The Library

[BarbStAubrey]

Pat how special your Mom was a librarian - was your mother still at the library when you were a child or did she go back after you and Joan grew up? I'm imagining when you and Joan grew up you had some interesting conversation with your Mother about books y'all were reading.

Just saw they are planning to make A Gentleman in Moscow into a movie - I have yet to see a book made into a movie that did the book justice plus I have my own imagined idea of what the characters look like and how they act and so I think this may end up being another that I do not choose to watch - I must say though I did enjoy several years ago watching Ponder Heart - I thought Peter MacNicol was a perfect choice for Uncle Daniel however, I never went to see Gone With the Wind in the theaters - I just thought Clark Gable was all wrong - he was too pugilist looking and you would expect him to use the word "damn" rather then being shocked hearing it from a less rough looking man with a strong character 

Golly was it that many years ago that there was all the fuss using the word damn in a movie... society sure has changed during our lifetime...

Shock this time when I lost the internet connection it came back with this post as I left it - wow - I read we were going to have knockouts today - something about the sun or solar something or other... getting off here for the day... 

[bellamarie]

PatH., ah so that's very interesting, your mother being a children's librarian.  How lucky you and Joan were to have your mother who knew all the great children's books and others introducing you at such a young age to the adventures of reading. 

Barb, none of my three adult children are readers either, even though I read to them and always had plenty of books in our home.  Now I can say three out of four of my granddaughters are avid readers and I like to think I had an influence on them as children because I was their primary day care provider, and I ran my day care business as a preschool which meant there was plenty of story times.  I would have them read aloud to the younger children as they were able to read.  I'll never forget my grandson Zak who was diagnosed on the Autism spectrum at the age of three was reading the nursery rhyme books and the No David books by the age of two years old.  At first, I thought it was through memory but then I realized that if he missed a word he would stop go back to the word and say it correctly and continue on.  It could be he never thought to mention his books he reads in school thinking I would not know or be interested, but then he and I are extremely close and when he spends the weekend with us, we talk about everything from religion, history, politics, diseases, and different world cultures etc.  He isn't embarrassed or shy to even talk to us about his views on social issues.  I love our conversations and he knows I will listen with no judgment, but also am firm in my beliefs.  He will be the one I will miss the most when he goes off to college. 

Well, speaking of grandchildren my granddaughter gave me the book The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden the sequel to The Housemaid.  I finished The Perfect Son last night and oh, oh, oh, I never saw the ending coming.  I caught a few nuggets here and there that made me stop and wonder but the author was so good at keeping the reader on the obvious path that I would dismiss the nuggets. The last words of the book were a bombshell leaving me with such an eerie feeling.  Not in any way giving away the ending but I do have to comment on early diagnosis in children for psychological disorders are difficult due the fact the child's brain and reasoning process is not fully developed to determine such disorders.

I heard they were making a TV series of A Gentleman in Moscow a couple of years ago and nothing has developed yet. That is one of my all-time favorite books we read.  Barb, in today's world Gone With the Wind would probably not be a best seller considering what Rhett did to Scarlet, damn would be permitted.

Ciao~ Bellamarie

[Frybabe]

Some time, eons ago, I heard or read that grandchildren are more likely to be more like their grandparents than their parents. Does anyone remember something like that? However, I don't think I was anything like my grandparents. But then, I had no grandfathers in my life and one grandmother was in Wales, the other one, who showed up on occasion and seemed to favor my cousins over us, would show up for a few months and then off she would go again. I did not get along well with her at all.

I have no clue how I got the reading bug, but it was there very early on, recognized, and encouraged. Many of my Birthday and Christmas gifts contained a book or two. Even one or two of my Welsh relatives sent books. Dad had a few books, and we had an encyclopedia set and a set seven volume set called Lands and Peoples that got a lot of attention. I don't remember seeing Dad reading much though. I still have a few of his books. I definitely got the classical music bug from Dad, even though he had only a small collection. Listening to music on the radio and hearing the old radio programs were a big thing with us too. The library was within walking distance (so was the candy store).

Bellamarie, I believe the TV mini-series started in March on Paramount+. Episode 8 will show on May 17.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8230448/

[bellamarie]

Frybabe,  thank you so much for sharing the link, I had no idea A Gentleman in Moscow was a series.  I will for sure binge watch this series. Wow, growing up in walking distance of a library and candy store, now that had to be a child's dream come true. 

Growing up I always had my maternal grandparents in my life and my paternal grandmother.  My paternal grandfather died before I was born.  I've been working with an ancestry researcher who was able to finally find my Italian roots and boy did she ever open a Pandora's box, but the most important thing is she was able to provide me with was my true biological last name.  Always believed it to be Patterfritz and my grandfather's name Joseph.  Well... his birth name actually is Giuseppantonio Pettofrezza. It took a lot of international contacts for this researcher to find his birth record because he migrated to Montreal Canada in 1921, from Larino, Campobasso, Abruzzo/Molise Italy.  So much folklore and misinformation passed down for centuries made this search almost impossible because the name Patterfritz does NOT exist other than someone at some point changed his name after he died in 1933 in our small hometown of Monroe, Michigan.  Still searching on records to find out how it came about.

Did anyone catch the Northern light show last night?  I fell asleep early and woke up to see pictures posted and was so disappointed I missed it.  Here are some pics my family and friends posted on Facebook.





If someone can make these pics smaller feel free to do so.  I have forgotten how to do it.

Off to buy some hanging flower baskets for Mother's Day!

Ciao~  Bellamarie

[Frybabe]

And the playground. Shouldn't forget that. Back in the days when we roamed the width and breadth of town and woods behind without parental supervision. We would walk down to the candy store, picking up any return bottles we found (and there always were some) to pay for the candy. We'd stop in at the little mom and pop grocery, collect our pennies and go down another block to the candy store. Remember when candy was a penny apiece? Then we would stop at the play ground to eat our candy, play on the swings, jungle-gym, and the slides then venture on home. Our parents were none the wiser for how much candy we actually ate. Another era long gone except in my memory.

