker." My oldest friend vapes, even though she has heart trouble.

5) Robin Gibb agreed to perform on the CD Sesame Street Fever so his kids could meet Cookie Monster. Who is your favorite Muppet? Cookie, of course. Here he is singing the 7th inning stretch at Wrigley Field, to which I say, "Bravo!"

6) In addition to younger brother Andy, who also scored hit records, the Bee Gees have a sister, Lesley. Unlike her siblings, she didn't go into show business. Instead she became a dog breeder. Tell us about a dog who holds a special place in your heart. My late friend Henry's dog, NouNou, was very dear. He was a mixed breed black mop of fur and love. Henry also had two big dogs, and short-legged NouNou had to run so hard to keep up, but he did his best.

 Let's look at the summer of 1975.

7) That summer, producer Lorne Michaels was auditioning talent for the Not Ready for Prime Time Players. This band of comedic performers would premiere that October in a new show called Saturday Night Live. In the days before DVRs and streaming, Saturday Night Live was considered "appointment television," a show you wanted to catch when it aired so you made sure you were in front of a TV to hear "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night!" Is there a show you go out of your way to watch when it airs? Or is most of your viewing either recorded or streamed? The only programs I have to watch as they air are the news, baseball and awards shows. Everything else can wait till it's convenient.

8) The top movie at the box office that summer was Jaws. Have you seen it? Yes. I think the real star of the movie is John Williams' score. I heard Speilberg say that all it took was two notes to scare us all out of our skins, and he's right. As you read this, you can hear those two notes in your head, can't you? Bum bum. Here comes the shark! Shudder!

9) In 1975, Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles was having a career season and won the second of his three Cy Young Awards. In 2012 he put all three trophies up for auction. As proud as he was of the awards, he said, "My priorities have changed," and the money would help pay for college for his grandchildren. Think about your belongings. Is there anything you would never part with at any price? I treasure a ceramic cable car that belonged to my favorite grandfather. He kept it on the nightstand on his side of the bed. He used it for his watch, his tie clasps and cuff links and his favorite licorice throat lozenges. Every time I think of my grandpa, I smile. It can't possibly mean as much to anyone else as it does to me.