I enjoyed this book, but I have to say I figured out the plot very early in the book.
Not only did I figure it out, I was confident I had it correct.
I think I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if I had not.
So, I am not planning on reading any more by this author.
https://www.npr.org/2021/05/16/996976488/the-plot-works-as-literary-satire-but-its-mystery-fizzles
I culled my footwear this spring. I need very good support. I am careful with my back and neck, which means quality shoes.
First, I have a pair of mud shoes that I can throw on to take the puppies out to pee in the rain or adjust the sprinkler. I do not wear these for any length of time.
My mainstays are six pairs of shoes.
I have three sandals which all stay clean.
The middle pair are keens. The other two are Comfort Finns. The pair on the right are for to/from yoga, I can get them on and off while standing with my large yoga bag.
Also in the rotation, bottom shelf from left to right, a pair of athletic shoes for gardening, clean pair to wear to a clean walking event, and my dog walking shoes.
The gardening shoes start out new each year and quickly look quite old. These have been going strong since early March at our house and our daughter’s (we are landscaping and planting grass at her house).
My husband and I watched Still on AppleTV, mid June.
We have access through our son and DIL’s account. This is not an app that I use very often. I saw the show advertised on my Roku, and was intrigued.
First, let me share my opinion that this documentary had really fabulous editing. Clips from various shows and movies were interwoven to help tell the story. The silhouette of another actor looks like it was used to fill in the holes and add dimension.
I could not take my eyes off Michael J. Fox’s (contemporary) face as he was interviewed. It was the face and the eyes.
The whole thing was exceptionally well done, in my opinion.
My husband’s father had Parkinson’s. He had the misfortune to also have dementia.
My mother’s best friend’s husband had Parkinson’s also.
It is a very hard disease. This documentary serves to illustrate a family living with the complications of this disease as well as an actor’s life.
We had company this past winter. One of my husband’s cousins and his wife were here twice.
She was a little mind blown by my Siri. I use it constantly.
She commented that they were too old for such a modern convenience.
I would argue it is a necessity as one ages.
First of all, we have it set to “Hey Siri”, so just mentioning her name does not activate her.
Next, yes one could just use a timer, but a conventional stove timer only holds one thing at a time.
Siri holds an infinite number of times with a message attached to each one.
If I have six steps going on cooking dinner, she can keep track of each one.
If middle and I are going to be gone for the day and my husband is home with the pups, Siri can remind him to refill their water bowl or feed them dinner.
I often set it to remember the washer/dryer, put something on the front porch for pick up, leave for an out-of-the-ordinary event.
After my rice steamer and microwave, Siri is my most helpful kitchen appliance. It lives on the shelf above the refrigerator.
It makes a positive difference in my day and helps keep things running smoothly and safely.
Large balls of string are an important part of my gardening life. I use it to mark the property lines when I am working in an area.
The photos, in this post, show a dedicated string that is just the right length for one side of our property. I use this string at least once a year. It makes things very tidy (and polite/fair for our neighbors) to mark the property line as I adjust beds.
This first photo (below) is the string looped on the front property stake. Our street is behind me, neighbors’ house is on the left, our house is on the right, in this photo.
Yes, my ivy has jumped the line. This photo was taken after my mom cut it back last month. The neighbor does not mind that the ivy is over the line.
My husband and I will trim all the way around this huge bed soon. You can see the ivy is creeping in the grass in the front.
I was introduced to her through the Happiness Podcast.
Gretchen and Elizabeth featured Dani’s book, Inheritance, as their first book club pick in 2019. The nice thing about their book club is they interview the authors.
https://gretchenrubin.com/podcast/212-inheritance-book-club/
https://gretchenrubin.com/podcast/more-happier-what-its-like-to-uncover-a-family-secret-the-value-of-refurbishing-your-office-and-maj-jongg/
Normally if I like an author, I listen to their books in chronological order. I am a methodical person. With Dani’s collection, I started with the contemporary Inheritance which I read in 2019 when it was released.
I re-listened to Inheritance recently, spring 2023. Loved it just as much the second time. Dani read the Audible version herself, I really like that. This is a non fiction book. Quite the story.
Next I listened to Signal Fires on Audible, fresh off the press spring 2023, I liked it very much, great fictional novel. Read by Dani who has a great voice. I like the new trend of authors reading their own works.
Next I went to a 2007 release, Black and White on Audible. It is the only one not read by Dani herself. Also a great fictional novel.
Then I listed to Hour Glass, 2017 release, on Audible, memoir read by Dani.
