London, 1940. Winston Churchill has just been sworn in, war rages across the Channel, and the threat of a Blitz looms larger by the day. But none of this deters Maggie Hope. She graduated at the top of her college class and possesses all the skills of the finest minds in British intelligence, but her gender qualifies her only to be the newest typist at No. 10 Downing Street. Her indefatigable spirit and remarkable gifts for codebreaking, though, rival those of even the highest men in government, and Maggie finds that working for the prime minister affords her a level of clearance she could never have imagined—and opportunities she will not let pass. In troubled, deadly times, with air-raid sirens sending multitudes underground, access to the War Rooms also exposes Maggie to the machinations of a menacing faction determined to do whatever it takes to change the course of history.

Ensnared in a web of spies, murder, and intrigue, Maggie must work quickly to balance her duty to King and Country with her chances for survival. And when she unravels a mystery that points toward her own family’s hidden secrets, she’ll discover that her quick wits are all that stand between an assassin’s murderous plan and Churchill himself.

In this daring debut, Susan Elia MacNeal blends meticulous research on the era, psychological insight into Winston Churchill, and the creation of a riveting main character, Maggie Hope, into a spectacularly crafted novel.


I loved this book and this author. I have always liked historical fiction and mysteries and this combines both. I know that many of you who have read here for any length of time know how very much I love books set during WWII  and this one is no exception. I think my fascination with this time period started way back in middle school when I read the  Diary of Anne Frank.
The book is the first in a series and tells of wartime Britain and Bletchley Park and the history behind the code breaking that went on there and a lot of this task fell to brilliant females.It also features some tidbits on Mr . Churchill who has always held a fascination for me as a historical figure.

I plan to mainly uses this forum from here on out to do book reviews and occasionally tidbits of life.
I do hope you will pick this one up and read it.
Here's hoping you all have a wonderful Mother's Day Weekend.

For my upcoming reads check the sidebar.

The Night Circus

You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows that they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift.”Alexander


The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazement's. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway: a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them both, this is a game in which only one can be left standing. Despite the high stakes, Celia and Marco soon tumble headfirst into love, setting off a domino effect of dangerous consequences, and leaving the lives of everyone, from the performers to the patrons, hanging in the balance.

I loved this book ! It has some of the magic of the Twilight series but in a much more grown up  literate way. It is sort of like Alice in Wonderland for adults.The story also combines some of Shakespeare's themes and the love story between Celia and Marco is reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet.This book also combines elements of good and evil and the balance between the two.I dislike the characters of Prospero,Isobel and the Contortionist the least.


Why I loved it! The  plot was fast paced and kept you guessing .The main characters were interesting and you became invested in their lives and the Circus was a living thing itself. I would love to go to a circus like this myself.The two chambers which I loved the most were The Wishing Tree and The Cloud Chamber.My favorite characters were not Celia or Marco but Poppet and Widget and Herr Thiesen. I would love to see his clocks in real life.

I didn't know if I would like this book when I picked it up but it has become quiet possibly my favorite book of the year. I kept thinking while reading it that I can hardly wait till the movie comes out.It will be a cinematic feat.

I encourage everyone to read it. It is a magical book that will transport you to another time and place.

On another note I encourage everyone who hasn't already to go vote tomorrow. I don't plan on placing my political views here but I feel whatever your views please exercise your privilege tomorrow and Vote for the candidate of your choice.

 It is a gift to be able to voice our beliefs.When an American says that he loves his country, he means not only that he loves the New England hills, the prairies glistening in the sun, the wide and rising plains, the great mountains, and the sea. He means that he loves an inner air, an inner light in which freedom lives and in which a man can draw the breath of self-respect. ~Adlai Stevenson

Back and Hopefully Better!

I stopped blogging here in January  because I felt I didn't have anything to say and also because I was going through a rough patch in life as we all do. I felt that  i needed to step back and regroup and reorder my priorities . I think that is something we all need to do at times.
I have missed this place a lot and the connection I have found with the individuals I have met through blogging.

In this period of regrouping I have decided that this blog will be primarily a book review blog with occasional posts on the other things I love in life travel, food, crafts and diy.

