tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14711078022477991612024-03-13T11:52:50.897-04:00A Merry HeartA Merry Heart Doeth Good Like a MedicineConnie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.comBlogger978125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-51899212493574099242023-06-09T07:00:00.004-04:002023-06-09T07:00:00.135-04:00Book Review, What She Takes Away<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWua3b-mnSXyDXW6z0H7FzJa6pp19cArF-eTuS3oKQD3sltUehRrqkGLwH3q159XfDiYh6gzSbgKO0ZSJrqf3hdKbiLPzdj56PagoInf5F1i7Sl2ncgjk_X7RogAnzX2GdCrnQLZhQnXxzNMOgvLZKr08C49o6VVfPJ9lNH7WfCCfPL3JTBsMT8Xp/s1500/What%20She%20Takes%20Away%20Cover%20Final%20book%20cover.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnWua3b-mnSXyDXW6z0H7FzJa6pp19cArF-eTuS3oKQD3sltUehRrqkGLwH3q159XfDiYh6gzSbgKO0ZSJrqf3hdKbiLPzdj56PagoInf5F1i7Sl2ncgjk_X7RogAnzX2GdCrnQLZhQnXxzNMOgvLZKr08C49o6VVfPJ9lNH7WfCCfPL3JTBsMT8Xp/s320/What%20She%20Takes%20Away%20Cover%20Final%20book%20cover.png" width="213" /></a></div><br /> <i>What She Takes Away</i> is a heart-wrenching, debut novel,
which explores the warp and weft of the lives of Gia and her estranged family
in the village of Castel Barberini, when she returns to Italy for Milan’s Fashion
Week.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I read the novel, I was impressed with the novel’s
pacing, character development, and artistry. I was transported by the Italian
setting, which is so integral to the plot and characters that this story could
not exist in any other time or place. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Ms. Annesi adds another dimension to her novel. An artisan
fabric that weaves itself into all aspects of the plot, becomes not only a
metaphor for the characters’ growth, but a character itself. It is only as the
shuttle interlaces people in its web that we see the beautiful couture silk of Gia’s
dress and life. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Highly recommended! <a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-She-Takes-Away-Folios/dp/1599541947/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3FIFCNTLX4YYL&keywords=what+she+takes+away+adele+annesi&qid=1686274077&sprefix=what+she+take%2Caps%2C201&sr=8-1">Click here to see the novel on Amazon.</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<br />Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-15886287015580441422023-05-25T07:00:00.001-04:002023-05-25T07:00:00.140-04:00The What, Why, and Wherefore of Autofiction<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-size: 9pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CF1j1uMUzDU8oA4VaRhWgL4yU1gm6kY93j11vhycQMcF67mJRdu2m8PWQSRA-LtkLUqP78pZeTKiEk7IQObdz-KjxmM9kTsAxYZZm8EKOO65VJAhV3ze0ExXgaXmz8pHBjAj9bWEGJYTrIIW4V9_V6CiKgkMcDjAMAVVw6v9oP3UhBL_RlinbVJ4/s1500/What%20She%20Takes%20Away%20Cover%20Final%20book%20cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1CF1j1uMUzDU8oA4VaRhWgL4yU1gm6kY93j11vhycQMcF67mJRdu2m8PWQSRA-LtkLUqP78pZeTKiEk7IQObdz-KjxmM9kTsAxYZZm8EKOO65VJAhV3ze0ExXgaXmz8pHBjAj9bWEGJYTrIIW4V9_V6CiKgkMcDjAMAVVw6v9oP3UhBL_RlinbVJ4/s320/What%20She%20Takes%20Away%20Cover%20Final%20book%20cover.png" width="213" /></a></div></div>Over the past decade, Connie and I have shared our lives and
stories, often through our Wellspring Writers fellowship. Not surprisingly, life-based
stories also make their way into writing. When more than half of a story and/or
the critical plot points and characters in a work of fiction are not only based
on real life but are actually part of real life, that’s autofiction. In this
post, we’ll consider these oft-asked questions on the genre:<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;"> What is autofiction</span></p>
</li><li><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;">Why do writers choose the genre?</span></p></li><li><p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;">How can writers select and transform important life events, turning points, and discoveries into stories?</span></p></li></ul>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;">Autofiction usually is described as a combination of
autobiography and fiction. Although this makes the term easy to remember, it’s
more accurate to equate the nonfiction aspect with memoir. The main reason is
that where autobiography usually covers a person’s entire life, memoir typically
focuses on critical aspects of the person’s life, or a segment of it or a
running theme that ties selected events together. Regardless of how autofiction
is defined, there are practical reasons why writers work in the genre.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: #26282a;">Most people go through a number of seminal events and turning
points throughout their lives, with epiphanies along the way—moments where a
sudden flash of insight illuminates the writer’s understanding of herself, her
world and the people around her. These elements often become part of stories in
a natural way. For example, if we’re writing a scene where the main character
moves from one part of the world to another and we’ve done the same, we’ll instinctually
draw on our experience to write this section of the story. What makes the segment
autofiction is when what happened to the character leading up to the move, the
realities of the move itself, and what results afterward (including flashes of
insight into what it means to undergo a major shift in geography, externally
and internally) forms the bulk of that section of the story. We’ve seen that
poor (or fortunate) soul who’s moving halfway around the world, and she is us.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: #26282a;">Writers also write autofiction because they want to revisit certain
life events, changes and discoveries in order to better understand their lives
and the people in them, and convey what they’ve learned in the form of story. This
is especially true when there’s a particular theme involved, such as what it
means to have a dual heritage. The underlying principal is what Vivian Gornick refers
to in </span><i style="color: #26282a;">The Situation and the Story,</i><span style="color: #26282a;"> on the art of personal narrative.
“Every work of literature has both a situation and a story. The situation is
the context or circumstance … the story is the emotional experience that
preoccupies the writer: the insight, the wisdom, the thing one has come to say
[about the circumstance].” Here, the writer has gone through something he wants
to recall, explore and reveal, and has come to the written page to speak of it
in a way worth remembering.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="color: #26282a;">So how does a writer transform life into stories? In reality,
most writers, especially those who have been writing for a while, have an
innate longing to explore some key event in their lives. It could be a move,
career change, or life change. It could be something they’ve always wanted to
do but haven’t been able to. Taking time to look back is an important step in
deciding which aspects of life to cover. Even more important is “why”. What is
it that makes the event, turning point or discovery worth writing about, worth spinning
out an entire story for? The answer usually has to do with how much of an
impact the event had on the writer. If it made a lasting impression on her, it
could have the same effect on readers.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: #26282a; line-height: 115%;">My </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 115%;">new
novel, </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-She-Takes-Away-Folios/dp/1599541947/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IWLPEA7QQPLD&keywords=what+she+takes+away+adele+annesi&qid=1680642854&sprefix=what+she+takes+away+ade%2Caps%2C694&sr=8-1" style="background-color: transparent;" target="_blank"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: teal; line-height: 115%;">What She Takes Away</span></i></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; color: teal; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 115%;">(Bordighera Press, May 2023), is a work of autofiction.
Set largely in Italy, the story is based mostly on events in my life and my
mother’s, and the lives of her family. The actualities, especially the
discoveries, were worth writing about because they shaped our lives. And if
they shaped our lives, they’ll likely have impact the reader’s life. Isn’t that
what the best stories aim to do?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;">The weaver’s shuttle of story
turns in </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-She-Takes-Away-Folios/dp/1599541947/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IWLPEA7QQPLD&keywords=what+she+takes+away+adele+annesi&qid=1680642854&sprefix=what+she+takes+away+ade%2Caps%2C694&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: teal; line-height: 115%;">What She Takes Away</span></i></a><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%;"> when
aspiring fabric designer Gia Falcini receives a gift from her estranged father
in Italy that sparks a journey to his hillside village and new stepfamily, the
country’s style capital and a rare local textile mill that could shred Gia's
aspirations or offer a legacy worth taking away.</span></p>
<span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviSaGy31YvUj-47UOWrt2zokXvjgl8wFeFTE7DaThklmA6TQ-YnHkPUQpxxSM2gSQCD7haKqIn9Ao5DmO7WMbUEAKMvUku5gyX1KkDRdQbzwcgt9YyvXxLDll_JbeiuFoWqzXqzK9-TXLe5JQqc61DCDBrHpiH5pkRPuA1jNIFCilrKAQzW8-D887/s3264/Annesi%20Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiviSaGy31YvUj-47UOWrt2zokXvjgl8wFeFTE7DaThklmA6TQ-YnHkPUQpxxSM2gSQCD7haKqIn9Ao5DmO7WMbUEAKMvUku5gyX1KkDRdQbzwcgt9YyvXxLDll_JbeiuFoWqzXqzK9-TXLe5JQqc61DCDBrHpiH5pkRPuA1jNIFCilrKAQzW8-D887/w150-h200/Annesi%20Photo.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><br />Adele Annesi is the author of </span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/What-She-Takes-Away-Folios/dp/1599541947/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IWLPEA7QQPLD&keywords=what+she+takes+away+adele+annesi&qid=1680642854&sprefix=what+she+takes+away+ade%2Caps%2C694&sr=8-1" target="_blank"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: teal; line-height: 115%;">What She Takes Away</span></i></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: teal; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">(Bordighera Press,
May 2023) and co-author of </span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Now-What-Creative-Writers-Success/dp/099163361X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TEPVZZFNFB1U&keywords=Now+What%3F+The+Creative+Writer%27s+Guide+to+Success+After+the+MFA.&qid=1677798282&s=books&sprefix=now+what+the+creative+writer%27s+guide+to+success+after+the+mfa.%2Cstripbooks%2C143&sr=1-1"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: teal; line-height: 115%;">Now What? The Creative Writer's
Guide to Success After the MFA.</span></i></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: teal; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> </span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Also a former
development editor for Scholastic Publishing, Adele has published works with <i>34<sup>th</sup> Parallel, Midway Journal,
Miranda Literary Magazine, The Pittsburgh Quarterly,</i> the<i> Washington
Independent Review of Books</i> and <i>Southern
Literary Review,</i> where she was managing editor. Her work has been
anthologized for Chatter House Press and Fairfield University, where she
received an MFA in creative writing. Her essay on Italian citizenship is among
the Clarion Award-winning <i>Essays About Life Transitions by Women Writers,</i>
and she received the Editor's Choice award from the National Library of Poetry.
