NEXT ASSIGNMENT

All day long the three-levels-high tree outside my living room window has danced and flung itself about in our 33-50 degree weather. At 3:00 the sky is dark and dreary. Although I've not read so, I think this is from the storms on the west coast. It sent the wind our way. The east coast may be experiencing the same type of weather too.

If you can be safe during such storms, and if you are not busy helping others less fortunate than you, it should be a good time to read. Or walk. Or write. And that is what I'm working on a bit today. Early in January I'm to speak a while to the writing class here at MorningStar. They are writing their autobiographies, not necessarily for publication, but for their families. The staff leader is not a writer and uses a book someone else wrote about doing one's life story. Most books on that subject are written by people who apparently have no success in other writings. Books about how to write anything, written by famous writers, are another matter. They have proved themselves before producing a book on writing. For example, P. D. James and Elizabeth George. There are other great books on writing, some of them by males, and I've read them. But let me tell you about one, not of the best kind. 

Several years ago, when I belonged to a writing guild, I attended a yearly conference at which awards were to be given for the best writings. The woman who was the poetry judge got up to make her presentations, and began with these words: I am not a poet. Then she proceeded to prove it. I won't describe that, but will say she was there, in addition, to sell her book on writing an autobiography. She sold a few copies, but when I examined it, I found it to be quite elementary and run-of-the-mill. This author is one of many.

I told the staffer of this group here I had not seen the book she is using but I could guarantee I would emphasize one big secret that book doesn't mention. I am looking forward to this. Let the wind blow. I'm staying in!

TWO STORIES ABOUT LETTER WRITING

Although there was no time for writing this first letter, one day I skipped going downstairs for lunch so that I could write to a relative to whom I had not written for some time. I typed a full page plus one more paragraph on a second page. I told him about breaking my hip last April but did not dwell on that. I wrote mainly about my large family, and asked him to tell me about his life today. When the reply came, I was delighted to see the envelope and sat down in the lobby to read the letter. My address on the envelope was my return address label from my letter to him! Clever. His letter, in tiny but neat penmanship, took a small space on the second page of my letter to him! Instead of telling me about his life today, he relayed a childhood happening we two shared. He asked if I remembered it. Of course I do. I think I failed to mention to him what a good memory I have in my old age. But he did not tell me anything else, not about his life today, or his views on politics, or any thing about other relatives. Oh, he did say he enjoyed my letter.     

That was a unique exchange of letters. 

But the next one is a dilly that could win an Oscar. 

One day I received an e-mail from a relative-by-marriage, female this time, sending me an ultimatum to the affect that if I did not write by return mail, our friendship was over! What a shock! Was she kidding? She was not. I had repeatedly told her I did not have time to write her or write anyone else. (I still don't.) 

Then one day a letter came from her, full of good will and numerous exclamation points. I immediately realized the fake good will. However, I wrote her a short letter but did not accuse her of this impropriety. I haven't heard from her since. I could never have brought about such an un-Christian ultimatum in any situation. I am sorry to have lost her friendship but I can't do the impossible. 

IT'S ABOUT TIME

At long last, good news for the country: 17 states have filed suit against BHO for not going by the nation's Constitution and making his own laws. Why did it take so long, when he told us in the beginning that the Constitution was out of date? In just a few days the new Congress will be in session and we anticipate great excitement for the change. It is its job to make our laws and we have a voice in that through those we elect to send there. In the meantime, we can thank Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

AOL, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION

Your readership, naturally, has a diversified range of interests for your news with pictures. However, it has become quite lopsided.  Many sports addicts prefer one click for just sports. Others may prefer scantily dressed female celebrities. Believe it or not, some like the morbid stories you report. Scientific discoveries fascinate many, even if they don't know much about science. The food stories need their own click. And so does Health. But more readers probably go for NEWS, especially international news, than anything else. Well, maybe real NEWS is second, for sports seem to be taking over. How about celebrating BOOKS, for a change? Or architecture? Or churches? Or just beautiful, sweet little babies? 

For a few days right after 9/11 you seemed to take life seriously. But it didn't take long for you to change, as if 9/11 didn't happen. The least you can do, is get sports out of the real news and let its devotees look elsewhere. 

READERS IN FRANCE

What a surprise to find this morning 67 of the day's readers are in France! I can only conclude the interest lies in the blog about General Patton. He must have been both loved and hated by the French. That is the way war is: the winning side must destroy the innocent to defeat the evil. Patton was killed in Germany and was buried in Luxembourg. His body could not be brought back to the States and his widow would one day be denied her burial beside her husband. Eventually the family transported her ashes secretly and scattered them over the general's grave. 

If you haven't yet purchased Killing Patton, ask Santa to bring you a copy of it. You never know when you might be chosen to appear as a contestant on Jeopardy. You will learn much from this book.

TWO CHRISTMAS STORIES 

Two Christmas stories your children must hear and it won't hurt you to hear them again. Or your older children to hear them again. Both are available on film, but that is not what I'm talking about. I mean you should read these aloud to your children no matter what their ages are. These stories are Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol and Valentine Davies's Miracle on 34th Street. A Christmas Carol is a novelette and that means short. Davies wrote Miracle on 34th Street after the film was made but I do not remember if it is a novelette or not. 

