A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler

I just finished “A Spool of Blue Thread” by Anne  Tyler.  I have read several Anne Tyler titles and have had the same reaction to each of them. As I am reading I am thinking how tedious and mundane the story is. It is compelling enough to keep me reading but I am struck as how the story is so ordinary.

And then it ends and I am sorry because I am struck about how powerful the story really was.  This was the case with this book as well.

It is the story of the Whitshank family—Red and Abby and their four children. The story travels back to the story of the previous generation as well.  It is the story of everyday life and death, coming of age, secrets—the stuff of life.

I recommend.

My little book buddy is a little bear called Flags.

Snowball

Snowball, Computers and Hubby

The day of the funeral for Snowball there was much concern around her actual demise. In explanation, she didn't look deceased in that way that hamsters do.  So, after much deliberation amongst us adults, the decision was made to wait another day to see if possibly she was hibernating.  She wasn't.

So Friday, after girl scouts, we laid the poor little thing to rest.
I have plans for a marker but it rained so it has been out on hold.  I will post photos when we are done.

My laptop has died. Writing this on a tablet is difficult.  Not sure what I am going to do .

Husband's sleep issues are solved with the removal of Lantus from his med routine but his blood sugar is high .We have been referred to an endocrinologist for evaluation and hopefully quick resolution of the issue . I will let you know how that goes.

I really don't like autocorrect.

Milestone

Bean wanted a pet.  She is allergic to dogs and cats.  So, about a year and a half ago she got a hamster named Sprinkles.  Sprinkles is a winter white dwarf hamster and is very small. Sprinkles adapted well and is quite happy in her home.

Fast forward about six months and Bean thought she could handle a second hamster.  Enter Snowball -- another of the same variety but really rather huge and quite the acrobatic comedian. She has been quite entertaining and a joy to have.

Moving on to yesterday -- they all returned home to find Snowball asleep on top of her bedding, breathing very shallow and unresponsive.  Crisis ensused.  Daddy was summoned from the grocery store to deal with the unthinkable.

After much research, Daddy decided that Snowball might be hibernating, something that even  hamster house pets can do even though I had never heard of it.

So, Snowball was covered with a little fleece blanket and watched to see if warming her up would produce a miracle.

Apparently she moved out from under the blanket during the night but when they looked at her this morning she was no longer breathing and her ears were flat.

Daddy still thought she might be hibernating so he covered her up again and put a warm water bottle in the cage with her to see if he could warm her up. 

That was the last I heard.

My daughter doesn't think she is hibernating, she believes she has gone to hammy heaven.  I have no clue because I have never heard of hamsters hibernating even though I have had many hamsters in my children's lives. 

The funeral is planned for this evening in my back yard.

Unless there is a miracle resurrection.

I will let you know. 

Not Gone

I am not gone, just  preoccupied with the stuff of life.  On March 23 my husband had a stroke from which he completely recovered with no lasting effects.  Then on Easter Sunday I had to send him back to the hospital with dangerous hypoglycemia.  His blood sugar had tanked.  They took him off his insulin and he hasn't had it happen again but his blood sugar is running too high and we are trying to adjust his diet and exercise to maybe make a difference.

So, I am up to my eyeballs in exchange diets and trying how to make fried chicken without actually frying it and -- well, you know -- trying to keep him alive and happy. 

So, I will be back with a couple of book reviews.  Otherwise all is well, just swamped.

The Bean and Me Book Club -- The War That Saved My Life and The War I Finally Won

Recently I read two of Bean's recommendations -- "The War That Saved My Life" and it's sequel "The War I Finally Won" by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

In the first book, "The War That Saved My Life", we meet Ada, Jamie and Mam.  They live in London's East End in a tenement slum.  Ada, born with a club foot, is older sister to Jamie and their mother, Mam, is a cruel, abusive mother.  It is set at the beginning of World War II.

When the children were being evacuated from London to the English countryside for their safety, Mam didn't want Jamie to go and she wouldn't even think of Ada going, she was so ashamed of her being a cripple that she locked her in one room all the time and she wouldn't even consider them going.

But....the kids had other ideas.

I don't want to say too much because this is definitely a worthy read -- it flows, it reads well, it is truly a page turner.  It is emotional and satisfying all at the same time.

Then, moving on to the sequel -  it brings the children and the people in their lives further into the war with some frightening events but you see how they grow and learn how to make do, do without and still learn to love.

I absolutely loved these books.  Even though they are written for ages 9-12, I was totally taken in by them and enjoyed them thoroughly and recommend without reservation.

Bean's description  --  "these books are amazing!"