Adele’s sudden fiction has been adapted for the stage, and she has served as a
screener for the Ridgefield Independent Film Festival. She is currently a
columnist for<i> The Authority</i> and <i>Book Marketing Matters,</i> and a writing instructor for
Westport Writers’ Workshop. Adele’s long-running blog for writers is </span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://wordforwords.blogspot.com/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: teal; line-height: 115%;">Word for Words,</span></a></span><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"> and her website is </span><span face=""Calibri",sans-serif" style="line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://adeleannesi.blogspot.com/"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="color: teal; line-height: 115%;">Adele Annesi.</span></a></span>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-86776720128001167452023-05-03T06:55:00.000-04:002023-05-03T06:55:30.106-04:00A Garden is My Happy Place<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Recently, my husband and I visited the Getty Villa in Malibu. It's a copy of a Roman villa, and it's filled with beautiful Etruscan, Greek, and Roman art. The villa also has four separate gardens. Since gardens are my happy place, I want to share these photos with you. The gardens were immaculate as if weeds had been refused entrance to the villa. Speaking of an entrance, the Getty Villa is free! The only cost is parking, which is $20. (I will post photos of the incredible art another day.) Enjoy the gardens today.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYnCuveEGRvXiilvflwKgQIZRab5paXPJnHZeXvaKFGjnSQWHcXBdVvNHiGKY8ZL-NJrU2u9Sg-XeHnnR3lAw6-ZKP6EJ582VgH6jYHljT7qjOtS5aStJp_9dF8Sq26ykCfoW31cXqXAImvuAu1j_AbE-R7au2NlqCCDmlYrh2l8S8H05zN345LnY/s4160/IMG_20230424_132925164_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5mQ6b6gFOem2WGX3y2fWMAnWgBuy1ougfIhyZ9Jogy_iU9NiIwi0hVxLGDF_m3AZ8HQmpkMXY5-xJo3T1tn6yNdD3BRaBanFMT7pnfNbI1oqcs3nqSHLU7wUZf_JtenoSRqq_wDc-ng5yP636J9iAdKM24crRbOaz31GNTKC9M1YuQYfwR_8pr2j/s3469/IMG_20230424_132315112_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3469" data-original-width="1993" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx5mQ6b6gFOem2WGX3y2fWMAnWgBuy1ougfIhyZ9Jogy_iU9NiIwi0hVxLGDF_m3AZ8HQmpkMXY5-xJo3T1tn6yNdD3BRaBanFMT7pnfNbI1oqcs3nqSHLU7wUZf_JtenoSRqq_wDc-ng5yP636J9iAdKM24crRbOaz31GNTKC9M1YuQYfwR_8pr2j/s320/IMG_20230424_132315112_HDR.jpg" width="184" /></a> <img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="2340" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWYnCuveEGRvXiilvflwKgQIZRab5paXPJnHZeXvaKFGjnSQWHcXBdVvNHiGKY8ZL-NJrU2u9Sg-XeHnnR3lAw6-ZKP6EJ582VgH6jYHljT7qjOtS5aStJp_9dF8Sq26ykCfoW31cXqXAImvuAu1j_AbE-R7au2NlqCCDmlYrh2l8S8H05zN345LnY/s320/IMG_20230424_132925164_HDR.jpg" width="180" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2eU0Se2ALoCS1P36GjxnFYzgFQ2viRrPi1d-H2yVx_iK-Fveria3cQHXgArG1D5XsHG-HCm75q-y6keniuIo3hn6yLg6V7RGvGefe7ZYuqbJRe22WrRbMnStJ9-fph2q8yGHn2nU7YSIMgZX3ftXYKbc976W9IHpxf5QQUwgC3PZzXIkVoifF8Qn/s2048/IMG_20230424_154608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2eU0Se2ALoCS1P36GjxnFYzgFQ2viRrPi1d-H2yVx_iK-Fveria3cQHXgArG1D5XsHG-HCm75q-y6keniuIo3hn6yLg6V7RGvGefe7ZYuqbJRe22WrRbMnStJ9-fph2q8yGHn2nU7YSIMgZX3ftXYKbc976W9IHpxf5QQUwgC3PZzXIkVoifF8Qn/s320/IMG_20230424_154608.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I wanted to take my shoes off and run through the water. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But I behaved myself.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgtffT_9fvq8K6ksmmM89ncbat1lX2py8x3dnYsCDztU0KShXcSUsq-kGrFS3gVt9Wu5Wlsad8gShAC2OYibAkOR1KOejTDwnYyihCagrc1-N4FgvXyX7sczvxOvq5WIM650gtaFxrAIs77f9d21ZlD3ypHSvwj-nEJTa2ZTOGkf9pA1LOroYOZrO/s2592/IMG_20230424_132436571_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMgtffT_9fvq8K6ksmmM89ncbat1lX2py8x3dnYsCDztU0KShXcSUsq-kGrFS3gVt9Wu5Wlsad8gShAC2OYibAkOR1KOejTDwnYyihCagrc1-N4FgvXyX7sczvxOvq5WIM650gtaFxrAIs77f9d21ZlD3ypHSvwj-nEJTa2ZTOGkf9pA1LOroYOZrO/s320/IMG_20230424_132436571_BURST000_COVER_TOP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our ideal dates are museum visits.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLV4lSnV31ETPwpYdnYpISfHRVkG31kV-sevBVKhfF77GY7Bq2ha3LIR26Bbs4H4a4kL_wjIvtsXYzf000N2tmSXciDBUVDy-vhgvavqxnmqVJCmBbs6mLDLgmOruCKvZEbQJ9ieUmiwR6xQIApGTDVMjzrpMatPeUk_xbUuw7y-DgtR9seWTWZD7i/s2048/IMG_20230424_154639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLV4lSnV31ETPwpYdnYpISfHRVkG31kV-sevBVKhfF77GY7Bq2ha3LIR26Bbs4H4a4kL_wjIvtsXYzf000N2tmSXciDBUVDy-vhgvavqxnmqVJCmBbs6mLDLgmOruCKvZEbQJ9ieUmiwR6xQIApGTDVMjzrpMatPeUk_xbUuw7y-DgtR9seWTWZD7i/w240-h320/IMG_20230424_154639.jpg" width="240" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbj-hXFmj4a_Vy7U_YlVZnJRV542N0nustCAY6zQaA_CJ0nY6KsSOt9UP0r7HR9RzJVJzbImLPFZBg7keRjBHGzZEhbhRQ3LKh-QVl8vHs0HXh7FOgxVNT_CSVGUo4mG8CxoN7C6MqLfEHlid0oS2vWnsBElFAWeP_h0BD3Pgn-gJC77WrM10jXA-L/s2048/IMG_20230424_154632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbj-hXFmj4a_Vy7U_YlVZnJRV542N0nustCAY6zQaA_CJ0nY6KsSOt9UP0r7HR9RzJVJzbImLPFZBg7keRjBHGzZEhbhRQ3LKh-QVl8vHs0HXh7FOgxVNT_CSVGUo4mG8CxoN7C6MqLfEHlid0oS2vWnsBElFAWeP_h0BD3Pgn-gJC77WrM10jXA-L/w240-h320/IMG_20230424_154632.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbj-hXFmj4a_Vy7U_YlVZnJRV542N0nustCAY6zQaA_CJ0nY6KsSOt9UP0r7HR9RzJVJzbImLPFZBg7keRjBHGzZEhbhRQ3LKh-QVl8vHs0HXh7FOgxVNT_CSVGUo4mG8CxoN7C6MqLfEHlid0oS2vWnsBElFAWeP_h0BD3Pgn-gJC77WrM10jXA-L/s2048/IMG_20230424_154632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yes, my eyes are closed, but the pond was too pretty to skip.</span></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAi9GRZfFXFtpWQ0gGMCAmd71_M76hh-TLOUHTiW6c1CTqjPJsjsiUSo09O0-DqK7blFuTWE6HBt-nBCqKZaX8TdxTMfL1VlHu8k8sUsvu-oz80bgRVdqMPDJt2W7hVZKrf59iCAovVVaG_-lQ7qoFPSO_h21yd6RQdXjiuyP4uYT13oHlVuUotrc/s4160/IMG_20230424_132249313_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="4160" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPAi9GRZfFXFtpWQ0gGMCAmd71_M76hh-TLOUHTiW6c1CTqjPJsjsiUSo09O0-DqK7blFuTWE6HBt-nBCqKZaX8TdxTMfL1VlHu8k8sUsvu-oz80bgRVdqMPDJt2W7hVZKrf59iCAovVVaG_-lQ7qoFPSO_h21yd6RQdXjiuyP4uYT13oHlVuUotrc/s320/IMG_20230424_132249313_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-15075037057407641982023-03-08T20:17:00.001-05:002023-03-08T20:17:52.219-05:00Exploring Duality in Identity, Experience and Tradition for Writers<p> <br /><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Thursday, March 3 from 4:45-6:00 pm Eastern, I'd encourage you to attend "Exploring Duality in Identity, Experience, and Tradition for Writers and Writing." (It is free.) Adele Annesi, one of the writers involved, is a gifted novelist and this is sure to be excellent.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6a-v1dmaevxpHYduZ7PauWMm2h4LMTAEHkmvnSLhwOER3e0RYwa0jFAayi3hsjca8eBI4WnE22FWFsJvoHr8cDbhty3rFgZ0lehMmBLbTZNOsQxySl9hk7BwVznDDRjSeaghKSnG_h0HRKS_tBDpWII-6LkNP5Z6rNrVFfbyP-p7YgP1hpC23Xywp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="1439" height="162" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh6a-v1dmaevxpHYduZ7PauWMm2h4LMTAEHkmvnSLhwOER3e0RYwa0jFAayi3hsjca8eBI4WnE22FWFsJvoHr8cDbhty3rFgZ0lehMmBLbTZNOsQxySl9hk7BwVznDDRjSeaghKSnG_h0HRKS_tBDpWII-6LkNP5Z6rNrVFfbyP-p7YgP1hpC23Xywp=w365-h162" width="365" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #050505;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Here's more information: Critical and creative works often reflect two sides of identity: experience and tradition. Experience explores what it means to be between two cultures, lifestyles, habits, languages, genders, heritages, realities, and selves. Tradition reflects on customs, touchstones, and figures.</span></span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Authors of fiction, memoir, and poetry Adele Annesi, Nicholas A. DiChario, Marc DiPaolo, Annie Rachele Lanzillotto, and Janet Sylvester will read excerpts from their work and discuss the role of duality in their creative efforts, followed by a Q&A.</span></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">This virtual event is sponsored by Bordighera Press. </span></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;">You can attend on Facebook via this link:</span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"> <span style="background-color: #e0e5ed; color: var(--incoming-color); letter-spacing: 0.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a class="msg-focus-element" href="https://fb.me/e/5Q56iAaij" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: #e0e5ed; box-sizing: border-box; letter-spacing: 0.2px; white-space: pre-wrap;" tabindex="0" target="_blank">https://fb.me/e/5Q56iAaij</a></span></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s" style="background-color: white; color: #050505; font-family: "Segoe UI Historic", "Segoe UI", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word;"><br /></div><mws-message-wrapper _ngcontent-ssy-c198="" _nghost-ssy-c194="" class="ng-trigger ng-trigger-incomingMessage ng-tns-c198-3 ng-star-inserted" data-e2e-message-wrapper="" is-last="false" is-outgoing="false" is-unread="false" msg-id="46448" style="--avatar-blue-bg-color-v1: #d2e3fc; --avatar-blue-bg-color: #1a73e8; --avatar-blue-fill-color-v1: #1967d2; --avatar-blue-fill-color: #fff; --avatar-cyan-bg-color-v1: #cbf0f8; --avatar-cyan-bg-color: #4ecde6; --avatar-cyan-fill-color-v1: rgba(0,123,131,0.87); --avatar-cyan-fill-color: #fff; --avatar-green-bg-color-v1: #ceead6; --avatar-green-bg-color: #5bb974; --avatar-green-fill-color-v1: rgba(13,101,45,0.87); --avatar-green-fill-color: #fff; --avatar-orange-bg-color-v1: #fedfc8; --avatar-orange-bg-color: #fa903e; --avatar-orange-fill-color-v1: rgba(176,96,0,0.87); --avatar-orange-fill-color: #fff; --avatar-pink-bg-color-v1: #fdcfe8; --avatar-pink-bg-color: #ff63b8; --avatar-pink-fill-color-v1: rgba(156,22,107,0.87); --avatar-pink-fill-color: #fff; --avatar-purple-bg-color-v1: #e9d2fd; --avatar-purple-bg-color: #af5cf7; --avatar-purple-fill-color-v1: rgba(104,29,168,0.87); --avatar-purple-fill-color: #fff; --avatar-red-bg-color-v1: #fad2cf; --avatar-red-bg-color: #ee675c; --avatar-red-fill-color-v1: rgba(165,14,14,0.87); --avatar-red-fill-color: #fff; --avatar-yellow-bg-color-v1: #feefc3; --avatar-yellow-bg-color: #fcc934; --avatar-yellow-fill-color-v1: rgba(227,116,0,0.87); --avatar-yellow-fill-color: #fff; --contact-cyan-fg-color: #007b83; --contact-green-fg-color: #0d652d; --contact-grey700-fg-color: #5f6368; --contact-grey900-fg-color: #202124; --contact-orange-fg-color: #b06000; --contact-pink-fg-color: #9c166b; --contact-purple-fg-color: #681da8; --contact-red-fg-color-v1: #a50e0e; --contact-yellow-fg-color: #e37400; align-items: flex-start; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin: 0px -6px 0px 6px;"><div _ngcontent-ssy-c194="" class="msg-row" data-e2e-message-outgoing="false" data-e2e-message-rcs="true" data-e2e-message-wrapper-core="" style="align-items: flex-end; box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; max-width: 560px;"><div _ngcontent-ssy-c194="" class="msg-parts-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; width: 396px;"><div _ngcontent-ssy-c194="" class="msg-part-with-menu ng-star-inserted" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; max-width: 100%;"><mws-message-part-router _ngcontent-ssy-c194="" class="msg-part" mwskeynavigationitem=".msg-focus-element" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-flex; font-family: Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif, "Noto Color Emoji", "apple color emoji", "windows emoji", "windows symbol"; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: 20px; margin: 2px 0px 0px 8px; min-width: 0px;"><mws-text-message-part _nghost-ssy-c203="" aria-label="Adele said: AWP Reading & Panel w/Adele Annesi Thurs. 