60 % Rejected (80%)

 

When I picked up five requested books from the Princeton Public Library, I asked Jim how many he thought I would actually read.  He suggested, "Two." 

I fear he is right.  I have started four of them and rejected three already.  The Joe Gunther mystery is too sordid and confusing and depressing.  I said I was giving up on mysteries but I succumbed to temptation when I saw it was available.  The Susan Vreeland book begins with a Holocaust story and I fear will be too emotionally draining.   Modiano's Pedigree:  A Memoir is a reread for me but this time through seemed disconnected and uninteresting.  I was looking for background of the French resistance and it was not as I remembered it.  

The Abbe Glasborg biography which I purchased is worth reading but centers on the post WWII years which is not what I was looking for.  However, I will finish it.  He was a remarkable man and a real hero.

To my surprise, Bird by Bird is capturing my interest the most so far. I didn't think I was a Anne Lamott fan.   I didn't know that her father was also an author. (later--gave up on Lamott too--just not into learning how to write.  Doing a blog is not that stress provoking!)

 And Maud Martha by the renowned Gwendolyn Brooks --I haven't dug into it yet.  But I will give it a try. (later--I read it and loved it--so one winner for me out of five possibilities!)

I need a good book on hand at all times.  I finished The Splendid and The Vile (Churchill's first year of WW II) and enjoyed it immensely.  That can make it difficult to pick up another book immediately afterwards.  I tried to follow up by reading a biography of Charles De Gaulle but 500 pages plus on my Kindle app was more detail than I wanted.  I soldiered through much of the book often comparing chapters to the easier to read and shorter summaries on Wikipedia. 

I also thoroughly appreciated our friend Dan Pals' book Ten Theories of Religion and that sent me to download William James' The Variety of Religious Experience.  But I decided that Dan was better at explaining James than James was himself.  Again, I struggled through most of the book. I am glad I don't have to take a quiz on its content however!  

Almost forgot--I did just finish  and thoroughly enjoy Around the World in Eighty Days. That was probably a 99 cent download on my iphone.  It amused me to be reading a classic from so many years ago in that contemporary fashion. 

I am thankful for Goodreads where I record books I have read and want to read.  Our Princeton Library allows you to have a "For Later" list and then lets you know when books are available to be put on hold.   We are no longer doing curbside pickup but going inside to get requested books.  I should begin to browse the shelves again soon.  I peruse Early Bird books offers online daily where I can get Kindle downloads very inexpensively.  Better World Books often has out of print books for less than $4.  So I have plenty of sources for books. 

  We will be eager to see Jim's  RH Charles biography in print.  Oxford University Press has accepted it for publication but it will probably be 2023 before it is in print.  Jim is doing some final editing and getting permission for photos and quotes from archived materials.  

Books are such a big part of our lives.  I hope, as we age, that our eyesight continues to bless us with the joy of reading. 

Home Again!

The view from our deck

We had to return the keys to our Sunrise Resort condo by 10 am yesterday.   Jim had noticed that we could reserve an Uber the night earlier so we scheduled one for 10 am even though we could not board our flight in Tampa until 1:15.  We got through the TSA checkpoint in Tampa easily.  What a contrast to the hectic, almost frightening situation in Newark two weeks earlier. As we walked through the terminal, Jim said, "I hesitate to suggest this but there are several earlier flights to Newark."  He knows that I am always eager to get an earlier flight and he is less willing to make changes.  I had not even given it a thought at that point because I was just so relieved to be through the TSA lines.  

We were able to change our flight to 11:35 and even got seats together.  The flight arrived in Newark before our flight would have left Tampa!  We found an Uber easily and were home by 3 pm.  The car (in our sheltered garage) started easily and we got groceries and picked up our mail from the mail room.

Our publications
in mail

It is now Friday and my suitcase is not yet completely unpacked.  There is a lot of laundry to do.  We have enough groceries for today.  Two weeks of mail have been sorted and mostly recycled.  I ran out of energy last night to do any more. 

It is very cold and I miss looking out at the beautiful bay.  However, we are very glad to be home.  Was that our last trip to Florida?  Will we fly again if we go or will we try driving there?  No decisions need to be made today!  

Now that we are home, I did make a few new year's resolutions.  I liked getting sun on my face each morning in St. Pete Beach--my daily dose of vitamin D.  Even if it is cold here, I can put on my warm coat and sit on our deck and soak in some sun on my face.   I haven't played my digital piano in weeks and should make that a part of my daily routine.  Music can lift my soul.  A few hymns or Taize songs or maybe a Bach invention would be good for my emotional state!  5000 steps a day as recorded on my Fitbit--not a big goal but worth doing.  Going up and down our steps several times for exercise--including three before breakfast--supposedly to get my metabolism going for weight loss.

I have expressed weariness in thinking about meals.  Laura and Michael gave us a gift certificate to try Sunbasket meal preparations so that will be a nice change in our routine.  We will start that soon--we waited until we were back home to avoid having to cancel for two weeks.

