What I Read #9

Peace like a River by Leif Enger: Not the kind of novel I usually choose, Peace like a River was highly recommended by a friend. Told in "first person" narrative, it is the story of Reuben Land, his younger sister, Swede, and his older brother Davy. It is a story of faith and perseverance. At times it is funny; at times it is heartbreaking. But throughout the entire book, the closeness of family, and the faith that holds them together is closely interwoven in a story that will leave you with a smile, and a feeling of gladness that you took the time to read it.
Happy Reading,

JE

What I Read #8

Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra: A saga of epic proportions spanning the life of Angelo Vestieri. Told in the voice of Gabe, who was taken in and raised by Angelo, Pudge, and Ida the Goose, all who were gangsters in NYC.
Now, in the 1990's, Angelo is lying in a hospital, dying, we assume of old age, and Gabe is sitting at his bedside reminiscing about his life with Angelo with Mary. Mary being a mysterious lady from Angelo's past.
This brilliant novel by Carcaterra, though fiction, captures the down and dirty life of the underworld back in the days of Capone and Bonnie and Clyde. Scary, yet entertaining, Gangster will hold your interest until the very last page.

Happy Reading,
JE

A "Get Acquainted" Blog

Since I have some new readers, and they would have to dig pretty far back in my blog to find out much stuff about me, I thought I would steal this from Maggie and publish some facts about myself to help new readers get better acquainted with me and what makes me tick.

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
I have a scar on my left hand where my dad was reaching across the table to cut my meat at the same time I reached for the A-1 Sauce.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM
My grandparents very ornate marriage certificate circa 1902.

3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?
Snore…at least that’s what my kids say!

4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
Country and gospel.

5. WHAT TIME WERE YOU BORN?
4:30 PM on Mother’s Day, 1945

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
Another vacation to Texas.

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
My late wife, and having my house to myself.

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION(S)?
Materially, probably my car.

9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?
5'9"

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
No

11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
No

12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
I can't remember


13. WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?
The prequel to dying, (pain and suffering)

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON PEOPLE YOU'RE ATTRACTED TO?
At this stage in my life, I’m not going to be picky

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF PROPOSING?
I can't see myself proposing at all....

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?
coffee

17. FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
Cheese and onions

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Dutch apple pie

19. FAVORITE COLOR OF ALL TIME?
Red

20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH?
nope, and I never intend to, either

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED?
The first Valentine Day my wife and I were dating, we each secretly had our picture taken for each other. Ironic, and priceless.

22. DO YOU HAVE A CRUSH?
Nope

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
No

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
Croft and Barrows

25. WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE FEMALE/MALE CELEBRITY?
Julia Roberts

26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?
No, and I don’t intend to get one…ever!

27. WHAT KIND IS IT?
N/A see #26 above

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
No. I've loved and lost, and I don't want to do it again!

30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED?
13

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
Gray, silver, combination of both

32. FAVORITE QUOTE?
“Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?”
Or “Beer is God’s way of saying He loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Or “ It is by chance that we met, by choice that we became friends.”

33. FAVORITE PLACE?
Eastern shore of Lake Michigan

Yuck Update

I think I just might survive this thing. My ears are still stopped up and I can't hear worth a crap yet, but the rumbling and shifting of the liquid behind my ear drums is better. My nose isn't running as much, but my eyes are still scratchy.
I can hear the train whistles two blocks away now; yesterday nada. I can also hear the clicking of the keys on the keyboard as I write this. So, all things considered, maybe I am getting better.
I still don't want to do much, and I break out in a sweat if I get too active, but this too shall pass.

I will continue with my reading and weaving. I have a project going on a lap loom that is slow going, but will be quite beautiful when I get it finished. I told Curley the other day that I may get it done by 2015! At 3 rows of weaving per inch, and the finished project is supposed to reach 63 inches, I have a long way to go. I am at exactly 24 inches now. But it passes the time while I don't feel too hot and it is so cold and nasty outside. This is one year when Spring just can't come too soon.