Please note - the books were added to Audible in a mixed up order. Older books were added to Audible after she became a more popular author. So use the publication dates (below), rather than Audible’s dates. All Dani’s memoirs are on Audible. Not all of her other books are.
Hour Glass was released just two years before Inheritance. The perspectives are very different, super interesting (to me) to compare. This comparison turned into a project of sorts.
Next I listened to Slow Motion, Audible, 1998 non fiction memoir, read by Dani. And here, I guess, is my point. Normally I would have listened to this book first, long before Inheritance (and Hour Glass). But because of Gretchen Rubin’s book club selection and author interview in 2019 and then my rereading in 2023, I heard the end of the story (Inheritance) from the contemporary Dani first. And I got more out of Slow Motion written by a much younger Dani, than I would if I had read it first. She added a note at the end of this book (recently, Audible version) talking about this fact. After she wrote Inheritance, she went back and reread the older memoirs herself, for the same perspective reason.
I am listening to Devotion and Still Writing presently/next.
Dani also has podcasts.
The first one ran during lockdown -
I send a gift to a girl we have known for years who lives several hours from us. It can be tough to think of things. Last Christmas I sent this three pack -
This company sells individual items and also has a subscription program. Good gift ideas for kids.
I mention this now, because summer, when kids usually have school breaks, is a good time for projects.
I am a quilter. I have made dozens and dozens and dozens of quilts on my lifetime, all shapes, sizes and styles. A lot.
At one point I taught quilting classes in my area. I also had a line of original quilt patterns that sold nationally.
My kids have long ago laid claim to some of my larger quilts. Each was given an allotment of their favorites. A tremendous amount also are on beds or in the common areas at my house.
Somehow, hanging the quilt for my mom (last week’s post), lead to me pulling out my substantial collection of wall sized quilts.
My husband helped me take quick photos of these mid sized quilts to text to the kids, who each sent me a private list of their favorites. I then divided who got which by myself. Since no one saw anyone else’s list, there was no squabbling. They each got a pile, it was simple.
And that lead to quilt rack hanger number two, at middle’s house.
That is a long black curtain rod (below). We chose the one on the left, smaller knob at the end is required to fit against the wall.
I sewed the tabs on this one.
My mother received a quilt in the mail from a dear friend and wanted to hang it.
We looked at quilt rack options. It was hard to find anything long enough. They were super expensive.
We figured out a $13 solution and it was done and hanging in one week.
My mom sewed the tabs. She had the fabric. I helped her figure out the math and how to attach each tab in the front and the back so the quilt hangs evenly.
That is a curtain suspension rod which youngest used in college.
The three hooks are from Lowe’s (the $13). Black screws came with the hooks. We had plastic anchors for the screws, none of the hooks hit where there was a stud.
One Saturday I was cooking a Green Chef bag as an early lunch.
I grabbed my salt and pepper grinders and my hands could no longer do them. I have arthritis, my hands are the most impacted.
It was this type of store bought grinder -
I called my youngest and she happened to be near her large mall, she stopped by William Sonoma and ordered a battery set for me as an early birthday present.
They come prefilled, including batteries.
They are automatic, turning them upside down, starts the grinding. There is no button or twisting.
The clerk told youngest that they have carried this style for years, it is very popular, and they sell a lot to special needs people (like people with arthritis).
https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/announcing-generations-cafe-genealogy-podcast/
Amy Johnson Crow started a genealogy podcast (link above) in 2018. It does not appear to be active now, but the archive (72 episodes) is fantastic, in my opinion. Her sound quality is excellent. Her topics are helpful and she has a nice, simple presentation style. If you are just getting started in genealogy or would simply like a refresher, this is a good place to go.
Amy Johnson Crow has one book available -
Her website lists workshops in 2022, I am not sure if that is continuing.
After you finished this series, my next suggestion would be a mother daughter team, Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer, podcast -
https://familylocket.com/the-research-like-a-pro-genealogy-podcast/
There are 240+ podcasts in this series as of this writing. These podcasts are longer and more detailed. They do an outstanding job.
This pair offers webinars and classes. They have two books -
As part of the submission process for the certificate programs in county genealogy societies, a family chart/tree is required.
I am working on a project to submit multiple ancestors as a means of saving/sharing research. My multiple packets will require slightly different family trees.
Looking at the papers previously submitted, in other people’s packets, most of those trees were handwritten (see blank form below).
My arthritic hands could never take that much writing, my writing is not that clear, also good way to make an error.
Here is what a standard form (fill in the blanks, meant to be hand written) looks like -
My youngest built an Excel template for me to use.