We've been socked in with clouds and rain, so I didn't get to see last nights light show. Thanks so much for sharing the photos.

[bellamarie]

Frybabe, oh you certainly brought back some memories I had not thought of in a while.  The return of pop bottles at the small Mom & Pop corner store to get the money to buy candy.  My favorite was the Mallo cream cups that came with a card to collect so you could buy another one once you had the right amount worth of cards. 

I stayed up way too late trying to see the Norther lights but no such luck.  So many people did see them Friday night, but no pics were posted for Saturday or Sunday. 

I'm Just beginning The Housemaid's Secret so not much to share at this time.

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day. 

Ciao~ Bellamarie

[Frybabe]

Anyone still wishing to see some spectacular, amateur and otherwise, photos of the aurora from around the world can visit  https://www.spaceweather.com/  If you are interested in asteroids, meteors, etc. check the list at the bottom of the page. I have never seen such a long list as there is now.

 At the moment, I am reading a James Patterson book called Walk in My Combat Boots (pub. 2021). His co-author is Matt Eversmann (First Sargeant US Army, Ret.) along with Chris Mooney. Eversmann was a veteran of the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993 (aKa: The Black Hawk Down incident). Mooney is an author and journalist. Surprisingly, I have never seen the movie made about that battle. The book consists of short retellings of the experiences of veterans from as early as Desert Storm (1991). The one I just finished reading was the experience of a vet who helped organize and participate in rescue/recovery operations during the 9/11 attack in New York.

Patterson and Eversmann have also written a similar book, released in 2023, of the experiences of policemen in the line of duty.

[BarbStAubrey]

I'm thinking seeing the sky light up is a special experience that the impact is just not there in a photo - nice link though, thanks frybabe - for one reason or another everyone in the family missed the show - here it was heavy overcaste - the rains are still with us... However I was shocked to see from photos just how low the rivers are immediately west of Austin and all of I-35 - will take rain and rain and still more rain to get them back to a reasonable level much less full.

Been combing books by three southern women authors looking for a short story I read years ago and cannot remember the name of it or the author but I'm thinking it was probably Carson McCullers although, it could be Flannery O'Connar however, she is not as tongue in cheek in her storytelling as McCullers and the other, Kathrine Porter being older would probably not even think along the lines of the short story my vague memory is trying to chase down - although, she wrote a smarting piece about a young women working a brothel and wanting out and when she attempts to leave the Madam chases her down the street repeatedly hitting her over the head with anything she could lay her hands on -

My memory is trying to nail a short story that was something about a Mother and Son on a Bus and the son giving the uptight Mother, who holds older values about Blacks and where they should sit on a bus and he is out-loud embarrassing her with smarty pants quips about her attitude as he chooses to sit next to a Black person - does the story-line hit a bell with anyone... and do you remember the author?

[bellamarie]

Frybabe, what a perfect book to be reading as we approach Memorial Day.

I have a friend from my small hometown of Monroe, Michigan who fought in combat in the Vietnam war and has written a book called The Ghost Closet Return to Vietnam on the Wings of D.O.V.E.  (An account of One Veteran's Healing) All proceeds from this book went to building a school in Vietnam in conjunction with the D.O.V.E Fund. Tom talks about how Marcy Kaptur the Congresswoman who represents the 9th District of Ohio approached him and a few other veterans asking them to return to Vietnam to help rebuild schools and hospitals.  He shares how it felt to be on a plane with his wife returning years later to Vietnam a place where only sad memories remained after losing fellow soldiers.  Today Tom posted on Facebook how this is the day his longtime boyhood friend Richard was killed in Vietnam and had written him a letter just hours before losing his life on May 14, 1968.  I bought Tom's book when it came out and absolutely love it.  He is a singer, writes editorials for the Monroe Evening Newspaper, and also enjoys playing old time 60'-70's music along with Gospel songs with a band around our hometown.  Due to an illness, he is wheelchair bound but does not allow that to stop him from traveling and livin life to the fullest.

Here is a link to his book:   https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Closet-D-V-Veterans/dp/B0019O34CC/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pl_foot_top?ie=UTF8

Well, I have to go get ready to celebrate with my hubby our 53rd Wedding Anniversary today.  We may go to the casino for a bit and then out to dinner.  It sill amazes me how God set a plan in motion for Joe and me to meet, he at the age of 22 yrs. old driving home from South Dakota after serving four years in the Air Force on the same day I decided to move out of my mother's house into my apartment at the age of 18 yrs. old.  We met at a dance place just days later in Toledo, Ohio and even though I had never been to Toledo before nor had he ever heard of Monroe, Michigan we end up in the same place.  We still laugh at how he trampled my heels walking behind in the dance place and I said to my best friend, "Some clutz is trampling my heels."  She replied, "Turn around and see if he is cute."  I turned around to look at him and he smiled, and I whispered to my friend, "He is cute!"  I went to the bathroom, came out and she and the "clutz" were sitting at our table talking and laughing.  So, you ask how did I end up with him?  Well, she dated him a few times and it wasn't going well, they stopped up to the Jack in the Box where I worked and kept talking to me instead of her.  When he came to pick her up at our apartment, I was reading the newspaper and glanced over it across the room and saw him looking at me.  My other friend and I returned to the dance place, and he was there and asked me out.  I told him that wasn't nice considering he was dating my roommate, he said he told her he didn't want to date her anymore.  I asked her if she would be upset if I dated him and she said, "Go for it, I am writing to a guy in the service, and he will be coming home soon, and I want to see where it goes."  The rest is history... he still jokes with me and says if I had not ignored him trampling on my heels and not been a snob he would never have dated my friend first but he knew it would be a perfect way to still see me. Oh, and he is still trampling on my heels if he walks behind me.  lolol  And... talk about God's plan, my son met his wife years later at the same dance place!!!