I suggest reading Miracle early in the season, before doing your last-minute Christmas shopping, and Carol the night before Christmas. Allow no eating during the reading, and take everything seriously. I wish I could join all of you for this treat.

THE VOTE IS IN

The National Book Award for fiction went to Phil Klay, winning over four other finalists including two from Idaho. 

Klay's book is called Redeployment, a "debut collection of searching, satiric and often agonized stories by an Iraq veteran." You can find a handsome photo of him on your computer. 

A STORY ABOUT A STORY

This same lady about whom I wrote a few minutes ago offers this one too. She had read the ex-war prisoner's story and told me it was the best thing she'd ever read of this sort. That may be true and when she asked me to read it, I agreed to do so. I have read many true war accounts, and quite a few of this variety. Thousands of these get written by veterans and they never get published. The authors usually never know why not publication. Little do they know that it isn't the story that sells the book, but the vocabulary and what the author can do with that. (Seldom does the story give such promise that a publisher will buy and have staff rewrite it in suitable vocabulary.) I am expected to write something about this story and I will, beginning with all the good qualities I see. I won't say much about the other, except to mention he needed an expert editor before he published. It's really too sad that everyone couldn't have had my fifth grade teacher and therefore know the correct usage of sit/set, lie/lay and rise/raise. If you learn grammar as a young child, you don't forget it. 

I am now in the reading of this story and a thick book called The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. This one reminds me of All the Light We Cannot See. I'll say more about that later.

PUMPKIN DELIGHTS

There is a lady here who obviously has plenty of money and recently she told how she spends some of it. At CostCo she buys about a half dozen or more of its extra large pumpkin pies, scrapes the filling from the pie shells and spoons the filling into small freezer bags that then go into her freezer, to eat on a whim. 

I asked her what she did with the empty pie shells. She said, "Throw them away."

I thought about this waste for a few minutes and then prompted my reply. Why not flatten the edges of the pie shells with a rolling pin, spread the whole generously with butter (no substitute). Sprinkle over that a mixture of sugar and pumpkin spice (just a pinch). Place under a hot broiler and watch it constantly so as not to burn it. Remove from oven and let it cool in the pan. Break it up like peanut brittle. 

I have never tried this, but if you've been reading books like the ones I've been reading, this recipe would make those characters in war-torn areas a real feast.

O'REILLY AND DUGARD HAVE DONE IT AGAIN

Last night, at midnight, I finished reading Killing Patton. The book is well-named for it has to be accurate. When a controversial person, and especially one who is also well-hated by some, is killed in a car crash and all the paper work about the case disappears, it has to be murder. Add to that crime, no real investigation was conducted and no one was brought to justice.  

The so-called drunken driver of the offending vehicle, could have had the smell of alcohol on him and still not have been drunk. [No tests of this were made.] He seemed to know what he was doing when he swerved into the lane of Patton's limousine. Add to that, that while many heads of state and other dignitaries attended Patton's funeral in Europe, General Dwight Eisenhower and President Truman did not!

Patton had a foul mouth but he was a real warrior, a real fighter. He dared disobey orders from his superiors but he seemed to be generally right in his decisions. 

Perhaps O'Reilly and Dugard have opened a can of worms and maybe there will yet be a real investigation into Patton's death. But of course, most of the interested parties of this puzzle and surely the ones guilty of this crime are now dead. But closure for the family may be an important goal for investigation. 

So, we have Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy, Killing Jesus, and now Killing Patton, all excellently written. Will Osama bin Laden be next? 

HURRAH FOR AT&T

Yesterday surprise visitors--one of my sons and his wife--brought me a lovely gift, a sensible telephone--made in the USA. It rings six times with a good interval between rings to give one time to get there. What a vast improvement over losing calls on a foreign-made device because it did not allow time for an answer. The set includes two white phones, one of which I keep with me as I move about my apartment. 

My visitors were on their way to Nampa, Idaho, to hear a speaker from England. This is a man whom they have heard before and know personally. In fact, he called Mike to tell him he'd be speaking in Nampa. I believe I heard once that the man speaks in some city every night of the year. His subject matter--I think--is Biblical prophecy. The audience is always a very large crowd. 

I lack only about 40 pages finishing the reading of Killing Patton. It gives a good picture of Hitler, Stalin, Roosevelt, and Eisenhower as well as Patton. [One thing all of these men had in common was they all had mistresses.] What may shock some readers is that Eisenhower was primarily a politician while he had Supreme Command of the war in Europe. I know a story about that, one I read more than 50 years ago. Curtis Bean Dall wrote a book about FDR, his ex-father-in-law, in which he said that FDR's daughter, Anna, sat next to Eisenhower at a dinner, and then told her father that Eisenhower (a lieutenant, I think he was then) was just the man her father was looking for. After that, Ike went up in rank very quickly, angering other officers of higher rank and with war experience. At the cease of hostilities in Europe, Patton witnessed the politician in Eisenhower when Ike insisted Russia have a big role in their dividing up Germany among the victors. Patton clearly saw the future with the enemy, now Communism.

