Happy 2021

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Intro:

January 4, 2021.

For more years than I can remember I have 1. avoided New Year’s Eve Parties, and 2. making New Year’s Resolutions. Things change, good happens.

This year, I attended the first New Year’s Eve party I’ve been to in, well, more years than I can honestly remember. I avoid them for several perfectly good reasons, to me. Not least of which is I hate sharing the roads home with drunk drivers. I also have a dog (or, in years past cats or other dogs) and when people start setting off firecrackers, it frightens them. No, my usual New Year’s Eve is sitting in bed with a good book, and a glass of single malt scotch. 

This year, I skipped the scotch, and went to a party with Merlot. I think there were 8 of us, we all were drinking—some alcoholic drinks, some maybe not. We spent about 3 hours together and had a really good party. Best one I’ve ever been too. Ever. No one got drunk or disorderly, and not one of us had to drive home and share the road, because we were already home. It was great. Good company, many laughs, and we were all socially distanced (by miles, actually), and no masks necessary. I really love Zoom!

And, if that wasn’t enough, I made a New Year’s Resolution! Arrrgh, what is this world coming to??? 

I have long subscribed to A Word A Day (AWAD) by Anu Garg. This year, I decided to write something every day a new word shows up in my inbox. I did not limit myself to what I would write — a sentence, a paragraph, an essay, a poem. Whatever. There are five words a week. And, no, I won’t bore you with my daily writes ;-)I don’t know if black-eyed peas are a fave of yours or not, I enjoy them. I like them now and again, but most especially on New Year’s Day. Many people believe if you eat them on New Year’s Day you’ll have a good year. I certainly won’t quibble on that one. While 2020 wasn’t all that good, I didn’t lose anyone close to me, so it was a good year. My favorite way of eating them is in a salad, the recipe for which I found in my Potluck Cookbook by Emeril Legasse. The recipe is now online and is yummy. Especially good to take to a potluck! Check it out, Black-eyed Pea Salad.

Entertainment:

Peacock: Am on the 10th and final Columbo season. 

Books (for complete reviews and more reviews, please go to Rainy Day Reads:

I read and reviewed 60 books last year. If I don’t finish a book for whatever reason, I don’t review it. 

First book of the year: Mouse of Cards by Erin Johnson. I needed something light to start the year off, and this is part of the Magic Market Mysteries. Read out of sequence, but that’s OK. Second book of the year, A Raga for George Harrisonby Sharmagne Leland-St. John. Historical and (sometimes) humorous poetry. If I have to choose a fave, it would be, “I Said Coffee.” 

I’m currently reading: the lost spells by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris. It’s a delightful book meant to be read aloud, and the words and art to be savored. Also reading Taro by Blue Spruell—an epic tale of Japan’s legendary hero. So far, very enjoyable. Re-reading The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty. I read it a few years ago, on my eReader, and am reading the hard copy now. If anything, it’s even more enjoyable this time around.

Outro:

And here we are, to the beginning of a new year. Sixteen days till Biden’s inauguration, 355 days until next Christmas. Start shopping now, and miss the madding crowds then, 29 days til Groundhog’s Day. And maybe 6 months and we can all see if we can remember what normal was. In the meantime, stay safe, stay healthy, wear your mask properly and show you care for your neighbors, your friends, and your family.  

More hacks on not getting fogged glasses at AccuWeather.com.

Auntie Lenora 

and 

Sammy Brave Dog

How Far Should We Go in Canceling?

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Intro:

Auntie Lenora is so fortunate in her friends and family. She is truly loved. Among the many wonderful gifts she received was a calendar of labyrinths in the sand at Bandon, OR, books—one of poetry and gorgeous artwork (The Lost Spells by Robert MacFarlane and Jackie Morris) and a fantasy trilogy (Queens of Renthia by Sarah Beth Durst) She also received a beautiful coffee mug, some gifts from Trader Joe’s, some fabric, and a small homemade cloth ‘bowl’ filled with tiny scraps (it’s really a thread holder for when trimming seams, etc.)! OMG, there is something terribly wrong with Auntie Lenora, because that was probably the biggest excitement of the day! Yes, wee scraps, maybe ½” x 3”. You’ll be the first to see the quilts those are used in;-) And a jar of homemade plum ketchup. Oooooh, yessssss. But the bestest gifts of all were the gifts of friendship and familyship she has with her friends and families, of which you, dear reader, are a member. Thank you.

I recently signed up for a free membership with Medium.com. I am only allowed so many free articles per month, unless I pay. So far, I’m not quite there. I tell you this because I’ve linked one of their articles below, and you, too, may be asked to subscribe for the free issues.

They do have an interesting article, Should We Keep Separating the Art from the Icon? —by Pandora Domeyko. A very interesting article about Salvatore Dali and Coco Channel. By now, I’m sure most of us know that she was a Nazi sympathizer. Was she really, or was she a survivor? But how many of us knew Dali was a Fascist? A true believer in Mussolini, Franco, and Hitler! 

In this day of cancelling people, especially old, dead, white guys, how far do we take it? Do we boycott Channel clothes and perfumes because she believed in the wrong side of history? Do we stop admiring Dali for the same reason? Oh, according to this article, he was something else. Franco, whom he not only admired but supported tortured his sister, killed a brother, and he (Dali) was known to beat his wife. Do I now have to stop admiring his art? All of the things he’s accused of fostering, I’m against.

Do I stop watching a movie I’m enjoying if I discover during intermission (commercial breaks) that Harvey Weinstein had his (allegedly) lecherous fingers involved in the making of said movie? Do I quit reading my books by an author I’ve long admired because he’s been accused (credibly, I’d say, since he at least apologized) of sexual misconduct?

