Shifting Gears

In this month of giving thanks, I’m thankful for my friends Robin and Vickie.  We three are the Women of Substance – a self-appointed committee designed to critique the rest of the world – or at least those we know – and report to each other on a regular basis.  And of course, all this work is fueled by good food every month.

Tonight we continued our Year of Italian with dinner at DiGiacinto’s where my buddies treated me to a birthday dinner and showered me with cute cards, goodies and the best gift of all – their friendship.  Here are the topics of the evening that can be publicly shared:

• Vickie feels it is my personal responsibility to stimulate the economy – which includes buying all new furniture for my refurbed living room and dining room.
• Robin lost 18 pounds on Alli in 5 months.  She looked like a dominatrix tonight in her skinny jeans and high black leather boots.  Vickie is thinking of starting Alli in January.
• Robin has a little voice inside her head that tells her she needs to lose more weight and go down one more size.
• Vickie shared some very exciting news – actually it was no surprise to Robin and me – but we are sworn to secrecy for now.
• I recently lectured for a couple of MSU classes about community engagement.  One question I got asked how I got involved in local activities since I didn’t grow up here.  When I mentioned volunteering through my college sorority, one girl wanted to know what sorority I was in.  I deemed that the lamest question I received.
• Last evening Vickie attended a meeting regarding the proposed east/west arterial that will go from Campbell to Evans Road and run behind her neighborhood.  There was lots of loud opposition but for now, she is taking a “wait and see” attitude.
• Hannah wants to get layers in her hair and her current hairdresser likes her hair the way it is and won’t cut it that way.  SO – Saturday she’ll be going to a new stylist.
• Robin’s company will have a scaled-down Christmas party this year – Vickie’s won’t be scaled down but instead of the employees getting gifts, the money will be donated to charity.
• Springfield will be getting a very high-profile speaker in the spring – too bad it will coincide with a couple of other big events.
• Robin’s husband was upset that since the sales tax issue passed, the city now plans to hire more policemen and firemen.  He thinks the voters were misled with how the funds would be spent.  Robin thinks with the new sales tax $ going into the pension fund, the city now has $ they can devote to hiring.  Were the taxpayers duped?  We don’t think so.
• A very high percentage of military applicants don’t meet the educational standards or can’t pass the drug tests.
• Vickie’s mom just bought a new stove on her own and even asked for a “deal” which is reminiscent of what Vickie’s dad would have done.
• Vickie and Hannah are going to start a yoga class at the Meyer Center tomorrow.  Robin won 8 weeks of yoga free at a wellness seminar.
• Vickie recently past the milestone of the one-year anniversary of her dad’s death.
• Robin belongs to a group known as “The Coven”.
• Robin got her H1N1 shot and now feels better about overseas travel.  Vickie doesn’t have access to the vaccine and I probably have an immunity because I’m so old!  Hannah will get her shot at school.
• Vickie and Hannah are going to a Lady Bears game this weekend that will benefit Polio Plus.
• We predict a couple we all know who haven’t been married for long are headed for divorce.
• Robin wants a pair of authentic Chanel sunglasses – but she wants them at a bargain price.
• Vickie asked if there is any product we like so much that we would endorse it.  She recently heard someone respond to that question and say they loved the Garnier Fruitiste eye roll-on cream.  Robin would endorse Spanx.  Vickie and I have no clue.
• Currently I’m listening to 106.7 The River, Vickie listens to KTXR or KSMU and Robin listens to 96.5 whose demographic target group is 16-25 years old.
• For Thanksgiving, Robin and Jim will be with his family and since it’s his dad’s birthday, they will have steak which she doesn’t like.  Vickie will be with Chaz’s family in Highlandville and I’ll be in Phoenix
• Someone who is obsessed with a celebrity is a “focused fan” and not a “stalker.”
• Funny real names that Vickie recently heard were twins named Toyota and Cressida, a lady named Formica Dinette and a guy named Orangejello.
• A friend suggested a business idea to Vickie – coaching kids on hot to get into college.  It would include applications, essays, interviews, deadlines, financial aid, scholarships, etc.  The business would be geared to working mothers who don’t have time to do all this for their kids.  My question – What about PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY on the part of the kids?