Jim Schaap on the 12Blog wrote today about a resolution of encouraging one person each day.  I don't want to hold myself to that strict goal but I can send an email or a text to encourage someone even without leaving home.   Maybe I encouraged the Tampa TSA folks yesterday by telling them how much better they were than Newark!  

Ready to go Home!

 

We just returned our rental car across the street at the Hertz kiosk.  Jim said he is always relieved to return a car having had no problems.  I  feel confined not to have the freedom of a car.  We made one last trip to Dollar Tree (where all items are now $1.25) and got gas (which is a bit of a challenge when the car is unfamiliar, the pumps are unfamiliar, and we are used to NJ having no self serve.) We didn't use the car much--filled the tank with $1.76! 

The weather yesterday was exciting but not good for being outdoors.  We went out

for one walk and turned back because of a sudden downpour.  The sun was shining at the same time--prime conditions for a rainbow.  And yes, there was a beautiful rainbow over the bay.  I quickly photographed it--it did not last long.  Later we attempted another walk, and the wind was so strong that we came right back in again.  All day long the wind howled outside our fifth floor condo.  But there was plenty of football to watch on TV.  (update--there were tornadoes in Naples--not all that far from here!)

Three more days to figure out meals.  One more treat of margaritas and nachos at the tiki bar at Tradewinds, one more IHOP breakfast which would mean a light supper at the condo, and one more to be determined.  The microwave meals we had last night were as always beautiful on the cover and pretty awful to eat. Jim was satisfied.  I am the complainer!  I will not be tempted by that again.  Bread and cheese is far better in my mind.

Plenty of sports on TV today for MLK Day.  And the sun just came out so maybe it will warm up a bit.  (later--watched ND over Howard 71-68 in a special game for MLK Day on Fox held in Washington, DC)

I am wondering if this is our last trip to Florida.  We certainly cannot predict our health for a year from now.  We have thought that if we come again, we may consider a leisurely drive here to avoid the madness and lack of control of air travel.  Plus then we would have a car here.  

Covid has added an element of stress to everything.  We wore our masks in the airports and plane.  We wear our masks in the elevator here and are asked to have just one party on the elevator at a time.  I worry about getting infected here and how would we isolate?  We would have to find another place to stay and try to avoid each other.  

Trying to be positive about all of this, I am thinking that isn't it a good thing that we like being home?  That we like our apartment and our routines and being near Jeff and Susan at least?  That it is good to know who to call if we have medical needs? That we can eat healthfully at home?  I am just not the restless, exploring person I used to be.  Maybe that is a shame and maybe it is a good thing at our age to be at that stage in life.  

Freedom!

We were happy to find out that we could rent a car again this year from the Hertz kiosk right across the street from Sunrise Resort. We had heard stories about rentals being unavailable or hugely expensive or totally the wrong size. But we picked up our Toyota Corolla this morning and will have it for one week out of the two that we are here. We got our AAA discount and for some reason, the agent asked for half the deposit for damages that she required of the folks ahead of us.  Maybe we looked pretty safe! 

Having a car means freedom for me! Our first stop was Publix for groceries and we didn't have to carry the bags home. Actually, Jim carries most of the bags but I was happy not to have to stop to rest my weary back en route.

 Then this afternoon we drove to the public library where they continue to have a huge used book section available for purchase for a dollar or two. Jim patiently

waited while I found a few potentially interesting volumes. Then on to a boutique where I was happy to look but not buy and then to a walk on the Gulf beach with a stop at the lovely "Secret Garden" with the cacti that Jim always loves to see. 

 For supper, I think we will drive a few miles to Pass-a-Grille Beach and a favorite restaurant, The Brass Monkey, where I hope I can have a crab cake sandwich and enjoy the sunset from their deck. We will return the car next Monday and then just have three days without wheels until we return home.

Sunrise Resort IV

We think this is our fourth stay at Sunrise Resort.  We missed last year due to my unwillingness to rebook at what I thought was a huge increase in rates.  That turned out to be fortuitous because of Covid restrictions.  But here we are again--in spite of Covid which still adds an element of stress to our travel.

We were able to book an Uber Thursday morning easily and headed to Newark Airport.  The TSA line was as long as I ever remember seeing but it moved quickly as we wound our way along their labyrinth.  Our United flight left on time and arrived on time.  There was some difficulty finding our Uber at the Tampa airport and when we got into the car, I was dismayed to find out the driver was not masked.  He was so opinionated about vaccines and lockdowns and quarantines that I did not dare ask him to put on a mask.  I opened the car window a few times hoping to clear out the air at least.  I will feel relieved when we pass the incubation time for possible exposure to him.  

Boca Ciega Bay

Our unit this time is 506.  We have often rented a penthouse on the 6th floor but thought the savings for this rental would be worth it.  So far it has been just fine--better than fine really.  We have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and three TVs.  However, typically we can't get the remote to work on the one in the living room.  We may have to ask for help.  The view is fantastic as always.  We were delighted to arrive before the office closed so there was no problem accessing the key from a lockbox.