I think the last one is the one that really made me stop and think about it. Really think about it. This particular poet/author is, among other things, a bona fide jerk. I have good friends who know him and I trust their judgement. OK, he’s a jerk. I’ve been known to be slightly off base myself at times. I’ve said things I wish I hadn’t. Sometimes I didn’t realize I’d said something hurtful, but I tried, when I found out and when I could, to apologize. But damn! This guy can write! Especially poetry. Is there a way to cancel him, but not his works?And Dali. Two of his religious paintings are not only two of my favorite religious (Christian) paintings, but probably the only two of his paintings, as well as the only two religious (Christian) paintings, I really like. One is Sacrament of the Last Supper and the other is Christ of Saint John of the Cross.

As for Channel, I’m not overly fond of perfumes, but I did love her LBD (little black dress) and some of her suits when I was younger, slimmer, and working for a living. Not, mind, that I could ever afford one, but I could afford some knockoffs 😉

I no longer dream of meeting said author, but if we both have a piece of work in the same collection, I certainly won’t pull mine in protest. And I will remain pleased and proud that we’re together between the covers. 

Of course, you know what happened to the last perfect person who walked on our planet. They crucified him. So, I guess I’m not going to totally cancel any of the above, or any of the old white male supremacists, etc., either. But neither am I going to venerate them. It’s not my place to forgive or not forgive Thomas Jefferson for the treatment of his slaves and children. I don’t have to like it, because he knew damn well what he was doing and why. He was a selfish sumbitch. However, his philosophies helped form one of the, if not the, greatest nations ever! I love his art (our country), just not him. 

I will never think of Robert E. Lee as anything but a bone fide Traitor to our country. Only those he personally wronged (and there were many) can forgive him, and they’re all dead, now. 

I will continue to read Sherman Alexie, but I will no longer rush out to buy his latest book as soon as it’s available. I’ll take my time. He did admit, and apologize, for his transgressions once brought to the public’s attention, for that he gets credit.

All those mentioned above, and the uncountable others not mentioned, and all those who have committed crimes, I firmly believe they should be tried, and if found guilty, sentenced appropriately. But I think the idea of cancelling is as much personal as social—maybe more so. If I may paraphrase an old saying from the days of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, “Love the art, not the artist.” I may not support the artist but I will admire the art. I think we all need to think about it before we cast that first stone. 

Entertainment:

Peacock: Still enjoying Columbo! I’m just about through season 10. 😉

Books (for complete reviews and more reviews, please go to Rainy Day Reads:

Pretty Little Fliers —by Erin Johnson, Ms. Johnson has created a fun universe where it appears everyone has magic of one sort or another—except our heroine. She had magic, at one time, and then ran into a spell that deleted it. At one time, our heroine had a life, a job as a lawyer, the ability to shift, an affianced—then she met someone who didn’t like her and wham! zam! not anymore ma’am! So, she gets to live in the slums as a fraudulent pet psychic, gets involved in a murder, falls for the hunka hunka cop who is sweet, but borderline clueless, and I’m not gonna tell you anymore!

His Holiness the Dalai Lama —by Comcast NBC Universal (a transcript), I’ve read other books by/about HH the Dalai Lama that I thought were better; that said, I think this is a good intro into his life, and how he ended up where he is today. It’s also a good intro to Tibetan Buddhism.

A Tale of Two Reapers —by Jack Wallen. Every year I give me a new book from me. That way I know I’ll get at least one new book I will enjoy. This year’s Christmas present from me to me was A Tale of Two Reapers. I could not have picked a better book to curl up with on the sofa and read, cover to cover. I love a good urban fantasy that makes me laugh out loud several times through the book. On most pages, actually.

Outro:

New Year’s Eve is just a few days away, and then it will be 2021. It just has to be better than 2020, and yet, there were many bright spots in 2020. Be sure you look for yours, and when you find them, hold them tight, and do your best to forget the pain of the year. I’ve made new friends (via zoom groups), had two books published, found many things to laugh about. I choose to remember the laughter over the tears when possible. So please, have a Happy New Year!!! Next week, will be a word or three about Auntie Lenora’s New Year’s Resolution.

Auntie Lenora 

and 

Sammy Brave Dog

Chinese Goose, “On the count of three, everybody sing.”

Books, Books, and an Apology

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Intro:

First off, there was a glitch in last week’s posting. I don’t know what caused it, or how to fix it, or even it it showed up to anyone but me; however, I’m working on it. I write the blog in Word, then copy and paste to Word Press. I had a couple of links in the blog and when they went to WP, they opened, which was fine, except the second one covered a whole paragraph. That was not fine. I’m repeating the paragraph here, and adding some more.

Books: Read. To Cipher and to Sing —by Ian Lahey. Boy Howdy! Could I relate to some of this book. The tag line on Amazon is, “The one thing which is worse than watching androids take over your job is having to teach them your job yourself.” Professor Gordon Fairlight is a book nerd, a teaching nerd, and doesn’t have a techie gene in his body. He’s not fond of androids, either. His wife, on the other hand… Lahey writes with, as he says, accidental humor and believability, and this book is great fun. I truly enjoyed it. Available electronically from Amazon. For whatever reason, the Amazon gods have decreed I can’t post a review of his book from my account, so here is the review I tried to post. 

The Girl Who Lived in a Shoe and other Torn-Up Tales—Compiled by Bernice Seward. A young friend of mine (almost all my friends are, by definition, young, especially when compared to me!) asked if I’d read a story she was working on and comment. I did. I loved it. The other day she told me the book in which it appears is now published, and a couple nights ago she dropped a copy off for me. I took the book to bed and laughed all the way through it. Well, chuckled, maybe. When I wasn’t outright laughing.

The next morning, as I was reading the reviews, I realized it’s a child’s book of retold and considerably more relevant, fairytales. No, the large print and delightful illustrations didn’t trip that switch when I read it. Sigh.