3/9 at 4:45 pm: Exploring Duality in Identity, Experience and Tradition for Writers @Bordighera — attend via Facebook https://fb.me/e/5Q56iAaij. Received on March 8, 2023 at 6:40 PM. There are more recent messages in this conversation." class="msg-focus-element ng-star-inserted is-focused" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; font-size: 14px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; letter-spacing: 0.2px; line-height: 20px; outline: none; width: 388px;" tabindex="0"><div _ngcontent-ssy-c203="" class="text-msg-container" data-e2e-text-message-content="" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; min-width: 0px; width: 388px;"><div _ngcontent-ssy-c203="" class="part-content-container" style="box-sizing: border-box; min-width: 0px; position: relative; width: var(--msg-bubble-width);"><mws-message-part-content _ngcontent-ssy-c203="" _nghost-ssy-c201="" class="link-preview enable-bg-color enable-text-color incoming rcs-incoming bundle-end is-focused" style="--empty-bg-color: #fff; --incoming-bg-color: #f2f2f2; --incoming-color: #202124; --incoming-edit-bg-color: #174ea6; --incoming-edit-color: #fff; --incoming-selection-bg-color: rgba(138,180,248,0.5); --message-border-bl-radius: 20px; --message-border-br-radius: 20px; --message-border-color: #dadce0; --message-border-tl-radius: 4px; --message-border-tr-radius: 20px; --rcs-incoming-bg-color: #eef3fc; --rcs-outgoing-bg-color: #0b57d0 linear-gradient(130deg,#1b79f3 20%,#0b57d0); --rcs-outgoing-color: #fff; --rcs-outgoing-edit-bg-color: #174ea6; --rcs-outgoing-edit-color: #fff; --rcs-outgoing-selection-bg-color: rgba(32,33,36,0.54); --xms-outgoing-bg-color: #ecf3fe; --xms-outgoing-color: #202124; --xms-outgoing-edit-bg-color: #174ea6; --xms-outgoing-edit-color: #fff; --xms-outgoing-selection-bg-color: rgba(32,33,36,0.54); --xms-outgoing-selection-color: #fff; align-items: baseline; background: rgb(224, 229, 237); border-bottom-left-radius: var(--message-border-bl-radius); border-bottom-right-radius: var(--message-border-br-radius); border-top-left-radius: var(--message-border-tl-radius); border-top-right-radius: var(--message-border-tr-radius); box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--incoming-color); display: flex; flex-direction: column; margin-bottom: 0px; max-width: 320px; overflow-wrap: break-word; overflow: hidden; position: relative; width: 320px; z-index: 0;"><mws-link-preview-decorator _ngcontent-ssy-c203="" _nghost-ssy-c202="" class="ng-star-inserted" data-e2e-link-preview="" style="--link-preview-background-color: #fff; --link-preview-border-color: #dadce0; --link-preview-content-color: #5f6368; --link-preview-title-color: #202124; background-color: var(--link-preview-background-color); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; max-width: 320px; width: 320px;"><div _ngcontent-ssy-c202="" class="link-preview-container enable-border incoming bundle-end ng-star-inserted" style="background-color: var(--link-preview-background-color); border-bottom: 1px solid var(--link-preview-border-color); border-left: 1px solid var(--link-preview-border-color); border-radius: 0px 0px 20px 20px; border-right: 1px solid var(--link-preview-border-color); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; overflow: hidden; width: 320px;"><br /></div></mws-link-preview-decorator></mws-message-part-content></div></div></mws-text-message-part></mws-message-part-router></div></div></div></mws-message-wrapper>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-36835643819316308462022-11-22T16:39:00.000-05:002022-11-22T16:39:03.105-05:00San Jose del Cabo Vacation, Part One<p> For vacation, we traveled to San Jose del Cabo, Baja California, Mexico. Here's what it was like.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAA9OQTJv4dsSwUlLO2lCjyd0uRAZuYyFckvLiF-kKEdRm-2o9VGRUPpTfe3H_YJPOH65auXKDCeCnu-7i-LOPkQHpPNnGqtV-x1zQwiYacoKRDe2z0IePZnd5nx5nkYMOyLCWCFNlKbAJ4G9GtCOktghQgVWrZ54kR5MvgjbLo1Bdj9SxpM40O9A8/s4160/IMG_20221117_090623321.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAA9OQTJv4dsSwUlLO2lCjyd0uRAZuYyFckvLiF-kKEdRm-2o9VGRUPpTfe3H_YJPOH65auXKDCeCnu-7i-LOPkQHpPNnGqtV-x1zQwiYacoKRDe2z0IePZnd5nx5nkYMOyLCWCFNlKbAJ4G9GtCOktghQgVWrZ54kR5MvgjbLo1Bdj9SxpM40O9A8/s320/IMG_20221117_090623321.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sjITKx1Bs2XKcYB0c-qbInPd7HI_SvylXI7ECtudPePPtkbIoNeuF_TXNOQbJIo-dJErA8RzZEwfF4RKhiHNQ0cxRDW9IDtCuTukrHD0nuIvGDVIB8OHyicFz9StnDTwoPMY0gz4eA-cFp2Af6p6_kuOz0wsWQ3xi_1YSMd-wF4M_gRs7g4Uv13z/s4000/cabo%20snorkeling%201.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4sjITKx1Bs2XKcYB0c-qbInPd7HI_SvylXI7ECtudPePPtkbIoNeuF_TXNOQbJIo-dJErA8RzZEwfF4RKhiHNQ0cxRDW9IDtCuTukrHD0nuIvGDVIB8OHyicFz9StnDTwoPMY0gz4eA-cFp2Af6p6_kuOz0wsWQ3xi_1YSMd-wF4M_gRs7g4Uv13z/s320/cabo%20snorkeling%201.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snorkeling</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBFhLHbBiQQRQGU0Ai7yBdXqoq0EceOoNyStnchgI7uGzlTFIZD1Oc3u4IgTKgS3_IRT055V54oczakqoL4-mqtm9FP05Px76NlxAlVDUibfWC5bpCkWR0mAlSogqo3dFetQWjtZE_N6GkD_LDExNBHywAjnwPTup0dToMhlFGgI161SovsCRzsTC/s4000/cabo%20snorkeling%205.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCBFhLHbBiQQRQGU0Ai7yBdXqoq0EceOoNyStnchgI7uGzlTFIZD1Oc3u4IgTKgS3_IRT055V54oczakqoL4-mqtm9FP05Px76NlxAlVDUibfWC5bpCkWR0mAlSogqo3dFetQWjtZE_N6GkD_LDExNBHywAjnwPTup0dToMhlFGgI161SovsCRzsTC/s320/cabo%20snorkeling%205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyOGHJqtY6UI10ATRIM44TY1D4sNNKGxDV41nXRYrDeMHtZZwmBI0UQnBJ3QHd9VWo5GpvSJS47D5TtiX9sFULCLWKcRgOo-uJJL7nLN4CaQMFvCZ67MuBqmF2kMtfDPZE8DumEKuXoqbr9ORUNMkhWeDponfBELHyiNevmd7G1kHSNsm3uF2Wt55/s4000/cabo%20snorkeling%206.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2740" data-original-width="4000" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvyOGHJqtY6UI10ATRIM44TY1D4sNNKGxDV41nXRYrDeMHtZZwmBI0UQnBJ3QHd9VWo5GpvSJS47D5TtiX9sFULCLWKcRgOo-uJJL7nLN4CaQMFvCZ67MuBqmF2kMtfDPZE8DumEKuXoqbr9ORUNMkhWeDponfBELHyiNevmd7G1kHSNsm3uF2Wt55/s320/cabo%20snorkeling%206.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-3893237123178359202022-07-27T13:23:00.000-04:002022-07-27T13:23:17.975-04:00A Wedding and a Novel<p>It's been a busy summer! I've been working on a new novel, which allows me to stay inside and out of the heat and humidity. But my husband and I ventured out for a wedding. It was wonderful.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpO6cMXfCpPX4B_WG7XXK0xjugM2AuYWEoLwODzD_C8bpOy1WGO2Vt8aV8sofXtmCp3yVEmRfsrZRm8j7IvGoTI-0oiM3EXN68-aGL3n08gZZ6lWCBwevjyeA3lEUf0AGJ6ZvHr3BGqxcgopZX23G1MLknuh3r_FAD9b42JcT2eCWi6gDbJ_o9HIA/s4160/IMG_20220723_163829151_HDR%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYpO6cMXfCpPX4B_WG7XXK0xjugM2AuYWEoLwODzD_C8bpOy1WGO2Vt8aV8sofXtmCp3yVEmRfsrZRm8j7IvGoTI-0oiM3EXN68-aGL3n08gZZ6lWCBwevjyeA3lEUf0AGJ6ZvHr3BGqxcgopZX23G1MLknuh3r_FAD9b42JcT2eCWi6gDbJ_o9HIA/s320/IMG_20220723_163829151_HDR%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-15107027993296791972022-04-29T07:00:00.007-04:002022-04-29T07:00:00.213-04:00Friday Five, Conscious Dreaming<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghhUsfp5TB0g7ZWVJ99P1JreZiLfBUhRAx-6IjPtouPGgMwk-CC3bi0kjxhcKTXebXidnwYm3gD1iRp4SpjI4-QYAoLVj1mUXYOXsXBUAbPYI6tRbz_MEdaa9770hbbvXjPeW_GajfIDKsMwFt1PZT8Cv47eOiK4tz-ENfLdUpyRHOnfk5hDKko_56" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="700" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEghhUsfp5TB0g7ZWVJ99P1JreZiLfBUhRAx-6IjPtouPGgMwk-CC3bi0kjxhcKTXebXidnwYm3gD1iRp4SpjI4-QYAoLVj1mUXYOXsXBUAbPYI6tRbz_MEdaa9770hbbvXjPeW_GajfIDKsMwFt1PZT8Cv47eOiK4tz-ENfLdUpyRHOnfk5hDKko_56=w320-h320" width="320" /></a></div>I've had nightmares for as long as I can remember. They are vicious and come in
every flavor of horror.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">My
husband Calvin doesn’t have nightmares—never had one. Lucky him. One day, I
said, “Don’t you ever have a dream that goes bad? A nightmare that leaves you
soaked in sweat and gasping for breath?” He said, “If they’re going bad, I fix
them. I change the story.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Via
Google, I discovered this is called conscious dreaming and decided to try it. So,
I made up endings for each type of nightmare I have. Here’s how it went:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Nightmare,
type 1. Pursued by an evil creature on a horse through a dark wood.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">My
plan: I’d pull a shining sword from a scabbard, stab the evil creature through the
heart, and lop off its head, à la Eowyn in </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Lord of the Rings.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">My
reality: Me to the evil creature, “You’ve made a mess of the woods—slime and
monster droppings everywhere. Go away so I can clean up.” The evil creature slinks
away, tail between its legs. And now, I feel bad for hurting the evil creature’s
feelings.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">2.
Nightmare, type 2. Claustrophobic panic attack. I don’t have claustrophobia or
panic attacks. Except in dreams.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Plan:
I use superhuman strength—this is a dream after all—and burst whatever I’ve
been shoved into.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Reality:
(Discovering I’ve been shoved into a tight sack) “This is ridiculous. I am not
claustrophobic and I don’t have panic attacks, so I’m going to wake up.” And I
did.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">3.
Nightmare, type 3. Chased by a murderer and I can’t run away or scream.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Plan:
The murderer attacks. I raise and fire my gun. Afterward, I blow smoke from the
muzzle.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Reality:
My feet are stuck, I unstick them. But I don’t run. *Facepalm* Instead, I scream
and start laughing. Cowed by laughter, the murderer retreats into darkness.
Then, I do the happy dance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">4.
Nightmare, type 4. Rotten teeth nightmare. According to Google, this nightmare
is an expression of anxiety I’m feeling about losing my identity.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Plan:
Um, I think I have this nightmare because I hate paying big dentist bills. Maybe
I can pretend the dentist works for free.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Reality:
I see holes in the back of my teeth. This dream is dumb—no one can see the back
of their molars. Besides, the dentist says my teeth are fine, if only I’d stop
grinding them. I tell the nightmare to go away and never come back. It works.