Ciao~  Bellamarie

[PatH]

Happy Anniversary, Bellamarie!  By now you've already celebrated.  May there be many more.

And thanks for sharing your story. Yes! Meant to be. 

[BarbStAubrey]

Wow 53 years - goodness that was a match-up made to be... hope your day is wonderful with many more great years ahead.

The sun is out - I was beginning to wonder if it was ever going to be a pretty sunny day again... hope y'all are experiencing a sunny Spring day...

[PatH]

Barb, I'm pretty sure I haven't read that short story, though I think I'd like it.

It doesn't sound like Flannery O'connor--too light hearted.  O'Connor is devastatingly accurate in her descriptions of the inner thoughts of her characters, but she only has one plot, which she does extremely well; a leading up to the moment when there is a chance for the acceptance of Grace by one of the characters.

[BarbStAubrey]

Found it, found it... so excited and it is a Flannery O'Connor ! - Everything That Rises Must Converge

Also found this short description - "The story describes the events surrounding a fateful bus trip that an arrogant young man takes with his bigoted mother. The mother insists on her son's company because she doesn't like to ride the bus alone, especially since the bus system was recently integrated. The tensions in their relationship come to a head when a black mother and son board the same bus. O'Connor utilizes biting irony to expose the blindness and ignorance of her characters. The story's title refers to an underlying religious message that is central to her work: she aims to expose the sinful nature of humanity that often goes unrecognized in the modern, secular(earthly) world."

So much of the story rings true of how it was... sentences as if lifted from everyday exchanges back in the day - All this about a hat and spending money on herself that could be used for other things... living in very reduced circumstances compared to past generations - the role of a women at the time - all taken for granted in the story and not a feature - In the Book I found a wonderful introduction written by Robert Giroux about Flannery O'Connor and her mutually admiring counterpart, at the time writing from the Trappist Monastery in Kentucky Thomas Merton, author of Seven Story Mountain

The book is The Complete Stories of Flannery O'Connor. which starts with her very first published story The Geranium. There are thirty-one stories in the volume. Nineteen are taken from Flannery’s two collections and twelve appear for the first time in book form.

O'Connor, Flannery. The Complete Stories (FSG Classics) . Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Kindle Edition.

[PatH]

So much for my analysis.  That book sounds like a great find.  Isn't she great at making things ring true?

[bellamarie]

Thank you PatH. and Barb for the anniversary wishes.

Barb its interesting reading your post on the book Everything That Rises Must Converge. This small synopsis I found online: 

The short story that lends its name to the 1965 short story collection was first published in the 1961 issue of New World Writing. The story won O'Connor her second O. Henry Award in 1963. The story's protagonist is a recent college graduate and aspiring writer named Julian who lives with his mother in an unnamed Southern city. Julian's mother attends a weekly exercise session at the local YMCA but is wary of riding the bus by herself after the recent racial integration of the city's transportation system. Though he despises his mother's racism, snobbery and anti-intellectualism, Julian reluctantly escorts her on the bus out of a sense of filial duty. One night, after his mother loudly complains to the other white passengers about the state of affairs under integration, Julian makes a point of sitting next to a black man on the bus, who ignores him in spite of Julian's attempt to be friendly. Soon a black woman and her young son named Carver board as well. Julian's mother shows an affection for Carver in spite of Carver’s mother's disapproval and gives him a penny when they all disembark at the same station, causing Carver's mother to assault her on the sidewalk. Julian is unsympathetic at first and tells his mother that she has received what she deserved, but he soon realizes the extent to which his mother has been affected by the incident, and desperately runs to get help.

Ironically, at our sip n chat with Fr, Mormon this morning we got on the subject of prejudice within religions.  The parish members were talking about their childhood being Catholic in the area, which I myself did not grow up in. They spoke of how non-Catholic families treated them as if they were satanic.  Strangely I had never experienced religious prejudice growing up in my small town.  I told Fr. Mormon the first time I did experience prejudice against a religion was when I married, had kids and moved into the Regina Coeli area and a pee wee baseball coach had said the Catholic kids were not allowed to talk or play with him and his non-Catholic friends.  We discussed how even the nuns at my husband's grade school told them they were not allowed to talk or play with non-Catholics.  Gosh, it seems so sad this learned behavior begins with parent's, church leaders and teachers.  I think of the anti-Jewish protests happening now at the colleges and how this is centuries of hatred taught.  I know even back in the Old Testament you had this same behavior taught and still here we are today, same as then and I see no change in sight. 

Ciao~  Bellamarie 

[BarbStAubrey]

Well it has been years since I pulled an all nighter - not sure how I will get through this day - probably a long nap but I was organized books on my kindle and came across a book I ordered several years ago and never read - started it and could not stop - A Life Worth Living by Louise Guy - twin look alike sisters whose personalities were poles opposite but so identical and still cared about each other - on their way to a costume party dressed identical in a terrible car accident - the one sister who has two children asks that her sister take care of her children in such a way that is sounded like she wanted her sister to replace her - she is very injured and when the medics arrive they mix them up -

She assumes her family will sort it out and they don't and the sister died before the medics could get her into the ambulance - the ruse continues for a couple of months - She is the kind sister who is trying to protect the girls and the family - it all comes crashing down and finally spills to her best friend when she mistakenly calls her by the name only they shared -

In the meantime she is pregnant and tells the husband, who was not sleeping with her or the sister who died assuming she was having an affair and now that she tells him she is pregnant that convinces him what he suspected was true - All in all with lawyers helping out it ends with a second funeral for the real dead sister and since back when they were young they Aunt and he were dating before the dead sister moved in and took over it looks like they will most likely remain the family created after the accident and the kids are able to see their favorite Aunt as their new Mom -

It was done so well I was hardly aware how I was drawn in and had to keep reading - Started reading just before I was going to bed around 11: and finished the book just before 8: in the morning... Not sure if I am tired or not...

