Happy Birthday, PFCMom!

Today is my 64th birthday.

December birthdays are not fun, especially if they fall after Christmas. Who's in the mood for another party? I think I've had three birthday parties in my whole life. Once as a child, another was a surprise party given by my older sister when I turned 17, and one given by friends when I turned 48 or 49, I can't remember which. I've tried celebrating in April which is a wonderful month with no other family celebrations, but that didn't work out either.

Noble (our daughter) and I are going shopping and out to eat. TopDad is in Iowa working on our house there. He goes whenever he has time off work. It's really cold today, high is forecast to be 26, but not as cold as yesterday (9) or tomorrow (13). So on this balmy day, we're venturing out.

I wish you all a Happy New Year!

Keep the Magic Going Forward

 

Now that Christmas Day has come and gone, let's keep the magic going. Not the visible trapping of the holiday, rather the interior magic of thoughtfulness and kindness, love and forgiveness. Following Jesus should be a daily habit throughout the year. 

November was busier

With increasing strength I was able to do much more in November so I didn't read as much. (Darn!)

1. Neva's Story by Austin McConnell - The author found an unfinished manuscript among his grandmother's effects and set about fleshing out and finishing the story. A valiant effort by a loving grandson, it was a sweet coming of age story. (Book was a gift from my own son.)

2. The Party Crasher by Sophie Kinsella - The latest rom-com from Sophie. She is such a fun writer. This one is a bit too complicated for a one line synopsis, suffice it to say I thoroughly enjoyed the twists.

3. Charity Detox by Robert D. Lupton - the sequel, or follow-up to Toxic Charity that I read in September. Both are so interesting and informative. They have changed how I feel about giving. I'm much more careful now. Highly recommend them both.

3. The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella - An old friend; about a high powered lawyer who seemingly makes a mistake and flees in disgrace to the countryside where she unwittingly becomes a domestic worker. Funny! And witty and delightful.

4. goodbye, things (sic) by Fumio Sasaki - Account of a young Japanese man's transformation to a minimalist. Interesting perspective, though I don't think it aged well (written in 2015) as some of the things he said made me wonder how he was doing through the pandemic lockdowns. A few good points that made me ponder my own situation. 

5. The Story of Silent Night by Paul Gallico - Charming story of the writer and the composer of the most famous Christmas Carol and the circumstances that led to their collaboration.

6. Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella - Can you tell who I was in the mood for? Sophie is one of my favorite writers. She is just so witty and inventive. This one is about a women who decides to marry an old flame while rebounding from a misunderstanding about getting engaged to her current boyfriend. Her sister is the editor of a travel magazine who pulls in favors from airport and hotel staff to prevent the couple from consummating their marriage. It is laugh out loud funny! (I'm not describing it well at all.)

That's it. Just six books finished, although I have several more that are in progress.

Thanksgiving

 We had a quiet Thanksgiving with just three of our children, and one girlfriend here for dinner. I put the hot foods on the side board, and the cold foods on the table.

All of it was delicious and there was PLENTY! I'm still cooking for an army on Thanksgiving and am not sure how to cut down. Maybe next year there will be more of us, as our oldest son has moved his family to a city just two hours from us.

On Saturday Noble, Mr. Movie and I went on a hike at a nearby state park. The day was warmish (43 degrees) and mostly sunny. It felt so good to get outside and stretch my legs and get some fresh air into my lungs. 

PfcMom

Oopsie! The footbridge was out of commission--another was just up the trail a bit.

Ice on the Des Moines river

More Des Moines river

The woods

The prairie

The hike was a good measurement of how far I've recovered from "the plague". I got up the hills by taking short breathers and I felt strong! The whole weekend was good. I'm grateful the weather was so nice.

What I Read in October

October was a month of rest and recuperation for me. I spent three days in the hospital at the end of September with "the plague" (covid) and was so fatigued afterward that all I could do was rest. 

I read a lot!

1. The Runaway Princess by Hester Browne - I love Hester's books because they are clean, charming and witty. This one is about a gardener who meets a minor Prince, without knowing who he is, and the process of becoming a princess, while deciding what is most important to her. 

2. Mercies & Miracles by Sharon Downing Jarvis - Second book in the Fairhaven ward (church congregation) series with the bishop as the main character.

3. Through Cloud & Sunshine by Sharon Downing Jarvis - Third book in the Fairhaven series.

4. A Thorny Path by Sharon Downing Jarvis - Fourth and final book in the Fairhaven series.

5. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive by Alexander McCall Smith - Continuing the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency.

6. The Miracle at Speedy Motors by Alexander McCall Smith - Another Ladies Detective Agency book.

7. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith - Another Ladies book.