As she typed, she took screen shots and texted them to me so I could edit as she worked. Here are three in a long line of texts.
She started with the far right column because the math/space was very specific for 16 boxes.
She worked her way to the left, letting the math/space dictate the design.
Early on she added the background shading to make the boxes pop.
Note there are only attachment lines on box #1 to the far left. Attaching the rest of the boxes at the corners, simplified the page considerably.
It is very readable, even with no data on the page. Again, the background shading makes a huge difference.
I will start with the oldest documented maternal/paternal ancestors, my 4x great grandparents, on the far right column. And do one page with the oldest ancestors, my maternal grandfather’s two family lines (4x, 3x, 2x, 1x great grandparents) who have been in my county from 1849 and the mid 1850’s.
I will add a first page with me, my parents, my maternal grandparents, and my great grandparents. I will add a note to verify which family line is continuing with more details on page two.
On both pages, I will use the bold function to highlight the exact family line I am documenting.
My first submission is my maternal grandfather’s, mother’s, father’s, father’s, mother who died in 1867.
PS - I have Legacy family tree software on my PC, but (to the best of my knowledge) it does not print out a format to get this many people on a single piece of paper.
I try to rehome larger, good quality boxes.
Sometimes I list them on Facebook Marketplace.
If no one responds, we flatten them and I take them to a recycling center. (There are too many to go in our pick up bin.)
But most of the time, someone comes to get them immediately.
I also have a local lady with a shop, who also has an Etsy shop. I save two types of boxes for her. We get a medicine shipment once a month in a sturdy box lined with styrofoam. I get a once a week shipment of meals from GreenChef in an insulated box.
My mom wanted to watch the last season (ever) of Doc Martin. So we picked up Acorn for a month.
My husband and I found two series, with an overlapping main character, that we really liked.
There are many areas of a house where a surface needs to be empty or nearly empty to stay clean and clutter free. Our corner table by the front door is one of them. The dresser by the front door is another.
I love the cherub. The baskets make this statue versatile for other holidays -
There is no in-between, these areas are either empty (above) or they are full (below).
My husband’s cousin is married to a woman who was born and raised in Taiwan. Parents of middle’s best friend from college were also born and raised in Taiwan. We love their cooking.
The cousin’s wife makes fabulous Chinese Beef and Noodle Soup. With her version, there is about six hours of effort. I wanted a simpler method.
My goal was to get the flavor of the broth correct, add a lot more broth volume and more veggies, reduce the size of the meat to bite size, and simplify the process.
I started following the online directions at 8pm one night, thinking I was crazy for starting so late, that lead to the crock pot. And I would do it the exact same way again, overnight.
Middle found a recipe online -
https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/chinese-beef-noodle-soup/
I used that recipe as my starting point and modified. The smell was correct as it was cooking. The broth seems right too.
Note - Chinese grocery needed for whole peppercorns (which I did not have at 8pm that night) and the noodles.
Prepped the night before, in water over night, ready to add in the morning -
My Chinese beef and noodle soup
Ingredients/directions
Brown on stove
Bottom of large crock pot
Spices in strainer in broth, top of meat in crock pot, on low, over night
Next morning, remove/discard spices
Move broth/meat to large pan on stove
Add vegetables, lid, low heat for an hour
“Shanxi noodles are a type of Chinese noodle that is popular in the Shanxi province. They are made from wheat flour, and have a chewy texture. Shanxi noodles are often served with a beef or pork broth, and can also be stir-fried or boiled. Cooking shanxi noodles is not as difficult as it may seem.”
Between March of 2019 and August of 2021, we ordered three small rice cookers (below). These have stainless steel liners.
I am not sure of the order, but those three belong to myself, middle and youngest.
I mentioned we have been using a meal service for several months -
https://baby-steps-v.blogspot.com/2023/01/green-chef.html?m=1
I now use my little 6 cup rice cooker almost every day. I use to only cook plain rice, now I also use it for a variety of grains. And now I add multiple ingredients to the pot, like spices and vegetables.
The rice cooker advertises that bonus -
I ordered a back up rice cooker recently.
Mine gets so much use, that I was in fear of it dying. It is my most valuable kitchen appliance. If I could only have one appliance, this would be it. If I could only have two appliances, my second choice would be my big crock pot.
Plus, I wanted a second liner for the days that I use the cooker twice.
Instead of ordering an exact duplicate, I got the one with the steamer insert.
The cookers, liners and lids are identical. The upgraded version simply adds the steamer tray. I use this for spinach and kale and chard.