Those Were The Days of The Flying the Friendly Skies

 

 

A True Conversation With An Almost 5 years old

Daniele: “you had a very good day today.”

Sofia: “the only part that was a little bit frustrating was the nap part.”

Daniele: “right, what should we do about that?”

Sofia: “I think we should just x it out and make it not part of our day.”

So True

Controversy Between Two Books

Yesterday my book club met virtually for the 3rd time using Zoom. The book we discussed was "The Giver of Stars" by JoJo Moyes. 

See yesterday's blogpost.    In doing research for discussion I came upon some controversy about this book and another "The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek" by Kim Michele Richardson.

 Both books were published in 2019 a few months apart. The Troublesome creek being first. There was discussion of similarities and plagiarism. This intrigued me so I ordered the Troublesome creek book to compare. They are historical novels based on the true life Packhorse librarians of kentucky. This was a literacy program started by FDR led by his wife Eleanor during the depression era. It was instituted to bring books to impoverished mining towns in the isolated areas of Kentucky. So there is this overlap in both books. Both deal with extreme poverty, the poor position of women in society, racism, intolerance and both deal with the importance of books and how they can bring hope in the midst of despair. Both are empowering as you see the focus and importance of these women librarians who braved so much to bring books to the most needy. I highly recommend both books. I don't see them as copying one from another but rather as one of my book club members put it "A variation on a theme". I loved reading both books. The Troublesome Creek book also focuses on the blue skinned people of Kentucky. A true anomaly in a small isolated group of people born with blue skin. Google it. It's so interesting. I had never heard of it. The topic of racism especially in today's news is extremely troubling but this book points out the unfortunate idea that anyone different whether it be the color of their skin, the shape of their eyes or their religious beliefs can and are a threat to some people.

Not Just About A Book Club Reads "The Giver of Stars"

On this day,  May 28, 2020 we are still in the shelter in place covid 19 shut down.  So our book club met virtually via a Zoom meeting for the third time. 

The book that our club member Karen selected "The Giver of Stars" was written by JoJo Moyes. 
The book takes place during the depression years in America's poverty stricken rural areas of Kentucky. This historical novel centers on the true life WPA( World Progress Administration) Packhorse Librarians of Kentucky reading/library lending program set up under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The book's central focus is on the five female Librarians who rode on horseback to remote areas to deliver books to impoverished families. Everyone in our book club really liked this book. It is a novel about women's friendships, relationships in marriage, the value of books and women who refused to be cowered by circumstances, men or by convention. "The Giver of Stars" most certainly earned thumbs up by everyone in our book club. 

 

Sunday Drive to Sunset Beach May 24, 2020

We drove to Sunset Beach to take our morning walk. Normally on a Memorial Day weekend the beaches would be jammed. We walked to the beginning of Bolsa Chica beach and then walked back. The sun was shining and we saw a number of people on bikes. We did not see too many people on Sunset beach. I imagine as the day progresses there will be lots of people. Posted signs say the beach is open only for water activities. We passed this huge beach front property that looks like a castle. I guess that person literally built his dream sand castle! Right next door to that humongous castle is a quaint little beach cottage. These contrasts are getting to be fewer as people build up big beach front properties. Still I love the quiet stretch of the Pacific called Sunset Beach.

 

 

 


 

 


 

 

 

A Meet Up with My Sister May 24, 2020

I haven’t been able to be with my sister Jocelyn since March 10th when we returned home from Dallas. Today we met up with Jocelyn and her husband Vicente. 

at their friends Danielle and Felipe’s new restaurant(Ubuntu) in Long Beach. The restaurant opened two weeks before the covid shutdown. They are holding on with food orders to go. You can order online and pick up curbside at their spacious parking lot, their menu is breakfast lunch and weekend brunch. Their food is great. We sat just across the street at the park right next to Marine stadium. When cafes open for in-house dining Ubuntu has charming patio seating. Highly recommend this wonderful new neighborhood cafe. 335 Nieto open daily m-f 7-3:00, sat.sun.7-4:00. The owners are so nice. Ubuntu means a quality that includes the essential human virtues compassion and humanity. PS Check out their website for special family dinner package deals.

 



 


 



 



 


 



 


 


 


 



 


 


 


 


 


 


 

 



 


 

Before and Now

Before covid without masks

 

 and present day masked.
 


 Mike said you can’t tell if someone smiles or not with a mask on.

Sofia's Favorite Dress

Sofia on her walk by the lake wearing her purple “Mal” dress. As you may recall Mal is her new favorite purple haired character from the Disney Decendants movie.

 

Best Day Ever

 May 21, 2020

Sofia swimming in their condo pool today yells out “I just want to say this is the best day ever!”

 

Neighborhood Sightings

Today on our walk in the neighborhood I said I was going to look for some unusual things. There is a house that has so many trees in the front yard that it looks like an exotic jungle. A huge cactus intertwined with a jacaranda. Hidden on the underside of some of the plants are tiny painted mushrooms by the driveway. I found a couple of houses with whimsical frogs, a Neptune like sculpture that the owner placed a covid mask on and a favorite house near us that the kids used to call the marble house because there’s marbles embedded in the cement. Lots of fun and funny things when one walks slowly with exploring eyes.