Why books you ask? My love for them has been a constant in my life. I started by reading the encyclopedia as a 5 year old and then each week when we went to the laundromat on Saturday I got to go to library where in the one room library in the city hall of the tiny town I grew up in I found my  love of books. This love of books has carried me through the hard times of my life. I fell in love with Laura Ingalls Wilder, Misty of Chincoteague, and Nancy Drew as a child which led to a lifelong love of mysteries and fiction  and at 12 years of age I found Agatha Christie which was my first foray into adult literature. This love of books has been my magic carpet to travel the world from my hillbilly beginnings. I have been lucky to have visited many of the places in the US that I have read about.

This leads me to Hemingway's Girl. I truly loved this book. It is historical fiction that gives you a glimpse into the life of Papa Hemingway and the life of Key West after WWI. I was immersed in this era while reading this book and could almost smell the salt air and feel the warm breezes.Mrs. Robuck has a way with the written word of evoking time and place so well that I eagerly await her next book. This book was as good as Moloka'i and Honolulu to me and   that is high praise coming from me as they were two of my favorite books.

Lastly I want to say how much my heart hurts for those of the East Coast my thoughts and prayers are with all of you dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

The Color Run 2012

Doesn't this look fun? I so want to do this. I am going to try to do it with my sister and nephew. You get  powdered pigment thrown on you for each kilometer you run up to 5k. There will be one of these in 18 cities starting in San Diego and finishing in Fla. Ours here in Nashville is on Oct 11.

Check out the you tube video and come join me!

I have enjoyed all of Lisa See's books but I think I like this one and Shanghai Girls best.
.
I really enjoyed this one as it takes place during the Chinese Revolution in the 1950's.I find that my favorite character in both books has been Pearl. I admire Pearl's character for her strength and her love of her child. I think with Joy's character she sees herself come full circle.
I feel Lisa See does really well in depicting a sense of place and time in history and helps us to see parts of the Chinese culture in ways we might not otherwise.I also think that she can take a time in history and place us there and help us to see what those who lived through it were like. I found that after reading this book that I have a keener understanding of how China became such an international industrial state.

I think this is a very good read for anyone who enjoys and good historical fiction book.

This review from Good Reads: In her beloved New York Times bestsellers Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Peony in Love, and, most recently, Shanghai Girls, Lisa See has brilliantly illuminated the potent bonds of mother love, romantic love, and love of country. Now, in her most powerful novel yet, she returns to these timeless themes, continuing the story of sisters Pearl and May from Shanghai Girls, and Pearl’s strong-willed nineteen-year-old daughter, Joy. Reeling from newly uncovered family secrets, and anger at her mother and aunt for keeping them from her, Joy runs away to Shanghai in early 1957 to find her birth father—the artist Z.G. Li, with whom both May and Pearl were once in love. Dazzled by him, and blinded by idealism and defiance, Joy throws herself into the New Society of Red China, heedless of the dangers in the communist regime. Devastated by Joy’s flight and terrified for her safety, Pearl is determined to save her daughter, no matter the personal cost. From the crowded city to remote villages, Pearl confronts old demons and almost insurmountable challenges as she follows Joy, hoping for reconciliation. Yet even as Joy’s and Pearl’s separate journeys converge, one of the most tragic episodes in China’s history threatens their very lives. Acclaimed for her richly drawn characters and vivid storytelling, Lisa See once again renders a family challenged by tragedy and time, yet ultimately united by the resilience of love

I am up early waiting for the phone to ring as I am on call today at work. It is my least favorite part of work as you can't plan anything on this day other than sitting by the phone waiting to have to go to work.

Oregon especially Western Oregon is on my mind because they are having very bad flooding the worst since the mid 90's and as most of you after having lived there 5 years this place holds a special place in my heart.

Today I am:

Tasting : Diet Coke which is my way to start the day. I have never really like coffee.
Listening: to the quiet of the house with everyone asleep.
Touching: a fleece blanket that keeps me warm on the couch
Watching:Coast Guard Alaska  on dvr. I find of late I love all the shows filmed in Alaska.
Reading: Dreams of Joy by Lisa See
Outside: it is cold with stars brightly shining. I love winter nights
Inspired by: Karen Russell (please go read her most recent post and follow her link to Momastery)
Smelling : my fake scentsy wax warmer from Wal-Mart that smells like Vanilla.
Wishing: for snow on a weekend that hubby and I don't have to work.
Thankful: that hubby got a job working for the state with benefits.
Anticipating :Springtime.
Dreaming of: going to the beach this summer in either Flordia or North Carolina.