Five women have re-told five of our more famous fairytales and made them much more relevant to today’s children. The book is written for 2d-3d grade level readers (that didn’t trip the switch, either.  Double sigh.) I have a small collection of kiddie books I haul out and read every so often. Life was so much simpler then, and for a while, I can once again enter into that simpler, happier, world.

If you have short people on your list, this is a great book for them. Get a copy for you, too. You can read it and keep it for when short people come to visit. I dare say, it’s also one you can read out loud several times and not tear your hair out while doing it 😉

https://www.amazon.com/Girl-Lived-other-Torn-Up-Tales/dp/0999537857/ref=sr_1_1?crid=H3K8S984OJDX&dchild=1&keywords=the+girl+who+lived+in+a+shoe+and+other+torn-up+tales&qid=1608522084&sprefix=the+girl+who+lived+in+a+s%2Caps%2C262&sr=8-1

Of course, Auntie Lenora believes you can never have, or give, too many books. In fact, she has a couple of her own that you might like to buy… read… gift… (See My Books, above). If you order from her, she will sign and ship them per your directions. (Price of shipping varies depending on how you want it shipped.) 

Entertainment:

Peacock: I’m still working my way through Columbo. Season 6, episode 1 was the first one I came to I don’t remember seeing before. I’m in season 8 now. Ian Lahey (To Cipher and to Sing) calls them, “howcatchem” stories. Always a treat to discover the how.

Solstice &c: Today is our Winter Solstice. Shortest day of our year, longest night. IF you are fortunate enough to live under a cloudless sky, you may get to see the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the night sky.

Then there are whatever days you exchange gifts, if you do. Now THAT can be entertaining, especially if you have short people who love to play with the wrapping more than the gift. We in my family are celebrating our gift giving day in July! Please feel free to join us on your own schedule. 😉

Outro: 

Wahoo!!!! We have two vaccines in the pipeline. Now if they’ll just get from the pipeline to the States, and then into the arms of the people. Come next summer, we may see ourselves no longer wearing, or being asked to wear, a mask. Social distancing may become a thing of the past, too. I wonder how long it will take us to be comfortable being close to strangers and now-and-then acquaintances again? Please, don’t let your guard down until we get the “all clear” from Dr. Fauci. Wear your mask, remain socially distant, celebrate the Holidays in June or July!!! Plan that wedding in the park on 4 July, and really celebrate with all those fireworks!! 

In the meantime, Stay Safe, Stay Healthy. You are important to Auntie Lenora, not to mention your immediate friends and family!

Whatever Winter Holiday you celebrate, have a happy one, and learn to Zoom 😉

Auntie Lenora

Country Charley Pride

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Intro:

I have been soooo fortunate since Covid19 came to our world, the only person I knew who died of Covid19 I never met, the husband of a friend of mine. He was one of the first to die of it in Seattle area. Well, my luck has changed. A man I’ve considered a friend since 1967 when we met in the NCO Club at Karlsruhe, Germany died of it—Country Charley Pride. 

When I was in the WAC and stationed in Karlsruhe, Germany, during the time of the Viet Nam war (I still have a hard time remembering that Vietnam is now only one word, then it was two) many entertainers came to town to entertain the troops. They were, all of them, appreciated. Some were ex-pats who lived in Europe and came regularly about 4 times a year. I don’t know where Charley Pride lived, I think he was in the States, but he came maybe twice a year.

I often had a perception the others came primarily for the stipend received, and that was OK. But when Charley Pride, the country singer with the permanent suntan came, my perception was he came to entertain us because he truly wanted to be there for our support. He had put his time in the Army, he knew what it was like. He was friendly, he was approachable, and he just seemed to enjoy singing for us. I wasn’t a big fan of country music, but I sure was a big fan of Charley Pride. I have since become a fan of country music. But that’s another story.

I understand this video was recorded a month before he died. It’s delightful. Watch it. Raise a toast to one of the Greats of our time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=126&v=FxM4GDimobE&feature=emb_title

Charley Pride was 86 years young. 

https://charleypride.com

Washington Post Obituary 

Entertainment:

Peacock: Still watching Columbo. Still chuckling and laughing. Fun to see so many of the actors I grew up with once again young, and in some cases once again alive. The show has held up well. Started Season 6 yesterday. I actually had never seen episode 1 before, I thought I’d seen them all, several times over. So far, that’s the only one I don’t remember.

Books: Read one, working on a second. To Cipher and to Sing —by Ian Lahey. Boy Howdy! Could I relate to some of this book. The tag line on Amazon is, “The one thing which is worse than watching androids take over your job is having to teach them your job yourself.” Professor Gordon Fairlight is a book nerd, a teaching nerd, and doesn’t have a techie gene in his body. He’s not fond of androids, either. His wife, on the other hand… Lahey writes with humor and believability, and this book is great fun. 

The other book I’m reading (almost finished) is Louisiana Hotshot: A New Orleans Murder Myster; Talba Wallis #1—by Julie Smith. So far there are 4 books in this series. A fun story that takes place in New Orleans. The book starts out with an ad in the paper, Wanted: Hotshot PI with near super-human skills. So, of course, our young Ivy League graduate computer genius applied, got the job, and began a new series. A tidbit of trivia, she mentions the Desire line streetcar, immortalized by Tennessee Williams. I’d always thought that streetcar had more to do with the characters than actuality. Nope, it really existed. There really was a Streetcar Named Desire. You can learn the funnest things from books. (If you click on the hot links, there’s a bit about them. The first about T. Williams and the play, the second about the Desire Line.)

Don’t forget, every book I read all the way through, gets reviewed at http://lenoragood.blogspot.com as well as Amazon and Goodreads.