8. The Gathering Table by Kathryn Springer - About finding family in unexpected places, very good!

9. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate - Switching back and forth from post Civil War to the 1980's telling the story of freed slaves and plantation owners and their descendants. Very moving story!

10. The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith - #11 in the Ladies Detective Agency series.

11. The Saturday Night Big Tent Wedding Party by Alexander McCall Smith - #12

12. The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith - #13

13. The Minor Adjustment Beauty Salon by Alexander McCall Smith - Book #14

14. The Handsome Man's DeLuxe Cafe by Alexander McCall Smith - Book #15

15. The Woman Who Walked in Sunshine by Alexander McCall Smith - #16 in the Ladies Detective Agency series.

16. The Finishing Touches by Hester Browne - A delightful tale of a young woman adopted as a baby by the owners of a finishing school, and her search for her real self after her adoptive mother dies.

17. Swept Off Her Feet by Hester Browne - Alternate title is Vintage Girl, about a young woman who works in an antique shop and her adventures at a Scottish castle including learning how to reel. Laugh out loud funny!

I read lots of old friends, only book numbers 8 and 9 were new to me. And they are both keepers!

I highly recommend The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. The main character, Precious Ramotswe is lovable, patient, and wise. The author, Alexander McCall Smith, includes so much wisdom that I underline and highlight my favorite parts. Hester Browne's books are too few. Her last was published in 2014 and she wrote only seven. But they are all delightful, witty and clean. 

Patriotic Cars

 

Mine is the white one in the middle.

Experiment

 "But we wouldn't do much if we didn't do things that nobody ever heard of before."

 Ma Ingalls in The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder, page 32

I tried something new. While I was sick some link sausages went bad left in the fridge and I don't like wasting food so when I bought a new batch I decided to try something different.

Our son does this with bacon so I figured it would work with sausage. I put it in the freezer so we can pull out what we need and microwave it. 

Have you ever done this? 

 

 

We Survived the Plague and I Read A Lot

TopDad came home from a weekend working on the house we still own in Iowa and gave me a little kiss. I said, "Don't kiss me like we're married, kiss me like we're lovers!" So he did. And the next day he began having symptoms of Covid. And four days later so did I. (He was "vaccinated" last Spring so that they could go back to in person school. I did not get any shots.)

I went to the hospital first because I couldn't stop vomiting and had severe abdominal pain. I was dehydrated and spent three days and two nights in the hospital. I came home on a Thursday, and TopDad went to the hospital on Friday. He was there a bit longer because he got pneumonia. 

We are recovering, but this is a totally perverse disease and we keep having little flare ups that knock us back. 

I've been reading lots of books as that's about all I have strength for. So here's the list for September:

1. The Kalahari Typing school for Men by Alexander McCall Smith; continuing the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency

2. The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict; story of Hedy Lamar*

3. Anna's Crossing by Suzanne Woods Fisher; a fictional account of early Amish immigrants*

4. Little Town on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

5. Pianos and Flowers by Alexander McCall Smith; a delightful collection of short stories inspired by antique photos.*

6. These Happy Golden Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

7. The First Four Years by Laura Ingalls Wilder

8. Love's Faithful Promise by Susan Anne Mason* (I can't even remember what this was about.)

9. Toxic Charity by Robert D. Lupton; a look at why most of our giving does more harm than good.

10. Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella

11. The Full Cupboard of Life by Alexander McCall Smith; next in the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.

12. These High Green Hills by Jan Karon

13. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

14. In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith; No. 1 Ladies etc.

15. Blue Shoes and Happiness by Alexander McCall Smith; No. 1 Ladies etc.

So many of the books I read were old friends from the past. I just needed uplifting, encouraging, non-challenging reads while sick and recovering. *Only four out of the fifteen were books I'd not read before.

We've had gorgeous Autumn weather, warmer than usual, which is okay by me. The colors have been lovely too. I make an effort to enjoy each day and soak up as much sunshine as I can knowing it won't last forever. Last year on this date we had our first snowfall. I hope we don't get any snow until late November.

My pretty Oak tree.

My Bright Volunteers

 

These cheerful little Snapdragons all grew from seeds dropped by last year's plants. They are a bright spot along the driveway. I love my bright volunteers!

New Dress

 

This pretty aqua linen is a piece I've had in my stash for a very long time. It was lovely to work with and although there wasn't enough to make it longer, I think it turned out quite nice. The sash is a piece of batik from four years ago that I saw in a store and fell in love with. 

I made a muslin to check the fit and got most of it right; I forgot to bring in the neckline on the final piece (note to self: write it all down!).  I'd like to make this again in a winter flannel (cotton) with a fun plaid sash and long sleeves. 