Thoughts on a Sunday

Thoughts for Sunday . I think this is as good as any sermon on what is important in life!

Click on picture to make it pop out larger.

Goals, Plans and Wishes

Isn't this beautiful? It is on the island of Oahu in Hawaii! Why you may ask do I show you?I show you because it combines a goal, a plan and a wish.

Here in the south there is a church on every corner and most have a sign out front that has a quote on it.One I saw just last night said : A goal without a plan is just a wish.This really struck home with me and made me stop and think about what my goals are and how do I plan to reach them.

One of my goals I have set for myself this year is to Move More and Eat Less to become more healthy and fit. It is not necessarily a diet but a lifestyle change which I know will take years not days or weeks. I want to change my unhealthy lifestyle to a healthier one because I want to feel better and not be so tired all the time. I want to Explore (my word for the year)  a more healthier way of life.

In that context one of my goals that I have set for myself is to do 2 5 K's, 2 10 K's and beginning training for a half marathon by 2013. I want to be able by my 50th birthday in 2014 To be able to hike this trail in the picture above without getting out of breath with my niece and nephew.It will include a goal(to be healthier and fit), a wish( to see this place  and experience it actively ) and  a plan ( listed above). It also contains one of my passions which is travel.

I feel like that over the past couple years but especially the last year that I have been existing not really living but just going through the motions and I want to live again to explore the joys of life. I want to find my simple joys in life that make me feel alive and happy which are travel, family, nature and books. I also want to explore my faith and grow deeper in it.

I also want to say thanks to all who prayed for me and my hubby. I passed my test which was such a relief as if I had not passed it I would have lost my job and hubby is in final stages of hiring process so please keep him in your prayers.I know that when I saw that I had passed this test it felt as though a weight was lifted off me because I knew that we would still be able to pay our bills and keep our health insurance.

I am continuing with my 1000 gifts:

37. For prayers that really work.
38.For the joy of catching snowflakes on my tongue
39. For the  beauty of a cardinal in the snow
40. the winter sky full of a multitude of stars
41. for the laughs I get from The Big Bang Theory
42. the joy of public libraries and getting lost in them
43. for the pruning of god on my soul
44. for a roof over my head
45. for a warm coat and gloves
47. for  a good night's rest.

Hope You Have a Wonderful Weekend!


Life's problems wouldn't be called "hurdles" if there wasn't a way to get over them. ~Author Unknown

Scandi Love

I have to admit that I am mildly obsessed with all things Scandinavian. I would love to go to this part of the world and Iceland and Greenland. The above Picture is of a village in Norway. One of my bucket list dreams is to someday see the Northern Lights.

I became more interested in this part of the world after reading the The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series of books and since then I love all of the different authors I have read from this part of the world. I love reading Nordic mysteries in winter as I can more easily identify with the setting.

In compiling my too long To Be Read list for 2012 for Good Reads I have many authors I plan on reading from this part of the world in the winter months. (Click on Good Reads link in red if you would like to read about each book and see my books I want to read for 2012).

I recently read Snow Angels by James Thompson which was set in Finland and liked it very much for the dark characters which so reflect the Nordic Culture and for the excellent descriptions of the setting. I plan on going to the library in about a week and plan on checking out The Snowman by Jo Nesbo and The Cruel Stars at Night by Kjell Ericksson.

I also have found two Scandi blogs one on Scandi food and one general interest. Here are the links:

Kanelstrand

Scandi Foodie


I also would like to ask that if you pray could you say a silent prayer for my husband and I . He went for a job interview today for a job he likes and is qualified for after no luck for 4 months and I have a really big test for work in a week. I would certainly appreciate any good thoughts and prayers you could send my way.

I thank each of you who left comments on the last post. You encouragement and words mean so much to me.