Hack of the times: Wear glasses? I think it was AARP that posted a way to alleviate, if not eliminate, fogged glasses when wearing a mask. It works! Fold a 4-5” piece of tissue a few times, tape inside your mask under the nose area, and voila! no more fog. The tissue is soft and warm and it absorbs the moisture of your breath.

Outro: 

Losing Charley Pride hit too close to home. And proves that not all taxpayers get to partake of taxpayer-funded treatment! I’m not going to nag you to wear a mask, socially distance yourself, they aren’t fun. I know. And it’s hard. And there is not instant reward. I know. But I do ask you to wear the mask, socially distant yourself from friends and family, do the hard things now and know you’ve done your part to avoid the hard thing of a funeral for a loved one later. I know most of you, my favorite and gentle readers have not been through military basic/boot camp. Those of us who have, well, perhaps we have a slight edge on you, for we know we could survive basic/boot, therefore we can survive anything, even a mask, socially distancing, staying away from loved ones for the holidays… Please, pretend you’re the avatar you’ve chosen for your favorite game, and you want to do the hard thing for your country and you. Please. Wear a mask, social distance, and do not socialize unless via electronic means. Just until we can get this thing beat back to whatever pit of hell it came from. Oh, I nagged after all, didn’t I? Humble apologies.

Fairwell, Charley Pride. You were a bright star in our sky while you were with us and shall remain a bright star in our lives thanks to modern technology. But you are still missed, greatly missed. Rest in Peace.

Auntie Lenora

Eat, Drink, and be Merry…

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Intro:

…for in January we diet! Happy December! We actually made it—only a few more days to go and it will be 2021! We’ve made it this far; we can make it to next year. Honest. Trust me.

Most of us will overindulge during the holidays—we’ll eat too many rich foods, too many calories, but, what the heck, come January, we’ll diet and be miserable together.

And, since I’m talking food, I want to share a link with you. It’s from Emergence Magazine, a free online magazine, by the way. The article is Seasons of the Monastic Table. It begins with a quote from Joy Harjo, “Remember the earth whose skin you are,” and goes on to give us seasonal menus focused on plant-based ingredients and the recipes to which animal protein may be added if so desired. Monastic meals across the planet are simple, made with fresh (or fermented) ingredients, often grown and raised on the grounds. I became enthralled with the photography, then got to reading the article and recipes. If you like to cook, please, check it out. If you like to eat, well, Bon Apetit! And if food just isn’t your thing, check it out for the photography. It will feed your soul, if not your belly.

Since we’re now in December, and most of us will celebrate the Holidays according to our own Traditions, let me tell you what I would like to find under my tree this year. Yes, Virginia, I have a tree, complete with lights! It takes me hours to haul it out, decorate it, put it up every year, just so you can enjoy it. OK, it takes me a couple minutes to haul it out of storage, wipe it down, and plug it in. It doesn’t smell as good as a live tree, but it also doesn’t take up as much room in my wee apartment, nor is it as messy. And wee dog isn’t at all interested in marking it as his! 😉 (but it is made from wood)

What do I want under my tree on Solstice/Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/Whatever morning? You. Not the physical you, not right now, but you—safe, healthy, and alive. Friends are too valuable to fritter away.

Speaking of fritters, I like apple best, followed by cherry. Odd, now that I think on it, that’s the only way I like cherries! When I was a kid, I liked cherries, until the Powers of the Day started putting cherry flavoring in medicine. Ruined a perfectly good fruit as far as I’m concerned. Not to mention the medicine. Hmmm, wonder what cranberry fritters would taste like?

I really don’t need anything beyond friends and family and all those (virtual) hugs. Speaking of hugs, take your right hand and grasp your left shoulder, at the same time use your left hand and grasp your right shoulder. Now, squeeze. Gently but firmly. And there you have it, a virtual hug from your Auntie Lenora. Repeat as often as wanted. Please, stay safe and healthy. Make Auntie Lenora happy, otherwise she’s wont to whine and cry. Not a pretty sight. Or a melodious sound. 

Entertainment:

Netflix & Amazon: I haven’t been watching so much Netflix. Or Amazon. Do you have any recommendations? I need something to put on my list to watch. Please leave a comment and recommend some shows and give me a few words as to why you think I’ll like it/them. Many thanks.

Peacock: Still enjoying Columbo. I know they have other shows, but haven’t a clue what they are 😉

Books: I’m reading two poetry books at the same time. They complement each other nicely. The first is Another America by Barbara Kingsolver. This is a bi-lingual book—the left page is in Spanish; the right page is in English. I read this many years ago, and just pulled it down to read again. I read one or two, think about them, then pick up my copy of Songs Older Than Any Known Singer by John Phillip Santos, also read earlier. Those are my reads before turning off the light for the night. I have enjoyed the prose of both authors and am enjoying their poetry (again) and together. Be sure to check Rainy Day Reads for the latest book reviews.

Outro:

I’m pretty religious about wearing my mask when I go out, even just to walk the wee beastie. I don’t socialize except electronically, if I meet someone while out with dog, we maintain proper distancing. I keep shopping to a minimum and for essentials and only where everyone wears masks. So how did I catch a freaking cold? Beats me. But it is a cold, not Covid19. But it could have been the novel coronavirus. And I’m being extra careful not to share.

We can see the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, but please, just because vaccines are coming, full speed ahead, or half-speed, or even quarter-speed, but they are coming so in the meantime wear your mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands, yadda, yadda, yadda until everyone is vaccinated with BOTH shots and this thing is licked!

Remember, you are an important component in Auntie Lenora’s life 😉

Be sure to come by again for another Coffee Break Escape!

Auntie Lenora

Happy Cyber Monday!

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Intro:

Indeed, I did have a quiet and alone Thanksgiving. Note, I said, “alone”—not “lonely.” At some point in my life, I realized I was probably going to be alone more than with someone, and I’d best learn to like myself. It took a while, but I succeeded, and although I dearly love company, I also have no problem being alone. Well, I do have a dog, but let’s face it, as cute as he is, he really isn’t a stimulating conversationalist.