Last night we treated ourselves to tropical drinks at the tiki bar across the street at Tradewinds Resort.  A woman at the next table ordered nachos and it looked so good that we ordered one to share.  It was perfect with chips and chili and chicken on top.   We used our time there to make birthday videos for a friend, toasting him with our margaritas!

We have made two trips to Publix so far and will probably need another one tomorrow.  I was glad for a few benches along the way to rest my weary back and racing heartbeat.  The Dollar Tree at that shopping area was a great place to pick up toothpaste and soap and bottled water.  

Tonight we ate at Snappers where we ordered their stuffed grouper.  We sat outside which was probably safer but was accompanied by the noise of street work.  I have ordered this specialty each year but tonight it didn't taste quite as good as I remembered it.  Last night's meal was superb and tonight not as much.  However, the key lime pie from Publix that we ate at home is a grand conclusion to any meal.

Jim has some proofreading to do on his Charles biography.  I need a good book to read and am finding the Charles De Gaulle biography I downloaded a bit tedious.  We went to the Hertz rental kiosk across the street and asked for a car for next Monday.  Then we can go to the library and their used book area where I have often made serendipitous finds.  

We will get a car for one week which will enable us to go to a few more favorite restaurants in John's Pass and Pass-a-Grille.  Somehow our plans seem to center on eating which I guess is just fine for retirees on vacation. 

 The weather is in the 70s; we know that Princeton had snow today.  It takes a while to unwind after the busyness of the holidays and the stress of travel.  But today was more relaxing and there are 13 days to go! I am wondering if this will be our last trip to Florida.  Jim suggested that maybe a three day leisurely drive here would be an option for the future.  It's a long car trip but you would have more control of your environment.  

 

Blog2Print Book

The 45% off sale was going to end on January 6 so I needed to make my Blog2Print book quickly.  I had already proofread the blogs for 2021 so it was just a matter of choosing cover photos and color and format.  Choosing cover photos was not easy as I looked over my very tiny downloaded pictures and made a couple of wrong choices.  When I found the ones I wanted, they showed up sideways but at that point I gave up and thought we could just turn the finished book sideways!  

Using the coupon brought the price down to $31.  This is money well spent.  We enjoy looking over the books that I have made over the years.  This may be my number one reason for blogging--to make a book of memories at the end of the year--complete with photos.  

The $31 included shipping costs but I was not interested in expedited shipping.  Getting the book at the end of January is soon enough.  

The End of 2021

Our youngest
grandchild turned 2

I just didn't feel like writing yesterday.  I didn't feel up to a December 31 summarizing of the year.  Today is January 1 and I slept well last night and have a much better outlook.  We didn't even stay up to watch the new year come in.  I woke up at 12:40 but didn't want to wake up Jim to say "Happy New Year!"  

There are over 800,000 dead in the US from Covid over the last two years.  About 60% of us are fully vaccinated--far more Democrats than Republicans which is sad because vaccination has become politicized.  Heather Cox Richardson (I read her work daily) had a long post yesterday summarizing the year which was mostly positive although she writes regularly about the dangers to our democracy and the need for a Republican party that is conservative but not extremist and pro-Trump.    One commentator I read mentioned that it is the first January 1 in many years when there are no US troops fighting an active war.  The economy is in decent shape with our IRAs going up in value.  However inflation is a problem that we experience  when we go to McCaffrey's for our groceries.  I spent too much on beef and chicken this week but decided we can afford it and want to have some variety in our diet.  Eggs are inexpensive for some reason.  The organic milk I buy is costly but stays fresh longer and even 1% tastes rich to me.  

At this point last year we were concerned about a peaceful transition of presidential admistrations.  It was not peaceful with the frightening assault on the Capitol on January 6;  the whole story is still coming out bit by bit.  But we did get a new president even if some are still denying Biden's legitimate election.  President Biden has done good things in rejoining the international community and alleviating some poverty with grants for children and families.  I fear for the mid-term elections coming up in November and hope his initiatives will not be completely thwarted. 

A highlight of 2021 was Dan and Alex's wedding party on October 9 with all our family there--as was Thanksgiving hosted at their home in the Catskills.  I enjoyed our June trip to the Van Engen wedding party and Dan and Alex's home overnight.  Our seven week stay in South Bend was difficult at times but I find I look back at it with nostalgia--thinking of the excitement of the football games just a mile away across campus--and thinking of all the friends we were able to see.  I am proud of us for adjusting to what was not an ideal or comfortable living situation.  

Covid continues to be a factor in our lives.  We wear masks when we shop.  Stores seem to be stocked well again.  In the last week or so we invited the Moorheads over for coffee and our downstairs neighbors Erangi and Shihan (and Jenuk) over for happy hour--so we were able to be hospitable again.  We are watching live sports on TV.  We are not going to in person church services except when we were in South Bend.  We are hoping to travel to Florida after a year off from our annual January trips.   I wish I were not so uneasy about air travel and eating in restaurants there.  

I don't want to think too much about what 2022 could bring but will hope and pray for health and joy in our everyday living.