THREE IMPORTANT BOOKS

We are into our fourth day of that predicted early winter with school-closing snow on the ground under brilliant sunshine. Sun Valley must be absolutely gorgeous and busy with the onset of the ski season. I remember its icicles that reached from the eaves of buildings to the ground, a new experience for me and for many of my German students. Today is a day for erecting a snowman for those who indulge in such. But also a great day for writing (and later on, reading) and that's what I'm here to do--write about a certain lot of books. 

Perhaps every one of these books I have mentioned onblog before for they comprise much of my favorite reading of all time. It is interesting to know most of them relate to World War II. About a week ago I took them to the Executive Director here for her and her husband to enjoy. After she saw the stack, she said, "I may have to quit my job to find time to read these." On Friday I checked on the reading. She said she's into the novelette The Silence of the Sea by Vercors [pen name]. Her husband is reading Wine and War by Donald and Petie Kladstrup. This is nonfiction, one of those hard-to-put-downables. One can learn much more about WWII from this book than from the typical textbook about the war. 

Man's Unconquerable Mind by Gilbert Highet, is not about WWII, but about any war, one could say, and especially one in the future. My blog (in 2010) about this book, which I call MUM, ranks fourth in the line-up of my most popular blogs. It also garnered an excellent comment from a reader. When the E D saw this title, she said, "This is what I need."

To be continued when time allows. 

BELIEVE IT; IT HAPPENED

Just before the early winter that is forecast strikes, let me tell you about the magnificent sight you might have missed last Thursday night. It's possible the memory of this might help to keep you warm--if you saw it! 

As Amy started driving me home from shopping, it was dark and getting darker by the second. The sky ahead of us was a gorgeous deep periwinkle blue (at least by my eyesight). But at the 7:00 location behind us the sky was a spectacle as if millions of light bulbs were turned on. This was not the usual beautiful streaked sunset, but one that spread up as high as it was wide. I could hardly believe it, for it was so beautiful. But more was yet to come. In the last minutes of our drive, right in the middle of this marvel appeared a splotch of navy blue, as if God had put His signature on His art work. I shall never forget this. I hope you are one who saw it too.

AN EPISODE WITH SENATOR RAND PAUL

Almost as soon as I arrived from the hospital to the Rehab center last April, a visitor surprised me, carrying a bouquet of yellow tulips and a large orchid-colored envelope. I recognized him as Rand Paul, Senator from Kentucky. Not long before my accident, I had seen and heard Rand Paul speak on television and I was most favorably impressed by what he said. Of all the names floating around of those who might run for president, I decided Paul was the best of the lot. And now he was visiting me in Idaho! The orchid-colored envelope was addressed to me and stamped, but had not been posted. He carried it. He told me about the tulips. Two years ago he had planted 100 tulips in his yard and left them in the ground all year long. This year he had a thousand! He wished I could see his yard with them in bloom, of course. 

All this time, I knew he was in Idaho unofficially campaigning for the presidency. Why choose to visit me? Perhaps he knew about my blogs and maybe I could get him a vote or two from readers. He was surely visiting other people in my state. Perhaps he had a plane at our airport, loaded with bouquets of yellow tulips.

When my friend Amy came that afternoon, she saw the flowers but when I wanted to show her the orchid-colored envelope, it was nowhere to be found. I described it to her: he had written all over the front and back of the envelope. About himself, his family, his state. Campaigning! What a gem this piece of paper would be when he was in the White House! But where was it?

Finally those drugs I'd been dosed with wore off and I realized--when he returned the next day--the tulip planter was none other than the head of therapy at the Rehab, not Senator Paul at all! And no orchid-colored envelope existed. But orchid is one of my favorite colors and I love yellow tulips. 

ONE VOTE FOR A BOOK

The Executive Director here said about 20 minutes ago that her husband says All the Light We Cannot See is the best book he's ever read! And he has read many, many books. He almost dreads reading the last ten pages, lest the story may not turn out the way he wishes it to. But it will be all right; the author wields a deft pen.

ANOTHER LOST GENERATION

A whole generation of Americans does not know much about World War II. That is because teachers in public schools did not teach them about that war. They began the class year of American History from the beginning, most likely following some teacher's manual, seldom straying from the textbook. One of my dicta is that a good teacher knows when to stray from the textbook.

Teachers aside, people who have not seen war first-hand, up close and personal, have only a weak idea how horrible war can be. Those who return from the actual fighting don't usually like to talk about it. Therefore, Killing Patton may give some education in this matter. The chapter I read last night is an example. How horrible the conflict, how great the writing. 

I did not explain who Patton was in my earlier blog about this book. Suffice it to say for now that he was one of the most highly illustrious American Generals conducting the war in Europe in the 1940's. If anyone reading this says, "Oh, that was before my time [and it's not important to me]," I'll remind such a reader that "History repeats itself." The difference might be only the location. It could happen here. 

A big movie called "Patton," I believe, won awards years ago. George Scott won an Oscar for his role as Patton, and a great job he did. I also believe Scott much later apologized for getting the award or perhaps for merely playing the part. Perhaps O'Reilly and Dugard's book will bring back the movie, and maybe a little more knowledge can creep into some heads that don't read.