• Vickie follows a website that recently suggested these guidelines for professional clothing:  $400-$600 for a suit, $500 for a cashmere sweater, 450 – $800 for a handbag.  That may work in New York with 6-figure salaries but probably isn’t practical for the average working woman in Springfield. 

•  Obituaries should always list the cause of death.

• Men don’t care what we wear as long as it involves red high heels – and nothing else.

That’s all for this month that we can share!  We’ll gather early in December due to other obligations and Robin’s trip to New Zealand to celebrate the holidays.

Today is my Birthiversary and I’ve had a wonderful day – capped off by dinner at Ocean Zen with Burl.  When he asked what I wanted for my birthday, I told him that hardwood floors in the living room, dining room and hall would be perfect and would exempt him from ever giving me another gift.  Not that he had to take me up on that offer but I did mean it!  However, being the wonderful guy that he is, he also gave me some new golf shoes with the insinuation that I will wear them to play golf with him!

For my anniversary gift he added a diamond to the necklace he gave me as a wedding gift so now I have 8 diamonds in it – one for our wedding and one for each year of our marriage.  Pretty special, huh?  He got a nifty automatic hammer from Home Depot which is on back order and which I may cancel because he has something similar that he doesn’t use – but there are some other goodies he’s been wanting so we’ll shop for those.

One of the best gifts I received came from daughter Tammy via her blog  – she wrote a very special post to me today and it means so much to me to hear her beautiful thoughts.  I’d tell her that it made me teary but then she’d accuse me of being too sappy and sentimental so let’s don’t tell her that it really got to me!

Tonight at dinner we started talking about doing something special for our 10th anniversary and I wasn’t surprised when Burl immediately suggested what I was thinking – we need to spend it in Paris and have dinner at the top of the Eiffel Tower.  Sounds like a plan to me.  I’ve been to Paris twice and each time I visited the Eiffel Tower but I’ve never been there with Burl so it’s now part of our agenda.  By then we should be finished with all our projects!

Right now we should be experiencing the famous 7 Year Itch but the only itch I have is the one to redecorate our home and I’m making great progress on that.  Since the first of the year we’ve turned a bedroom into my sewing/craft room, completely made over the main bathroom and now we’re halfway through the hardwood flooring project.  Little does he know what awaits him when we return from a winter in Phoenix.

I’m not telling – let’s make it a surprise!

“When I get older losing my hair,
Many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a valentine
Birthday greetings bottle of wine?

If I’d been out till quarter to three
Would you lock the door,
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four?

oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oooo
You’ll be older too, (ah ah ah ah ah)
And if you say the word,
I could stay with you.

I could be handy mending a fuse
When your lights have gone.
You can knit a sweater by the fireside
Sunday mornings go for a ride.

Doing the garden, digging the weeds,
Who could ask for more?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four?

Every summer we can rent a cottage
In the Isle of Wight, if it’s not too dear
We shall scrimp and save
Grandchildren on your knee
Vera, Chuck, and Dave

Send me a postcard, drop me a line,
Stating point of view.
Indicate precisely what you mean to say
Yours sincerely, Wasting Away.

Give me your answer, fill in a form
Mine for evermore
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I’m sixty-four?

Whoo!”

 What could Paul McCartney possibly have known about being 64 when, at the age of 16, he wrote (co-credited to John Lennon) one of his most famous songs, “When I’m Sixty-Four”? The Beatles later recorded the tune when McCartney was 24, and, from that youthful vantage, 64 could only seem a time of cute, dithering romance as a hedge against loneliness (“You’ll be older too/And if you say the word/I could stay with you”), dead-end domesticity (“Doing the garden, digging the weeds,/Who could ask for more”), and a steady descent into mortality (“Yours sincerely, wasting away”)—all with a wink and a nudge. London was swinging, and the Beatles were the avatars of a seismic youthquake. Come on—who was ever going to get old?

Well I may not feel old but as of today “When I’m 64” is my theme song for the next 365 days.  Yep – I’ve reached that Beatles milestone and the only phrases that resonate with me are “grandchildren on your knee” and “knit a sweater by the fireside”. 

I’m not sure how I’m supposed to act at 64 but then acting conventionally has never been one of my strong suits.  I much prefer to behave according to my own instincts instead of what society or the media deems appropriate for the almost-Medicare-age group.  In fact I’ve already received an e-card from a friend that said “Here’s to another year of complete disregard for age-appropriate developmental milestones.”  She knows me well.