But I still wish the dentist was free.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Nightmare,
type 5. A pain nightmare is when real pain breaks into your dreams—30% of
people with chronic, acute pain have pain dreams. Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is the
gift that keeps on giving…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Plan:
I’ll dream of a capsule containing a swirl of blue, red, and yellow mini-pills. A stained glass of pain relief. I’ll swallow the pill with a shot of bourbon.
Presto. No more pain.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Reality:
Yeah…I haven’t got this figured out yet. Maybe I can use that flaming sword
leftover from the evil creature nightmare to kill the pain. One slicing strike. Pain
dies…it dies a painful death. </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">😊 </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Sorry, I couldn’t resist that.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-71845210871762456292022-04-28T13:53:00.000-04:002022-04-28T13:53:13.522-04:00Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance, Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKyBhtVsFpgcw65Z4eprRgMLwrLTKGxEhbAnd0vVfyGcZLCzGglb_zH_ZAUcSrwi5z8ma4qGe7Bk0y8r5gaBafHVI-TllgYPqEeELOekAZmFgRphTOjvzxY4z2PcyFa4CE8XAFFZlhIf471z2SxmcTuqoQLR55KsP4ZWhwZFY3QCHzoPiDHebMuupj" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="263" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKyBhtVsFpgcw65Z4eprRgMLwrLTKGxEhbAnd0vVfyGcZLCzGglb_zH_ZAUcSrwi5z8ma4qGe7Bk0y8r5gaBafHVI-TllgYPqEeELOekAZmFgRphTOjvzxY4z2PcyFa4CE8XAFFZlhIf471z2SxmcTuqoQLR55KsP4ZWhwZFY3QCHzoPiDHebMuupj" width="158" /></a></div><i>Notes On Your Sudden Disappearance </i>by Alison Espach<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> The title of this
novel could give the impression that it is a thriller—it’s not. It's something
more. <i>Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance</i> tells the story of Kathy’s
accidental death and whether her sister Sally, her family, or her boyfriend
Billy will survive the guilt that haunts them. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> This elegantly
written novel is about more than a single deadly accident. In its pages, the
reader experiences four subsequent accidents in slow-motion—the unfolding
tragedies of four ruined lives. The reactions of Kathy’s parents, Sally, and Billy
wrenched my heart as they made one bad decision after another to staunch their
pain. In spite of this, the novel is a story of redemption. While guilt is what
brings Sally and Billy together and rips them apart, forgiveness and love
finally unite them in peace.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> My one complaint
is that there is a lot of teenage sexuality in this novel. While it makes sense
in a novel that is a coming-of-age story, there were times it felt
overdone and slowed the novel’s pace. <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Four Stars!</p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-56989272383182732182022-04-12T09:26:00.000-04:002022-04-12T09:26:01.491-04:00Spring!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">If you read my blog regularly, you'll know we
moved to Winston-Salem three years ago and bought a home that suited our needs,
i.e., a large room for my husband's office, a much smaller room for mine, etc.
What we didn't realize at the time was how extensive the original gardens were.
Or how neglected. Slowly, we are recovering the gardens getting rid of kudzu,
poison ivy, blackberry brambles, wild roses, poison hemlock, and some weird
stinky vine that sends out runners beneath the soil. Here are some photos of what we've found beneath the mess.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzILE6W-nm42XQnOmzfVVJl0XVrd4tB6bmP9I2S-DFalcwCaRi-XyEsAB6V2g-LkTysTwKI7mze4QFiOOSXSvwXs54Z3UICg0BuyT9GCxY8yzJIYkOOUgy77f8c0xAzzaa2caz7zk6ZC9hg5EJ2ICG0MI9492V9fslsYH6C2dTiBG52Ndpf03DOs5/s4160/IMG_20220410_161434063_HDR%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTzILE6W-nm42XQnOmzfVVJl0XVrd4tB6bmP9I2S-DFalcwCaRi-XyEsAB6V2g-LkTysTwKI7mze4QFiOOSXSvwXs54Z3UICg0BuyT9GCxY8yzJIYkOOUgy77f8c0xAzzaa2caz7zk6ZC9hg5EJ2ICG0MI9492V9fslsYH6C2dTiBG52Ndpf03DOs5/w240-h320/IMG_20220410_161434063_HDR%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg---Nj3nM8v-EXWmpZF-Nl75uIUyxVIdAxtYa60vO1ypXUVQvhnToOATXk9qYLue-JgLdlQx-Evu8cjcb8Yz-EIsW_PULVo6-927An2PhBXfAPhM3WUW0rywk3URUk2l8TbUNfBhQJADf477OfoI9HsYvyr3THYi1BmwKz_mV25ZwuHyR3UXyD9RuT/s4160/IMG_20220410_161138914_HDR%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg---Nj3nM8v-EXWmpZF-Nl75uIUyxVIdAxtYa60vO1ypXUVQvhnToOATXk9qYLue-JgLdlQx-Evu8cjcb8Yz-EIsW_PULVo6-927An2PhBXfAPhM3WUW0rywk3URUk2l8TbUNfBhQJADf477OfoI9HsYvyr3THYi1BmwKz_mV25ZwuHyR3UXyD9RuT/w240-h320/IMG_20220410_161138914_HDR%20(1).jpg" width="240" /></a></div></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Azaleas.<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> Archangel.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexKerrJnp9DApnNZOUv41cqXcUQEpRajYAG4PZnpqg_C7KUIifjXUII1JuoisxmMxpR-J-diXUzPSxmjBmsIo4Xod3R2Cpue4bUCzZVKbC37pttPuUx_jDkaZ1pGU5li-1e3Sl67hxy4EcqAj2iYCVBPEG0EVGFwgBUUChxpx6M8L6CmnpnH-8x6F/s4160/IMG_20220408_082405772_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgexKerrJnp9DApnNZOUv41cqXcUQEpRajYAG4PZnpqg_C7KUIifjXUII1JuoisxmMxpR-J-diXUzPSxmjBmsIo4Xod3R2Cpue4bUCzZVKbC37pttPuUx_jDkaZ1pGU5li-1e3Sl67hxy4EcqAj2iYCVBPEG0EVGFwgBUUChxpx6M8L6CmnpnH-8x6F/s320/IMG_20220408_082405772_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I think this is an unusual variety of trumpet vine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NXDUFpg2BPh1Arz-f7-wttw8Jr8SilNfmgsQQi8vppLqKLwHSxJ1joBAuPOmqUIomsiGHeacxCS_dNClZg0Ack3PUM9G0_wNxYT5uj1j3ODhL69L2BCpXYNltniBdMLONKJQ_OtgIusheRHwL4QzTIc-4OqQqddjAIYvlt8JcCiuU4XvNap8T47m/s4160/IMG_20220410_160055926_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2NXDUFpg2BPh1Arz-f7-wttw8Jr8SilNfmgsQQi8vppLqKLwHSxJ1joBAuPOmqUIomsiGHeacxCS_dNClZg0Ack3PUM9G0_wNxYT5uj1j3ODhL69L2BCpXYNltniBdMLONKJQ_OtgIusheRHwL4QzTIc-4OqQqddjAIYvlt8JcCiuU4XvNap8T47m/w240-h320/IMG_20220410_160055926_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wAE-M5spN_4wJcZ4xAEN85-PcoG04RBj2ULSEcYcDOSYsBjQV7uBGsBw-x8kq34Pghb84OCUR_Yfd8XYmYr9WC0LpO0tbp0MMs9XInVGL0dZVskfTrqibruZ2QGOG2T2TRCL3Ia_MBdWIpj0F7ss4JBqDm63MwoycOLIJjlp1O9wzDWePFhh1RmM/s4160/IMG_20220410_155940530_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8wAE-M5spN_4wJcZ4xAEN85-PcoG04RBj2ULSEcYcDOSYsBjQV7uBGsBw-x8kq34Pghb84OCUR_Yfd8XYmYr9WC0LpO0tbp0MMs9XInVGL0dZVskfTrqibruZ2QGOG2T2TRCL3Ia_MBdWIpj0F7ss4JBqDm63MwoycOLIJjlp1O9wzDWePFhh1RmM/w240-h320/IMG_20220410_155940530_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div> Solomon's seal<span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBEndzkCRUnNwgvJzW11BqeIDRQJ7OclKbBfzlZ2pEVOVd6Ko4Al8cV149YC5GEHlvOTsFeJ6YmAZtHJD0QSP364SdPN7XPcHjF1gT-eF9wRvC_oCvta6HIqqRhMTEYJsSzCYyp3vxZ_dX-vs4Es8j7JwztWjdHIunGnbT8u3OXZWdyKxmt9ARsKD/s4160/IMG_20220410_160152480_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBEndzkCRUnNwgvJzW11BqeIDRQJ7OclKbBfzlZ2pEVOVd6Ko4Al8cV149YC5GEHlvOTsFeJ6YmAZtHJD0QSP364SdPN7XPcHjF1gT-eF9wRvC_oCvta6HIqqRhMTEYJsSzCYyp3vxZ_dX-vs4Es8j7JwztWjdHIunGnbT8u3OXZWdyKxmt9ARsKD/s320/IMG_20220410_160152480_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Deciduous magnolia called Jane magnolia. </div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3645" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJQe8Ey-FZQzzUYMEnYFBSSjdYnFyX2_vdS0YdAIeNG2oQ8z_WKHxVUCSo9-e5Bd9uvIwhOOZF8BPX-8g-BCG8wrIEmbnvsgG_o9bPUT6jsADXjIs_mnOGBqgAsDHKOliRPvRcMDsvAdf-_Xlb63IvnK0hB-hEvVPY4lUefS6LgaSqmrhxX7N6lB_/w274-h320/IMG_20220410_160450563_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="274" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Massive azalea blossoms the size of my hand.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJQe8Ey-FZQzzUYMEnYFBSSjdYnFyX2_vdS0YdAIeNG2oQ8z_WKHxVUCSo9-e5Bd9uvIwhOOZF8BPX-8g-BCG8wrIEmbnvsgG_o9bPUT6jsADXjIs_mnOGBqgAsDHKOliRPvRcMDsvAdf-_Xlb63IvnK0hB-hEvVPY4lUefS6LgaSqmrhxX7N6lB_/s3645/IMG_20220410_160450563_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWJQe8Ey-FZQzzUYMEnYFBSSjdYnFyX2_vdS0YdAIeNG2oQ8z_WKHxVUCSo9-e5Bd9uvIwhOOZF8BPX-8g-BCG8wrIEmbnvsgG_o9bPUT6jsADXjIs_mnOGBqgAsDHKOliRPvRcMDsvAdf-_Xlb63IvnK0hB-hEvVPY4lUefS6LgaSqmrhxX7N6lB_/s3645/IMG_20220410_160450563_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3005" data-original-width="3120" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZMXilS04H7sHEyAmtmBL2vYvwqwFvVTUCXd__x9Gk9z8CnFL8UWruyPSQyvKdnnFYj6lyCWNRd_eNIpW-S_nRkLwmKG0230ObF-8QJDFJxgH7aex1zLxu15nLbATBGDTff1kCljz7Tm0Lrr484r_z3W3CmGRFCTKFk6Z1dndQgTGUYehuIjQAvxa/w320-h309/IMG_20220410_160113347.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Fat bumblebees are swarming the gardens.</span></div><p>Here's the reality of beautiful gardens. Lots and lots of sweat. And more yard waste than we can hope to compost, so most of it will go to the city compost. Plus, there are more bags of yard waste than you can see in the photo. And tons more still waiting to be cleared out. Huge, huge hugs to my husband who comes to the garden and says, "Tell me what to do."</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsosQ73t1llpYS1bpgZTfYpsxNNO1pSUu2MabEGnlzcYy0_A5H37DWmCnNh2QQesCBljMzUukyJT-sjFKNPeyf6Nlhcib_LNr_GKHNLqKBat_uQNxbU8azdd9ozai3_HYr4oIOfn5HTvJQCS_SS9baduiSgNeo9RbXiOmmX-MKJTtXv1bWyfvwt8t/s4160/IMG_20220411_141816861_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2782" data-original-width="4160" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQsosQ73t1llpYS1bpgZTfYpsxNNO1pSUu2MabEGnlzcYy0_A5H37DWmCnNh2QQesCBljMzUukyJT-sjFKNPeyf6Nlhcib_LNr_GKHNLqKBat_uQNxbU8azdd9ozai3_HYr4oIOfn5HTvJQCS_SS9baduiSgNeo9RbXiOmmX-MKJTtXv1bWyfvwt8t/s320/IMG_20220411_141816861_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-70912691101040975242022-02-25T06:00:00.001-05:002022-02-25T06:00:00.244-05:00Friday Five, Spring Isn't Here Yet<p> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Winter
is drawing to a close. But I’m not quite ready for spring, even though it’s one
of my favorite seasons. Here’s why I’m trying to live in the last bits of
winter.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">1.