Yes, I had beans for supper. Actually, black bean salsa, except I’ve modified the recipe so much, I’m not sure what to call it anymore. Someday, I hope to find the recipe again, in the meantime, there are several recipes online for black bean salsas with corn. Except for the canned beans (drained, any color) and the canned corn (drained, any color), I add all sorts of fresh veggies—tomatoes, onion, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, bell pepper (any color), salt, pepper, and anything else that sounds good—like some chipotle powder. It’s quick, easy, very forgiving, and yummmmm. I had a helping of that, and a boneless pork chop.

My neighbor brought me a plate of white and dark turkey he roasted and some homemade-from-scratch dressing. The turkey is very good (still working on it) but the dressing. Oh, em, gee! that dressing was to die for! Actually, I think I have one or two bites left. I’ve been parsing it out to make it last longer 😉

Alas, I did not make, or eat, any kimchi. sigh.

Sammy had salmon kibble with a fresh (cooked) baby carrot mixed in with it. He loves his carrots.

I received a text from a friend who has had some serious health issues the last couple three years and has spent way more time in a wheelchair than she can enjoy. Well, she spent the day at her brother’s, and negotiated the whole visit sans wheelchair. She now sees the light at the end of the tunnel as sunshine, not the headlamp of an on-coming train! And her dog, who has been staying with her brother, was ecstatic his mommy came to see him. She, needless to say, was equally happy to see him. Let’s hear it for perseverance and physical therapy!!!

As if that wasn’t enough good news for my day, and believe me, it was terrifically good news, the last thing I did before turning off the light was check Amazon. Yes! My book, Marking the Hours, A Collection of Poems, was listed and is available. And the new page is posted in My Books, above. 

And then, yes, there’s more, the books I ordered from the publisher arrived Saturday morning! It was cheaper for them to print and ship by air from India than to have it printed and shipped in the States

So, today is Cyber Monday. Order books. Books for you, books for gifts, books, books, books. And be sure that whatever books you read, to write and post a review. Reviews help sell books. Reviews are virtual hugs to writers. Writers are lonely people. Writers like hugs.

Indeed, 2020 has been a year of sucking bilgewater, but there are good times within that year, sometimes you must look for them, sometimes they arrive on a platinum platter! I admit, it helps to keep the eyes open and look for those wonderful bits of goodness, but they are there!

Entertainment:

Peacock: If you don’t know about this channel, check it out. It’s from NBC and is free. I’ve been watching Columbostarting from S1, E1. I think I’ve seen every episode at least 3 times, probably more like 6. Shucks, I even know half the dialog before it’s spoken. Oh, one more thing…

Netflix: Still watching The Good Detective, but, frankly, it’s getting darker than I want right now. Must see if they’ve uploaded the rest of season 5 of Lucifer yet. 

Books: Got about half-way through Stzrok’s book. Am lending it to a friend. Too depressing. Read 200 or so pages of poetry by Shirley Kaufman, Roots in the Air, New & Selected Poems. Some great poems in the book. She lived for several years in Jerusalem, and many of the poems in this book are from that time. Check Rainy Day Reads for latest reviews.

Outro:

Have a great Cyber Week. Let your fingers do the shopping. Have I mentioned I have two new books of poetry out? /snark/ 😉 If you’d like a signed copy of either or both, please contact me.

And please, stay safe, stay healthy, and wear your mask. Please, wear your mask. It helps stop the spread of Covid19, it also helps prevent the wearer from picking it up!

If you enjoy this blog, please subscribe, and share with your friends. Be sure to come again for another coffee break escape with

Auntie Lenora

How Will You Celebrate Thanksgiving Day This Year?

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Intro:

This coming Thursday, 26th November 2020, will be Thanksgiving in my country. And what a strange one it will be for many, if not most, of us.

My dearly beloved ex taught me how to truly enjoy Thanksgiving. The first year we were married, he went out and bought a 2,000-pound turkey, a bushel of spuds, and I don’t remember what all. It was great—except for one thing. He never asked if the kids or I liked all that usual stuff. We didn’t and don’t. He cooked the turkey on the BBQ, and I cooked the veggies on the flat-topped wood stove. What we didn’t know was that the neighborhood was without power, or we would have invited everyone over. As it was, we had leftovers for the next millennium—or close to it.

The next year, I asked what he wanted for Thanksgiving. Neither of us wanted a repeat from the year before. He had it handled, he assured me. The kids were worried, but I assured them that a. he had it handled and b. there was a fresh loaf of bread and a new jar of peanut butter if worst came to worst. About time to eat, he ushered us into the car and drove to a restaurant. We had the choice of ordering off the menu or going through the buffet which had the usual turkey and trimmings and ham and trimmings. 

To be honest, it was the best Thanksgiving Dinner I had ever had. Everyone got to eat what they wanted, there was no mess for me to clean after, there were no leftovers to eat for the next 500 years. I was, truthfully, thankful.

It was also the first in my new and enjoyable yearly tradition. I don’t ‘do’ Thanksgiving Dinner. If I really want a big dinner and trimmings, I go out to eat, usually with friends. For years, I’ve gone out with other single people, to a restaurant where we can eat what we want, and no muss, no fuss, and no leftovers. Though some of my friends buy a small turkey roast to pop into their oven as we leave, so when they get home, they have leftovers for a few and reasonable number of days.

This year, Covid-19 is the uninvited guest. I will not be joining friends or family at their home or a restaurant. I will probably have beans for supper. (It’s ok, I happen to like beans) and I will be thankful that I am still getting up in the morning and looking down at the grass, that I have beans to eat, that my children, my friends, my family are safe and so far, Covid has pretty much left us alone.