BOOKS UPDATE

This evening must not go by without my writing at least one blog. About books, of course. 

I loaned my copy of All the Light We Cannot See to the Executive Director here where I live. She told me her husband took it right over and was reading it. (He reads several books at a time, also my custom.) She said he finds it a slow read. That must be because of the particular vocabulary Doerr uses in the novel. In spite of that, Doerr's book is a finalist in the National Book Award coming up in mid-November. You can see all the fiction books in the running on your computer. In the description of the novels, Doerr's is described first. A good write-up about the book. The third book shown is also by an Idaho writer, a Pulitzer Prize winner. 

This Director also told me her husband is reading Killing Patton, by O'Reilly and Dugard, which I also have started to read. I'm still reading Washington, A Life, of course, am on about page 60! Surely Patton will be killed before Washington becomes president, if you understand my humor. I had no idea Patton's death was a mysterious one, even quite likely murder, for many wanted to kill him, the authors say. As he lay dying, all the entrances into the hospital had armed guards around the clock, as well as at the door to his room.

There is hardly a period of even five minutes to read anything around here, even mail. Tonight, instead of getting an extra hour of sleep, I hope to read that hour.

VETERANS DAY COMING UP

As this retirement facility is soon to celebrate Veterans Day, we veterans were asked a few questions to answer in writing and then two additional comment type questions. The first one for comment was "Most memorable moment in service." This was easy to answer now but I'm sure it was a moment of great sorrow and of great happiness at the time. The great sorrow was knowing the world's first two atomic bombs killed numerous innocent people. The great happiness was knowing the war was over. 

The other question for comment was "One interesting story (that happened to you)." At least I had the whole back side of the page to write this. During the writing of it, the perfect title presented itself. Don't let that scare you off; it's not about grammar. I wish I could copy and paste here, but I cannot do that with this Chrome demon running this blogging business. So I'll type it up once again.

A STUDY OF PARENTHESES

In May of 1945, the celebration of victory in Europe (VE Day) gave military personnel extra leave time. Three of us WAVES rode the subway (free because of our uniforms), into Manhattan where we had two days of freedom (having to be back at barracks by midnight). Late Sunday night, as we walked from the El train (the subway came out of the earth in front of Yankee Stadium and became the Elevated), back to our barracks (nice apartments in the Bronx), we ran into an Italian Block Party. When those patriotic Italian American citizens saw our uniforms, they ran to us and hugged us FOR WINNING THE WAR (in Europe)! Tables of food and drink and music filled the street (this block was roped-off) and they invited us to help ourselves to the Italian goodies. But we declined. It was almost midnight. Still they begged us to stay. Finally one WAVE said we had to leave for she needed to go to the bathroom! A dear lovely lady invited her to her own house for that purpose. We all three went, of course (for we had promised to stick together). The modest house was clean and lovely, with patriotism everywhere. We apologized for using the beautiful (hand-embroidered) guest towels. Our hostess said she'd be thrilled to show them off (and tell who had used them). We soon got away after hugs all around again. Once we were out of their sight, we high-tailed it back to the barracks. It was four minutes till midnight. The most important part of this story is the patriotism these Italians expressed for our country (and theirs).

Washington, A Life

The new reading is Washington, A Life, by Ron Chernow. If you thought the 530 pages of All the Light was a bit much, how about this one, with 817 pages of text, with a total of 904 counting acknowledgements, notes, bibliography, and index. (I do use these occasionally.) I took the book to the chart room to see how many tons it weighed, but that scale couldn't handle it. With no dialogue in the pages, the paragraphs are packed. Although we assume no reporters were around to take note of everything Washington said and did, he himself was a great note-taker, keeping a written record of everything he did, or planned to do. He left this output of notes for posterity and today the Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon is the repository for these gems.

From the "Prelude" and the first 22 pages I've covered so far, I find it easy enough reading and exceedingly engaging. I expect to become a Washington authority!


 

THE READING IS FINISHED

Three days ago, right at midnight, I completed reading those 530 pages of All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. The story begins with World War II in progress and concludes in the year 2014. The little blind girl has become a blind grandmother but one with a doctorate in a specialized scientific field. One of the outstanding features of the novel is the blind girl's mastering the ability to get about alone on streets in her town, and even to shop regularly at a bakery for a loaf of bread in which a note of paper is hidden, enough evidence to get her killed if caught. But she is never caught with such a note.

This Marie-Laure loves the sea and much that comes from the sea, not only numerous seashells, but also the sea's sounds, smells, touch, and even taste. The author has done an excellent job in detailing scientific minutiae, particularly about the sea and the colors Marie-Laure imagines in the night sky. I once asked Doerr how he knew all the scientific facts in his other books. He said he didn't know them, but when he comes across an interesting scientific fact he jots it down  even right into the story he may be writing at the time. Clever idea!

But war is not the most important thread in this story, seeming far away for the main characters  in France and in Germany, as well as for the reader. Werner, the German boy with elite military training, does not know what is going on in the war scene elsewhere. The word Hitler is never mentioned and Fuhrer (umlaut that u, for I cannot produce it on this blogger site) is misspelled, for all nouns in German are always capitalized.