I refuse to think about all the weeds the last snowfalls germinated. It will be
thousands. Tens of thousands. Or, given I spent the late fall working on the
kitchen reno, instead of weeding…hundreds of thousands.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
prefer to think about the view from my office as snow falls.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9WUDvo97hT6uo-LR4wWu2kY7nHHuu9rYY2gbOsffl5trHpNIV3nkQmzHzqffpBlV_Qqq9hz9SIsmRg6OG5Z45b0zWsWyk4lhobjUTmR_UQysDeUfhHJEQhQwv8Xiup5V-GdksrDSyBBKZSi6nseLUagGABLFBJdtj6QpqoMRMj2m2dG6ygjoc7NoI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1241" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg9WUDvo97hT6uo-LR4wWu2kY7nHHuu9rYY2gbOsffl5trHpNIV3nkQmzHzqffpBlV_Qqq9hz9SIsmRg6OG5Z45b0zWsWyk4lhobjUTmR_UQysDeUfhHJEQhQwv8Xiup5V-GdksrDSyBBKZSi6nseLUagGABLFBJdtj6QpqoMRMj2m2dG6ygjoc7NoI" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">2.
I refuse to think the Canada geese will be mating soon. They screech all night
long, waking me up at midnight, 1 am, 2 am, 3 am… You get the picture. Why
can’t they fly home to Canada for mating season—after all, they are </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Canada</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">
geese.</span><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
prefer to think about them walking on the frozen pond, very peeved they can’t
swim.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjitAYrw4w7UmieTtMMeaAl5s3rhAu6FKMf2d0VkI-Gq9QTgx4VRwHngerI8r-tus9ZEIJOFEaFKu-cBnd1x9a47oFCtyUFwN7I00YGbCGOQSrpvrU1LP6HjrV8dfz37yVmEdPV626aHbz0c0_ZaHW0ErQ2nh2ZdhrvCwmXl99UTtsNO1yAqHjIhSEq" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="769" data-original-width="1919" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjitAYrw4w7UmieTtMMeaAl5s3rhAu6FKMf2d0VkI-Gq9QTgx4VRwHngerI8r-tus9ZEIJOFEaFKu-cBnd1x9a47oFCtyUFwN7I00YGbCGOQSrpvrU1LP6HjrV8dfz37yVmEdPV626aHbz0c0_ZaHW0ErQ2nh2ZdhrvCwmXl99UTtsNO1yAqHjIhSEq" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">3.
I refuse to think that I will soon be changing clothes five times a day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 1.
Early morning: undershirt, shirt, jeans, wool sweater.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 2.
Morning: remove wool sweater. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 3.
Noon: remove undershirt. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 4.
Afternoon: exchange a long-sleeved shirt for short-sleeved.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 5.
Late afternoon: shorts and t-shirt. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 6.
Dinner: jeans, undershirt, long sleeves, and wool sweater.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> 7.
Bedtime: fleece jammies, undershirt, heating pad.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Seven times a day... I’m going back to bed and pulling the covers over my head. I don't even want to think about the time change.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">4.
I refuse to think about kitchen reno, part five. Painting the upper cabinets. I
really, really want to do this—to finish part five of a six-step reno. But that
means a disaster, stench, and exhaustion.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">I
prefer to think about how much I love what we’ve already done.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqNetbiT82Sy5c-ZEkW6pDzdC6zrbAwgCsh46EibaXErTI12950TqYKq9IAjfWsF7TmZ0p3Z_uxjnNbVNZJ1nQxCTidp4gs1oDHDK4ubv5MoaTfx3oQTu7YWfmFtBIeHsBaDVkP2DIUTTuYA4zH47tFWFmERNUThZRWm7I9th0YLho9cWXUfDwmmnR" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1156" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhqNetbiT82Sy5c-ZEkW6pDzdC6zrbAwgCsh46EibaXErTI12950TqYKq9IAjfWsF7TmZ0p3Z_uxjnNbVNZJ1nQxCTidp4gs1oDHDK4ubv5MoaTfx3oQTu7YWfmFtBIeHsBaDVkP2DIUTTuYA4zH47tFWFmERNUThZRWm7I9th0YLho9cWXUfDwmmnR" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But the upper cabinets are pretty yellowed...</td></tr></tbody></table></span></p><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">5. I refuse to think about…too late. I saw the first
flowers. SPRING is here!!</span><div><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHLFkVzHc4tkdAScNTlfFJV-kh1iPRBVmAb4-pLk45bW8xV6P9mOuFdT1GXfhOf15K07O76Mx09shJd1hQaMoxFdimJBY3iRIoqLaA5WVr8zVbnq9fJCGAuC2ZQHvkgF2EfKRoAtHMJT2aBT9JB_mDQlF4GO_JVeKr3Kc1QRZ-FVCcDb8LaTQD-eZv" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="622" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgHLFkVzHc4tkdAScNTlfFJV-kh1iPRBVmAb4-pLk45bW8xV6P9mOuFdT1GXfhOf15K07O76Mx09shJd1hQaMoxFdimJBY3iRIoqLaA5WVr8zVbnq9fJCGAuC2ZQHvkgF2EfKRoAtHMJT2aBT9JB_mDQlF4GO_JVeKr3Kc1QRZ-FVCcDb8LaTQD-eZv=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crocuses</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh56JTcDYWbdoxyQn51t_A_HNizRb9MY1LkZiKeK0akiUmk2PRpt2-G03rdntuL4G1YAgcP1TdDdBKCZRRIqQOlvD_e1GE2QMpuSvGjt24HUj5zzXO3-rRlwbufDwD9TqkKaw18PGpkQ6q_n21VJIPou-qM8ki_uU8mn4K1_eGG0S-oW1_P2mV75MfJ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="830" data-original-width="1107" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh56JTcDYWbdoxyQn51t_A_HNizRb9MY1LkZiKeK0akiUmk2PRpt2-G03rdntuL4G1YAgcP1TdDdBKCZRRIqQOlvD_e1GE2QMpuSvGjt24HUj5zzXO3-rRlwbufDwD9TqkKaw18PGpkQ6q_n21VJIPou-qM8ki_uU8mn4K1_eGG0S-oW1_P2mV75MfJ=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snowdrops</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_oaH2Y135IvdbepVwKgaS6QkqlQfdVFEuJsATC1p156HZHhfAX5Pv4s3lve8rkk-Xts1TijKSU0w0xJS2EFJcLpovuVdeBpVeWSyTy7PzXYk_PMa3ALArQVU2F93B5OzWhx1xoEtERGaJoYlYlWqQuO7HL2AF2VYvCStrEMnh515H7XhgseWI63_A" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="903" data-original-width="1204" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_oaH2Y135IvdbepVwKgaS6QkqlQfdVFEuJsATC1p156HZHhfAX5Pv4s3lve8rkk-Xts1TijKSU0w0xJS2EFJcLpovuVdeBpVeWSyTy7PzXYk_PMa3ALArQVU2F93B5OzWhx1xoEtERGaJoYlYlWqQuO7HL2AF2VYvCStrEMnh515H7XhgseWI63_A" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hellebore</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></div>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-9862338639260559652022-02-16T08:48:00.000-05:002022-02-16T08:48:30.161-05:00HEDGE Study, Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome<p> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Early
this morning, I had my blood drawn. And aside from the fact that I’m a difficult
stick because my veins collapse, this shouldn’t be something to write a blog
post over. But this is a big deal.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7kE5lfgABH1XpmRvnDFWpzDUeHfmhzlSbWdH0KizMhUYUbVFh-6C20Hnc3vVJfxq7QPVAaveWgeloMNDR_Ej4niF2GkxLCTbcKMUqD4gXib4kfnEartC9uNAwnQ-kJCVvNebiOuXLas1aRtjOoLcJAgwLgKlqpv0AiOusN5ZtTScYHnJsUkIAVNvC=s3336" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3098" data-original-width="3336" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj7kE5lfgABH1XpmRvnDFWpzDUeHfmhzlSbWdH0KizMhUYUbVFh-6C20Hnc3vVJfxq7QPVAaveWgeloMNDR_Ej4niF2GkxLCTbcKMUqD4gXib4kfnEartC9uNAwnQ-kJCVvNebiOuXLas1aRtjOoLcJAgwLgKlqpv0AiOusN5ZtTScYHnJsUkIAVNvC=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I
was invited by the Ehlers-Danlos Society to participate in the <a href="https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/hedge/#1553025953024-5df82f4d-ea7d">HEDGE study</a>. Its
goal is to find the genetic markers for the type of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome I
have. They will do a whole-genome sequencing study of 1,000 people from 86
different countries who have hEDS.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">I’m very thankful to everyone who has donated time, money, and blood to run this study. (It’s hard to find research money for rare diseases.) My hope is this study will make diagnosis quicker and easier and raise awareness in the medical community, so that no one else will have to wait 50+ years for a diagnosis. Go, zebras!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnx_ZPH2o9ocrlU2QE_6MqCGaMIuzdWWBS7GiG69XTanB3fxeCPBz3zrL75N-fpFjq-ggYA24HHlWeNS04iBzWoC4JtDP53DGvHtFRHk4mPEGEh6KbLr-Xfr_3zJJ7I6DTgWUH_ymh0Vyiyn0IB5C1GW6p4W3QuFYzPZrOdZ-qr1X3K_tSNqp8oYjx=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnx_ZPH2o9ocrlU2QE_6MqCGaMIuzdWWBS7GiG69XTanB3fxeCPBz3zrL75N-fpFjq-ggYA24HHlWeNS04iBzWoC4JtDP53DGvHtFRHk4mPEGEh6KbLr-Xfr_3zJJ7I6DTgWUH_ymh0Vyiyn0IB5C1GW6p4W3QuFYzPZrOdZ-qr1X3K_tSNqp8oYjx=s320" width="240" /></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-89120910016816521122022-01-27T16:12:00.000-05:002022-01-27T16:12:22.505-05:00Book Review, Jazz Age Cocktails<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyXJyTuOzCZ5FgZjHV5TqlVj6UQPtxrsR-dtcwOSDu8vvjJafXXWHS0i1x6cvUcobVg8uZIYYzwE0hacYJRRHI_k8Qh5I_7RYzYKkB4jf1GegUoDvkUzn0tTQW9xhhYRK7tqJRgg19EUsuO771533qWyLUeV0JdpHPGwj1tW99bJWUNkXPo6OJdNtu=s499" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="341" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgyXJyTuOzCZ5FgZjHV5TqlVj6UQPtxrsR-dtcwOSDu8vvjJafXXWHS0i1x6cvUcobVg8uZIYYzwE0hacYJRRHI_k8Qh5I_7RYzYKkB4jf1GegUoDvkUzn0tTQW9xhhYRK7tqJRgg19EUsuO771533qWyLUeV0JdpHPGwj1tW99bJWUNkXPo6OJdNtu=s320" width="219" /></a></div><br /> Jazz Age Cocktails:
History, Lore, and Recipes from America’s Roaring Twenties by Cecelia Tichi.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As the title of
this book suggests, this history-cum-recipe book is a jazz of Prohibition,
flappers, and cocktails. In the book, Tichi details, through sociological
narrative, how literature, music, “politricks,” and cocktails intersected to give
birth to the Jazz Age. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">To top it off,
Tichi includes authentic cocktail recipes from the Jazz Age. While I’m familiar
with several of them, there are others I can’t wait to try, including the
Clover Club Cocktail, Live Wire, and Lipstick.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bottom line: This
book is a Champagne Cocktail—a sugar cube of recipes, music bitters, and lots of bubbling
history. Serve in an iced flute and enjoy while reading “Bernice Bobs Her
Hair” or <i>A Moveable Feast</i>. Five Stars.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">I received this book from NetGalley to review</p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-68587373243308304742022-01-07T13:55:00.001-05:002022-01-07T13:55:21.089-05:00North to Paradise Book Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8uN33Nz7pGiSPyoZUFNpHN3EfytFqurJxYNfj5TsfBOSlVu5mbixWqEMGjcBxhYmoHu8Q_rsnVpc3MW5_FIwkbfz7WnZ3jKMcLdTPvAHC_seCDJ3pUy6uhbKiPXpv-2VCl1XYm2THmbrKES6JS7ohftDjQucr3X7cLwpmrDX38c-NZuc5ungNRYuh=s357" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="357" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg8uN33Nz7pGiSPyoZUFNpHN3EfytFqurJxYNfj5TsfBOSlVu5mbixWqEMGjcBxhYmoHu8Q_rsnVpc3MW5_FIwkbfz7WnZ3jKMcLdTPvAHC_seCDJ3pUy6uhbKiPXpv-2VCl1XYm2THmbrKES6JS7ohftDjQucr3X7cLwpmrDX38c-NZuc5ungNRYuh=s320" width="229" /></a></div><br /><i>North to Paradise</i> by Ousman Umar, translated by Kevin Gerry Dunn<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This memoir is the harrowing story of a boy’s trek
from Ghana to Spain in search of an education and a better life. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">At the age of 12, Ousman
sets out on a five-year journey to Paradise. Along the way, he travels with
smugglers, crosses much of the Sahara on foot, and struggles against racism,
abuse, and loneliness. Yet, he finds compassion and help—in the most unlikely
of places. <o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The book does an excellent job of balancing
the horrors Umar endured with the hope that allowed him to persevere. The one
caveat is the memoir could have been longer, giving Umar’s experiences more
depth and texture. That said, it is an engrossing and timely book, perfect for anyone
who wants a better understanding of the harsh realities experienced by migrants
traveling through Africa. Truly eye-opening.</span>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-12821519314920798432022-01-03T07:00:00.002-05:002022-01-03T07:00:00.215-05:00DIY Kitchen Reno, Part 2<p> We completed step three of our kitchen reno! I know it's Monday, but here's a Friday Five of step three.<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcY-CDxLqYAEapSXTkVjavtG4hH-m74RJ2RTuyu6Gnba2UhtvP9QfZiq3z3xhWpKX5og7B5Nd4-uEBiy6FX5gNNxHxDfnSBlVy1AHJgdqGRC7n1fas-gFGzn_5dReMd__2VC0qr1j-7d2g66Rpce7_S_cKs-74knoZUa4GnjI2CSjn2Q1QOKM_YYQF=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjcY-CDxLqYAEapSXTkVjavtG4hH-m74RJ2RTuyu6Gnba2UhtvP9QfZiq3z3xhWpKX5og7B5Nd4-uEBiy6FX5gNNxHxDfnSBlVy1AHJgdqGRC7n1fas-gFGzn_5dReMd__2VC0qr1j-7d2g66Rpce7_S_cKs-74knoZUa4GnjI2CSjn2Q1QOKM_YYQF=w320-h240" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calvin stripping with Citristrip.</td></tr></tbody></table>1.