Peace,
JE

What I Read #7

Calder Storm by Janet Dailey: Another in the Calder saga by Dailey. Trey Calder, heir apparent to the Calder fortune meets pro photographer Sloan Davis. After a whirlwind courtship, the two are married. What happens next is embroiled in the old feud between the Calders of Montana and the Rutledges of Texas. I haven't read a Calder novel for a long time. This one was just like the rest of the ones I had read, though. Only the times have changed. Very predictable, and I knew exactly what was going to happen at the end, even before it happened.
I thought I wanted a change from the thriller, mystery stuff that I had been reading. I was welcoming a change, but now I think I want to get back to something a little less sappy!
However, the area where this book took place is the exact area I visited two years ago in Montana. I was in Miles City and in the surrounding countryside. I will have to give author Dailey credit. Her descriptions of the Big Sky country are right on! It has to be the most hauntingly beautiful territory I have ever seen.

Read on, dear readers,
JE

Feeling Yucky!

I woke up yesterday with a stuffy nose. And my eyes matted some. And my ears plugged up. I blew my nose all day long. The plugged ears came and went. By evening, I though maybe it was just a sinus thing going on with the severe change in the weather. NOT! This morning I feel like crap! I have a cold. A winter cold. I feel like there is fluid behind my ear drums, and it shifts now and then. Sometimes I can hear well, then it shifts, and I can't hear squat. Sometimes, all I can hear is my heartbeat in my ears. My eyes are puffy and feel scratchy, and my nose is running. I am almost out of Puffs, and I have no cough drops. I feel miserable.
Now that the whining part is over, I will go pour myself a HUGE cup of coffee, grab my book and recline in my favorite chair...and alternately read, nap and feel sorry for myself.

Peace,
JE

What's on Your Fridge?

I think it's interesting to go into other people's homes and notice what is on their refrigerators. I think you can tell a lot about people by this. For instance, I was at a home recently that had nothing on their fridge door. These people have several children and grandchildren. Where was the art work? Where were the photos? No post-a-notes: nothing! As I looked around their lovely home, I also noticed that there were very few family pictures, and no knick-knacks to speak of. I surmised that these two people must live very regimented, orderly lives.
I, on the other hand, took a gander at my own fridge door. There I found the following:

• Kiddo's 2010-2011 school schedule
• Kiddo's January school lunch menu calendar
• A picture of Curley and her family that has to be at least 3 yrs old
• An out-of-date call tree and email list for my choir
• A recipe in my late wife's handwriting for cheese spread
• A snowman shaped magnetic grocery list
• A magnetic hook with a fly swatter hanging on it. (a good place cause I can never find it.)
• A guitar shaped magnet with "Elvis" on it. A souvenir of Graceland
• A business card for our local transit company with phone number
• A take out menu for our local Pizza King
• A picture of my self proclaimed "goddaughter" and her family (2 yrs old)
• A Christmas card from my son and his wife announcing the impending arrival of my granddaughter who is now almost 2 1/2.
• And a plethora of clippy magnets awaiting new stuff to be posted.

So what does this array tell me. That I care about people, and that I obviously don't mind having a cluttered fridge door. It is a reminder of all that is good now, and was good then. My life is not regimented and orderly, but it sure is fun!

Peace,
JE

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What I Read #6

Nowhere to Run by Robert Daley: From NYC to the French Riviera, author Daley takes the reader on a rolicking, sometimes dangerous journey. Jack Dilger, a NYC cop, retired, is hiding out from drug lords until they can be extradited from Columbia to the US. He chooses the a small village on the coast of France to hide in. There he meets Madeleine. Together, they cruise the Med, fall in love, and attempt to corral the bad guys.
Another fine mystery by the author of Prince of the City. Read it. I think you'll like it.

Happy Reading,
JE

*Note: I see a pattern forming here. A lot of novels about drugs and cartels. Is this where our world is heading?

What I Read #5

Apaches by Lorenzo Carcaterra: The "Apaches," A group of former cops, forced to retire due to injuries received while on duty in NYC, get together to find a missing 12 year old girl. What they find is a drug cartel led by one notorious lady. The Apaches are determined to bring her down!
Author Carcaterra knows just how to take hold of a reader and not let go. I was up until the wee hours of the morning finishing this spine chilling, sometimes gruesome thriller.
Note: this is not a book for the faint-of-heart!

Happy reading,
JE

What I Read #4

Inside Out by Barry Eisler: A number of graphic video tapes of torture of infidels have come up missing. Every alphabet governmental agency is after not only the dangerous tapes, but the person or persons who stole them and are threatening to make them public.
While my hat is off to Eisler for the research and knowledge that went in to making this story believable, I found trying to keep track of who worked for who against who very tasking. It made the story less enjoyable for me, yet I can't say it didn't hold my interest. I just had to work harder than I normally do to understand all that was going on.
Happy Reading,
JE

Who is Snopes and who cares what they think!