Of interest to many are the interspersed references to radios and transmitters, etc., too technical for me to discuss here. But the result of amateur broadcasts is the climax of the story, followed by anticlimax that may break your heart, if it is a tender heart like mine. I must not tell you more than this about the plot, for you must experience the delights and defeats for yourself.

The novel captures great beauty, especially through the senses of Marie-Laure whose eyes can only imagine the beauty. The reader longs to give her shoes that fit her feet; food and water to nourish her; and news of family. But most of all, the gift of sight. By 2014, some medical breakthrough might have succeeded.

THE BOOK IN PROGRESS

ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE is so good it's not easy to lay it down and go about one's duties. I'm only just over half way through it. The chapters alternate with Marie-Laure in France and Werner in Germany. But neither of them has yet really seen what this war is really about. However, Werner has occasional doubts about his training at the elite academy he was selected to attend, where every boy has blue eyes and fair hair. 

The action by chapter is not always in chronological order, one of the signs of the author's choice to be different. This difference appeared also in the first book Doerr wrote, a collection of short stories, no quotation marks, as I recall. This current work does without commas in a series and no misunderstanding occurs. Innovation, that's called, whether it's understood or not. In Doerr's case, innovation is a plus. I hope some of you have read this book, are doing so now, or plan to. Don't wait for the movie version.

TO HELP YOU GET TO SLEEP

As I promised two of you I'd write about this topic, I'm going to do it now. With some of my birthday money I bought some pajamas that have a black drawstring with messages written in white on it. This is what it says: let yourself daydream; agree with your imagination; laugh at the rules; color outside the lines. Perhaps these ideas are supposed to help one get to sleep. Try it. It may work. Happy dreams! 

WRITING BLOGS

Several times in the last few weeks people have asked me what are blogs and how do you write them. I'll mention here just the rudiments of such writing. 

First, regardless of what type of blog you write, personal or otherwise, keep yourself out of it as much as possible. Avoid a plethora of "I"s. Learn to write by giving a difficult description another way of saying it, without "I." 

Second, avoid the Passive Voice, such as, "A good time was had by all." Instead, write, "Everyone had a good time."

Third, if you are as old as 18, remember to write with a grown-up's vocabulary. Use words you already know but keep learning new ones. If you write "frisson" in paragraph one, remember you cannot re-use it in the blog you're writing.  

Fourth, read every blog you write aloud before you post it. 

Good writing involves much more than what's mentioned here, but this is a start. Above all, keep reading. Best wishes!

LEAVES

Once before in this blog, I wrote about the shadows of leaves the tree outside my third-story window made against the blinds. At the time of that display, it was around 7:00 in the morning. I never knew from that height just what the weather was doing on the first-story level. Often my tree exhibited havoc-playing, presaging a non-existing storm below. 

Today the scene burst upon my vision around 8:00, prompting me to lie abed a while longer to locate just one tiny leaf dancing about, but none did. It reminded me of another time in another place where the leaves at my window stopped dancing only after dark -- when the raucous birds stopped their otherwise constant chirping. At that rehab center where I spent two months and a half, care-givers tended to close the wooden window blinds at night and also close the doors to rooms. They learned quickly not to do either to my room: I wanted to see the sky as soon as dawn broke; see the sky beyond the quiet leaves; I wanted to see the first leaf wake up and then others get the idea it was day and time to start shaking. After supper, I returned to my room and from my wheelchair gazed through my window to watch the show and live with my thoughts. My two trees are/were different sorts -- I don't know what kind -- and do a different type of shaking and bouncing about. One has long limbs reaching straight up for the sky, and the other has short fat leaves that hug the limb and know they are going nowhere.

The spectacle was/is one that reflects God and His marvelous creation of a tree, among other marvels. Enjoy the leaves whenever you get a chance. 

GREETINGS, AND ANOTHER GOOD BOOK

Greetings, after five months! On the morning of April 22 of this year, I fell in my kitchen and broke my hip. I went from hospital into Rehab, then back here where I reside, but in the Assisted Living section. And now I am back in the Independent Living section, my same apartment for which I had been paying rent all this time. How great it is to be back!

The Executive Director here said to me, "This is just not done, that one goes from Assisted Living back to Independent Living, but you've done it!"

Before I tell you about the new book, let me inform you that almost 100 persons have now read that short story I finished writing last spring Who's to Say. It has met a great deal of enthusiasm and I should be ready to send it out in the early fall. Free time here is scarce. But now the goody I promised.

The book's title is All the Light We Cannot See. The author is Anthony Doerr, a Boise writer of my acquaintance. About ten years ago he awarded me first place in a state-wide contest of nonfiction writing. Of course, I'm one of his biggest fans, and I expect him to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in time. 

All the Light is a World War II novel, for which Doerr devoted ten years of his life to research and write. Somewhere he says there are so many books about that war that they could cover all of Germany two feet deep. That's a lot of books about that war, and this volume will be declared one of the best in the fiction category. Of its 530 pages, I am on page 19. Quite a ways to go, but the chapters are extremely short and Doerr's vocabulary is right on the mark. What a delight to find a gibbous moon right on the first page. Suffice it to say this story is about a blind French girl and a German soldier, I think. You can order this through your computer. 

