Oh My Stars, by Lorna Landvik***

This is our January 2019 selection for the book club. It's a good book, about a girl who overcomes a handicap, with a little help from a bunch of new friends. I finished reading it this morning, and then slept the rest of the day. I see it has been raining again, which may have helped me sleep so long.

Well, "So long, 2018." It has been a good year for me; I wish all my kin had a year as pain-free and relatively worry-free as I did.



Yesterday I went to church with my two sisters, and after church they took me out to lunch in recognition of my birthday (which was December 27th). Susan gave me a brand-new copy of Michelle Obama's book, Becoming, plus some goodies. Ramey and India had already given me several cards and presents, including three pairs of cute (and warm) winter socks.

I've heard a few distant fireworks already. I look forward to reading Mrs. Obama's book this week.

One of my periodic wishes is for time to put away stuff and straighten up the house before the cleaning lady comes, which will be next Monday.

The only New Year's resolution I'm making is to keep up with the daily exercises that the Rehab people showed me. I always feel better after doing the exercises, and after I recover  the ability to stand up, breathe, and walk around.

Where the Sidewalk Ends: Poems and drawings by Shel Silverstein*****

Jed gave me this book for my birthday (yesterday), and I read it last night and this morning. We had a wonderful Christmas and birthday celebration. Jed came over on Christmas Eve and stayed through Thursday (my birthday). We ate good old home-style meals at Cracker Barrel one day, then did a lot of cooking, and a couple of sandwiches from Sonics. Sister Susan invited us to her house for a delicious Christmas Eve dinner with her, Andy and Jesse. I didn't have a chance to do much shopping except online ordering, and couldn't find anything to give Jed. So I've got two drawings/paintings lined up to finish, and if one of them turns out okay, it will be his delayed Christmas present.

I received several pretty Christmas and birthday cards, plus a couple of online cards. Here are some of them:

   I made the Christmas stockings and the quilt many years ago.


                      *


I saw on Facebook a post by
President Obama, listing some
of the books he read in 2018.
One of his favorites was
Washington Black, which was
our book club selection for December.

Washington Black, by Esi Edugyan++++

This is the book for our next book club meeting. It's very good, about a young slave named George Washington Black, and the three male owners of the plantation in Barbados where he is born. One of the three brothers, Erasmus Wilde, lives on and runs the plantation, and he is brutally cruel to the slaves, especially to Kit, a woman who takes care of Wash. Erasmus' two brothers, Christopher (Tisch) and Philip, come to the plantation, and Wash is told he must belong to Christopher. He is afraid of what life with Tisch might be like.


The story is full of good things as well as tragedies. I enjoyed reading it.


Jed came over for Thanksgiving, and Susan had invited us to have Thanksgiving dinner with her, Jesse and Andy. As always, she served a fabulously delicious meal.