My wish for you

I know I have been absent for awhile here but I wanted to stop by and wish each of you a wonderful New Year.
It has been a year of tremendous change for me and been extremely hard but I am eager for the new year to come.I know that we all have these years and this one was mine.I know at times this year I have felt like a ballon floating along in the wind with no moorings. It seemed that the foundations of everything I held to be true was shaken but I am still standing and still here.

I have a couple of questions for each of you if you would take a minute to answer them.

Would you like to see this blog stay the way it is or change to being a book blogging ,craft type blog?

Do you prefer Blogger or Wordpress?

Do you think I should start a new blog or keep this one?

Any information and feedback on this topic would be greatly appreciated.


I have decided my word for 2012 will be explore.I thought about savor,quest, up, light, and story.I settled on explore because I have much I want to change about my life the way it is. I want to explore fitness, find a creative outlet that I enjoy, find a church home and explore the new community I find myself in. So explore is my word. What did you choose?

Here is hoping 2012 is the best year yet!

I just want to say thanks to all who serve now and in the past.They deserve out thanks and support.If you have read here for very long you know that I am very pro military. My dad, uncle and 3 cousins served in the Korean War and WWII. My father in law served in both the Pacific and Atlantic theatres during WWII. It makes me so mad when those people who call themselves Christians protest at Military funerals I feel that this is such a mockery of what Christianity is. I know that without our military the world we live in would be a vastly different place.

Source: fadinglikearose.tumblr.com via Yolanda on Pinterest

An elderly Cherokee Native American was teaching his grandchildren about life…

He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me, it is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One wolf is evil—he is fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, competition, superiority, and ego.

The other is good—he is joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

This same fight is going on inside you, and inside every other person, too.”

They thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win, Grandfather?”

The Elder simply replied, “The one you feed


I try to feed the good one but I feed the bad one more than I like to admitt.


One Thousand Gifts


26.The beautiful fall weather
27.Grateful to be home for good this holiday season and knowing it will be a true Tennessee  Christmas
28.Watching the CMA's in Nashville and being glad to live in music city where everybody does play and sing.
29.Grateful to find out I will be going to dayshift soon .
30.for the Joy that music gives to my life and for my roots in this place where even our drivers license have music notes on it.
31.For Good Chinese Food
32.for gridlock free commutes to work and back
33.for our veterans and active duty military
34.for the Big Bang Theory and the way it makes me laugh (love me some Sheldon)
35.for sleep
36.for washing machines and dryers

Photo by Critty Joy

Hope Everyone is enjoying this weekend. I am working nights :( but  alas I have a job.

One Thousand Gifts:

21. For the beauty of the first frost this morning and the fog which made everything look magical.

22.The fun of seeing all the kids dressed up for Halloween and smiles and giggles of this day.

23.For the beauty of the fall leaves and all their spectacular colors of this fleeting beauty.

24. For dog videos on you tube that make me laugh when I'm having a bad day.

25.For finding new music  to share with other people.

Isn't this picture pretty? It is Mt Etna. I chose this picture today because these last few days I have felt sort of like Mt Etna.

Aren't there times in all our lives when we feel like a volcano? It seems on the outside that all is well but underneath the surface our emotions and fears are bubbling like hot lava until they come spewing forth in an eruption either of anger, tears or hurt . I think it is more beneficial to us all to let off steam in slow short bursts rather than a big eruption.

I just moved back from Oregon and one of the things I learned living in the Northwest was that the beauty that is created there comes from the thing that makes it dangerous to live there and that is the fact that it is on the ring of fire. If you ever want to experience the awesome power of nature you need only go to Mt. St. Helen's. The time I went there it still is amazing to see the power that was unleashed there and still it is just beginning to recover some 31 years later.

I have  learned that tears are sometime like the lava that spills from Hawaii's volcanoes and that tears can release the pressure that sometime build up inside our souls and that by releasing them it gives us the strength to face another day. It took me a long time to learn this because when I grew up tears were something to be hidden but the older I get the more value I see in them
.I guess I've learned that sometime I have to be weak to be strong. How about you?

One Thousand Gifts :
11.The sound of my dog snoring at night
12.My neice telling me she loves me
13.The escape to be found in a good book
14.The setting sun as it paints the sky in sherbert colors.
15.My sister telling me she was glad we moved back
16.The feel of my husbands body next me as we go to sleep
17.The taste of a homecooked meal
18.The laughter of children at play
19.For tears that cleanse my soul
20.For guilty pleasures like chocolate

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before--more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle.”
― Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Simple Thoughts for Saturday

'

I love this Prayer I need to pray it everyday. There is so much truth here.I didn't  write it but at one time or the other I have had all these nots.