School Clothes

Noble has begun her second year of graduate studies and teaching freshman English composition. She asked me to help her get some clothes that looked more professional and that would be warmer for the harsh winters here. She saves money by parking in the free lot and walking to her classes.

So here's the first skirt, made of a soft tan fine wale corduroy.

And the pattern:

Another skirt I made her last year, cotton sateen with a bit of stretch:

I relaxed in August

I continued to read two non-fiction books during August but I didn't finish either one, still working on them. Between the oppressive heat and humidity, the discouraging national and world political degeneration, and just plain tiredness I read a lot of old friends to lift my spirits. I was also sewing pieces for my daughter's school wardrobe. More to come about that.

1. My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella - This is a truly fun book about a young women trying to get back at a former boss and learning the realities of life and relationships.

2. The Talented Mr. Varg by Alexander McCall Smith - Second in the series; another witty book about a Swedish detective.  (The only new book I read this month)

3. A Common Life by Jan Karon - The story of Father Tim's wedding to Cynthia. Sweet, romantic, funny and enriching.

4-8. Little House in the Big Woods, Little House on the Prairie, On the Banks of Plum Creek, By the Shore of Silver Lake, The Long Winter - Laura Ingalls Wilder - I read these for inspiration and encouragement, and to remember. I love pioneer stories!

9. Persuasion: A Latter day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison - A modern LDS retelling of Jane Austen's novel Persuasion. It is my favorite of hers because it is about second chances, something we all need.

That's it for August. 

July's Books

By this time last year I'd read 15 more books than I have this year. I'm reading more non-fiction and those books are mostly slower reads than fiction, which I can race through. So, here's the list of books I read and/or finished reading in July.

1. A Light in the Window by Jan Karon; second in series about Mitford and Father Tim. (An old friend I turn to in stressful times.)

2. Bootstrapper by Mardi Jo Link; a humorous and poignant memoir of the first year after separation and divorce of a mother of three sons. Living on a mini-farm in northern Michigan Mardi Jo works to keep the farm and her family together. 

3. The Paper Magician by Charlie N. Holmberg; a fun romp through an alternate reality Victorian London where magic is something you can go to school to learn (not at all like Harry Potter). 

4. Mayflower: Voyage, Community, War by Nathaniel Philbrick; well researched and documented story of those who came on the Mayflower and the first fifty years of community, culminating in King Philip's War. Balanced view, fact based (rather than opinion) and well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

5. The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown; the story of the young men who rowed to victory at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. This book was mentioned in a General Conference talk by Sharon Eubank and had been in the back of my mind since. When I saw it at a little used book store I grabbed it. Terrifically engaging story, I couldn't put it down!

6. Dark Agenda: The War to Destroy Christian America by David Horowitz; not as good as I was expecting. Yes, it was worth the read, but typos and a few glaring flaws that should have been caught by a good editor detracted from it for me. It seemed hastily written and a little disjointed.

7. Every Storm by Lori Wick; a good story, Christian romance, with themes of forgiveness and redemption. Set during World War II.

8. Eric Liddell-Pure Gold by David McCasland; biography of the Olympic runner who chose not to compete on Sunday. If you liked the film Chariots of Fire, this book will give you his backstory and what happened after the Olympics. Very well written and engaging.

9. Money, Greed and God: Why Capitalism is the Answer and Not the Problem, by Jay W. Richards; Richards makes his case well and explains economics in an understandable way. Very enjoyable book. I see that a new 10th anniversary edition has been issued sub-titled The Christian Case for Free Enterprise. 

That's it for July. 

Books I Read in June 2021

I love reading! I love learning! For me they go hand in hand. I don't attend classes (although I think that would be great) so I read about the subjects I'm interested in to learn more. This year my goal continues to be to read an equal number of fiction and non-fiction.  Here's what I read in June.

1. How to Make Disease Disappear by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee  This is an expansion of what he talks about in his TEDx talk.

2. City of Joy by Dominique LaPierre  Totally interesting, sometimes heart wrenching account of a particular slum in Calcutta, India. A movie was made, but it focused mainly on the story of the doctor while the book focused more on the story of a Polish Priest and one particular family.

3. Anne of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery  Sixth in the Anne series, continues the fun story of her marriage and children.

4, 5, 6. The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency; Tears of the Giraffe; Morality for Beautiful Girls, all by Alexander McCall Smith. These are the first three of the series. Needing something uplifting and entertaining I turned to my old friend Precious Ramatswe and her colleagues and friends.

