First One

 Well, it took me long enough, but I finally finished my first book of 2023.  I have good intentions, so here's what my intentions are.  I'm going to do a book review of every book I finish this year.  I know I've said that before, but this time, I really mean it.  

I do.  So here goes with the first one. 

Sold On A Monday, by Kristina McMorris

This story was inspired by an actual photo of four children being advertised for sale during the Great Depression.  It wasn't based on this actual photo, but this is what gave the author the idea to write this book. 

A reporter named Ellis Reed is out driving one day and sees a sign offering two children for sale.  On an impulse, he stops and takes a photo.  He never intended for it to become public but it does, and sets in motion a chain of events he never intended, but feels he must make right.  

It's more of a historical fiction/mystery book than I usually read, but I enjoyed it overall.  The first half of the book was pretty slow, but keep plugging away, because it gets a lot better towards the end.  Be forewarned, though, if you're reading on Kindle, there is an excerpt from the author's next book after this one, so you may think you are only 80% finished, but you're not.  The end caught me by surprise because of this. 

The next book I'm going to read is 

Mayflower:  A Story Of Courage, Community, and War, by Nathaniel Philbrick.  So far, I've only read the preface, so I don't know if it's going to be any good or not.  I hope it's not just a bunch of revisionist wokeness.  We shall see.  

In other less exciting news, this is the door to my utility room.  

True to the former occupants of this house, they'd taken the door off and disposed of it.  I don't know what those people had against doors, but they're all gone.  I mean, the bedrooms and bathrooms still have doors, but none of the closets do.  Nor does this door to the utility room.  I've been wanting to replace it for a while now, but alas, my washing machine is too big.  If I put a regular door here, I wouldn't be able to even shut it, because of said washing machine.   The only option I can see here is to put in a pocket door. 

We had a pocket door between the kitchen and dining room in the house I grew up in, and really, I didn't think anything of it.  It wasn't until I started watching Good Bones and seeing Karen get so excited over seeing pocket doors that I began to think there was something special about them.  

If I ever save up enough to get my kitchen remodeled, that is the plan -- to put in a pocket door.  Unless whoever does the remodel can come up with a better plan, I mean.  For now, I've hung that blanket up there, and it really does help keep the heat in the kitchen.  I'm hoping it helps keep the cool in during the summer as well.  In the kitchen, that is.

I've discovered that I don't really have an aptitude for expressing what I'm thinking, not even in writing.  It seems perfectly clear to me, but people don't seem to be able to grasp the concept I'm expressing.  Take, for example, one September a few years back, a winter storm came down from the northwest on the same day a tropical storm made landfall on the Gulf Coast.   I took screen shots of the radar/satellites of those events and posted something along the lines of, "Only in American can you have a blizzard and a tropical storm hit on the same day."

Almost as soon as I hit post, I was rather huffily informed by someone -- a couple of someones, actually --out West that yes, they do have blizzards this early in the year.  It's not at all unheard of for a winter storm to come through in September.  It doesn't happen every year, but "we've had blizzards in September before."  

Sigh....that wasn't the point.  But that's apparently what everyone saw. 

Here recently, I've been posting what are obviously meant to be jokes, but apparently, I'm the only one who sees the humor there.  I know, because people are putting the crying emoji on them.  And I'm like, "wuuuut?"  Don't you get that it's meant to be mocking?  Or just plain funny?  Come on, it's a joke!  

With that in mind, I need to start looking for some online classes on how to communicate better, because obviously, I'm not doing it right.  And you don't have to cry over that. 

Apropos of nothing, Walmart is now packaging their rotisserie chickens in resealable plastic bags.  I wasn't too sure at first, but I kind of like them because they keep the chicken from drying out as fast. 

Also apropos of nothing, if you save your old mayonnaise jars, they are the perfect size to freeze two to three servings of soup.  I know this because I have about four gallons of various soups in my freezer in mayonnaise jars.  The larger peanut butter jars work, too. 

Also also apropos of nothing, we have Door Dash here.  I didn't know that until someone posted it on FB a few days ago.   We don't have Uber Eats or Grub Hub, because I checked those already, but I had no idea we had Door Dash.  Yesterday, I asked my friend at work, "Did you know we have Door Dash here?"  She said, "Yeah, I've been using it for years!" I just don't eat out much, so it's not likely I would have known anyway.  In fact, I still haven't used it.  But maybe one of these days, I'll get the hankering for a cheeseburger and voila' Door Dash to the rescue!  

And finally, look what I get to learn to play on the piano next!

I love this song.  So much, I just might record it for you.  After I've learned it, that is.  

P.S.  Every time I see this smear on the wall at Walmart, I think it's a sticker someone put there of his favorite video game character.  It does kind of look like a ghost wearing a helmet and brandishing sword.  You see it took don't you? 

I really hope they don't clean it off. 

OK, that's all for now.  Kthanksbai