Use a stripper. (Not that kind.) We chose a low-voc paint stripper because the odor
of chemically suspicious oranges is much better than the kill-you-in-your-sleep
fumes of acetone, methanol, and toluene.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p>
</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvRfegGHxnDPgYIMJzjR8H0gDaNw_myeUwgWlvvfa4Hes6Ap1GQvKGGMNSnqsw0nXza_gjwwJMXtf2f5v5FISStBK2QrpQ3dl6vi__fnAb8A_AGlrU5x6k5CWukUP0VvjaNOpjBr0V5d94R56KnAO2k7NaMWAsvDb0izWML_7L7FODkrjLhiH_WNmk=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgvRfegGHxnDPgYIMJzjR8H0gDaNw_myeUwgWlvvfa4Hes6Ap1GQvKGGMNSnqsw0nXza_gjwwJMXtf2f5v5FISStBK2QrpQ3dl6vi__fnAb8A_AGlrU5x6k5CWukUP0VvjaNOpjBr0V5d94R56KnAO2k7NaMWAsvDb0izWML_7L7FODkrjLhiH_WNmk=w240-h320" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting with a dark-ish primer.<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">2. Have your husband do all the hard work—scraping and stripping off decades of paint and then sanding. When that’s done, you can paint at a restful, cathartic pace. Or, you can listen to “Girls Just Wanna to Have Fun” and try to finish the work before Christmas. (I finished in time.)</span><p></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifjB4RCYpCLhz1dfl68plMh_MSm6gyBCO5icREtjl58c0vXVXts4Fhwt3KxsdvH372x6t614oB3wJbLnlhu4K4PW7TOJwRs_vkmMmwQGXpFcPkopNKQ01GtRdVZ7VgBANEkxAnrtmVC0_v74Y8B5-tw9ne0sD5Z89pmyuOCj5FivBQJNcofjd9L4aK=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEifjB4RCYpCLhz1dfl68plMh_MSm6gyBCO5icREtjl58c0vXVXts4Fhwt3KxsdvH372x6t614oB3wJbLnlhu4K4PW7TOJwRs_vkmMmwQGXpFcPkopNKQ01GtRdVZ7VgBANEkxAnrtmVC0_v74Y8B5-tw9ne0sD5Z89pmyuOCj5FivBQJNcofjd9L4aK=s320" width="320" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">3.
Shelves! When you buy an old home, you discover people didn’t have pantries.
They had a broom closet, which we turned into a pantry. But my spice collection
took up more than two shelves of broom-closet-cum-pantry. So, Calvin put up
shelves. (Brackets from Amazon, wood and stain from Home Depot.) I told him,
“Two shelves should be more than enough.” I didn’t realize I have 70 different
spices, including sumac, nigella seed, and multiple varieties of za’atar. (Some
folks collect tchotchkes, I collect spices.) Sadly, not all my spices fit on
the shelves…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">4.
New refrigerator! This was not our plan. Especially not when appliance
prices are obscene. But when the old refrigerator compressor dies… </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I
love the new fridge. Its more compact size means I can put a desk next to the
window—it’s good to have writing nooks and laptop space.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">5.
Finally, don’t forget to take dance breaks—even if you know your ruptured
discs, inflamed nerves, and fusions will slap you later because, like I said
earlier, girls just wanna have fun. (Clearly, I’ve listened to too much Pandora
80s radio.)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Now
that the kitchen reno is half-finished, we’re taking a break till spring. Then,
we’ll paint the upper cabinets light gray and the walls white. And I hope to
talk Calvin into a new light fixture instead of the 80s ceiling fan, which is
coated with grime that even bleach won’t budge.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhADgSwogo7xylw6LNoENQpx_OI1115ZMij02YwVujjh1U1sI9swB2Z9zeZLx4ZLKo92b4GzuI1GS1yNahHeTdTXr9V6xaxIgQkJU9z4t8VuIfL30YYAM0OA-zqatlGSHfRFUi_o9jsPpP3Y_IVUg26CY2Xe8k93oBNXOjTOBOttAnsZpjtn9POFak3=s4160" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhADgSwogo7xylw6LNoENQpx_OI1115ZMij02YwVujjh1U1sI9swB2Z9zeZLx4ZLKo92b4GzuI1GS1yNahHeTdTXr9V6xaxIgQkJU9z4t8VuIfL30YYAM0OA-zqatlGSHfRFUi_o9jsPpP3Y_IVUg26CY2Xe8k93oBNXOjTOBOttAnsZpjtn9POFak3=w480-h317" width="480" /></a></div><p class="MsoNormal"></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> The lower cabinets are painted with Behr paint, satin finish, in "Calligraphy."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br /></p></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-64435160514668319622022-01-01T19:42:00.001-05:002022-01-01T19:42:57.864-05:00Book Review, Box 88<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjD8H26e7FqSJE3bRe20R1RWIoKTvkZnQjzwSR6wMovWntu0a9XjdjVVfEaevbunCYL_cNHAzDb_E7ro3i11gJm_UsFB2EWl9vV3wG_qZfH_dN9MlgT65Vp2F3y-zV6dMkngZSaV8GTFzFMoHXERDXsMUgTH_X2T6YzH-gCOaaKxonjAZGNeJruDIZf=s392" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="392" data-original-width="255" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjD8H26e7FqSJE3bRe20R1RWIoKTvkZnQjzwSR6wMovWntu0a9XjdjVVfEaevbunCYL_cNHAzDb_E7ro3i11gJm_UsFB2EWl9vV3wG_qZfH_dN9MlgT65Vp2F3y-zV6dMkngZSaV8GTFzFMoHXERDXsMUgTH_X2T6YzH-gCOaaKxonjAZGNeJruDIZf=s320" width="208" /></a></div><i>Box 88</i> is an espionage thriller by Charles Cumming
(New York Times bestselling author of <i>The Trinity Six</i>).<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Lachlan Kite is a
member of Box 88, a black ops group so secret few people know of its existence.
But rumors persist... When terrorists kidnap Kite, they also take his pregnant
wife as leverage, forcing Kite to reveal information about his recruitment and
first mission. As Kite tells the truth in bits and pieces to buy time to escape,
he relives those events, remembering the friends he betrayed and the horrors that
followed. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The novel’s
structure, which flashes between present and past, brilliantly reflects the cat-and-mouse
game of espionage and propels the reader through the story. The characters are complex
and nuanced, and the relationship between Kite and his wife is poignant, though
I would have liked this developed more (but that’s what sequels are for). Finally,
the reveal at the novel’s climax slakes the reader’s thirst for a smooth,
sharp finish—a perfect martini, shaken not stirred.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Final evaluation: Five
stars. <i>Box 88</i> is perfect for fans of Daniel Silva’s
Gabriel Allon series. <a href="https://amzn.to/3FHWfYG">Buy it here.</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Juicy tidbit: What makes
this story even more gripping is the author was an MI6 agent.<o:p></o:p></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-7495303428639068472021-11-19T07:00:00.001-05:002021-11-19T07:00:00.271-05:00Friday Five: Teach Your Child to Sew<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">My
mom is from Europe, where sewing is popular, so she taught me to sew. And I taught
my daughter because…it’s what mothers do. The upside is that when my daughter
went to grad school, I inherited a sewing project she didn’t have time to
finish. That was seven years ago. I just finished the project. Here are the top
five reasons you should finish your inherited sewing project.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">1.
Your child inherited her father’s artistic eye. And she has a sense of line
and knows </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">which
patterns will look good.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">2.
You remember why your daughter abandoned the project—there’s a mismatch between
the sleeves and the sleeve lining. You ponder ripping out the sleeve lining and
recutting it… But, honestly, you’re too tired. Besides, your great
aunt who taught fancy handwork at a Swiss boarding school isn’t going to grade
you. (She once gave my cross-stitch an A for the front side and a C for the
backside. Grrr. It’s not like that rankled… </span><span style="font-family: "Segoe UI Emoji", sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">😉</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">3.
Your child is precise. This means she’s clipped all the curves, pressed open
the seams, and followed the pattern directions.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">4.
Sadly, the pattern directions your daughter left behind are in Spanish and
you don’t know Spanish. You know Latin and French, so you tell yourself you'll be able to figure
it out… In the end, you wing it and hope for the best.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">5. Best reason to finish an inherited sewing project:
Most of the work is already done! New lined, fleece jacket in the color of autumn.
Woot!</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FKxH3IJ4eg/YZbhfS0QTTI/AAAAAAAALdw/8oiyTCdry_swH1GZWOk0Vdxk6ZVS_9gmwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20211112_081748930_BURST001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3FKxH3IJ4eg/YZbhfS0QTTI/AAAAAAAALdw/8oiyTCdry_swH1GZWOk0Vdxk6ZVS_9gmwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20211112_081748930_BURST001.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span><p></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-69681702539639743652021-11-05T07:00:00.029-04:002021-11-05T07:00:00.245-04:00Friday Five, DIY Tiling<div class="separator"></div><p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pOn18msC22Q/YYKxeBmgMPI/AAAAAAAALPA/6A_Othhz4bYrn5_t94OyLHzOTdbKekohgCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210909_172624321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pOn18msC22Q/YYKxeBmgMPI/AAAAAAAALPA/6A_Othhz4bYrn5_t94OyLHzOTdbKekohgCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_20210909_172624321.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>My
husband Calvin and I are redoing our kitchen. We have brand new quartz counters—so
much better than the old Formica. And we have a new sink and faucet—which has a
sprayer!! </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">(The old kitchen to the left looks remarkably good in the photo. But it wasn't--the counter was coming apart, etc.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When
the old counters were removed, they left big gouges in the wall. So, we needed
a new backsplash and decided to tile it ourselves.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> Here are five things I
learned:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">1.
