Thursday Thirteen

I never realized how many songs my daughter has to select for her wedding!  I've suggested keeping the processional simple and classical.  Think "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring," "Ode to Joy," "Canon in D," and so on.  However, they need a song for the recessional, a song for their grand entrance, one for first dance as Mr. and Mrs., dad/daughter, mom/son, cake-cutting, flower toss, garter toss, grand exit.  Whew!  It's so hard to choose, so I made a list of some ideas for my daughter.

1-All you need is love (Beatles)

2-You Make my Dreams Come True (Hall & Oates)

3-Happy Together (The Turtles)

4-This Kiss (Faith Hill)

5-I Melt with You (Modern English)

6-On Top of the World (Imagine Dragons)

7-I Got You Babe (Sonny and Cher)

8-Stand by Me (Ben E King)

9-You are so Beautiful (Joe Cocker)

10-Your Song (Elton John)

11-My Wish (Rascal Flats)

12-You are the Sunshine of My Life (Stevie Wonder)

13-Faithfully (Journey)

And a bonus! (Maybe for the cake-cutting?)

How Sweet it is to be Loved by You (James Taylor)

What song would you suggest?

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Photo Wednesday

A beautiful rose from the birthday flowers I received last week.

And a picture of my cat thrown in for good measure.

Find more photos at image-in-ing and Wordless Wednesday.

Random Tuesday

Hello all!  Link up with Stacy for some random fun!

Click any photo to enlarge

This past weekend I got to see my daughter in Dallas, the one who is getting married in less than six weeks, and the one who was here recently to help celebrate my birthday.  There was a "couples shower" given by the groom's aunt who lives up there, and his mom was there from Colorado, too. It was nice, even with masks, shields, and distancing in place.

I had to get a hotel for two nights because I'm not so good at driving long distances.  I didn't want to stay with them as they only have a one bedroom apartment, and I didn't want to interrupt their routines.

It was almost a five hour drive, and the sun sometimes puts me to sleep.  There was no way I could drive up and back in one day.  When I do make that drive, a 5 hour energy drink is my friend, even though it tastes terrible.  It's the only time I ever use the stuff.

We are less than six weeks from the wedding.  And the bridal shower here is in less than two weeks.  Eeeeeek!  I've got things to do!  Luckily, I'm not hosting alone.  There are two bridesmaids and one of their moms helping.

I'm glad to have something to think about other than the bombardment of advertisements to vote, vote, vote!  As if we don't know we need to vote!  And the mud-slinging political ads are tiring.  I can't wait for it to be over!

And now...

Have a great week!

Sunday Synopsis

On My Life by Angela Clarke
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The main character of this book is Jenna. She is finally happy. She has a wealthy fiance' and a soon-to-be-stepdaughter, and life is good, even if her future in-laws are a little controlling. One day, Jenna comes home and finds her stepdaughter murdered in their home. Her fiance's blood is found, but he is missing. And the police have found child pornography on her computer.

Jenna will be waiting in jail until her trial. Shortly after her arrival, she is clocked in the nose. She is taken for medical treatment and finds out that she is pregnant. How in the world is she going to be able to prove her innocence from a jail cell. She knows she is innocent, so she's going to have to figure out who the real killer is, and where is her fiance'?

This book was described as fast-paced, mesmerizing, and a smart thriller. I disagree with this. While I thought the book was going to be about how Jenna was able to prove her innocence, it was mostly about surviving in a women's prison. There was less about the mystery and more about the wrongs of the British prison system. That's not what drew me to the book, so I was disappointed about not getting a true mystery or thriller. I was very bored with it.

Most of the book is spent reading about Jenna whining about being in jail, feeling sorry for herself, professing her love for Richard, or continuously saying that she has to protect her child. None of that had to do with her situation and how she would solve the mystery of who killed her stepdaughter. And while there was a twist at the end, it was radically unbelievable.

This was also originally published in the UK. While I usually enjoy reading books from a British point-of-view, the constant reference to certain British slang actually began to bother me. Joggies, trainers, jumper, cuppa, crisps, and kip, to name a few. And the author is very repetitive when focusing on Jenna's alleged crimes.

If you're looking for a story about prison life, this may be the book for you. If, however, like me, you'd rather read a mystery that involves clues and a solution, keep looking for a different book.

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Random Tuesday

I'll be linking my post with Stacy, but I think I need to rename it Insomnia Tuesday.  I had a feeling I wasn't going to be able to fall asleep.  I always have trouble with that.  And every so often, I just can't fall asleep.  Eventually I will get so tired I can't help sleep, but it can take a while.

My mind just races!  I have some health issues going on right now, and the upcoming wedding, and trying to help my son find a job with so much of the economy shut down.  Oh, and many other things to worry about.  I know it doesn't help to worry, but when I lie down to sleep, I can't turn it off.

And as if we haven't had enough to deal with in 2020, Tropical Storm Beta made landfall in Texas early early this morning, and it's headed our way.  We've already had lots of rain, and of course more is expected, possible high winds, and all the goodies that go with a storm.  We are currently under a flash flood watch, and some areas of the city have already flooded, but I don't expect it to affect us as much as that.

I started a Bible study with one of my daughters last week, and I haven't finished my "homework."  That's what I should be doing now!  The study is called "Jude: Contending for the Faith in Today's Culture" by Jackie Hill Perry, in case you're interested.

And now...

I've been guilty of saying this!

Maybe inappropriate, but it cracked me up!

And last, but not least...