Bellamarie saw your post last evening and was mulling on; how this is centuries of hatred taught.  I know even back in the Old Testament you had this same behavior taught and still here we are today, same as then and I see no change in sight. Not consciously thinking but something popped this morning when I read it again. Still mulling however, I'm thinking more than likely it started when for the protection of a community, strangers, especially those with other ideas were not allowed in.

I'm remembering as a kid - kids from other areas if they came to our street were yelled at and the boys would throw rocks at them - it was protecting your own turf - there was no police protection much less was police protection conceived of as possible - I'm thinking we were probably at the tail end of areas protecting their own but I could imagine that if your culture, religion and traditions was the glue that held a community together you were tight... Like Native American tribes before the Government with various means broke the back of the tribes protecting themselves - Also, I'm remembering this spring when I was watching documentaries about the Gospels and the Acts and how the disciples were not welcomed in some cities with their new ideas -

And so I'm mulling on 'today' - and yes, some have no clue or knowledge of history and seem to react just to stir up trouble however, we created and use the word prejudice which has a bad meaning and when I stop and think of it, if a group came along today and said our religion is wrong and to be acceptable you must discard it and join the way the larger group thinks we would have a problem with that but, that is what we are saying to those who hold beliefs that are difficult for us to accept - It is not just a few saying your thinking is wrong but a larger group and so I'm thinking that yes, it is like when we were kids or, the disciples were not accepted in certain towns and areas - everyone protects their 'group think' and what they believe, which often includes not really listening to each other and assuming what the others think stems from as we understand it and therefore they are wrong.

I guess I'm thinking from the Flannery O'Connor story how the young man thought being nice and what he thought was accepting of those that had typically been ruled as different was the virtuous thing to do and yet, those he thought he and even his mother were supporting were outraged and turned on him and his mother.

I don't know the answer but I'm thinking we shake our heads and use the word prejudice however, I'm not sure that fits - I think we are still missing something because we often see trying to change and be accepting does not work either... I also think trying to sort out happenings in the past we are only getting one side of the story and trying to understand the other side we only get it from the victors viewpoint. As they say it is the winners who write history... Just mulling over the loose ends - Trying to give some rational for past leaders and differences among nations - but then there has always been wars and wars come from these very differences - instead of kids throwing rocks we have young adults dropping bullets and bombs.

[bellamarie]

Barb, wow an all nighter!!!  Now I have to admit I did that recently and crawled into bed around 6:00 a.m. just before my hubby woke up at 7:00.  Oh, how I regretted that because I had to get up and go day care our lil great grandson Haze that day.  Don't ask me how I managed it.  Sometimes you just lose track of time when you are into a good book, and that one sounds like it was a good story to stay up for.

I absolutely love your thoughts on the issues of prejudices.  I can see from your post that you and I had a similar view even though just maybe I didn't express it as well as I think you did.  When I clicked to post it there was this nagging feeling inside me and it left me thinking the rest of the day about it and wondered what it was that I was having a problem with.  The definition of "prejudice" is:

prejudice /prĕj′ə-dĭs/
noun
1. The act or state of holding unreasonable preconceived judgments or convictions.
2. An adverse judgment or opinion formed unfairly or without knowledge of the facts.
"a boy with a prejudice against unfamiliar foods."
3. Irrational suspicion or hatred of a particular social group, such as a race or the adherents of a religion.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition • More at Wordnik

Today I feel the word is used way too often and has become the answer to every issue where there is unrest be in with religion, race, gender, etc. so maybe that is what bothered me.  And yes, the disciples and Jesus were not welcome by others in certain areas who felt they were threatening their tribal ways of life and beliefs, but I for some reason didn't see it as prejudice back then.  So, has our culture today decided to use this word along with the "ism" words for the convenience of not having to reasonably have conversations with those who see, think, feel, believe and act differently?  I think of how I learned how my Italian ancestors were treated from the movie Cabrini back in the early 1900's when they came to America, and instead of creating violence for the outrage of their being treated as subhumans, they gathered and lived in small communities with other Italians and built their lives for their next generations.  I don't have all the answers for sure and I know no one else does either, but I think we do have to respect the differences and allow people of all races, color and creed to live their lives in a diverse world. I mean look at how the reaction of how the son was treated by the people who he was trying to interact with.  As you point out:

I guess I'm thinking from the Flannery O'Connor story how the young man thought being nice and what he thought was accepting of those that had typically been ruled as different was the virtuous thing to do and yet, those he thought he and even his mother were supporting were outraged and turned on him and his mother.

But was this son Julian sincere, and were his motives pure?  It says he did it because of his mother's actions.  Did they sense the son was doing it because of his mother and feel it was insincere?  Kind of like "you are who you are associate with" thought process.  It's truly a thought-provoking story for sure.

I'm certain this is going to stick with me for the rest of today, trying to sort through more of my own personal thoughts and feelings. 

Gotta go bring some flowers to the elderly (ha ha why do I say elderly in the sense as if I am not) for Fr. Mormon who visits them and wanted some of us to take them flowers and chat with them a bit.  I never imagined I could get so much joy out of one simple act of kindness until I visited an elderly Italian lady yesterday to bring her the flower and she and I shared some of our Italian roots with each other, her with her broken English and me with so little knowledge of Italy yet since I recently have researched my ancestry, I was able to share it with her.  The joy on her face was priceless!  We prayed the Hail Mary prayer and as I was leaving, she thanked me and said come back anytime.  What a gift she gave to me.  I mentioned her to my hubby, and he knew who she was and her address since he was her mailman for years before he retired. 

Ciao~ Bellamarie   

 

[Tomereader1]

Bellamarie, you've probably already seen the promos, but there will be an interview with Pope Francis, I think it is on one of the Sunday news shows.  (Forgive my forgetfullness...I just saw the Promo about 7 or 8 PM Thursday).