Through the years, I have come to realize, that for me, the traditional Thanksgiving Day rituals mean less and less. This year I realize just how much less and less. Not that I’m not thankful for my blessings, I am. And they are legion.

Quill and Parchment, an online literary magazine, printed my poem, Thanksgiving Day. It’s my take on all my Thanksgiving Days. You may read it here.

My friend, Thomas Hubbard wrote “Thanksgiving for the rest of us”—Thomas is Miami and Cherokee Native American with some English and Irish tossed into the mix. Check out his poem, here, for a different take on what this holiday means. 

And, last, but no means least, this video came in from a friend of mine, please spend a couple minutes watching it. If you’re reading this on your phone, it may not show up unless you go to the website, on your phone or computer. There is a video below. Honest. Trust me.

Prepare for Thanksgiving

Give thanks for the breath you have, the love you have; give thanks for the opportunity to show love to others—your family, your friends, your country. Make a small sacrifice this year so you won’t have empty chairs at the table next year.

Entertainment:

Netflix:  Have started another South Korean series, The Good Detective. I think it’s going to be dark, but I’m not all that far into it. All I know so far is an innocent man was framed, and sentenced to die, and certain people want him to do so. Enter, the Good Detective. In the meantime, I’ll watch it, and be thankful for the eye candy 😉

Amazon Prime: Binged season one of Tales from the Loop, a somewhat dystopian SciFi 8-part series.   The story takes place in the fictional town of Mercer OH, a town built above ‘the loop’ a scientific research area. Strange things happen above the loop, and these are 8 stories. Time travel, parallel universes, sentient robots—all there. The robots are kind of fun. There wasn’t a lot of relief humor, but I was told the end of the series tied things up. It did. Sorta. I still have lots of questions, it’s not a Happy Ever After kind of story, but very well acted, costumed, and directed (Jodie Foster even directed at least one episode. As it turns out, my favorite of the 8.)

I imagine there will be lots of things on the telly to watch this coming weekend—movies, games, maybe even parades? Some might be encore performances.

Books: 

I’ve slowed down on reading books though I’m working through two novels and some poetry. Oh, and Peter Stzrok’s book is still on my bed. And, I have been working on a couple of my completed novels, going through and picking up nits, etc. Who knows, they, too, may be picked up by a publisher some day.

Marking the Hours, my collection of poems, should be available on Amazon or from the publisher today or tomorrow. 

Outro:

Have a Great Thanksgiving. Eat that for which you are truly grateful (hmmm, maybe I’ll make some kimchee!) and enjoy, learn to Zoom if you haven’t already, and eat with your friends and family at your computers with each other 😉 I’ll have the beans, and maybe kimchee, and you can have the turkey and tomato aspic. Oh, you can have the mashed potatoes, gravy, and green been casserole, too. Enjoy. Bon Appetit!

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A Double Dose of Goodness!!

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Intro:

Wednesday last, 11 November, wasn’t just hump day, it was Mountain Day. I was lifted to the highest peak and am still cruisin’ on down!

First off, I put together a collection of poetry and thought it was pretty good. I sent it to a professional editor, Sharmagne Leland-St. John (editor Quill and Parchment, an online poetry magazine), who went through it, marked it up, and sent it back. She agreed it was good, and she made it better. Way better. (If you’re going to pay for advice, you maybe oughta use it;-) At her suggestion, I then sent it to her publisher in India. They took it, and on Wednesday, I signed the contract, and approved the final proofs. I mean, how cool is that? Purely happenstance, but the cover is a shot of dandelions in puff mode. Because I’ve always been somewhat of a contrarian, dandelions are my favorite flower, and the puffs most of all (can you tell I’m not a gardener?). Besides, I can actually grow dandelions!

From the Information/Sell Sheet: “Marking the Hours, A Collection of Poems contains historical poetry of the Oregon Country, poetry of space flight, fantasy, and the title poem, Marking the Hours, is an essay in poetic form of the last hours of her uncle’s life. This is a book of loss, of hope, of grief, of love, of the beauty of being human.” 

Not sure when Marking the Hours will be available, but when it is, I’ll be sure to let all of you know. And post it in My Books.

And then, yes! there’s more! I told you it was a double double dose of goodness, didn’t I?

Jim Bumgarner, one of three Tarweed poets (Jim Thielman and I are Tarweed Poets—there are two others, but they did not contribute poetry to the book) called to tell me that our book is now live on Amazon. By the way, Jim B. took the photo and designed the cover. Isn’t it stunning? Wait till you read the poems inside!

From the Information Sheet: “Reflections: Life, the River, and Beyond. Jim Bumgarner gave us Reflections and Observations made through his life. Lenora Rain-Lee Good wrote River Songs about living on the Columbia River. Jim Thielman gave us poems from Beyond the Bridge. All the Tarweed Poets live close to water, if not the Columbia River, the Yakima, the Snake, or the Walla Walla. Water is life, and it plays a large part in our poetry.” Be sure to check out the My Books page above.

Entertainment:

I finished Frida. Netflix is marvelous, it knew where I stopped, and had it all waiting to resume. It is said to be the true story of Frida Kahlo (Salma Hayek) and her husband Diego Rivera (Alfred Molina). From what I’ve read of them, it probably is. They had quite the volatile marriage, but also passionate and caring love. I do wish they had spent more time on her and her paintings than on them and their drinking and sexploits. (This is not family entertainment.) The acting, photography, well, everything in the movie was high-shelf good.  

Books: 

I’ve actually read books, yes plural, this past week. I’m still working on Peter Stzrok’s book. But I really needed a break from politics, and moved on to something more uplifting—murder, mayhem, and one of the most beautiful novels I’ve read since Wizard of the Pigeons by Megan Linkholm—Memories in the Drift by Melissa Payne.  Reviews are posted at: Rainy Day Reads.

