TUESDAY POTPOURRI: NEW BOOKS, RISKS, & A BIRTHDAY GIRL…

It is New Book Release Time!

Yesterday I downloaded a book released last week…one I had forgotten about:

An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones (An Oprah 2018 Selection)

“A tense and timely love story . . . Packed with brave questions about race and class.”— People

“Compelling.”— The Washington Post

“Epic . . . Transcendent . . . Triumphant.”—Elle

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Then…today I downloaded this new thriller from Jonathan Kellerman:  Night Moves.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author and master of the psychological thriller makes all the right moves in this new novel of spellbinding suspense.

I am a big fan of this author…but I still have another of his books on Pippa…unread:  Crime Scene, a collaboration between Jonathan and Jesse Kellerman.  I must admit that the collaboration gave me pause…although I’ve read books by Jesse, too. 

I do prefer the Alex Delaware/Milo Sturgis books by Jonathan, however.  But…I’ll bring this one forward, since I’ve had it since last summer.

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Last night I finished reading another book that I downloaded recently (in January):  Lie With Me, by Sabine Durrant – (click for my review).

Since I stayed up late reading it, I was surprised to wake up early today, so I quickly wrote the review.  I had planned to sleep in, but my body and mind had other ideas.

Next I’ll be reading Two Girls Down, by Louisa Luna:

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Today is my oldest granddaughter Aubrey’s 21st birthday (she’s older than my other granddaughter, Fiona, by eight days!).  She has had an interesting year, attending a university semester in Prague during the Fall.  Check out this frightening move:  playing with her phone…on a ledge?  Perhaps it is not as risky as it looks…

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What bookish or not-so-bookish risks are you taking these days?  Are you looking forward to any new releases?  What are you reading?

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HUMP DAY POTPOURRI: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRETT! (& OTHER TIDBITS)

Here we are, enjoying our midweek contemplation, and today I am thinking about a lot more than just Hump Day.  Today is my second son, Brett’s, birthday, and I always love remembering those past moments with each of my kids.  Even though they are all grown up.

He went up to Berkeley on the weekend to visit his eldest (my first grandson) who is a senior at UC Berkeley.  Along the way, we chatted via phone.  He is the only one of my kids who still uses the phone to talk…lol.  Well, the others do occasionally.

Here are Brett and Alec after the game they saw.

 

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Here are a few shots of Brett over the years:

Brett, on his fifth birthday, enjoying his chocolate….

 

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Now…one a few years later, with his siblings…he was around 12 here (front, right):

 

 

Check out this Christmas photo of all four of them: Brett, third from left, looking grumpy.  He often loved making such faces when the camera was turned on him.   He was still a teenager.  lol.

 

 

 

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And now, for the somewhat blurry “photo of a photo” that hangs in my office (circa – 1991).  Each of them at our special sculptured monument at the university, and around that photo, the individual kids.  Brett, top right:

 

 

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Sending happy birthday thoughts to Brett!

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Meanwhile, here in my office, I am feeling frustrated.  The WP commenting system is still failing me!  I sent them an email request, stating the issues.  And I’m not the only one having them!  So far, they haven’t responded.

They were working on the system earlier, so is it too much to hope that they might be fixing the problem?  Probably not.

Meanwhile, I try commenting on WP…and sometimes the comments go through.  When they don’t, I use my FB sign-in, on the blogs that are set up that way.

Occasionally I tweet the blog-owner, letting them know to check their spam folders.

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Any ideas?  Is anyone else who reads my blog having that problem?  I know that other bloggers mentioned it on the weekend.

I’m going to try to forget about it for a while…I’m looking forward to having my hair styled and chatting with my daughter later.

 

 

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This post is linked to West Metro Mommy Reads, for Saturday Snapshot.

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THURSDAY POTPOURRI: FIONA THROUGH THE YEARS — HAPPY BIRTHDAY! — FEB. 21

Today is my granddaughter Fiona’s sixteenth birthday.  I have a potpourri of images that I love; they remind me of special moments over the years.  In this shot, Fiona is sitting amidst some of my dolls in my old house in the foothills.  Back then, she lived next door in my guesthouse.  I loved having her  close by.

She was about four years old in this photo.

And here are a few special ones that I cherish:

Newborn Fiona:

Fiona and a Favorite Snuggly Toy

 

As a toddler, she loved the cat Sebastian.  Here they are (above) curled up in the laundry basket.

Fiona & Aubrey – Age 7

A favorite of both birthday girls, Fiona and Aubrey.  Yes, they are cousins, but birthday twins.  Aubrey was sixteen on the 13th.  In the photo above, we enjoyed a special time at the cabin in Big Bear.

 

Fiona at Eleven — Loving my Hat Collection

And now we see a few of the versions of Fiona as a teenager:

Prom Night 2012

Fiona in 2012

Fiona & Aubrey – Summer of 2012

And here’s one of my favorites.  I captured her while she was engrossed in her guitar playing.  A special weekend at my house.

 

Fiona & Her Music

 

I wish I could spend time with her today, but she and her mom moved to Texas earlier this month, which is a plane ride away.  But not possible right now. However, there is texting.  And we texted this morning and will talk on the phone tonight.

As much as I resisted the whole “texting thing,” I’m grateful for it now!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FIONA!!

A Virtual Birthday Cake