[bellamarie]

Thank you Tomereader, for the info on the Pope Francis interview. 
I have not cared much for Francis as the Papal leader for some reason. He seems to be a bit too politically outspoken, but then the Jesuits are known for that. I loved Pope John Paul II who was more closely aligned with the Vatican and the people. His motto was: Totus Tuus ("Totally yours")

This is an interesting article giving some insight to Pope Francis, https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/understand-pope-francis-look-jesuits

I have one of Pope John Paul II's books, but I'll be darned if I can find it.  I sure hope it did not get put in the Goodwill books give away pile back when I had that flood last year. 

Barb, I have to tell you I think you are correct about my grandson Zak a sophomore at St. Francis De Sales high school and his not sharing what books they have read due to thinking I would not be interested.  He called and asked if he could spend the weekend with us since his younger sister has travel basketball games Saturday and Sunday and he did not want to go.  Of course I said yes and so we let him pick the restaurant for dinner and while eating he mentioned for the final exam coming up this week, they have to write a paper on the pros and cons of the book To Kill a Mockingbird.  I almost choked on my food, so I asked him if they have assigned reading over the summer for the upcoming school year and he said yes.  We got into a great discussion on the book To Kill a Mockingbird, and I told him the back story of Harper Lee's personality, how she did not expect to be that famous from her book, and how she became a recluse afterwards.  He was shocked I knew so much about the author.  I just love our discussions we have!  And forgive this doting grandmother for sharing he told me if he failed every exam, he would still hold his 4.3 gpa with all As on his report card for the entire year.  He was inducted into the National Honor's Society and won the Presidential Academic Award... I don't think he'll fail one exam.  lol

Speaking of Zak, he just returned from golfing with Papa, so I have to run so we can continue our championship games of Monopoly.  We have decided we will keep track of the winners all summer and give a reward at the end.  1st place will get 3 points, 2nd -2 pts., and 3rd-1 pt.  Zak won last night's game and I came in 2nd, hubby came in 3rd.  lol

Ciao~ Bellamarie

[Frybabe]

Has anyone read Thornton Wilder's, The Ides of March, or Heaven's My Destination? The only book of his I ever read (as far as I can remember) is The Bridge of San Luis Rey, and I don't remember anything about it. I've put it, and Theophilus North on my online library to read list which appears to be growing again.

I have happily begun reading more again. My most current start is The Valley of Silent Men: A Story of the Three Rivers Country by James Oliver Curwood.  I plan on reading, or listening to more. Curwood was an early conservationist and adventure writer (1878-1927). His writing spanned 1909 to 1927. Several of his books were apparently published after his death. The extensive list of movies adapted from his works spanned from 1913 to 1995. I do not remember seeing any of them.

[bellamarie]

Frybabe, I am so happy to see you are back to finding time to read more. I have not read any of Wilder's books but have heard of The Ides of March.  Heaven's My Destination sounds interesting.

My pool is finally open, and the temps are in the mid 80's here in Toledo, Ohio so I am about to take my book out and relax on my floating chair.  Oh, how nice it is to have warm temps again.

Ciao~  Bellamarie

[BarbStAubrey]

Finally electricity last night - slept at home where as on Sunday it was in the 90s and the house was too hot so I slept at Paul's - He still does not have electricity and he lives just 5 streets away but he has a power line down in his backyard - however, he has a generator

I've already emptied the frig and the freezer of most of the food - kept potatoes, apples, pickles, a couple of packages of cheese that were never opened - Did think in time so that when the storm came through on Thursday Paul and Sally came over on Friday and thy took my frozen chicken that I was surprised was still hard and my bread to their freezer and frig - should have given her more to put in her freezer but you just do not think.

Storm washed so much soil out of my backyard and knocked the brick edging cattywampus all over the side of the house and in the back but, with all that it can't compare to the the damage in Houston where the straight line winds smashed in windows in the tall buildings and of course all street lights were gone and than the mailman just stopped by and at times he delivers in Tomball and Waller when those mailmen are on vacation and the one lady he knew - had 4 young children only age 31 and a tree fell on top of her killing her - 4 dead and those housed close to the bayous have flooded - electric companies from as far away as California are still here helping - 900,000 just in Houston and over 400,000 here in Montgomery County. 

Well with my new booklight I was just fine reading each night except Sunday when I was at Paul and Sally's and did get to see Sunday night PBS.

Frybabe never did read Ides of March or Heaven's My Destination - Remember seeing on TV Our Town and if I remember I'm almost sure that The Skin of Our Teeth was considered too risque back when the Catholic Church was still a big deal guiding the morals of what movies, theater and books were on the black list. Like you I read The Bridge of San Luis Rey but do not remember what it was about - something taking place in California and back even after the war California was not a big deal - the state was not known as I recall for the size of its population or its economics - my memory is it being where those fighting in the Pacific were stationed and shipped out from - agriculture was it's big draw and if I remember it was cheap land and mild weather as the rational for the movie industry to locate in Hollywood.

Yes Tomereader, saw the interview with Pope Francis that came on Sunday evening - finally saw how sentences can be construed by a leader speaking so that whole truckloads of information slides through and when the actions associated come to bare folks are surprised since the real intent included in a speech or interview went right over their head. During the last few days using my new reading light read The Synodal Process Is a Pandora's Box: 100 Questions & Answers

Bellamarie having your history with the Church The Synoldal... is a good one to read however I see it as only half the issue - my thinking is Pope Frances instead of doing what is necessary to not just punish but to own the sexual abuse which he is NOT going to fix by allowing priests to marry as if the abuse is all about Sex - if marriage were the penacea why are 2 out of every 10 girls sexually abused by their father or step father - and the same with his concept that allowing marriage among homosexuals - that is old old saw that homosexuals are the perpetrators of children being sexually abused. If you study as I had for years and still read the newest and latest - sexual abuse is about power - having power over - I won't go into it here but imagine as a kid not having control over your body and then learning as you learn not to cross the street without looking that in order to be loved by a parent you are told and shown you are loved by this perversion.