Outro:

PLEASE, WEAR YOUR FREAKING MASK! Keep those around you safe and keep YOU safe. I don’t have so many friends I can afford to lose any, especially when it could be prevented by wearing a mask. You are, each and every one, important to me. Yes, because the vaccine is coming, the vaccine is coming, the end is in sight — but it’s still a long, long way down the road. If you’re on a hill, you might be able to see the light, but don’t bank on it. Yet.

Want to know the best mask to wear? Easy Peasey — the K95, the blue surgical masks doctors wear (you know those guys aren’t going to cut their oxygen intake one wee whit!), a mask with at least 2 layers of different and closely woven cloth, preferably three. It needs to fit snuggly over your mouth AND YOUR NOSE.  If your nose isn’t covered, you’re not dressed. A mask will help keep you healthy, your neighbor healthy, and as an added bonus this winter, it will also keep your nose warm.

If masks give you ‘panic attacks’ I suggest two things—talk to your dr. about getting some anti-anxiety medications, and learn some meditation. Believe me, the claustrophobic anxiety of wearing a mask is nothing compared to the claustrophobic anxiety of wearing a coffin!

Here is the CNN story, Choosing the best mask to protect you and others.

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Some Good News, Some Sad News

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PSA: THANK YOU for voting. I don’t care for whom you voted, only that you did. Remember, if you didn’t vote, you are not entitled to voice an opinion on anything that happens until the next election at which time you will vote. Won’t you?

Intro:

First the Sad news—Alex Trebek died yesterday (8 Nov 20). My very first Sister of Choice (SOC) Val, and I used to watch Jeopardy! together and win and lose fortunes every time. Of course, we were in the safety of her living room or mine. And the money was never collected – or paid. Not only did we learn a lot of interesting facts; we had fun, and it was all due to Alex Trebek. Several years ago, I took a 5-day seminar taught by a woman who had worked as a writer on Jeopardy! and she had only wonderful things to say about him. He was friendly, professional, smart, nice, caring — pick your positive descriptor, and I’m sure it would fit. The world was a brighter place, a kinder place, a more fun place because Alex Trebek was here for eighty years. He will be missed. As Uncle George (Takei) said on his Twitter account, “The heavens have all the answers now.”

Now for the Good news. Really — I put together a collection of poetry and had it edited by a professional editor, who made some very good suggestions both in content and order of presentation. She then suggested a publisher, who had done her last book, so I sent the updated ms off to the publisher. They acknowledged receipt immediately, and I settled in to wait for their decision, guessing sometime after the new year.

While at the computer Saturday morning, at 8.20, I received an email from the publisher, with my proof copies attached!!! While sitting and trying to catch my breath, just seconds later, I was staring, pretty much unseeing, at the tv in my office, just as NBC called Pennsylvania, and the election, for Biden.

Now, as most of you know, that is very good news to me. I realize some of you probably feel like I felt four years ago, but I think we’ll find Biden will be a peacemaker, if we all pitch in and help. I survived the previous four years, and I’m more than willing to try to help you survive the coming four if you’d like. That’s what friends do.

Wait. Wait. There’s more! I’m in a poetry group in the Tri-Cities, The Tarweed Poets, and three of us are putting out a book of our poetry. We hope to have it available before Thanksgiving. You’ll be among the very first to know when you can order it, and how.

Was looking for some weather specific photos, and came across these from a few months ago, when it was somewhat warmer. I do enjoy watching the Great Blues and Great Egrets over on the island. This handsome guy is a Great Blue Heron.

Wanna buy a watch?
No? Well, please excuse me while I scratch an itch.

Entertainment:

Sigh, no movies/tv shows beyond news this week. But, I did read a book 😉

Books: 

See Rainy Day Reads for reviews and mayhaps a bit of snark. Who? Me? Snark?

I’m still reading Peter Strok’s book, Compromised. I had to put it down for a bit, as it was getting to be too much politics. I did, however buy a copy of The Man She Married: A gripping psychological thriller with a heart-pounding twist, by Alison James. I bought it on Friday and finished it on Friday. By the time you read this, my review will be posted.

A friend put me wise to a new (to me) site, Freebooksy. You can sign up for a newsletter every morning containing a list of free books for several forms of eReaders. You choose your e-reading format when you join. You choose the genres which interest you the most. If you’re a bookworm, check them out. You can also sign up for heavily discounted books.

And remember, if you like a book, please write and post a review. It doesn’t have to be a college-level critical review, just something as to why you liked it. Reviews are virtual hugs for the authors. They mean a lot!  

Outro:

We are now having over 100,000+  Covid19-positive cases per day. It should be a no-brainer; masks help stop the spread. Combined with social distancing, hand-washing, and common sense, we can slow the spread down quickly, and keep it down. This virus is a painful killer, of small children to old farts and fartesses and everyone in between. Young, old, healthy, not so healthy. Please, be a patriot and wear your mask.

Go forth and have a great week. Do good, get into good trouble if you need to, read a new book, better yet, write the book you really want to read. Remember, Santa will be here too soon (as well as the bills), and I hope to have two options for your want list soon. You do want one or both of the books, don’t you?

If you enjoy this blog, please share with friends. 

Auntie Lenora

The Haunted Lady

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a flash fiction of about 940 words

by Lenora Rain-Lee Good

It was a beautiful, crisp October morning, the houses in the village were decorated with ghosts and witches and hand carved Jack O-Lanterns. All but The Manse, reputed by many to be truly haunted, which stood currently vacant of tenants and looked dark and lonely on top of the hill. I had just opened my door to walk to work when the phone rang, “Jan, Marcus here, can you come down to my office tomorrow at three o’clock? Mrs. Gooch died, and she wanted you present when I read the will.”