7. Extreme Ownership How Navy SEALS lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

I was introduced to Jocko Willink through a Prager U video. For the first time in my 60+ years I understood the difference between discipline and motivation. It changed me! And this book is fantastic. I listened to an audio version read by the authors and thoroughly enjoyed their gravelly voices.

8. The Price We Pay: What Broke American Health Care and How to Fix It by Marty Makary, MD.

Another great book exposing many of the problems with the medical industry. If you've had problems with excessive medical bills this will help you understand why and what to do about it.

9. At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon. Another old friend I turn to when feeling low. Father Tim is one of the most lovable Christlike humans around. Flawed and a bit set in his ways, he nevertheless serves tirelessly and makes a difference wherever he goes.

What I Read in May

My reading has slowed down; I'm busier doing other things, and I'm reading long non-fiction works that I choose to digest more deliberately. Here's what I read or finished in May

1. Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery

2. Anne's House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery

3. Irish Meadows by Susan Anne Mason

4. Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico

5. The More of Less by Joshua Becker

6. The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker

7. fault lines - The Social Justice Movement and Evangelicalism's Looming Crisis by Voddie T. Baucham Jr.

When I read Anne's House of Dreams I realized that I'd never read that book before. Anne is now married and Gilbert is working as a doctor. 

Irish Meadows is the first book of the trilogy. I read the second in April, which was good enough to be a stand alone. Interesting look at the lives of Irish immigrants in the New York City area and Long Island in the first decades of the twentieth century.

The delightful book about Mrs. 'Arris by Paul Gallico was made into a film in 1992 starring Angela Lansbury and featuring Omar Sharif. It was as delightful as the book. I see that a new version is in post-production for release next year.

I read the two books by Joshua Becker to see if I could glean anything new from them. While I'm not a minimalist, I do like to stay on top of decluttering. Both are good reads.

The last book was purchased after hearing an interview with Dr. Baucham on the radio in the car. I was so impressed with what he had to say that I had to get the book to read more. I'm so glad I did. If you're concerned at all about what's happening in the USA with the social justice movement I recommend reading this book! 

Hair

 My hair is now well past my shoulders, almost to mid-back. But summer is upon us and it's too hot and humid to leave my hair hanging about. Noble helped me by tightly braiding my hair and sharing her "stick" to put it up. I like the results.

What I Read in April

April was a good month, the days began to lengthen so I feel more alive! May is shaping up nicely too. I'm out of hibernation so I'm not reading as much, but what I did read was really good.

1. Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery

2. Persuasion, A Latter-day Tale by Rebecca H. Jamison (a retelling of Jane Austen)

3. A Disciple's Life, The Biography of Neal A. Maxwell by Bruce C. Hafen

4. Evelyn Cameron - Montana's Frontier Photographer; text by Kristi Hager

5. I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella (I needed a "cleanse the palate" sort of a read)

6. The Proximity Principle by Ken Coleman

7. The Fortune Teller by Gwendolyn Womak

8. My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kensella (another old friend)

9. A Worthy Heart by Susan Anne Mason

The biography was long! The other non-fiction, The Proximity Principle, I read to see if it would benefit my adult children. Yes! It is informative and encouraging. Ken Coleman is part of the team at Ramsey Solutions.

I'm totally enjoying the Anne books; I read them so long ago that I don't remember much and it's like discovering them for the first time. Gwendolyn Womak's book, The Fortune Teller is her third. I read the first in December, the second in January, and then waiting to read the third while I read some more non-fiction. It was worth the wait. She is brilliant at what she does.

What's on your nightstand these days?

What I Read in March

 Or finished reading.

The non-fiction I've been reading takes longer to finish than fluffy fiction. And that's okay. I have over 1000 non-fiction books inventoried, and two more sections (kitchen and sewing room) with non-inventoried books, so probably closer to 1300 books total. By contrast, I have about 400 fiction books on my shelves. Anyway, the point is that I have lots of books to read! And I'm working to read all the unread non-fiction on my shelves. It's an exercise in discipline.

On to the list for March:

1. Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery; way too long since I'd read it and I didn't remember anything, so much different from the 1985 TV adaptation.

2. The Department of Sensitive Crimes by Alexander McCall Smith; a new (2019) series about a Swedish detective; interesting, fun, witty and wise.

3. Purity and Passion by Wendy L. Watson PhD; well written book about marital intimacy. Opened my eyes to the whys behind some of my challenges.

4. A Year of Living Kindly by Donna Cameron; 52 short chapters about her year long adventure of living a deliberately kind life. Eye opening and encouraging.

5. The Golden Thread - How Fabric Changed History by Kassia St. Clair; fascinating, well documented. One of those books that makes one want to learn more!