Some how I think the message that it is about power got through but not made public and is why he is attempting to no longer have the clergy as a tiered system of governing. I'm thinking a couple of things underlines what this Pope is dong - Crass bit true with so many rocked on their heels and no longer attending church, not only are churches closing down left and right but of course collections have plummeted including, the monthly Peter's Pence which was 20% of the collection for that Sunday forwarded to Rome from every church - I think the Pope wants to fix the sexual abuse without a heads on acknowledgement of the cause. Crass enough, he sees the abuse not only as an abomination but again, the loss of revenue - As I read and listen to him over the past few years he is still caught, with all his talk of creating a sort of Democracy, as an autocratic leader with his concept that the Holy Spirit only enters the clergy - Reminds me of reading Thomas Merton who said, the church lost its way in the 4th century when it attached itself to  Empire and continued Empire building - Merton's solution was to turn back to the Celtic Catholic Tradition -

As to his talk of 'conservatism' and 'acceptance of change' is the key words to justify removing anything that is a reminder of the past so this new Synodal Way is embraced - ergo the Traditional Latin mass must go - that is the adoration and awe for the death and resurrection of Jesus - not a supper celebrated by those in attendance.

According to The Synodal... the German's have taken the idea and ran with it - the Pope seems to have embraced their Synodaler Weg which the authors fear is the future that so changes the church it is as if the Roman Catholic Church disappears.

If you read Confronting Power And Sex In The Catholic Church in addition Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within by Taylor Marshall and most important Marie Carré’s AA-1025: The Memoirs of a Communist's infiltration in to the Church we learn much of this taking down of not only Church Traditions but many of the defining aspects of the church started in the early part of the 20th century and the march was to fill monasteries with Homosexual priests, who then vote to approve for acceptance those who sought admission therefore, securing a majority like minded (or like sexual orientation) who have raised in the ranks so to speak to become Bishops and a few Cardinals. Pope Francis grew up and was in the church preaching as all in Latin America did Liberation Theology which he brings with him to the Vatican - Many have suggested Liberation Theology is simply an more acceptable way of saying Marxism.

This is when I miss my good Friend Charlotte - she passed 8 years ago now - every Wednesday night we had supper together followed by reading from something that either gave us a deeper understanding of our faith or we were learning more about the governing of the church and the history associated - we would be satisfied with some of what we learned and other times we disagreed till the next book straightened us out - she converted from a Gospel church - not Baptist - forgot what and I was baptized as an infant attending both Catholic grade school and High School. Her oldest daughter was a Sister of Charity and my sister was a Dominican - and our two youngest were sons actually born days apart, both in the same Boy Scout troop - we shared and learned and grew together for 20 years - sure miss our talks...

Need to tuck in here that I also read Clear by Carys Davies - half way in I was sure I read this story years ago, back when Magazines like The Ladies Home Journal or Home Companion or maybe it was Good Housekeeping and a few others, they all had full length novels and a few other short stories each month- a long novel was done a few chapters printed out each month - there was something so familiar although reading the story I did not consciously know what was next.

Essentially a story taking place in Scotland when they cleared the land of peasants and their hovels to be replaced with sheep that required hardly any man power, and paid enough to carry the costs of ownership where as, the peasants were no longer farming well enough for the landlord to break even much less make a profit - this minister just starting his church and in need of money agrees to clear an island of one lone inhabitant only to have an accident falling off a cliff - he is found and nursed back to health with neither he or the surviving 'farmer' speaking a form of the Scottish language that the other understood. The last survivor really cares for his getting back on his feet and keeping him fed and warm - he cards wool, spins it and knits hats and socks to help keep him warm - all an all the question is can he throw this lone survivor off the Island after all he has done to bring him back to health. Only months and the boat will be back to pick up him and the survivor who is even to leave behind his favorite but very old horse, dog and pig without being compensated.
 

[bellamarie]

Barb, I am so sorry to hear of all the destruction by the storms and you having to go to Paul and Sally's but thank God you are now living close enough to them to do so.  We used to own a large chest freezer years ago and I filled it with meats, vegetables fruits etc.  We got hit by a huge storm that took our power out for days and I lost everything.  I sold the freezer and decided not to bother with stocking up like that again.  It's great your son has a generator.  It sure does seem as if these storms are coming out of nowhere and are much stronger.  I was sitting out on my patio a few days ago reading and saw some black clouds in the west, I checked my weather app on my phone, and it didn't show any rain or storms nearby.  My common sense told me to put all the cushions away and head inside.  I no sooner got everything put away and came in and a huge storm came over our area much like the tornado that hit unexpectedly last year.  It took down an electric pole nearby but thankfully our subdivision was not affected. 

Your friend Charlotte sounds like a gem and I'm sorry you no longer have her to enjoy your talks with her.  My weekly one-hour sip n chat group with Fr. Mormon discussing the book Beautiful Eucharist these past 5 weeks has led us into some very interesting discussions, and nothing has been skirted or off limits. There is much work to be done where the priests who preyed upon the innocent children must be dealt with, I feel they should go through a trial and if found guilty imprisoned.  It is indeed about control and nothing to do with sex. The books you mentioned sound interesting I will check them out.
Interesting how you point out:

Barb-

As to his talk of 'conservatism' and 'acceptance of change' is the key words to justify removing anything that is a reminder of the past so this new Synodal Way is embraced - ergo the Traditional Latin mass must go - that is the adoration and awe for the death and resurrection of Jesus - not a supper celebrated by those in attendance.

This book shows how receiving Jesus through the Eucharist is the most important part of the mass. 

I've been doing much research on Pope Francis and I did get a chance to watch his interview and read the entire transcript.
I do agree with this:

Barb-

Pope Francis grew up and was in the church preaching as all in Latin America did Liberation Theology which he brings with him to the Vatican - Many have suggested Liberation Theology is simply a more acceptable way of saying Marxism.