Know your strengths and weakness. Let the artist (not me) pick the tile. He
will absolutely know if it matches the counters. It will save time. And worry—or,
at least it should…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Me:
Are you sure it’s going to look good?</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Artist
husband: Yes.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BAGvHoFOjQ/YYKt-27xAvI/AAAAAAAALOs/7Ss91_CHuCUaeGspe-27a3IO1gxIdvYVQCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_20211025_142143633.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me tiling.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Me:
Are you really, really sure it’s going to look good?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Him:
Yes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Me:
Are you—<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Him:
I’m really, really sure.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Me:
(I’ll worry quietly now.)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">2.
When you put adhesive on the wall, more is not more. It just means more
clean-up. Lots more clean-up.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">3.
Any DIY home project requires music. The best kind is 80s pop/rock. Nothing is
better in the midst of a DIY than a dance break. Especially when “Sweet Dreams,”
“Heartbreaker,” or “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” starts playing on Pandora. (I'm definitely not posting a photo of this. :)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PiCff2KabAw/YYKt-_-GlnI/AAAAAAAALOs/aH4QGGaBN5wJRyruBcxUbmoyt0Z0XbLJwCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20211025_154854163.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="150" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PiCff2KabAw/YYKt-_-GlnI/AAAAAAAALOs/aH4QGGaBN5wJRyruBcxUbmoyt0Z0XbLJwCPcBGAsYHg/w200-h150/IMG_20211025_154854163.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wet saw.</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">4.
A wet saw. If you’re using a glass/stone mosaic tile, you have to have a wet saw.
And if you have a friend who you can borrow one from…woot! Although don’t
forget to put towels on the floor (as your friend suggested, but you forgot) because
the saw spits water and ground tile, and you end up with a nasty puddle of gray
gritty gunk all over the floor.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">5.
Junky clothes. It’s so, so worth it to take the time to put on work clothes.
Otherwise, halfway through the project you to say to the artist, “Uh, please
tell me you aren’t wearing your good jeans…” Silence ensues. Thankfully, I’ve
got a big box of Oxi-clean.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Next, step: Grouting.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Here's a close-up of the tiles, sink, and counter. (BTW, the garbage disposal has a magnetic collar to prevent silverware from getting chewed up. How cool is that?!)</span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gZ5FLv1QW5w/YYKt-0GMoaI/AAAAAAAALOs/kme64RDJK8w5ebDKaV2niWvOSrvAsdnMACPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20211103_112442337_MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gZ5FLv1QW5w/YYKt-0GMoaI/AAAAAAAALOs/kme64RDJK8w5ebDKaV2niWvOSrvAsdnMACPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20211103_112442337_MP.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-12629260729191472682021-10-12T14:53:00.002-04:002021-10-12T14:53:21.155-04:00Malibu<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qBy9yrs48D0/YWXWPYeZHwI/AAAAAAAAK-o/jNLlz3dS0c8k-dLCYuaE-ywzVg04kB3vACPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210920_164243669.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="281" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qBy9yrs48D0/YWXWPYeZHwI/AAAAAAAAK-o/jNLlz3dS0c8k-dLCYuaE-ywzVg04kB3vACPcBGAsYHg/w375-h281/IMG_20210920_164243669.jpg" width="375" /></a></div> <p></p><p>We were recently in California for my mother-in-law's memorial service. During our time there, we made a quick stop in Malibu.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>More photos.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ok2Cs7G-Qlo/YWXXjF7z4rI/AAAAAAAAK_A/9IClplJcWaMjNS-PdQbpzYEcgRXwHiF1gCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210920_163734575_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ok2Cs7G-Qlo/YWXXjF7z4rI/AAAAAAAAK_A/9IClplJcWaMjNS-PdQbpzYEcgRXwHiF1gCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210920_163734575_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QvWvl-8fAnQ/YWXXjARHtSI/AAAAAAAAK_A/EtV5UF8JUQc0E5EtXhKKGnDZgHU1LhPEACPcBGAsYHg/s2592/IMG_20210920_164326731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QvWvl-8fAnQ/YWXXjARHtSI/AAAAAAAAK_A/EtV5UF8JUQc0E5EtXhKKGnDZgHU1LhPEACPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210920_164326731.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table> My husband and I.<br /><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody></tbody></table></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ksax473venc/YWXY0-5-kdI/AAAAAAAAK_Q/vuhsfF_OL2gZnFxXbsF2kBSTPRY4xNQCgCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210920_164926137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ksax473venc/YWXY0-5-kdI/AAAAAAAAK_Q/vuhsfF_OL2gZnFxXbsF2kBSTPRY4xNQCgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210920_164926137.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Sand art created by the sea.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Coming through the San Gabriels. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJMKApBDKQ0/YWXZBQM6KaI/AAAAAAAAK_U/KpQ1j5d7NDg3r-qHSQ8QShSpRPMh1YQxwCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/original_d627d49c-1e65-4b92-a7a3-9094a480bb73_IMG_20210920_173743994_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aJMKApBDKQ0/YWXZBQM6KaI/AAAAAAAAK_U/KpQ1j5d7NDg3r-qHSQ8QShSpRPMh1YQxwCPcBGAsYHg/s320/original_d627d49c-1e65-4b92-a7a3-9094a480bb73_IMG_20210920_173743994_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-75552672969292083782021-10-05T10:11:00.001-04:002021-10-05T10:11:40.817-04:00Watercolor Award!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOPj5ZQ-u-g/YVxcua1k-II/AAAAAAAAK7g/_AICZ2oZfycXcRKZnJ9xmYUPtWCN3VIhgCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20211004_142518691.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EOPj5ZQ-u-g/YVxcua1k-II/AAAAAAAAK7g/_AICZ2oZfycXcRKZnJ9xmYUPtWCN3VIhgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20211004_142518691.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My husband is a watercolorist, and his painting Lady on the Lake took second place at the Carolina Classics State Fair. (Yes, that's me in the kayak.)</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-90283058804168146532021-09-22T09:36:00.000-04:002021-09-22T09:36:26.724-04:00Face Blindness and a Flood of Love<p> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--bPAvf1weZ8/YUsxD7ntyCI/AAAAAAAAK0s/J3OOiXLAYBY9Y8t6pzKDZ3gnV8bSfNEBQCPcBGAsYHg/s3925/IMG_20210918_163201898_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2641" data-original-width="3925" height="215" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--bPAvf1weZ8/YUsxD7ntyCI/AAAAAAAAK0s/J3OOiXLAYBY9Y8t6pzKDZ3gnV8bSfNEBQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210918_163201898_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I
am face blind (prosopagnosia). This is not a matter of <br />I-forget-peoples’-names.
This is a matter of I-don’t-recognize-my-husband-or-my-children. And, as
incredible as this sounds, I don’t recognize myself. At a large function, I
thought I saw someone I knew, turns out it was myself—in a mirror.<p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">After
a recent family funeral, I shared photos with relatives who weren’t able to
attend. My daughter said, “Tell Jacob his beard looks great!” I thought, “Jacob
has a beard?” So, I looked up a picture. And there was my son Jacob standing
next to me, with a full beard. It did look nice.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Anyone
reading this probably thinks, “How sad.” But there’s an upside.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">A
stranger stood in a driveway I needed to drive into. I waited for him to move,
and when he did, I recognized him. Jacob. In that moment, an incredible love
flowed through me—this “stranger” is treasured in my heart and soul.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">I
don’t think “normal” people experience the same flood of emotion. And I’d never
give up this experience—a reminder of how cherished my loved ones are.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">NB: I do have ways of recognizing people. I recognized
Jacob by the way he moved. I also recognize people by the sound of their voices.
But if someone is silent and standing still, they are a stranger to me.</span></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-26785173814991022632021-09-10T07:00:00.026-04:002021-09-10T07:00:00.242-04:00Friday Five: Living with a Nasty, Incurable, Rare Disease<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v5FR8AQSQBI/YTlXT7pDQpI/AAAAAAAAKko/PemXupdpZcI85qSYIpN6jM17rr_BxeU9wCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="640" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-v5FR8AQSQBI/YTlXT7pDQpI/AAAAAAAAKko/PemXupdpZcI85qSYIpN6jM17rr_BxeU9wCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="197" /></a></div><p></p><p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Yes,
living with a nasty, incurable, rare disease is horrible. It is also very
funny. Or, perhaps, I have a gallows sense of humor.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">(Before
I start this, let me say, since I’ve received my diagnosis, all my doctors have
been infinitely kind and caring. I wish all the doctors before the diagnosis
had been the same. But that’s another story.)</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> H</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">ow
doctors respond to me and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">When
I meet a doctor for the first time, they usually have not looked at my chart. I
understand—too many patients, too little time. After greeting me, they say, “So
what brings you in today?” I smile my I-hate-to-do-this-to-you-smile and say “I
have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.” Doctors respond in many ways.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">1.
The doctor blinks. He/she blinks because the diagnosis rings a vague alarm bell
in their mind. But only a vague one. The doctor makes polite conversation and
excuses themselves. While I wait, they are Googling EDS on “Google for Doctors.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">2. The doctor is disconcerted by getting stuck with an Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome patient.
“So, you have ED…”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">I
try really, really hard not to laugh. In some alternate, doctor world, maybe ED
is an acronym for EDS. But in the patient world, ED stands for something else,
and I don’t have it.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">3.
They pale. My favorite response is the doctor who said, “I read about it in
medical school. So, um, why don’t you tell me whatever it is you need, and I’ll
greenlight it.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">4.