I’ve had a fabulous time celebrating this day already – Ralph and the girls were here for a long weekend and Saturday night we gathered at Tammy and Steve’s along with Cindy, Corey, Tarah and Bella for a wonderful birthday dinner.  Cindy made a 7-layer Mexican dip which we enjoyed along with beer prior to dinner.  The meal was a long-time favorite of home-made Mexican Villa tacos complete with MV taco shells, white American cheese and MV taco and enchilada sauces.  And to top it all off – as if we weren’t already stuffed to the gills – Ralph made a turtle ice cream pie complete with real whipped cream.  Yum, Yum!   And they appropriately decorated it with a little bicycle.

Tonight Burl is taking me to Ocean Zen for my Birthiversary – where not only do I get to celebrate my birthday but we also mark 7 years of wedded bliss. 

I started the day with my coffee and a plethora of birthday and anniversary cards which arrived in the mail last week .  I’ve been saving them to open en mass but since my mom taught me to share, I let Burl open the anniversary cards.  I’ve also gotten several ecards and Facebook greetings.  Between now and Ocean Zen I have a fabulous day planned  (in no particular order) – paint the woodwork in the dining room, go for a 2-mile run, take the dog for a walk, pry up particle board that some dork GLUED to the subflooring in the dining room and work on Christmas jumpers for Julia and Lydia.

But first I need to hereby declare that I am now 46 and dyslexic!  That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Tammy sent me the following and since I rarely forward this stuff on email, I thought it was perfect for an evening of lazy blogging.   Feel free to steal it for your blog, Facebook account or to forward in an email.

Change all the answers so they apply to you, and then send this to your friends including the person who sent it to you. The idea is that you will learn a lot of little things about your friends that you might not have known! Just press the ‘forward’ button then you can erase my answers and add yours.

1. High heels or boots? boots - definitely boots – I don’t do high heels any more. 

2. What time did you get up this morning? 7:15 am – that’s late for us but we’ve had a very busy week

3. Diamonds or pearls? diamonds

4. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The September Issue – went with Tammy

5. What is your favorite TV show? Desperate Housewives

6. What do you usually have for breakfast? Fruit and cereal

7. What is your middle name? It’s “Louise” on my birth certificate but when I married, I kept my maiden name, Keckeley, as my middle name.

8. What food do you dislike? bell peppers

9. What is your favorite CD at the moment?  Can’t think of a particular CD – I listen to my iPod Shuffle when I run.

10. Favorite Clothing? Jeans and sweaters

11. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Paris – or Australia – or Africa – or……….

12. Are you an organized person? Sometimes

13. Where would you like to retire? Not sure yet – we may stay right where we are but I’m open to any place as long as it never gets any colder than it does here.

14. What was your most recent memorable birthday?  2002 when I married the most wonderful man on my birthday.  Now I celebrate a Birthiversary. 

15. What are you going to do when you finish this?  Knit – and visit with Ralph when she gets back from the store.

16. Furthest place you are sending this? Have no idea

17. Person you expect to send it back first? Don’t know

18. When is your birthday? November 9 – just 3 more shopping days

19. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night

20. Do you have any animals? Yes, on very spoiled rotten dog – Mulligan 

21. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share? I’m going to attempt a triathlon in 3 weeks

22. What did you want to be when you were little? Older

23. What is your favorite flower? Roses

24. What is a day on the calendar to which you are looking forward? 2 weeks from today when we leave for Phoenix

25. What was the last thing you ate? Cinnamon pizza dessert

26. Do you wish upon stars? Of course

27. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Red

29. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Tammy

30. Favorite soft drink? Diet Coke

31. Favorite restaurant? Ocean Zen

32. Hair color? Dark blonde covering all the gray

33. What was your favorite toy as a child? A doll that could wear baby clothing

34. Summer or winter? Summer

35.. Chocolate or vanilla? Definitely chocolate

36. Coffee or tea? Coffee!

38. Do you want your friends to email you back? Sure

39. When was the last time you cried? Can’t remember.

40. What is under your bed? Dust bunnies and storage stuff

41. What did you do last night? Visited with Ralph

42. What are you afraid of? Loss of independence when I get old

43. Salty or sweet? Usually sweet.

44. Best qualities you have? I’m loyal

45. How many years at your current job? 17 months

46. Favorite day of the week? Every day

47. Positive or negative? Usually positive

48. Half full or Half empty? Half full – or “who ordered a cheeseburger” (only a few people will understand that one)

49. Wine or Beer? Beer

50. Last person you kissed? Julia and Lydia when I tucked them into bed.

There you have it – all kinds of uninteresting things about me!

