Monday, May 30, 2016

A slow burn

This is the kind of book that creeps up on you.

Not quite as engaging as Blackberry Wine... but the characters draw you in and this is a well crafted book.

A very different perspective of life during WWII in France from a child's perspective.

I enjoyed this one as much for how it is crafted as for the story itself.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Unexpected wonder

I blame my dear friend Cher for this current series of books by the same author.

Chocolat was pretty good.  Then I devoured this one.  I loved this one.  I found I really like the main character and his journey, and this was a delicious novel.

Writing is well done, a little bit of everyday magic, and I found that this book went way too quickly for my liking.

Monday, May 16, 2016

A little chocolat, perhaps?

I love that Ken watched this with me.  Even more that he liked it.

I think I have reached that "age" where movies made 10 or 15 years ago don't feel that old!

This is a good book, I think I enjoyed some of twists and plot development more in the book than the movie, but isn't that usually the way?

I have only had one cuppa chocolate (spiced mocha) truly in this spirit and it was at Kapulua (sp?) golf course in Maui and it was an unexpected treat.

Friday, May 6, 2016

A book two success story

Maybe one of these weeks I will have time to properly blog again.

I love this series.  So different, so weird, I like it.

This was a book two that DID NOT disappoint. I am sad to have to wait a few months before I get my hands on the third book.

Good things come to those who wait, right?

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

What is luck, really?

Who are you? Who are we?

These are important questions to reflect upon, and it is not often that we give ourselves the space to explore these questions, especially once you factor in spouses, kids, work, and other loving responsibilities.

I am currently reading Award Applications.  They are truly inspiring to contemplate.

We don't give ourselves enough credit for what we have accomplished.  As a culture, we seem to never feel we are "good" enough, or that we have "accomplished" enough.  What is enough?

I think we are goal orientated, however, I think we also need to start appreciating what is truly enough.

I am also just finishing up Piper Kerman's biography Orange is the New Black.  There are a lot of details that shift from the book to the series, but truly the book is not nearly as racy or sexy as the series would have you believe.  I would not have sat down and had a beer with Cheryl Strayed, but I would with Piper.  She has a good bead on what is important, and she reflects upon some of the unexpected gifts she discovers during her year in prison.  I really enjoyed this book - more than I expected to. I was a good read, but not a quick read.  I think it challenged some of my perceptions about doing time, and affirmed for me how important restorative justice could be if we have willing participants.  Well worth a read.

What does HOME mean?

It is something that we all carry inside of us and is in the people we love.

It is also rooted in a place, where we put down roots.

Joy.
Dignity.
Kindness.
Pink glasses to view the world.
Flexibility.
Simple Pleasures.
Fresh air.
Moving water.
Being present.
Love.

These are thoughts flitting through my head as I complete this book and these applications.

This is disjointed, and somewhat incomplete.  Yet, I have scribbled a few words and thrown a few thoughts out there that hopefully I can return to.