They try to fix me before they know what’s wrong. These are the doctors who
look at my medications list before they look at my diagnosis.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Doctor:
You are on a lot of medications. How do you feel about that?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Me,
I feel @#!#? about it, but I say: Well, I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Doctor:
Oh, right. Good. So, these medications are propping you up.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Me:
Yep.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">5. The doctor pulls up my x-rays: Doesn’t say a word because he/she is gasping. A
second later, he/she is figuring out how to pretend they didn’t gasp.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">I
know it’s a Friday Five, but this is your lucky day because I have six.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">6. The doctors perform a procedure (or surgery): These always go wrong. Really, really wrong. When I
am awake for the procedure—not often the case—but when I am, I hear the assisting resident say
to the other doctor, “Did you see that? What the *%#* happened?”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">I
tried to warn them beforehand. Honest, I did.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 11pt;">Nota Bene: I included the cute zebra photo because zebras are the mascot for EDS. The photo is from Wikimedia Commons.</span></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-71282593843919889202021-09-08T09:28:00.001-04:002021-09-08T09:28:25.545-04:00Cloud Cuckoo Land Book Review<p> I was eager to read <i>Cloud Cuckoo Land</i> because I loved Anthony Doerr’s
previous book, <i>All the Light We Cannot See</i>. While <i>Cloud Cuckoo Land</i>
is a very different type of novel, it is just as beautiful and will stay with you
for a long time. In fact, I wish it were already widely available because I want
to discuss it with others.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esETQdP2Fr0/YTi43mEsvwI/AAAAAAAAKjc/3LjZ147TKYUlU0dnpv7fq4Bon5c1Tq76QCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210908_091526474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-esETQdP2Fr0/YTi43mEsvwI/AAAAAAAAKjc/3LjZ147TKYUlU0dnpv7fq4Bon5c1Tq76QCPcBGAsYHg/w256-h320/IMG_20210908_091526474.jpg" width="256" /></a></div><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What makes this novel consuming? Again, the novel is
beautifully written. The sentences are lyrical without drawing attention to
themselves. The plot is well-crafted, and the characters are engaging. But what
sets this book apart is that it asks the reader to consider deep philosophical
questions about truth, suffering, and the value of story. It has been a long
time since I have read a novel that has raised so many thoughts and questions. <o:p></o:p></p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">That said, <i>CCL </i>starts off a bit slow—in spite of a
compelling opening—because the novel has four point-of-view characters,
excerpts from an ancient (fictitious) Greek epic, and multiple times periods. While
that can be hard to absorb in the beginning, all the characters and settings
are fully realized and engrossing. I loved traveling between 2020 America, 1453
Constantinople, and a futuristic spaceship.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I won’t attempt to summarize the plot, but you can read a summary
<a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Cloud-Cuckoo-Land/Anthony-Doerr/9781982168438">here</a>.<br /><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Bottom line, I highly recommend this novel both for the story
itself and its profundity. Five stars.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cloud Cuckoo Land will be available on 9/28/21.<o:p></o:p></p>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Nota Bene: I received an ARC (advanced reader
copy) of this novel from Scribner.</span><div><span style="font-family: "Calibri",sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-55869207361794913942021-08-16T10:34:00.000-04:002021-08-16T10:34:10.471-04:00Maine and Cloud Cuckoo Land<p> My husband and I recently attended a conference in Maine. (One of two states I haven't been to. The other is Louisiana.) Here are some photos from a hike we took.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sF9fNppYJZo/YRpz1qFdb3I/AAAAAAAAKU0/sc3_AqAtqy0zpMp2OGIgxA_zUKI5A3POgCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210804_143640053_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sF9fNppYJZo/YRpz1qFdb3I/AAAAAAAAKU0/sc3_AqAtqy0zpMp2OGIgxA_zUKI5A3POgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210804_143640053_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cA5iqU8VsJ4/YRpz1qkgJdI/AAAAAAAAKU0/oLpRmVKxsxEPySlSQkkKonnQCK1DaiVPwCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210804_143748235_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cA5iqU8VsJ4/YRpz1qkgJdI/AAAAAAAAKU0/oLpRmVKxsxEPySlSQkkKonnQCK1DaiVPwCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210804_143748235_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rugosa roses</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ejDSjPR5Pt0/YRpz1lbb02I/AAAAAAAAKU0/-FC4r8Ei-AQKj6Di-Z2-1o89JuCoxXQhgCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210804_144558330.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ejDSjPR5Pt0/YRpz1lbb02I/AAAAAAAAKU0/-FC4r8Ei-AQKj6Di-Z2-1o89JuCoxXQhgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210804_144558330.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winslow Homer's home. Canon rock is nearby.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i34YSkTZfFY/YRpz1kLwC7I/AAAAAAAAKU0/Oqyrv3Q4kSYWUjYoZEB7FG0Fhak-hmZTQCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210804_143900679_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i34YSkTZfFY/YRpz1kLwC7I/AAAAAAAAKU0/Oqyrv3Q4kSYWUjYoZEB7FG0Fhak-hmZTQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210804_143900679_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2G2-ZXQF6W4/YRpz1nnFz8I/AAAAAAAAKU0/msaklTpCrE0UCgDvRZeeknLD4duHBHijgCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210804_154056699%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2G2-ZXQF6W4/YRpz1nnFz8I/AAAAAAAAKU0/msaklTpCrE0UCgDvRZeeknLD4duHBHijgCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210804_154056699%257E2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Purple sand!!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JZyCYUAzUEU/YRpz1jmIr4I/AAAAAAAAKU0/2JU4AzYKi-4eYgHOQmKzA6yYPns9u_HQQCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210804_154614298_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JZyCYUAzUEU/YRpz1jmIr4I/AAAAAAAAKU0/2JU4AzYKi-4eYgHOQmKzA6yYPns9u_HQQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210804_154614298_HDR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MJQzTSSBbFo/YRpz1uGPbNI/AAAAAAAAKU0/KVntDJjogIAH1tkHqespF8d9EPjPLRzKACPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210804_151613726_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MJQzTSSBbFo/YRpz1uGPbNI/AAAAAAAAKU0/KVntDJjogIAH1tkHqespF8d9EPjPLRzKACPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210804_151613726_HDR.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iwzAjkKACOc/YRpz1tQ_mSI/AAAAAAAAKU0/Kaj4zFaMKYkdkgurxkxCH46ynaeXSAeXACPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210804_155610262_HDR%257E2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iwzAjkKACOc/YRpz1tQ_mSI/AAAAAAAAKU0/Kaj4zFaMKYkdkgurxkxCH46ynaeXSAeXACPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210804_155610262_HDR%257E2.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sea always calls to me. :)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="text-align: center;">I recently finished reading Anthony Doerr's (author of All the Light We Cannot See)</span><br style="text-align: center;" /><span style="text-align: center;"> newest novel Cloud Cuckoo Land. I'll post a review soon! It goes on sale 9/28/21.</span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3pvSPNEBO4/YRp1hLcxpAI/AAAAAAAAKVs/lTy419d4tWI0eTY14AppqCw0Tdp0UxJUQCPcBGAsYHg/s4160/IMG_20210816_102234052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3004" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3pvSPNEBO4/YRp1hLcxpAI/AAAAAAAAKVs/lTy419d4tWI0eTY14AppqCw0Tdp0UxJUQCPcBGAsYHg/s320/IMG_20210816_102234052.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p><br /></p></div>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-33975808584469040422021-08-03T07:00:00.001-04:002021-08-03T07:00:00.222-04:00Book Review: Greenwich Park<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pf_jPsAxsf4/YQVOV44Ex8I/AAAAAAAAKIw/8adSh-z65X0J_GasxQgguuenjCR5vN-XgCNcBGAsYHQ/s499/Greenwich%2BPark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pf_jPsAxsf4/YQVOV44Ex8I/AAAAAAAAKIw/8adSh-z65X0J_GasxQgguuenjCR5vN-XgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/Greenwich%2BPark.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><br />Book Blurb: Helen’s idyllic life—handsome
architect husband, gorgeous Victorian house, and cherished baby on the way
(after years of trying)—begins to change the day she attends her first prenatal
class and meets Rachel, an unpredictable single mother-to-be. Rachel doesn’t
seem very maternal: she smokes, drinks, and professes little interest in
parenthood. Still, Helen is drawn to her. Maybe Rachel just needs a friend. And
to be honest, Helen’s a bit lonely herself. At least Rachel is fun to be with.
She makes Helen laugh, invites her confidences, and distracts her from her
fears.</div></div><p></p><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">But her increasingly erratic
behavior is unsettling. And Helen’s not the only one who’s noticed. Her friends
and family begin to suspect that her strange new friend may be linked to their
shared history in unexpected ways. When Rachel threatens to expose a past crime
that could destroy all of their lives, it becomes clear that there are more
than a few secrets laying beneath the broad-leaved trees and warm lamplight of
Greenwich Park.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">My review:</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><i>Greenwich Park</i> is a psychological
thriller with an unreliable narrator. And even though psych-thrillers are my
favorite guilty pleasure, I approached the novel with some trepidation because
the genre is hot and many psych-thrillers have become derivative. Happily, <i>Greenwich
Park</i> is fresh and engrossing.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The novel is written from three
different viewpoints, which is a hard thing to pull off. But Katherine Faulkner
does it well. Each character (Helen/Serena/Katie) has a distinct voice but
still remains nuanced and intriguing.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The plot is well-crafted and satisfying.
And the pacing is spot-on—I had a hard time putting the novel down.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Bottom line, I give <i>Greenwich Park</i> a
five-star review, and I’m eager to read this debut author’s next novel. I do
need to add a trigger warning: Part of the plot includes the traumatic aftermath
of a rape, though the crime itself does not occur within the scope of the book.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Note: This novel will be released
January 4, 2022.<o:p></o:p></p>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471107802247799161.post-78726313926388018302021-07-27T09:45:00.002-04:002021-07-27T09:45:51.221-04:00Late Summer Flowers and a Book<p> In space between mid and late summer, few plants bloom. But I found some in our gardens to share. I've included a book snapshot at the end because I love nothing better than to get caught up in a good book in the languid days of summer (or the orange light of autumn or the snows of winter or the fragrance of spring). Okay, every season is a great time to read.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WugjA7hQLfk/YQAKw832kgI/AAAAAAAAKFY/ewgxmAOeunc5cj5SOQ9or3srLNwVqActwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.37.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WugjA7hQLfk/YQAKw832kgI/AAAAAAAAKFY/ewgxmAOeunc5cj5SOQ9or3srLNwVqActwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.37.10.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crepe myrtles.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6b2rFmHL2Q0/YQAC8y7bxII/AAAAAAAAKDE/HFx4RjDxguwXI8gCYkf1HeElMiHVL2vqgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.36.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6b2rFmHL2Q0/YQAC8y7bxII/AAAAAAAAKDE/HFx4RjDxguwXI8gCYkf1HeElMiHVL2vqgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.36.04.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cyclamen. I'm babysitting this for my dad. </td></tr></tbody></table></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kl75EIBIv_k/YQAC8YJSpqI/AAAAAAAAKDA/nIr01WPeXUoapg43c7Iv2w5pkurxzwxcACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.35.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Kl75EIBIv_k/YQAC8YJSpqI/AAAAAAAAKDA/nIr01WPeXUoapg43c7Iv2w5pkurxzwxcACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.35.46.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0_CKgJqFlc/YQAC8GXv6vI/AAAAAAAAKC8/x7HgD22th3822MFaUJPm5DSebpg1VIyegCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.35.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0_CKgJqFlc/YQAC8GXv6vI/AAAAAAAAKC8/x7HgD22th3822MFaUJPm5DSebpg1VIyegCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.35.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this stump. The rich browns, the character lines, <br />and the ivy trying to subdue it. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyEcQn-2az8/YQAC8PPqAKI/AAAAAAAAKC4/SQQ4u2YCLSYf2nIJEH7gz3Aynp6NGRq9ACNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.32.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eyEcQn-2az8/YQAC8PPqAKI/AAAAAAAAKC4/SQQ4u2YCLSYf2nIJEH7gz3Aynp6NGRq9ACNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.32.07.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phlox in my wildflower garden.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMEj5xdDghg/YQAC77kBKZI/AAAAAAAAKC0/bnlivh4JkEI04_sexLMEjduFwK8hb9qyQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.31.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RMEj5xdDghg/YQAC77kBKZI/AAAAAAAAKC0/bnlivh4JkEI04_sexLMEjduFwK8hb9qyQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.31.23.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More wildflowers.</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzcxEsuHg94/YQAC62Vl1yI/AAAAAAAAKCo/DM8VS5svm4kGMB5tOIE6kyPRrZFMFK8uwCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.28.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kzcxEsuHg94/YQAC62Vl1yI/AAAAAAAAKCo/DM8VS5svm4kGMB5tOIE6kyPRrZFMFK8uwCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.28.48.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xoxSglI9XgI/YQAJxXpA7qI/AAAAAAAAKFI/DCh_K_Ty0iANlfUO7YQqxD0VDjsaNv3rQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.30.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1530" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xoxSglI9XgI/YQAJxXpA7qI/AAAAAAAAKFI/DCh_K_Ty0iANlfUO7YQqxD0VDjsaNv3rQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.30.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiger lilies.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j2NsSkvfyoo/YQAJM2vC7UI/AAAAAAAAKFA/CfN7LBorj_gUyei1kg4v2T9MW0kLy-exQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.38.02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j2NsSkvfyoo/YQAJM2vC7UI/AAAAAAAAKFA/CfN7LBorj_gUyei1kg4v2T9MW0kLy-exQCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.38.02.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My figs will ripen soon. Hopefully, I can pick them before the deer and squirrels feast. Last year, the night before I was going to harvest, the critters stripped both trees of every single fig.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9XCNEXJXUt8/YQAHSeNcYDI/AAAAAAAAKEo/jR-TKj7bJY83uBiJVMzlI1pyqZ_e-tokgCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/2021-07-27%2B08.39.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9XCNEXJXUt8/YQAHSeNcYDI/AAAAAAAAKEo/jR-TKj7bJY83uBiJVMzlI1pyqZ_e-tokgCNcBGAsYHQ/s320/2021-07-27%2B08.39.29.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Simon and Schuster sent me an ARC (advanced reader copy) of this novel. I'll post a review soon--I love shouting-out for debut authors. And if psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators are your thing--they are mine--then this is a book for you. It goes on sale January 4, 2022. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div>Connie Kellerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10774616533630985219noreply@blogger.com0