“Me? Sure, I’ll be there.” Mrs. Gooch died? She’d been around forever, and it never dawned on me she’d die. She was too much an institution in the village. She was, well, she was just too damn ornery to die. But die she did. For the life of me, I couldn’t understand why she wanted me at the reading of her will. We weren’t really friends. I just worked for her off and on as she needed help.

The phone call raised memories of how we met. I smiled at the comparison of those memories to specters and Halloween. I was a kid, with my first paper route. Mrs. Gooch was known to dislike people, especially children. “Too noisy,” she said. “No manners.” The boy who had the route before me said she was a real witch and he rode his bike by her place as fast as he could and just threw the paper – if she wanted it, she could find it. My mom told me to deliver the papers to the front doors of my customers. Mom was right. I got big tips at the end of the year, especially from Mrs. Gooch.

One summer day, she saw me pushing my lawn mower over to one of the neighbors. “Jan,” she called out, “would you be interested in mowing my lawn? I’m very particular about how I want it done.” She was, too. She wanted it mowed first in this direction, then in that direction. And she tipped well at the end of the season.

We always smiled and waved at each other, and she wanted to know all about my classes when I came home on breaks. She seemed genuinely interested, but not overly friendly. While I was away at Veterinary school, she decided she’d had enough of the stairs of The Manse, and bought a new, modern, one-storey ranch. She used The Manse, as she called the old Victorian Painted Lady, as a rental. She had a handyman-chauffeur who did nothing but drive her around. I spent quite a bit of my spare time fixing and painting the old place. Vet school was expensive, and her generous pay and tips certainly helped. It didn’t matter, as no one wanted to stay in it. “Haunted,” they said. “Strange noises. Things go thump in the night.” Hogwash! I thought, but kept my comments to myself, after all, there are only so many animals for a Veterinarian to see in our village.

That old house was well over a hundred years old. I’m sure it had its share of creaks and groans, but ghosts? I think the tenants were city folk who had never lived in an old house and had no idea of the sounds made when it heated and cooled. I looked up at the old house, imposing at the top of the hill, and couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to live there. I hoped whoever got the house would keep it, and not tear it down for apartments or condos. Then, again, Mrs. Gooch was enough of a grouch she might come back and haunt it. I smiled at the thought as I walked toward Marcus’ office the next day.

By the time I arrived at the law office of Marcus Whitworth, two others waited—Sally, Mrs. Gooch’s housekeeper and Bill, her chauffeur. They wore expectant smiles and faux tears and were positively giddy with anticipation at their expected new riches. After all, Mrs. Gooch had no known family, only her two servants of several years. They openly questioned my presence, sure that I wanted to rob them of their anticipated inheritance. Marcus cleared his throat, glanced at each of us, and then proceeded with the business at hand. “Mrs. Anabella Theodora Metz Gooch specifically asked the three of you to be present when her will was read. Since you are all here, we’ll get started. Sally, Mrs. Gooch said you are to receive $1,000.00. There would have been more, she said, but she knew you regularly dipped into the change bowl. And Bill, you get $1,000.00. She said that if you hadn’t used the house gas card for your vehicle, there would have been more. My secretary has your checks ready; you may sign for them on the way out. Jan, you inherit the rest of her estate. The home in which she lived at the time of her death, all her belongings, her investments, The Manse – well, we’ll go over it later, in detail. She said you were the only person in the village who treated her as if you liked her, even though she wasn’t likable. You, my friend, are very, very rich.”

Sally and Bill stood, glowered at me, and huffed out of the office; I sat, too stunned to move.

“Oh, one more thing.” A twinkle appeared in Marcus’s eye. “In the attic of The Manse, is an old record player set to a timer. Mrs. Gooch suggests you remove them before you move in—or rent it out. Here’s the key to the padlock on the attic door.”

Happy Belated Halloween, y’all!

Entertainment:

Did you notice this is my Halloween issue? Ya know, it written before Halloween, but not posted before. Still, in this time of Covid19, we can stretch a holiday a bit. Can’t we? So, being surfeited on news (i.e., politics and covid, covid, covid, covid), I turned over to Hallmark Movies and Mysteries the other night, needing a nice cozy murder. Uh, no. What I got were Christmas love stories. They couldn’t wait until Black Friday, let alone Halloween, even. Oh, well. Predictable, and no politics, no covid, no serious angst beyond will the star-crossed lovers realize their mistrake and turn to each other in the last two minutes???  (Spoiler: Yes! Yes, they will.)

Books:

See Rainy Day Reads for reviews and mayhaps a bit of snark. Who? Me? Snark?

Have started Compromised by Peter Stzrok. The Introduction was fascinating, as is the first part of the book. He’s a very good writer, at least at the beginning. And so far, I’m learning things I didn’t already know, or having things I suspicioned verified.

Quill and Parchment isn’t a book, but a beautiful online magazine. They have published three of my poems this November. Please feel free to check out mine and read all the others at http://quillandparchment.com/members/memberink.html No politics, no covid, just nice poetry.

Outro:

Masks save lives. That’s proven fact. Remember, the lives you save may be your very own ghosts, goblins, zombies, or vampyres — wear your fracking mask!!! Get a cloth one, it won’t cut down on your oxygen level one whit! Neither will the KN95s. It may actually make breathing in the super cold and or polluted air easier. Wear the same ones that surgeons wear—they certainly aren’t going to wear something to cut down their oxygen. Besides, they’re cute and sexy. The masks. And, well, some surgeons 😉

If you missed the Disney video last week, here it is for an encore performance:

Show your love, wear a mask! (Thanks, Bill for the video! 😉

THOU SHALT NOT COVID THY NEIGHBOR’S LIFE–WEAR THY MASK! (Swiped from the www.)

If you enjoy this blog, please feel free to share.

Auntie Lenora