Another something to melt your heart this Saturday!

Source: puppyintraining.com via Yolanda on Pinterest

He had just saved her from a fire in her house, rescuing her by carrying her out of the house into her front yard, while he continued to fight the fire. She is pregnant. The firefighter was afraid of her at first, because he had never been around a Doberman before. When he finally got done putting the fire out, he sat down to catch his breath and rest. A photographer from the Charlotte, North Carolina newspaper, “The Observer,” noticed this red Doberman in the distance looking at the fireman. He saw her walking straight toward the fireman and wondered what she was going to do. As he raised his camera, she came up to the tired man who had saved her life and the lives of her babies, and kissed him, just as the photographer snapped this photograph

 

He is a Chief Master Sergeant in the USAF serving in Afghanistan
As high as you can go in enlisted ranks (E-9)
 John Gebhardt's wife, Mindy, said that this little girl's entire family was executed.
The insurgents intended to execute the little girl also, and shot her in the head...but they failed to kill her.
She was cared for in John 's hospital and is healing up, but continues to cry and moan.
The nurses said John is the only one who seems to calm her down, so John has spent the last four nights holding her while they both slept in that chair. The girl is coming along with her healing.
He is a real Star of the war, and represents what the combined service is trying to do.

God Bless our Military and all those in public service.There are no words to expresss my gratitude for what they do.

"I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.
It would be terrible if we just skipped
from September to November,
wouldn’t it?”

L.M. Montgomery,
author of Anne of Green Gables

the breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

don’t go back to sleep.

you must ask for what you really want.

don’t go back to sleep.

people are going back and forth between the

door sill where the two worlds touch.

the door is round and open.

don’t go back to sleep.

-rumi

found via Positively Present

I love this print that I found on Pinterest and which I could find a copy for my home.It so illustrates what I am about.If you don't know about Pinterest you need to check it out. It is like a virtual cork board of inspiration for meals, decorating,quotes,church ideas etc. You name it and it is there.

I grew up in a small town which is sometimes good and sometimes bad.The town I grew up in was less than a 1000 people and you knew everybody and their families and history and they knew yours. Its funny even in this modern age  we still keep up with people from where we grew up with via Facebook.I think that is one of  the good things about Facebook is that if you live away from where you grew up it allows you to keep up with those you knew and still care about.I know growing up in the south people identify you by who you are related to.Yesterday while checking Facebook I noticed a lot of updates about a young woman who is the daughter of a former classmate. She had been in a coma for a week after giving birth to a 1 week old baby and she passed away yesterday leaving also a small child. I feel so for this family and those children who will never know their mother.I ask that you keep the Frazier/O'Toole families in your prayers..

This young ladies passing (she was only 25) reminded me of how fleeting and fragile life is and how every moment good or bad is to be treasured as a gift.Life is a gift as I am reminded of everyday in my job as a nurse .

I have wanted for some time to start a One Thousand Gifts list after being inspired by Ann Voskamp on her blog A Holy Experience.I am going to start today on this as a reminder to Be Grateful for the life I've been given each day.

.
1.The beauty of a perfect fall day.
2.The rain of the fall leaves down during the winds like a shower of blessing
3. That I have a job
4.For my animals
5.For the friendliness and warmth of my fellow southerners
6. That I have roots in a place that rallies around its own during tragedy.
7. The sacrifice of the military and their families.
8.The joy of my animals greeting when I get home after working 12 hours
9.The smells and colors of fall.
10.The tradition of SEC football

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

It seems over the last 2 months that my life has been about change. We have moved cross country and I have started a new job with many new challenges. I am trying to adjust to working nights again after 23 years of working days.We have downsized to a smaller house and downsized to one income until my husband can find a job. Our house has come with its own challenges as we are renting but I decided that I wasn't going to choose discouragement or doubt. I decided that I am going to be content and to Choose Joy.