Work is moving along at Chez Brown in between tee times, board meetings and life in general.  Mike called today and insisted I take a photo and send it to him so he could join in the fun. 

Burl demonstrates how to use a pneumatic floor nailer!

Since Mike installed hardwood floors in his last home, I know he’s serious when he said he wish he was here to help.  He and his dad would have the job done in record time – but since Burl has to rely on me as his handyman assistant, we’re plodding along!

I have put my organizational skills to work.  I unpacked several boxes of flooring and sorted the boards according to their length.  Tammy said is I was really anal-retentive (What?  She doesn’t think I am?), I would have labeled the stacks.  Actually I considered that but the lengths are pretty random and it’s hard to find too many pieces that are the same length – close but not exact.

Then I check to see what length needs to be placed next to insure we don’t have seams too close together – then I pick out the board, check it for flaws and then hand it (Vanna White style, of course) to Mr. Nail Gun.

I’m not 100% convinced the living room will be done by Thursday when Ralph and her crew arrive but we’re working on it.

Tomorrow is Burl’s day for breakfast and motorcycle riding with the guys and I have my volunteer gig at Cox plus a haircut that can NOT be changed. 

At this rate I just hope we’re back to whatever passes for normal before we leave for Phoenix in a couple of weeks!  There’s a lot of work to do and a short time to get there………..

Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes in bringing an 840-page fashion magazine into reality?  Well neither had I!  But “September Issue” which is currently playing at the Moxie offers a great documentary on how the largest magazine every printed came to life.

The movie follows the tale of Anna Wintour (the basis for “The Devil Wears Prada”) as she guided/coaxed/threatened/told her staff how things are going to be.  No question about it!  But she doesn’t come off as quite the bitch Meryl Streep played in “Prada”.  We follow her in her office, to the fashion runways and to visits with designers – and along the way we learn about her youth growing up in London and the path her father directed for her based on her interest in fashion.

For me, the real star of the show was Grace Coddington who is Vogue’s Creative Director.  Grace was a teen-model for vogue in the late 50’s but following a car accident she joined British Vogue as a fashion editor and later switched to American Vogue when Anna hired her.  Their respect for each other was evident but Anna clearly has the last word which didn’t always agree with Anna’s opinion – and believe me, she had her opinions!

Tammy was my guide throughout the movie since she obviously knows her fashion and designers while I’m limited to the sale racks at Dillard’s, Loft or TJ Maxx!  She did have to explain to me that there are people who actually have couture clothing made especially for them and if they are photographed wearing the item, will then retire it for about 20 years until it’s considered “vintage couture”.  I probably have a few things in my closet that may come close to the vintage definition but I’m not sure Gap jeans or MS150 t-shirts are truly vintage!

Next up at the Moxie is “Coco Before Chanel” and Tammy and I are already making plans to see it  – without our guys!

Whew!  Since we returned from our little mini-vacation a few days ago, I’ve felt like the proverbial lab rat on a treadmill going nowhere fast!  Here’s a quick recap!

Wednesday was our last day in Hermann and while the sun wasn’t shining when we awoke, at least it wasn’t raining.  The weather forecast looked favorable so we headed out from the trailhead at McKittrick going east to Treloar.  Even though it has rained steadily for the past two days, the trail was quite accommodating to our road bikes and we had no problem riding at a good pace.

The trail was in excellent shape and being mid-week, we had the trail exclusively to ourselves most of the day.  We hugged river bluffs to the north and the Missouri River to the south and so enjoyed just being out riding.

Lunch was at the Treloar Bar and since services are sparse on this area of the Katy, we were happy to encounter a place that was open with a friendly waitress and good food.

We returned to McKittrick and loaded up our bikes while wishing we could stay another day and ride more.  Guess it’s proof that you always leave a reason to return and one of these days we hope to ride the Katy for the entire trail from Clinton to east of St. Charles.