THEY'RE SORRY ABOUT THAT???

A retirement center is a good place to teach. The Residents teach, I mean. Teach the kitchen staff and the wait staff especially. Most of the Residents seem to have a serious memory loss, and when they complain about too much sugar in meals, and such mistakes, they forget their complaint by the time they leave the dining room. All except one Resident. Each day, I thank God for the excellent memory I was born with, inherited by both parents and also self-cultivated by a lifetime of crossword puzzles, voracious reading, and loads of Vitamin B-12, Vitamin B-6, Folic Acid and Concord grape juice. I learned about these aids for memory by READING. 

For example, the newish members of the wait staff are in the habit of saying "Sorry about that," to others, and not paying any attention to the statement.  This has not been said to me yet, but when it is said to me, if ever, I will give my sermon on it: The only way you can show you are sorry about this is never to make this mistake again. 

If I could teach the wait staff just this much while I'm here, it would be worthwhile. They need to learn to make such promises to themselves and then take them seriously.

IS THERE A SEQUEL TO MY 39 STEPS/NORTHWEST?

Every time I check the stats on my blogging, I am again surprised at the number of readers of THE 39 STEPS AND NORTH BY NORTHWEST. That blog is not showing you the two movies mentioned there, but is giving only my comparisons between them. This blog still heads the list with almost 450 pageviews to date which means only a limited time. It makes me wonder if some writing instructor is using it in his classes as an example of what the blog suggests. All right! Fine! I don't anticipate any teacher's letting me know how it worked, but wouldn't that be nice, if he did? Or she did? And if permission were given, wouldn't it be vice to copy that letter right here? 

KEEP A STIFF UPPER LIP

If you are young enough to be seeking a career, or a new career -- in television, in the film industry, singing, politics, or in any form of public speaking, including teaching, the ministry, or law -- it might be good to look at people in these areas and study their upper lips. Watch your favorites in television announcing. Why are they your favorites? Chances are they do not move their upper lip every time they take a half-breath, but only when they smile and show you their good dental work. If they keep their upper lip under control, you will pay more attention to what they are telling you. 

I have watched reporters who are out in the field, some place away from their channel's headquarters, and I find good-enough reporting, but often a very busy upper lip. This seems to be more common in the female reporters than in the males. In fact, perhaps the men in those locations are not so guilty because they want their locations for personal reasons, such as the Florida sun. The women might have gone along with their husbands in their jobs. 

Sometimes I wonder how some male reporters earn their salaries, for we do not see them often reporting. However, they may be reporting to other sources as well -- legally, I mean -- or maybe also salaried as a lookout for criminal offenders for the law. And of course, they learn much more in investigating their stories than we ever hear on television. We lay people do not know what all is behind the finished pictures we see.

NO GREATER LOVE

For several nights the Easter Pageant NO GREATER LOVE is again performed at First Church of the Nazarene in Nampa, Idaho. Over 200,000 persons have seen it over the 33 years it has been presented. David Magnum has played the role of Christ for all those years. What a magnificent job he has done! A bus from here is taking those going tonight, but the driver tells me not enough have signed up to go to the event. They will never know what they missed. I do not plan to attend but I have seen it years ago.

Our Easter brunch is on Sunday and at some point there is an Easter Egg Hunt for children. Sounds like so much work without any regard for the real meaning of Easter. I wish everyone could attend NO GREATER LOVE. 

APPOINTMENTS AND PRINCE GEORGE

My calendar is filling up with appointments. Yesterday it was income tax business and what a relief that is to have off my shoulders. I have an appointment for a second opinion in the case of the eye that is now blind. She is the doctor who discovered a contact lens left in my eye for three years by the retina specialist after a treatment with the contact lens there to protect the eye, and then he forgot it. 

Once a month a cornea specialist comes to Boise from Salt Lake and I expect to see him on July 22. That seems so long to wait. At times I can see a little with that eye. At night, with the left eye closed, I can see my hand moving across my vision. At other times, I can see in the dark the images of furniture, doors, and windows, even books on the shelves, but this is not long-lasting. But with that much to see faintly, I think there is some doctor who can fix it.

Several other appointments are on the slate. 

Insomnia is still a problem. Everyone has a solution without getting the facts. The best advice has cone from my son Mike. I am sleeping sometimes six hours a night, but they are oft-and-on between 3:00 a. m., and 10:00, too late for lunch in the dining  room downstairs. I know, you could make it by that time, yes, but you are not considering the facts in my case, and I'm certainly not going into those at this time.

A lovelier sight for you to think about is that darling little Prince George who with his parents is touring Australia, New Zealand, and other places. That baby is so beautiful and intelligent-looking, he could be in our family! Sixth cousin, twice removed, shall be label him? No, our family left England to get away from the rule of Royalty. But this one is really a cutie. And he's only 3/4 Royal, isn't he? Maybe that's why he's so precious!

DEMONIC -- ANN COULTER'S BOOK

DEMONIC is a book every adult ought to read. Now. Two days ago I took it to our Executive Director to lend it to her. She said, "I love Ann Coulter." I can hardly wait to hear her comments about the book after reading it.  