Bean and Me Book Club -- Pugs of the Frozen North by Philip Reeve and Sarah McIntyre

I just finished "Pugs of the Frozen North".  It is the story of Shem and Sika, two children who during the True Winter decide to take Shem's 66 pugs and a sled on a sled race to get to the Snowfather. Sika wanted to ask the Snowfather to heal her grandfather and make him well to be able to make the race himself during the next True Winter.

The children met with all sorts of peril and danger along the way.  My favorite was the Yeti Noodle Bar where one could get trapped forever if one was not careful.

The Bean loved this book but she is perplexed that it has taken me weeks to finish it and she accomplished that in an hour.  It is a cute book, good message and great illustrations. 

I would recommend for school age children and adults who want to get lost in the fantasy.

Temple Secrets by Susan Gabriel

As you probably remember, my family vacationed in Savannah, Georgia last year. I was completely taken with the place, the culture, the food, the architecture -- yes, I could live there -- well, in the winter anyway because I understand that the summers are pretty bad with the heat.

So, since then, I have been reading a lot of books that involve Savannah.  The latest is "Temple Secrets" by Susan Gabriel.

It is the story of the Temple family -- a generations old Savannah family with connections to slavery and a whole lot of secrets.  The family is a blended family -- black and white -- wealthy landowners and slaves in the past and this is the modern day remnants of that family.

The main characters would appear to be Iris Temple, along with the  daughter and granddaughter of the some of the most influential men of Savannah at their time.  However, Iris's demise takes her out of the story pretty early and the attention goes to her half sister, Queenie, and her granddaughter, Violet.  Queenie is the daughter of Iris's father and Old Sally, a black housekeeper at the time.

Then there is Rose.  Rose is Iris's daughter with her husband Oscar.  She is Violet's half sister with Queenie being Violet's mother and Oscar being Violet's father.  History repeating itself.

And I thought my family tree was confusing.

And then there is the Book of Secrets.  It is a ledger that was kept of all the indiscretions of Savannah's rich and famous over the decades.   This book takes on a life of its own.

And Edward -- what an idiot.

And the ghosts.

I will just leave that here.  If you love Savannah, the south, ghosts or a humorous, messed up family story this is the book for you. 

Next on my list -- the sequel  -- "Gullah Secrets". Hopefully it will be just as enjoyable.

Food as Medicine or Is It My Imagination?

Ok, since my husband was released from the hospital  we  have been following an 1800 calorie diabetic eating plan.  The first few days were a little daunting because I haven't meal planned in forever.  I also haven't weighed and measured food since my last attempt at calorie counting.

Fast forward to today -- it has gotten much easier, Hubs is eating what I cook, I am learning some kitchen tricks to keep myself sane and I am not dreading the activity quite as much.

However, I have noticed something that is sort of surprising.  I feel completely different.  I have lost seven pounds and I feel like my digestion has improved.  Those are things one would expect when changing your diet completely.

But......what I wasn't expecting is that my joints are so much better. I am less stiff. I even got on the floor to look for something under the bed.  I was shocked.

Is it possible that changing a diet could make your joints quit hurting?  Very interesting.

Just thought I would share.

Can't Catch a Break

Ok, we have done the two follow-up appointments for my husband with the cardiologist and the neurologist.  Both appointments were positive, no restrictions on him and future appointments made. 

Then we discussed the "sleep" issues he is having and they are going to schedule him for a sleep study.  It is two parts -- one overnight for sleep apnea and then one during the day.  Sounds like fun, doesn't it?

So, in the middle of it all I had to take the Bean to the doctor yesterday for a cough she has had.  Doctor said she has a cold, it is viral, go home and let it run its course.

Fast forward to today -- I had to go get her early because she is running 102 fever. 

We are back to the doctor for a whooping cough test. It is going around the school.

Really?  Seriously?

Wow.

Lord, Please Give Me Patience

Right before I got married my future mother-in-law told me "I tried to teach him to eat.  It's your problem now. Good Luck."

We are several days into an 1800 calorie diabetic diet. It is a very, VERY balanced diet.  Almost anything can be enjoyed on this diet in the portions allowed on the diet.  There is only one snack and that is in the evening.  It isn't a bad diet, I am following it as well and have lost five pounds.  The thing to get used to is having just a small amount of starch and not eating between meals. 

Ok, so my husband has done really well but he is now beginning to balk about the food.  I am not a chef.  I am not even a very good home cook.  I mean, one time when I was pregnant with my daughter, we ate boxed mac and cheese five nights in a row.  Doing all of this is clearly out of my comfort zone.

So, he complained about the green beans at lunch and offered to take me out to dinner.  He said I needed a break.  I think HE needs restaurant food which we are supposed to be weaning ourselves from.

I had to have our daughter "speak" to him.  Sad.

I am thinking of sending him for a little visit to his sister.