Tag: books

Thursday Thoughts ~ July 10, 2025

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Thursdays come fast and furious!

It’s been a busy, yet frustrating week. We had an appointment to have The Husband’s VW bus picked up for donation on Sunday. Understand, this is a very emotional situation ~ he’s had this vehicle for 31 years and it’s hard for him to see it go. So, we’d been gearing up for Sunday, nervous and stressed. We sat for hours, waiting for the towing company, who we couldn’t contact on a Sunday… Actually, couldn’t contact at all… they never showed. Since then, we’ve been calling the auction house that claimed the bus and they’ve been as frustrated as us. Now we have an appointment for pick up (hopefully not the same towing company as the first appointment…) for later today. I’ll tell you how that turns out next week. Think good thoughts for us!!

Lots of pictures this week!

First, on Fourth of July morning, we visited the Fullerton Train Museum. It’s been one of those things, when you hear about something interesting in your local area but just never get around to visiting. I happened to see on Facebook that the museum would be open special hours on the Fourth, and since we had no plans, why not? It was about time, really!

This is right next to the train station in Fullerton.

First Class lounge

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Thursday Thoughts ~ July 3, 2025

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Happy Second Half of 2025! Can you believe it’s already July!!??

My doctor had been threatening to put me on a statin for my bad cholesterol. She gave me a few months to bring it down and it did come down a little, but in the greater scheme of things, it’s still high. So, now I’m on a statin, like all those people you see on the Old Folks TV ads… When she first mentioned statins, I balked. Usually, I’m happy that I live in an age where there are so many little medical miracles helping us to age well. The Husband has been on one for years. I guess I was so impressed with myself only being on one prescription medication at this age (thyroid issues ~ 30 years), that I was a little disappointed to break my record. My BFF pointed out that it’s really no big deal and I believe her. Thanks, Zan!! I haven’t had any side effects, so that’s good. Retest in two months to see how it’s working. Fingers crossed!

During errands yesterday, we happened on a little car show in Placentia.

You may not be able to see the grill on this car well, but The Husband is pointing to a cartoon of the character Rat Fink, which was created at Knott’s Berry Farm as sort of a sarcastic version of The Mouse, down the street at Disneyland. LOL!

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Thursday Thoughts ~ June 26, 2025

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It’s Thursday at the newly painted Casa Carter!

Took a quick trip to Knott’s Berry Farm today. Did I mention that The Husband worked there as a performer for 39 years, recently retired, and we have lifetime passes with free parking? It’s about a half hour away, so it’s an easy drive. We sometimes go straight to the bakery and get turkey and cheese croissants. Yum! Then we walk the perimeter of the park to get in 6000 to 7000 steps. Along the way, we always run into friends and guests who want to say Hi to Cannonball (his stage name).

Here’s The Husband, being silly.

Me, with Snoopy and Charlie Brown.  Isn’t this the cutest image of Snoopy you’ve ever seen?!

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Thursday Thoughts ~ June 19, 2025

~ GrayMareWrites ~ 2 Comments

Welcome to another Thursday at Casa Carter!

Saturday, the 14th, was our 45th wedding anniversary! I wrote about it here. I wanted to devote a separate blog to our Day.

Before our anniversary celebration, though, I attended the No Kings Day protest in Chino Hills, CA. Hundreds showed up to take advantage of their first amendment right to gather and express their outrage over our current presidential administration. Certainly because of the military presence in Los Angeles, many people were extra inspired to come out and speak out. Here are some of the folks and some great signs.

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Fave Books by Black Authors

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In honor of Black History Month, I’ve compiled a list of books I’ve enjoyed, written by black authors. If I try to give a description of each one, I’ll never get it done. I’ve been trying to do an LGBTQ+ book list with full descriptions but for some reason, it’s been daunting. Probably because I’ve tried to keep my writing focus on the edits of my first book, a cozy mystery, which I plan to publish sometime this year. Believe it or not, when I do a blog post, it takes plenty of time and research to make sure I’ve got all the details right. Plus, there’s lots of personal and political stuff taking up a bunch of my attention, too.

So, if any of these authors/titles pique your interest, please check them out at your favorite booksellers or at the library. Or pick up the middle grade and YA for your young readers (and yourself, of course. Great stories come in all age categories!)

And give these authors some social media love, too!

If you have some recommendations, I’d love to hear them in the comments. C’mon, share!

Happy Reading!

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Some Holiday Reading

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Here are a few of the holiday books I read these last few months. Remember, if it’s a little late in the season for you, holiday stories can be read all year long! Same for movies-I watch The Holiday, While You Were Sleeping and Desk Set several times a year.

Christmas Magic at Holly Oaks – Racquel Henry

Originally written as a movie script, you can definitely imagine this as a Hallmark Holiday rom-com. It’s a story of second chances, featuring Rose, a Christmas hater, whose sister plunks her right in the middle of the Christmas Capital of the US. Where she promptly runs into Malcolm, the man who broke her heart nine years earlier. When the Holly Oaks Tree Farm – beloved by everyone in town and a special favorite for Malcolm – experiences a crisis, Rose steps in. And Holly Oaks begins to work its magic. A fun novella with characters you’ll love.

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Looking for Some Holiday/Winter Reading?

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I usually don’t seek out holiday books like I do holiday movies, but this year, I find myself reading to a winter theme. Some are part of cozy mystery series, but you can read them as stand-alone stories. Maybe some will even pique your interest!

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews ~ After a painful divorce, Ivy and her dog, Punkin, move to a rural farm to begin the adventure of their new life. The discovery of a child’s note in the pocket of a Santa suit in the attic sets Ivy on a mystery that brings her friendship, love, and the life she could only dream about. I’m planning to make this an annual read because it was so lovely and satisfying.

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