Happy Juneteenth Eve! Oh, how I wish I could be at the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago tomorrow to see this portrait in person!!

The Obama’s with Njideka Akunyili Crosby, portraitist.

The Husband and I celebrated our 46^th anniversary last Sunday. Being married this long creates such an enduring, varied, emotional, amazing history. You think 24 is all grown up, but really, we were such kids! Had a nice lunch at the Stonefire Grill, then saw the play, The Book of Will, at the Curtis Theatre in Brea, CA.

Us kids! Then…

And now!

In other news, I’m on a book buying moratorium for the summer. Let me walk you through my book buying history:

At one point, I had so many books, they took up not only shelf space on dedicated book shelves, they filled the kitchen cabinets! I spent years culling, giving them to thrift stores and friends of the library bookstores. I still believe that we don’t own books, we are just their custodians for a short period, until we pass them on to new readers. After a while, my kitchen shelves held only dishes and glassware again.

I’d buy a book here and there but mostly for the next few years, I happily took full advantage of my local library for books, audiobooks, and DVD’s. But then…

The Lockdown happened. The library developed a method to distribute books ~ you’d request a book or other material and they would arrange a time to leave it on a desk in the parking lot for you to pick up. Remember, in the early days, we wanted as little contact with other people as possible. SHOUT OUT to the librarians who helped keep us safe and sane in those scary bad days!

But even with those precautions, I started buying books again. I’m sure it was as much to self-soothe and give myself book mail (see previous post 😊) as much as acquiring reading material. Even though the lockdown is over and life is pretty much back to normal, other griefs and losses keep the self-soothing going. You wouldn’t believe how my serotonin is boosted by books with sprayed edges!!! My kitchen cabinets are safe but if we have a quake any time soon, we’ll need to be excavated from the book avalanche in our bedroom! Hence, the moratorium on book purchasing!

Not that I’ll make much of a dent in the piles this summer, but I had to make an effort, right??!!

PS-Ebooks are ok because they take up no space, except in my phone/Kindle ~ LOL!

Writing

The tweaking continues. That should be done very soon ~ like this weekend-soon. Then comes the line edits. I’m studying Good Writing by Anne Lamott and her current husband, Neal Allen. Cracks me up that she calls him her “current.” The book is set up with Neal presenting and elaborating a rule. Anne adds her two cents, which is usually funnier and more casual. He comes from a more formal, editorial background, while she is a more organic, imperfect writer. Both viewpoints are useful and valid and I will be using this info to make my book, The Bonus Grave, as good as it can be.

Reading

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn

Why I read it: The description of a library where you can live in a book!

Plot: I didn’t know quite what to expect from this book. It sets you up for one story – Alix is given the chance to escape her life (she’s just lost one of her three jobs, has been asked to move out by a jealous roommate, and has had her identity stolen) by the opportunity to pick a classic book to live in. But the story takes a turn when the library is attacked. The cranky librarian reluctantly enlists the aid of Alix, who in turn brings in her designer friend, Beau, and together they fight the bad guys. And there is a dragon. To elaborate would give away too much that I, for one, found a delight to discover.

What I liked: One, it was set in Boston, my old stomping grounds 😊 And such high stakes! The majority of the “Patrons” living in books were escaping abusers, so Alix found herself protecting people as much as the books themselves. And I love Alix! As a former foster kid, you have to root for her to finally find her people and her true place in the world. This book is magical!!!

PS-Yes, I read it in LARGE PRINT ~ LOL!!!

PPS-There is a very satisfying end to an evil book banner.

Streaming/Watching

Nobody Wants This           Netflix

I’m not a huge fan of Kristen Bell, but I have to say I love her in this series, playing a podcaster named Joanne. When she meets Noah, a rabbi played by Adam Brody, both their worlds and families collide. Her sister and fellow podcaster, Morgan, resents her falling in love, particularly because their show is built around bad dates and sex. Noah’s synagogue prefers only Jewish partners, and his family, his mother especially, is skeptical of the union. Other story lines include the girls’ parents – their slightly wacky mom who’s best friends with their gay dad – and Noah’s brother and sister-in-law, a couple who have an interesting relationship arc. What I really like about this show is that when they run into problems, they don’t just gloss over them, they aren’t shy about awkwardness, jealousy, and heartbreak. And I also like that in the first two seasons there were no will-they-or-won’t they-stay-together cliff hangers. Season three starts next month ~ yay!

Till next time, be good to yourself and each other!

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