Thursday began our latest episode of “Extreme Brown Home Makeover” with the  “Living Room/Dining Room Edition”. 

Sorry - this ugly carpet has already been sold!

We’ve moved all the living room furniture into the dining area so we pulled the living room carpet and padding along with particle board that had been placed over the sub-flooring. 

I suggested we list the carpet and padding on craigslist.com and give it away.  Burl insisted that no one appreciates the value of “free” any more and decided we should list it for $50.  Once again, he was right!  We had several calls and by yesterday afternoon, we had $50 in hand and the carpet and padding hauled away.  Still have the particle board but can always donate it to the Habitat ReStore.

By Friday morning we were down to the sub-flooring and Burl decided as long as we had everything up, we may as well reinforce the floor joists. 

Wow - sub-flooring and new black paper.

Since he had to go to work (i.e. he had a tee time!), he “allowed” me to use his power drill and taught me how to countersink the screws.  I told some friends that I stayed home and screwed all morning while he played golf!  And I did!

Friday afternoon the flooring was delivered and we were ready with clear places for all of it to go.  I finished washing the walls and painting the crown molding and by Saturday I was ready to put the first coats of paint on the walls.  One wall is a pale gray and will blend into the hallway that goes to the bedrooms.  The other three walls will be RED! 

Red Wall - in case you missed it.

So far I’ve only done one short wall and part of another one but I love the color.  The jury is still out with Burl but he’s smart enough to keep quiet! 

I put the second coats on tonight and will probably need to do another coat of red in the morning.  I’ve also painted all the baseboards but Burl pulled them and has set up a paint station for me in the basement.

Tomorrow the real fun begins – we start laying floor as soon as Burl gets home from work!  He assures me the living room with be done and furniture will be back in it by Thursday afternoon when Ralph and the girls arrive for a few days.

Then we’ll take a break, enjoy the weekend and our anniversary and finish the project which will include the dining room and the hallway leading to the bedrooms. 

I’m already thinking I want a new look in the living room – only problem is, I don’t know what that look is yet.  So guess I’ll move the old stuff back in there for now and then start a quest for some new pieces.

I know Burl is thinking “surely we’re done with this stuff now” but we’ll just be taking a break for the holidays and our winter vacation.

As soon as we’re back in the spring, the master bedroom and bath will not be safe from Makeover Madness.  But Burl can relax – those rooms won’t require him laying flooring or installing plumbing or doing electrical work.  It’s all stuff I can do.

Just to show we’re not all work and no play, we did take time today to ride the Goldwing to Branson with a group from the Shrine.  We all participated in the first Toy Run of the year with a ride from Branson to Forsyth where we dropped off the toys with Santa and had lunch.

Is it really time to think about Christmas?

I finished re-reading George Orwell’s classic, “Animal Farm” last night and hated leaving all those magnificent characters.  The book was required reading for me in a high school English class and at that time, we did all the comparisons to Russia, communism and Khrushchev.

Fast forward almost 50 years and it’s deja vu all over again.

Only this time I’m comparing it to the USA, socialism and Obama.  Scary, huh?

The pigs and dogs have been replaced by the elephants and donkeys in Washington, DC.  Napoleon is in the White House, Squealer is the VP, all the guard dogs are the administration czars and the farm animals/taxpayers are doing all the work and not seeing the rewards.

Anyone else see a connection?

PS – I ranked the book an A+ – anything that timeless deserves extra credit.

A couple of weeks ago we decided we needed a little vacation plus it was a perfect excuse for an early anniversary celebration.  We had a gift certificate to a Missouri Bed & Breakfast so decided a trip to Hermann to sample some wine, eat German food and ride our bikes on the Katy Trail was just the thing.

I dutifully researched the B&Bs in Hermann and was able to get reservations at Captain Wohlt Inn for a few days.  Of course the day we made these plans was one of those gorgeous warm and sunny October days and the thought of cold rain was the farthest thing from our minds.

Fast forward to yesterday when we left Springfield to head east in cold rain!  The bikes were safe and dry on the bike rack inside the covered truck bed and we figured the rain couldn’t last too long. 

Right?

Wrong.