I have read The Synodal Way and in allowing Germany to modernize the Catholic Church in Germany with all the changes that go against the Catholic doctrine and scripture would indeed do much harm to the worldwide Catholic faith. I personally don't see him remaining the Pope for much longer and it will not surprise me if the next one elected will be from Italy and from the Franciscan order.  As you mention funds are down which you are correct, let me just say if the Synodal Way were to be allowed to be implemented in Germany...you aint seen nothin yet!

Link to the transcript of Pope Francise interview.   https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pope-francis-interview-60-minutes-transcript/

Ciao~  Bellamarie

[Frybabe]

Well, Pat, I don't know what to make of the newest Laiden Universe book coming out on June 4. On the one hand it sounds kind of interesting, on the other it is another youngster (this time it is Padi) learning her job and powers in the midst of dangerous sounding territory not, as far as I can remember, mentioned in previous books. They've been passing the baton to the younger set and mostly neglecting the remainder of the older set of characters. Well, as long as the series has run, I should expect that. This new book, Ribbon Dance, is number 29.

The title reminds me of Lois McMaster Bujold. I should go see what she has been writing lately.

At any rate, I have not read much SciFi lately. I am trying to catch up on a bunch of accumulated other genre books and looking back to see about reading some I missed over the years.   

[PatH]

Thanks for the reminder, Frybabe.  I'm a book behind you in the Liaden Universe, and though I don't care much for where they're going, I did mean to stick with the story.  Guess I'd better catch up.

I've lost track of Bujold even more.  The last story I read was fantasy, world strongly resembling Renaissance Italy with magic, with the main incident being a sort of retelling of the real life (if you believe Cellini's autobiography is real) incident of Cellini's casting of the bronze statue of Perseus holding the head of Medusa.  As Cellini tells it, it is both dramatic and funny, and it was kind of fun seeing the parallels, and watching fr the next bit.

[BarbStAubrey]

Couldn't leave it alone - had to find my copy of The Bridge of San Luis Rey - It is fabulous - in Peru not California - now I remember my thinking at the time we had a mission, I think one of the first missions in California by that name...

Well this is a wonderful story where an onlooker, a Brother on his journey throughout Peru preaching to the natives thought he would answer the question if our lives are by design or happen chance by interviewing and learning about those 5 he observed tumbling into the gorge when the bridge broke. I'm only reading about his first victim and there are many bits of wisdom injected by the deceased -

Example: "She saw that the people of this world moved about in an armor of egotism, drunk with self-gazing, athirst for compliments, hearing little of what was said to them, unmoved by the accidents that befell their closest friends, in dread of all appeals that might interrupt their long communion with their own desires."

I still do not remember the story of each of the five or his conclusion but gradually things are coming back - I must have been young reading this because a lot went over my head or I had not lived enough to relate - Its a short book with less than 200 pages and so I will read it along with others I am also reading - I enjoy switching from one story line to another and so glad I found my book - after this move none of the books are yet in places where I can easily lay my hands on a copy but found this among the US authors.

[Frybabe]

I have to agree, Barb, about the story. And yes, I thought it was set in California. We read it for a class assignment, and I don't remember a thing about it except that the bridge fell with people on it.

Pat, I haven't read any of Bujold's fantasies, but that bit about Cellini sounds most interesting. I know so very little about him including that he did the Perseus/Medusa statue.

[PatH]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perseus_with_the_Head_of_Medusa#/media/File:Firenze.Loggia.Perseus01.JPG

[bellamarie]

Does anyone watch Jeopardy on tv?  I have been watching the Masters Championship matches and was sad to see James the person I like a lot lose, but the winner was a woman who said she was always the nerd in school and a couple of her teachers took her under their wing and gave her confidence to delve into her studies. Anyway, my 16 yr. old grandson Zak was spending the weekend with us, and we watched a match on Friday last week.  He decided he would make up a Jeopardy question sheet for me and Papa to see who would win.  I laughed so much and must share his questions with all of you.  It will be interesting to see how any of you do if you take a chance at them.

English: He wrote the Alchemist
             A long speech made by one performer or by one person in a group?
             Greek word to describe a persuasive speech as an appeal to emotions?
             This author wrote a famously known book with the protagonist being Holden Caulfield?
             This character is the sheriff of his town and defended Jem after his claimed he killed Bob Ewell?

Chemistry: All elements will try to become stable by achieving a stable octet or a __?
                 An attraction formed by sharing electrons?
                 The number for the root tetra?
                 The mass of a particles in grams?
                 What is Avogadro's number?

U.S. History:  During the Depression, homeless people made communities of shacks called?
                     The National Socialist German Worker's Party?
                     A jellied gasoline designed to burn forests and destroy enemy installations?
                     The tactic of damaging reputations with vague unfounded charges?
                     He was a symbol of the black power movement sweeping the nation in the early 1960s?
PatH., I'm betting on you to take on the Chemistry.

Enjoy!!!  I'll check back later to provide the answers and amounts he placed with each question.
Ciao~ Bellamarie
                 

[PatH]

It's been many decades since I read Cellini's autobiography, but the story is memorable.

The Autobiography itself is full of complicated Renaissance court politics, with Cellini playing a star part, getting commissions for his work because people are so overwhelmed by the quality of his work they can't resist him, etc--one long brag feast.

The art of bronze-casting was still being developed, especially how to keep air bubbles out of the finished work.  Cellini was sure he could cast this complicated shape, and set to work in spite of everyone's skepticism..  When the day came for the casting, he was sick with a fever, and somewhat delirious.  He went ahead, screaming at his servants to do things right as they made mistakes.  They can't get the fire hot enough with the wood they have.  He throws in his wooden chairs. The texture of the melted metal looks wrong to him.  He throws in more different ingredients, finally making it right by adding his silverware.  Finally they do the pouring, and fuss with it , only making  one small bubble, and we get a great masterpiece of art.