I received a caution warning from a friend about something that you should watch for in parking lots. I believed it; it sounded like it made sense to me. A way a carjacker could get you to stop and get out of your car. So I bulk e-mailed it to a group of my senior (and not so senior) friends. I thought that they all go to Walmart and other places, so they might as well heed this warning.

One of the "friends" I sent it to sent me back a message. She told me that she checked this info on Snopes and they said it wasn't true. Then she again reiterated that this was not true. Now I ask you, how in the heck does Snopes (who ever "they" are) know every darn thing? Are they some amazing group of nerds that scope out every little detail of everybody's lives, check every occurrence that happens every hour of every day? I think not. Give me a break.

And furthermore, what kind of friend would send back a terse note saying that I was basically a liar? I felt like a little boy having his hands smacked for stealing cookies! It really pissed me off. I guess I just have to consider who it was. She is basically a nice person, yet one that certainly doesn't have enough to do with her life, and one who is pretty opinionated. So, I will excuse her. This time. (Maybe she'll be the one to get carjacked, Snopes or no Snopes!)

Funny thing is, one of the news channels, MSNBC or CNN recently reported on this very thing happening in a California Walmart parking lot. Of course, everything happens in California. Maybe that's where Snopes is located!!!!!

I need a Prozac!

Peace...(later maybe)
JE

What I Read #3

Whiplash by Catherine Coulter: Another FBI suspense thriller. Agents Savich and Sherlock are hot on the trail of a murderer. Aided by Agent Bowie Richards, the plot thickens as, one after the other. employees of a pharmaceutical manufacturer either come up missing or are found dead.
Again, Coulter manages to grab the reader's interest and hold it in another in her continuing FBI series with our two favorite agents.

Happy Reading,
JE

Too Many Clothes and Laundry!!!

One of the most horrendous of life's jobs is doing laundry. I equate it to having a vasectomy or a root canal. I hate doing it! In accessing this problem, I perused my closet. I definitely have too many clothes. I need to institute the "one in one out" rule in my clothes purchases. If I buy a new sweater, it's never to replace a worn out one; it's because I liked the new one and I still like the old one, too. Same with jeans, shirts and dress clothes. I just like clothes. (And shoes, so Prof gets that naturally, if the "shoe gene" can be passed along.)
I am still wearing shirts I had 20 years ago. They are comfy, and still good, even though they are a little frayed around the neck and there are holes where the cuffs are sewn on.
So now that we have determined that I am a pack rat when it comes to clothes, it is obvious that I can go several weeks without doing laundry. Even though I may look a little shabby as the optimum laundry time approaches, I can still be clean from the skin out.
This leads to mountains of laundry. I just keep piling it up. Then, suddenly I am down to the last pair of skivvies and have to do the dreaded laundry. Which usually amounts to 6 or 8 loads! For one person!
So, yesterday was laundry day, finally. I did it all. All 7 loads. I have it washed, dried, folded, AND put away. I decided to try something new. I put a white clothes basket, and a colored clothes basket in my room where I usually pile all my dirty stuff. I am going to presort this way. And I swear that when a basket is full I will tote it to the laundry room and wash it. I swear!
And while I am grousing about laundry, I have to admit that I hate my laundry room. It's long, narrow and crowded. It's not a very big room, has no place to fold clothes, and my washer and dryer are along one end. They are a stacked unit, which is convenient, because there is no room for a side by side pair. There's no other way to arrange the room to make it more pleasant to be in, so I have to use it the way it is. It's the only room in my house that foresight was not used.
But this room does have a lot of light. One wall faces the back yard and is all windows. So, maybe I should just spend time doing laundry and birdwatching at the same time. Or rabbit watching. And I should quit complaining.

Today I Feel Stupid!

