This is What I Know, October 21,2017

"If you only read the books that everyone else is reading, you can only think what everyone else is thinking."  -Haruki Murakam

Today I know that book lovers can always find much to discuss when it comes to favorite authors and titles. Recently I did a talk to a group of women entitled "Happiness is Books". Ahead of time I had each person send me a list of favorite books. I shared the compiled list with everyone. What I love when people share books is how there may be some common threads, but most lists are unique to the reader. What titled showed up on more than one list? The Bible, Jane Eyre, A Man Called Ove, This House of  Sky,and Dr. Suess titles.

Talking about beloved books led to more discussion about books each reader could add to their own "to read" list. I think by the time we were done, each person had a good list of books to find and read. This always happens when you get book lovers together. The titles I shared were:

The End of Your Life Book Club     Will Schwalbe
My Kitchen Year, 136 Recipes That Saved my Life  Ruth Reichl
The Glass Castle   Jeannette Walls
Into Thin Air, Into the Wild, Under that Banner of Heaven, and Where Men Win Glory Jon Krakauer

This is What I Know, October 13, 2017

Pictures are worth a thousand words. Some sneak peeks from the reception at Carol's house after Mom's memorial service last week.  Above brother Bill with lifelong friends Roger and Terry. A slideshow is coming.

sister Carol and lifelong friend Kellee

good friends

Class of '72 and friends/spouses with Coach Curry

glorious food

This Is What I Know, October 12, 2017

Today I know that music can transport you to another time or another place. I put together a playlist for my mother's memorial service held last week. The music played before and after the service. While I was making decisions about what songs to choose, I relived memory after memory of the songs of my youth. Mom and Dad had a collection of record albums that included a few by the pianist Roger Williams. A song that was played often in our household was "Misty", a jazz standard written in 1954 by pianist Erroll Garner. This is one song I chose for the playlist. I remember hearing this piano version on the old record player, but also vocal versions by Sarah Vaughn and Ella Fitzgerald.  Enjoy this version played at Mom's service:

This Is What I Know, October 11, 2017

I know that one thing that can bring me out of the sadnesss of grief  is spending time with our dogs. We found a place that was safe for Riley and Tucker to run free without leashes. It was the first time Riley had been able to run free. I should have set my camera on sports mode because they were flying around the field. What I loved the most was Tucker being herding boy. When they got too far away I called Tucker and he herded Riley up and brought him back. It was amazing!! Believe me, they were ready to head to bed that evening.

 Riley running free

 Heading up the hill

Tucker working on his hearding skills

Good smells

This is What I Know, October 10, 2017

This is what I know. It was a beautiful October morning. The trees and sky at the cemetery were glorious. When we as a family met to place Mom's ashes next to Dad at his grave it was very difficult for me.It is still difficult now. Rest in peace with Dad now Mom.

This Is What I Know, October 9,2017

Today I know I need to mend my life. The Journey One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice -- though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. "Mend my life!" each voice cried. But you didn't stop. You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible. It was already late enough, and a wild night, and the road full of fallen branches and stones. But little by little, as you left their voice behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world, determined to do the only thing you could do -- determined to save the only life that you could save. Mary Oliver