Recently one of my favorite bloggers Gitzen Girl died but she left such a legacy in how she lived and approached her life. I admired her because like her I deal with  several chronic illnesses ( I have a malformation in my brain that causes pain and fibro like muscle systems for which there is no cure and also diabetes, and PCOD. I decided long ago that I was not going to give in to these conditions and as long as I am able I will continue to work and provide for my family. I feel that the disease might be a part of me but it doesn't control me.

I have shared all of this to say that I have thought long and hard about my place in blogging world and whether I have anything relevant to say or that anyone cares but I believe I do have something to say that might be encouraging to others.

I have been in a valley for the past five years with my faith but I feel a renewal , a blossoming of hope in my heart for the future despite all the difficulties and I feel that with all the trials I have been through I can understand how others going through these spots feel.I don't know why I have faced all the things I have faced  but maybe God is using them to help me to help others.

I can identify with so many groups:
1.I can identify with those who are single later in life. I didn't marry till I was 36
2.I can identify with those who have a chronic illness.
3.I can identify with those who are facing difficulties financially in this economic climate.
4.I can identify with those who lose hope.
5 I can identify with those who struggle with their weight.
6. I can identify with those who have lost family members . I have only my husband and my sister and her kids left.
7. I know what it is like to take care of a family member who is dying.(My mom died of breast cancer on hospice at my house)
8. I know what it is like to move somewhere you know no one and start over again. I have done this three times.
9.I understand the burdens it places on a woman to be the primary breadwinner.
10.I know what it is like to deal with depression.

I know through my reading of blogs that a lot of bloggers present the rosy side of things and we who read compare ourselves to those bloggers thinking why isn't my life perfect like theirs . I want this blog and my testimony here to be that life is not fair, it hurts sometimes  but there is hope and a way through. I want what I write here to be real like life.

I hope that you will come along with me as I adjust to a new kind of normal,find a church home and regrow my faith in new soil. I think God had to do some pruning on my branches to bring forth new growth.

I will try to blog regularly (the days I don't work 12 hours) and I will always be real.I know that sometimes all I really want is to know there are others like me who struggle but don't give up.

quote by muchlove-anna.blogspot.com

There are stars whose radiance is visible on Earth though they have long been extinct.

 There are people whose brilliance continues to light the world even though they are no longer among the living.

 These lights are particularly bright when the night is dark. They light the way for humankind."

 — Hannah Senesh

I was at work that day in a patients room starting and IV . I remember hearing that a lot of the schools and business were closing and that I wanted to be at home with my family not at work but like all those who are in public service I stayed at work that day with my fellow nurses and doctors and watched the tragedy unfold on TVs in patients rooms. I remember thinking that I wished I could be there to help in some way in NYC,WA, or Penn. I remember hearing on TV that they wanted all health care workers to come back to the hospitals if they could. I remember getting home that night and hugging my husband and feeling safe.

Today I am thankful for all those who serve this country the military and their families, the cops and firefighters and first responders and their families and also the doctors and nurses . I know firsthand that these professions can never be compensated for the good they do for their fellow human beings and the sacrifices they make to keep us safe and healthy. If you get the chance this week thank them for what they do. I know being a nurse for  27 years that it means so much for someone to tell me thank you on a day when nothing seems to go right and you can't seem to please anyone. It means so much.

I will be back later this week with more to share. We  have been settling in here in Tennessee and I start a new job tomorrow but I have lots of ideas for the blog and reconnecting with all of you. I just wanted today to be about the solemnity and sacrifice of those who died and those who still serve.

May we all never forget.

photo by Anthony Correia/Getty Images

Happy Birthday Lucy

It is the 100 th birthday of Lucille Ball and the 60th anniversary of I love Lucy.It is still my favorite show of all time.
I hope wherever she is that she is smiling down on all of us today along with Vivian Vance.
I remember when I was small watching I Love Lucy reruns in the afternoon after school and I still love watching them when I am sad or sick. She always makes me laugh.
It is so rare that she is so timeless and she made us all laugh without cussing or being derogatory to any group. I love her timeless humor and that of Carol Burnett who also still makes me laugh.
So lets all watch an I love Lucy rerun this weekend and laugh and remember this wonderful woman and show.

Laughter is an instant vacation. ~Milton Berle