Since the Katy Trail was definitely off the list for yesterday we did the cellar tour and wine tasting at Stone Hill Winery.  (NOTE:  Photos will follow later – I forgot the cord to download them to the laptop.)  The cellars were dug out by the Germans in the mid-1800’s and are still in use even though the ceilings are almost completely covered in black mold.  Wonder if OSHA has seen these conditions!

Our guide gave a very detailed tour and then it was one to the tasting room where we were able to sample over 20 wines.  We both liked the semi-dry red Hermannsberger and Burl liked the port so we bought a bottle of each.  We also got a chance to look at their restaurant menu so it was a no-brainer to eat there last night given their selection of German foods.

Burl had never eaten there before and for me The Vintage Restaurant at Stone Hill Winery held a beautiful bittersweet memory.  This was one of my mother’s favorite restaurants and it was there in April 1997 that I had my last meal with both of my parents.  I remember we sat in one of the horse stall booths and I also remember wondering how much longer I would have them with me.

The restaurant is actually in the converted carriage house so when I mention the horse stall booths, that’s exactly what they were.  The sides of the stalls are still there along with the chutes where the hay was dropped and the grain bins.  Of course they have been properly mucked out and a tad bit of redecorating done since then!

We both chose the German sampler platter which included schnitzel, sauerbrauten and knacktwurst along with a salad and two sides – I opted for the spatzle and a potato pancake.  Of course we had to have wine and we picked the Steinberg Red and made sure we didn’t need a “to go” bag for it!

This morning the rain had intensified and the temp was still hovering in the upper 40s so again, the Katy Trail was out.  After a hearty breakfast at the B&B we followed Highway 100 east to Washington, got on I-44 and ended up at Mid Rivers Mall near St. Peters.  The mall was absolutely dead – we didn’t care for any of the 14 movies playing at the cineplex – and mall shopping is pretty far down on our entertainment level.  So – back in the truck, more driving around in the rain (on I-70 now) and finally back to Hermann and more wine tasting!

We tasted at Adam Puchta Winery and Hermanhoff Winery – then got distracted with ice cream and totally forgot to tour the Tin Mill Brewery and sample some beer.  Need to put that on tomorrow’s list!

A quick stop at the visitor center gave us a list of all the restaurants in town which fell into a few categories – nice places that are closed on Monday and Tuesdays, smokey bars, fast food, cafes that close at 2 p.m. and The Vintage Restaurant at Stone HIll.

Nothing like a re-run of a great place!  Tonight we both went with the schnitzel and paired it with the Hermannsbergers – but brought half a bottle home with us.

We’re doing a “sun dance” tonight to call forth the rays of sun to dry off the Katy Trail tomorrow so the bikes can get out and play.  If that fails, we’ll be heading home!

The B&B has been another experience – we are the only guests they have and are thinking the innkeepers would probably have enjoyed a few days of total vacancy instead of having to fix breakfast for us.  They wanted to serve us at 9 today and we talked them into 8:30 - only to discover that their angst was over the fact that the stock market opens at 8:30 and he likes to day trade!

Well excuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me!

Tomorrow they want to go to St. Louis for the day so we get to eat at 8 – hope they appreciate how accommodating we are!!! 

But we are staying in a historic home and it sure beats Holiday Inn Express seven ways to sundown.

The weather tomorrow will tell our fate – we either get to ride our bikes or we head for home earlier than planned.

Stay tuned…………..

I’m not talking about the Wisconsin Travel Federation, I’m doing a real WTF?!!!

One of the goals I set for myself last year was to read some of the books on the Time-Life list of the 100 Best English Novels.  Now I’ll have to admit that any list that doesn’t include “The World According to Garp” is suspect but hey, they didn’t ask my opinion.

Anyway, I figured I was reading way too much brain candy and it wouldn’t hurt to throw in some bona fide stuff here so I decided to read 5 that I’d never read and re-read 5 others.  So far I’ve re-read “Catcher in the Rye” which wasn’t as great as I remembered and then added “Mrs. Dalloway” (gave it a B+) and just finished “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway.

I say I “finished” Hemingway’s book but just barely.  And it’s a true “WTF?” as far as I’m concerned.  What is the big deal about that book?  I’m either too dumb to appreciate something that really smart people see in it or something.  I thought it was boring, boring, boring.

Oh well – another one marked off my list!

And today I started re-reading “Animal Farm” – I suspect Orwell’s satire is going to seem very appropriate to today’s political atmosphere.