Awwwww.

Have a great week!

Sunday Synopsis

A Painted House by John Grisham
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I usually love John Grisham's books, but I'm usually reading his legal thrillers. I have read a few that weren't thrillers including a nonfiction book and a comedy. I always enjoy his writing, even if some are better than others.

This is most definitely NOT a legal thriller. It's not nonfiction although it is semi-autobiographical based on Grisham's childhood

The main character is 7 year old Luke Chandler. The year is 1952. Luke lives on a rented (not owned) cotton farm in rural northeastern Arkansas in an unpainted house with his parents and grandparents and no indoor plumbing.  The big treat each week is to go into town, that is, after he has had his weekly bath. His uncle is away fighting in the Korean War. Luke is convinced he is going to grow up to be a St. Louis Cardinal. The Chandlers are poor, yet they are generous with what they do have. Every year, during harvesting time, they take on "hillbillies" from the Ozarks and Mexicans to pick cotton. They offer a small wage per pound of cotton picked. This particular year, there is a lot of drama among the hired help.

This is also somewhat a coming-of-age story. Luke sees things that a 7 year old shouldn't see and learns many secrets, some of which he will take to his grave. This is a season where Luke learns about life from the "hillbillies," the Mexicans, the neighbors, the town, and his own family.

Some people have said this book is boring. I disagree. Grisham tells a great story and develops complex characters

I think I liked it mostly because it reminded me so much of my father and his parents. My father, who quite suddenly passed away 16 years ago, was born at home in Oklahoma (Luke was born at home, too). My dad and his family later moved to Arkansas, and they were also farmers. Even though my dad was older than Luke by 10 years in 1952, Luke came to represent him in my mind, and his parents and grandparents represented my Arkansas relatives. So much nostalgia. And I enjoyed every minute of it.

My only complaint about this book is that it ended. Grisham chose an appropriate place to end the book, but I want more! I hope he decides to write a sequel so I can catch up with the Chandlers.

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13 Reasons

I know some people don't like cats, although I don't understand why.  I think it's because they have never met my cat!  So this is WHY I love my cat!  Click any photo to enlarge it.


Meet Lacy...

She is so super-soft.

I can feel my blood pressure going down when I'm loving on her.

She uses her litter box and doesn't make messes on the floor.

She 

I love her beautiful green eyes.

The  papillae on her tongue tickles when she licks me and she makes cute noises when she is drinking water.

She sneaks under the covers and snuggles like a little burrito where she will stay for hours,

I love the white part under her nose and around and under her mouth.

She doesn't wake me up in the middle of the night or too early in the morning like my mom's and sister's cats do.

She can smell tuna a mile away (That's just a slight exaggeration).

She's fluffy.

She's a pretty kitty!

Cats' ears move independently of each other making for some really cute expressions.

I love the wispy hairs on her ears.

Bonus - I know she loves me as much as I love her!

Link up for more lists of 13 at Thursday Thirteen.

Random Tuesday

Random Tuesday is hosted by my fellow blogger Stacyhttp://stacysrandomthoughts.com/

I'm revving up for a busy next two weeks!  New Bible study with one daughter starts, hair cuts for my twins, bridal and my alterations, reception "tasting," wedding design meeting, shower plans, two doctor's appointments, attending a couples shower, and final shopping trip for remaining wedding items.  Whew!  I get one more day off before all the fun starts!

Image Credit

I'm so thankful I retired from teaching in December, just before COVID hit! Our district started in-person school today.  I wonder how it's going to go?  They have safety protocols in place, of course, but anyone who knows anything about children knows that the masks and social distancing are not likely to happen the way they are envisioned.  But I can say, unequivocally, that the average student benefits far more from in-person teaching than online diy lessons.  Thank goodness it's not my problem anymore.  I paid my dues!

I've been having so much fun watching Guy's Grocery Games! Have you ever seen it?  It's fast-paced and unpredictable, and each game is different than the last.  And I actually learn some cooking tips and meal ideas while I'm watching.  Watch is some time on Food Network and let me know what you think!

Moving on...

LOL!

I just love puns!

I swear this has happened to me!

And I'll leave you with this bit of cuteness.



Have a great week!

Sunday Synopsis

Violated by Carolyn Arnold
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

FBI Agent Brandon Fisher is one of the main characters of this series. This is the only book in the series I have read, yet I understood who everyone was and the relationships between the characters, possibly not as much had I read the first four books, but well enough to see character development. Not reading the first four didn't interfere with my enjoyment of the book. I liked it.

Agent Paige Dawson, Fisher's former lover, heads to Valencia, California with her new boyfriend, but she's not there just for a vacation. She is there to exact revenge on the man who raped her friend 20 years earlier. The rape started a downward spiral and led to her friend's suicide. Paige says she just wants to talk to him. However, she can't because he has been murdered. Paige is arrested when a neighbor calls the police after she caught her going into the back door of the man's home.

Brandon and his team head out to Valencia to help prove Paige's innocence and to try to find the actual killer. As it turns out, they are looking for a serial killer with a very unusual condition. There are some twists and turns as they try to find the killer before someone else dies, and they think they know who that will be.

I enjoyed this book. It wasn't my favorite, and it didn't blow me away, but I wanted to read to find out what would happen next. That's something a successful author should strive to create: keeping the reader interested. The only thing I didn't like is the back-and-forth from Brandon's point-of-view and Paige's point-of-view. Sometimes I could not tell whose perspective I was hearing or who said what. Otherwise, it was a good book

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