A few years ago, a presidential candidate often claimed there was not a dime's worth of difference between the two main political parties in this country and many believed him. Perhaps they are much the same in certain aspects. But Ann Coulter's book will clear the air on that one: she shows the difference in graphic detail. Her summations are backed by scholarly documentary notes which you can check out or leave alone. If you have never known what the French Revolution was all about, here's your chance to find out. And don't overlook its contrast with our American Revolution. Notice my word "contrast." I did not say "compare." There is no comparison between the two, though many would say there is. These people are those who have not learned history. Someone has said, "History repeats itself." Another has added, "but it does not need to." Still someone else has said, "To learn wrong history is to repeat wrong history." All of these ideas are accurate. Read how Coulter handles this important topic. 

Those of you in the Greatest Generation probably read Dickens's A TALE OF TWO CITIES in 10th grade. Dickens was right and the Greatest Generation knows you are not well educated without having studied this classic. This volume would be a good first step to learning what Coulter's book is all about.

THE WORLD IS TOO MUCH WITH US

In the year (circa) 1802, poet William Worthsworth penned the line "The world is too much with us," and 13 more lines to go with that. For me, it was memory work in junior high, and it has stayed with me. Often, I think of this truth as it applies to my everyday routine. If I thought the dead could spin in their graves or needed to, I'd have Wordsworth getting a speeding ticket. What would he say about our fast world today? It surely would not be pretty.

This "too-much-ness" floods all areas of our lives, so that if we need or desire solitude, we have to scrounge for it, with something like a time clock set for the next interruption which often turns out to be a total break from what we're doing.  How I imagined all the free time I'd have when moving into this lovely retirement community, only to realize later what I was giving up. 

During 2014 to date, I've completed reading only two books! Three and a half months, think of it! Only two books, when I used to average 100 a year. Of course, I've done some writing and that really takes a great deal of time for even a small job, both fiction and things like blogging. (Blogging is by far, not the extent of my nonfiction writing.) I think there must have been 27 and 1/2 hours a day in my previous life, when there was time to read. And also time to sleep. I am almost not sleeping these nights. 

And for those of you not already in the know, let me tell you I have lost the sight of one eye. Yes, truly. It wasn't gradual; it happened overnight. I had mentioned here a black eye I woke up with one morning, perhaps a month ago or a little longer. There was no proof of reason for this occurrence; it did not hurt; and with treatment of a special bruise cream, I kept the black from moving down my face. I think I was probably sleeping on my right side and had no convenient place to rest my arm, and so it went where it wanted to go, apparently right to my eye socket. I might have rubbed the eye in my sleep. Then a couple of weeks ago, I awoke with the ball of my palm stuck tight to that same eye. When I peeled the hand away, the sight in that eye was gone. The retina specialist said he could not reverse it. And now one of those interruptions has just called time.

NAMING MY STORY

When I write creatively, the title of the work usually comes to me early in the story and does not change. When I finish the piece, the title is just right. With my latest story that was not the case. When I realized no title had manifested itself while the story was in progress, I knew something was wrong with it. I laid it aside to think about that and resumed reading the novel by Joanne Harris, THE GIRL WITH NO SHADOW. The girl in that story had her colors. It seemed no one could see the purples and reds about her person except perhaps other people without shadows like her. Unwittingly, or perhaps unconsciously, I had given my character similar colors, several shades of purple (but no lavender), but not at all used in the same way as the other girl's colors. Innocent as I was, I decided to delete all those colors from my story and did so in about four minutes. 

Instantly the right title came to me! A perfect title. You see, the girl with no shadow was a witch, but my girl was no such thing. In fact, she was a good person who wanted to do things right and went out of her way, literally, righting things.

Why do I say no lavender? My maternal grandmother, over a century ago, wore black and white, and gray, and lavender. Of those four colors, only lavender spelled "old" to me. I do not like it to this day. But orchid is a lovely color. I wear it and I am not a witch.

KRAUTHAMMER STILL AT THE TOP

Yesterday I heard Krauthammer's THINGS THAT MATTER has been at the top of the Best Selling list for 23 weeks! If you've missed this one, you're the loser.

 DAYS SANS BOOKS

It has been several days since I've read in a book, except the Bible. I am eager to get back to writing about books. That's what this blog is about. But let me tell you one result of my reading my short story last Sunday: we are getting a new sound system for this place, after some of my listeners couldn't hear the story well while others could. I'll read the story for them again but on another day of the week. There is an especially interesting way the title for the story showed up, that will go in the blog when there is time to write it. But I've decided to send the story out to a certain magazine, a literary quarterly, and so, it will not be published onblog. 

Some highly interesting tidbits to appear here for the literary minded. Soon. Keep in touch. ***

A BIT OF AN UPDATE

Though there is no spare time waiting around, I'll nudge a note in here to tell you that yesterday I read my latest short story to a group of approximately 30 listeners, most of them women but six or so men. Upstairs Bingo was probably going strong, with other activities also in progress. I was delighted that so many of our brainier residents chose to hear some original fiction instead and more delighted that so many of them came up to me to praise the work. I do not know if this will go out for possible publication or if I should publish it in this blog. I'll think about that.