6. Montana Women Homesteaders - A Field of Ones Own, Edited by Sarah Carter; reading this caused feelings of gratitude to well up in me for my totally easy life with all the modern luxuries. What a group of brave, hard working women!

7. Saints Vol 2 - No Unhallowed Hand, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; once I got started I couldn't put it down. So many wonderful accounts of saints building the Kingdom. Again, many feelings of gratitude for their faithfulness, hard work and sacrifices.

Not so many this month, but those I read (or finished) were thought provoking and informative, as well as great reads.

What are you reading these days?

What I Read in February

I continued in hibernation mode during February and was able to read twelve books.

1. A Cup of Comfort, Ed. Colleen Sell - I think this was the first of the series. I buy them at thrift stores and find them interesting and uplifting.

2. All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot - A re-read as I was watching the new series on PBS.

3. All Thinks Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot - second in the series (By the way, while the PBS series is entertaining, it is not really faithful to the books which are much richer in character and animal stories.)

4. Attitude is Everything by Keith Harrell - A fantastic book that opened my eyes to some news ideas.

5. Love Your Life by Sophie Kinsella - latest stand alone book from Sophie, one of my favorite authors.

6. Everyday Millionaires by Chris Hogan - Report of a survey of over 10,000 millionaires, totally interesting.

7. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery - I'm reading the whole series this year; wonderful book and I'd forgotten so much!

8. behind the beautiful forevers (sic) by Katherine Boo - fascinating and heart wrenching documentation of life in a Mumbai slum.

9. My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinella - another really good book.

10. Insights from a Prophet's Life by Sheri Dew - Wonderful book about Pres. Russell M. Nelson

11. The Little Cottage on the Hill by Emma Davies - I picked this up at a thrift store for some light reading, and yep, it was very light.

12. Veterans Way by Robin Lee Hatcher - Another thrift store book, enjoyable story about reuniting of high school sweethearts after fifty years.

 

What I Read in January

Entry from my journal last year - "Thursday 30 January 2020 Next year I'm just going to block out January and February with the label "Hibernation" and settle in with a stack of books and movies, stay in my jammies all day and not worry about trying to accomplish anything."

While I haven't actually stayed in my jammies, I have worn sweats a lot (to stay warm) and not gotten a whole lot done. Here's what I've read so far this year:

1. The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack -- A fantastic book that I couldn't put down!

2. In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan -- I know I'm late to the party, but very informative.

3. A Cup of Comfort for Inspiration, Ed. Colleen Sell -- Many good stories.

4. How to Raise an Elephant by Alexander McCall Smith -- The latest installment of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, always a delight.

5. Miracles Among the Rubble by Carol R. Gray -- Memoir of a British woman who took humanitarian aid to the former Yugoslavia region experiencing civil war.

6. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson -- Decluttering encouragement

7. Longbourne by Jo Baker -- Pride and Prejudice from the servants point of view; while the period details were the best I've ever read, I didn't care about the characters until the second half of the book, and found it to be a very put downable book (unlike The Memory Painter which I stayed up half the night reading!).

We're in the second week of a deep freeze here in southern Minnesota. We keep asking each other "Why did we move here?" Thankfully TopDad has only two more years until retirement; then we can leave during the winter and escape the bitter cold.

What have you been reading lately?

Last year I read 136 books; 30 were new-to-me fiction, 21 non-fiction, and 85 old friends (books I've already read). This year I set a goal to read a non-fiction book for every fiction. I have stacks of non-fiction that interest me but I don't seem to get to them. So far this year I'm doing better. And I plan to share what I read each month to keep me honest.

Summer Poetry Project

Noble asked me to participate with her in writing poetry this past summer as a practice exercise for her. We were to do one each week. I wrote for two weeks, she lasted only one. Oh well. It was fun anyway.

Here's my second poem, followed by photos to illustrate.

My Classification of Clouds

30 May 2020

First: flat, grey, endless opaque oppression

                                                   sun blocking, soul sucking, spirit squashing

                                                   cool, maybe warm, deceitful

                                                  Second: shimmering sylphs in diaphanous veils

                                                  wispy, lacy, rippling, translucent

                                                  ethereal shreds and strings

                                                  gauzy ghosts afloat

                                                Third: towering, billowing, bulging, blooming, blowing

                                                white, grey, black

                                                playing peek-a-boo with the sun

                                                dropping rain, flashing lightening, booming thunder

                                                piling up, blowing over, moving on

                                                enlivening, rejuvenating

                                                Fourth: fleecy, fluffy, fanciful bright puffs

                                                shapeful, shading, lazy

                                                drifting, driven, floating, fleeing

                                                benign, full of light