I got my household natural gas bill a few days ago. Man! Was it ever high. I discussed this with a few friends who use the same gas company and they told me that I should call NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Co) and find out why my bill was so high because none of theirs show a marked increase!
So this morning, I called NIPSCO and talked to customer service rep. Dawn, who was as nice as could be to me. She explained that I had subscribed to buy my gas from an outside source, not NIPSCO. She gave me the phone number of that source. She also explained that right now NIPSCO is selling natural gas at about 42 cents per therm, and I was probably paying about 75 cents per therm from my outside source.
I remember one day, in August of 2009 that a young man came to my door and talked to me about how much money he could save me if I subscribed to his plan. At the time, NIPSCO gas was very expensive, and I could lock in a certain amount per therm with his company. Being naive about such things, I thought it sounded like a good deal, and I even took the stuff inside (I did not let this guy in my house) and discussed it with Prof for a few minutes. I admit she was skeptical, but I could see that right now it would save me a few bucks, so why not try it.
Now, almost two years later, I find out that NIPSCO's gas is down to a reasonable rate while I am locked into this other plan for another YEAR! If I choose to withdraw from their plan, I pay an exorbitant penalty.
I feel really dumb...no, stupid for doing this. I caution any other person who is faced with this decision to avoid signing anything! I feel that this young man took advantage of me. Though, I am in possession of all my faculties, so I guess I am the only one to blame. Right now, I am feeling put upon, dumb and like someone has really taken me "for a ride."
I have learned a valuable lesson. Don't give lip service to anyone who comes to your door trying to save you money. Slam the door in their face and go on about your business.
I think these outside companies prey on senior citizens. It's a story as old as time itself. I have seen it happen to my grandparents, and now it has happened to me. I'm mad as hell right now, but mostly at myself!

Peace,
JE

What I read #2

Line of Vision by David Ellis: Marty Kalish is accused of murder! Did he really commit the crime or was he set up? Enter high powered criminal attorney Paul Riley. He is a raging-bull guy with a no-holds-barred attitude. Will he get Marty off?
This debut novel by Ellis is a real page-turning legal thriller. I will be looking for Ellis novels on my local library shelves.

Happy Reading,
JE

And Then it's Winter!

Note: This is not my original work. I received it via email from a cousin who was very dear to my late wife. She is the only one from that family that still keeps in touch with me. She is a very classy lady and I admire her greatly.


You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the
passing years.
It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my
new life with my mate. And yet in a way,
it seems like eons ago,
and I wonder where all the years went.
I know that I lived them all...
And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and
dreams...
But, here it is..the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise...
How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth
go?

I remember well...
seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people
were years away from me,
and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully
what it would be like...
But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move slower
and I see an older person now.
Some are in better and some worse shape than me... but, I see the great
change...
Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant... but, like
me,
their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used
to see and never thought we'd be.

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the
day! And taking a nap is not a treat anymore...it's mandatory!
Cause if I don't on my own free will...I just fall asleep where I sit!

And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the
aches and pains and the loss of strength,
and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!!

But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how
long it will last...this I know, that when it's over...its over....
Yes , I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done ,,,,,things I
should have done, but indeed,
there are many things I'm happy to have done. It's all in a lifetime....

So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be
here faster than you think.
So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly!
Don't put things off too long!!

Life goes by quickly. So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure
whether this is your winter or not!

You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so,
live for good today and
say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember...
and hope that they
appreciate and love you
for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!

'Life is a gift to you. The way you live your life is your gift to those who
come after.
Make it a fantastic one.'

LIVE IT WELL!!---- ENJOY TODAY!!!!-----DO SOMETHING FUN!!!----
BE HAPPY!!!----BE THANKFUL!!!

New Year...New Look!

I think some times change is good. Therefore, I am changing the look of my blog for a while. Let me know what you think!

I Resolve!

Since beginning the new year, I want to do it right! So, I am making resolutions that I know (read think) that I can keep!

1. I resolve to make sure there is plenty of TP in the bathroom BEFORE I need it.

2. I resolve to continue to procrastinate about almost everything.

3. I resolve to not resolve!

Happy New Year!

Peace,
JE

What I Read #1

Fallen Idols by J F Freedman: Walt and Jocelyn Gaines are archeologists given the responsibility for the unearthing of a Mayan ruin in Central America. Jocelyn is accidentally murdered by a band of anti-government insurgents. The couple's three adult sons want to find out just what happened. The three of them get involved in their own investigation and what they finally uncover is disturbing and mind blowing.
Once again, Freedman captures the reader on the very first page and doesn't release him or her until the very last word.

Note: I intended to finish this book before the new year so I wouldn't end on a book number 113, but with it being New Year's Eve and having a bunch of young people gathered eating snacks and having a bit of cheer, I just had to party a little bit. So, hopefully the number 13 will bring me luck. It always has; I was born on a 13th day, which happened to also be Mother's Day!