[BarbStAubrey]

Paulo Coelho --- soliloquy --- Pathos --- J. D. Salinger --- Heck Tate

However, 0 on chemistry - have no clue what any of it means...   :'(

Shanty --- Nazi Party or Die NSDAP ---Napalm --- McCarthyism --- shoot could be Malcolm X, who promoted Islam and was assassinated or Stokely Carmichael who was a Black Panther however he was actually the one who coined Black Power - Not Martin Luther King who was the leader of a civil rights version of Black Power where as, the other two were more aggressive and not from the South. 

If my memory is serving me it seems to me before his assassination Malcolm X visited Africa and that experience mellowed him and Stokely Carmichael  put the Black Panthers on the map so to speak but he did not start the group - something Steale - I'm remembering John Edger Hoover in a turmoil because they had a free breakfast program for kids in Chicago - all in all I have no idea what historians today are saying about Black Power since that was not the word used in the 60s to define a movement. In the south the Civil Right's movement was used - I thought it was also used in the north but maybe not...

[BarbStAubrey]

Pat is sounds like your are reading Cellini's biography - are you reading the Everyman's version or another translation?

[PatH]

Barb, I'm not reading it now, I read it many years ago, but I reread it, which helped it stick   It was probably a Penguin Books translation.
The casting story was also in my grade school Art History class, and I've run across retellings of it several times.

[PatH]

We were actually online simultaneously.  HI!

[BarbStAubrey]

aww left before your message was uploaded - too bad it would have been fun having a real time chat... going back a few posts I get it now - the Cellini - thought you were currently reading the bio and now I see...

I'm shocked as kindle book after kindle book being made available this year are priced even above what we only recently were paying for a hardback - and now recent hardbacks are nearly all in the $20s with even some kindle versions in the $20s - I don't think it costs that much more to have someone uploading a book for a kindle that is now also available to read on people's phone devices - but even the cost of uploading for phone use cannot be such a high expense to justify these kind of Kindle prices. I know inflation but uploading is not dependent on transportation charges - hardbacks I sorta get with the price of gas etc it takes to ship books.

Since the older kindle books up to a publication date of 2021 seem to easily upload on my computer and I'm still running word 7/8 they are priced within reason - as low as .99 on up to a good percent priced 7.99 to 9.99 - a few, very few are higher priced volumes and many in 2021 are available on all devices - but these current prices??!!?? can't help think priced way over cost assuring Amazon a hefty profit. I wonder if they will be dropping the prices as these books are no longer 'hot' - we shall see... 

[Frybabe]

Somewhere along the line I thought  had passed away several years ago. Hence, I haven't checked in to any new books he has written. Oops!

I just discovered that Guy de la Bédoyère has a web presence going back 15 years. https://www.youtube.com/@ClassCiv/videos Had I known this was his website, I would have paid more attention simply because I have read his book, The Praetorian, will eventually read two others of interest to me, and have seen him when he was on BBC's Time Team for several years.  The webcast I just watched is titled Archaeological Publishing - the unpalatable truth. It caught my eye because it was about publishing and books. The comments he had about how many/most archeological printed books end up more or less in the dumpster unsold. And bringing us up-to-date with tech, he related an incident that happened to a colleague whose digitally published work disappeared entirely. He also gives an all too common account of how museums acquire things and then put them into storage never to see the light of day again, and worse, misplaced, mislabeled, etc.  He had a carving which he kept rather than pass it on to the museum, and it was lucky he declined selling it to them. They managed to lose all the related bits they had gathered. Interesting narrative if you can keep up with him. He talks fast.

Oh, almost forgot. One of the things I like doing when watching someone who is sitting in front is a bookshelf is to see what books the shelves hold if the titles are readable. I spotted at least two shelves filled with things Egyptian, a Latin dictionary, a book about Alexander the Great, a well used copy of The Oxford Dictionary of the Classical World, and No Moon Tonight which I think is the one about the British Bomber Command in WWII.

[BarbStAubrey]

what a wonderful website - from digs to history to even plays and TV - it goes on and on...


Frybabe just saw this and thought of you - Today and for how many more days I don't know but it is only priced at 3.99

The Golden Atlas: The Greatest Explorations, Quests and Discoveries on Maps Kindle Edition
by Edward Brooke-Hitching

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0797FL1R7?orim_id=9781471166839&tag=ebbnlebbgoaaaaa24q1-20&sid=86278168d4ecbf7e2cc9222683822be5&src=ebb-nl&cohort=EBBGOAAAAA24Q1&pid=65ba0dad071e925f6e0c7cfd&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=EBB%2005-26-24%20Morning%20Blast&utm_term=EBB_List_Daily%20Morning%20Blast

[bellamarie]

Barb, very well done!  You got 4 out of 5 on the English category: Monologue was the correct answer for... A long speech made by one performer or by one person in a group.  You got 4 out of 5 on the History:  Hoovervilles is the correct answer for... During the Depression, homeless people made communities for shacks called.  McCarthyism was indeed correct.  I don't blame you for not attempting chemistry. 

I just finished the second book of the three-book series of The House Maids by Freida McFadden.  The third one is due to be released in June.  I am really beginning to love psychological thrillers.  This second one I felt was not as intense as the first, but very good with an ending similar to the first book which leaves you going Hmmmm... 

Tomorrow is our last sip n chat with Fr. Mormon finishing up the book Beautiful Eucharist. Seems all my tv shows are wrapping up as well, so I am searching for something to binge watch.  Have any of you heard of the series Bridgerton? I'm thinking it is on Netflix.  Seems it's all a buzz much like people loved Downton Abbey.  I was so disappointed when they decided to end Downton Abbey, I loved the characters in that show.  Although once they killed off Matthew it seemed to have lost its sparkle.

I see we have a new section on gardening.  I absolutely love how my backyard is finally all perennials and are blooming one group after another as I planted it to happen.  It's such a rewarding past time.  I will have to check out the new section.

Ciao~ Bellamarie