But somewhere I must find time to ready my tax information for my accountant. That should be done before doing anything with the story. 

I have less than one chapter to read in the book I mentioned, by Ann Coulter. I am eager to talk about that.

WHAT ELSE HAPPENED

To continue what was taking place here the past few days, I'll jump right to it. The missing of the Malaysia 777 took a great deal of my time. Such events that concern our country (Didn't Boeing manufacture the plane?) I am always interested in, such mishaps, or crimes as the case might be. This trait in me is strong, and probably is what led me to join the Navy during wartime. I want things about my country done right by it and it to do right by others. This latest incident is a real dilly, and somewhere may be a legion of demons celebrating their success. Of course, evil doesn't win in the long run. I haven't caught up with the events today yet, for I've been busy writing blogs. I've just finished my second meal of the day except for fruit -- at 5:30 -- and plan to eat again around 9:00, after taking a long walk and having caught up on a bit of news. I haven't seen or heard anyone in person today yet. What a great uninterrupted writing session. 

We got word we did not get the piano we were hoping for. So, we are doing okay with a borrowed keyboard. The piano will eventually come.

Our chef was out over a week, recuperating from surgery and we really missed him. Another cook was fired, probably a good thing. 

I have no vision strong enough for reading other people's blogs. The last time I checked any of them, they were tiny print on top of photographs, and in microscopic writing elsewhere. I knew they were not written for me to read. I am, at the moment, typing in the largest font size available to me, but afterwards, if I don't forget, it will be transposed to a smaller size but not the microscopic. To speak straight, like Ann Coulter, for example, I shall add when any print comes to me in size 10, 11, or 12, I wonder if that person is stingy in other areas of his life! Many business communications are like that, and then, when you look for the telephone number to reply to, or the address, it's in the finest of print, likely lost in a web address that you can't answer to. That may be an attempt to thwart you not to reply and keep being charged with the sum stated, or whatever. 

Also, the white print on the deep blue background of my blog, makes it easier for readers to read. It is not my favorite color, but is the easiest color. A blog is, first of all, to be communication. Why disguise it, I ask. 

A Webster Collegiate Dictionary abides in my computer, making it extremely easy to see if I have used correctly the word being sought. If there were not these adjuncts to writing, I just couldn't write creatively. *** 

SOUNDS LIKE SPY STUFF

While looking over my blogs of late, I made an interesting discovery. One graph showed a recent huge day of hits and when I checked to see what I wrote, I found a certain blog had been deleted by the Blogger. That is okay by me. I wouldn't want to cause an international incident, particularly at this time of crisis.

Then stranger stuff in addition. This blog doesn't want to move.*** 

MY TOP FIVE BLOGS

Occasionally I check to see what bogs of mine have been the most read and what the category is. The list covers only the last year and a few months. Here they are: 

#1-"The 39 Steps and North by Northwest;" 426 hits to date. The category is certainly about two entertaining films, but also about international intrigue including spies and romance. 

#2-"Krauthammer, the Smartest Man on Television," 238 hits to date. When this one was climbing the charts, so to speak, numerous readers were in Poland. The popularity for this blog has waned. Since I am an independent blogger and not connected with face book, etc., I do not expect to find many pageviews in addition for this one. But Mr. K is still the smartest man on television. 

#3-"Man's Unconquerable Mind," 223 hits to date. This is a work of philosophy, a subject that many may think is for just the elect, but this gem is about all people. It makes you think. It gets occasional hits still. 

#4-"Earliest Memories" 198 hits to date. This psychological blog may educe either sad or happy memories. Some readers might not wish to go there. 

#5-"Yours Is the Earth," 108 hits to date. This blog, with the additional blogs about this same book, has been called "the last chapter" to a factual book which was lacking its last and highly important chapter. I was deeply touched by the six comments that came with this blog, all from strangers. I had no idea I held the answer to a historic question which had been bothering them for several decades. 

I will continue to check the list from time to time, and see if another blog will join the ranks of the first five. ***  

THE SMARTEST WOMAN ON TELEVISION

She's not a daily participant on the telly, but a regular outstanding brain from time to time. Such as Krauthammer is the smartest man on television, Ann Coulter is the smartest woman on television. She has a law degree, writes for more than one publication, was the Writer in Depth for three hours one Weekend on C-SPAN, and has authored several books, this one being DEMONIC, copyrighted in 2011. I began reading this fascinating number before moving here, but there is such a thing as one book's getting into competition with another one. But I will continue to read this one along with DUTY, depending on how capable I am for holding the heavier book at the time. 

Coulter begins her book with quoting Jesus from Mark 5:2-9. This passage features the word "legion" which refers to a multitude of demons in this case. What a powerful take-off for a book about the legion comprising the ignorant in our society who must be plagued by demons. They have another name, but I'll leave that for you to discover for yourself.

The author writes (and speaks) straight talk without apology. She quotes surprising speech from names we know and documents every quotation. She must spend hours reading each day to learn so much of current transgressions by the nigh and mighty. From watching her book-signing on television when DEMONIC debuted, I estimate her audience is highly masculine and that is understandable. Perhaps men can take her straight talk better than females. Perhaps some women are jealous of her beautiful extra long blond hair and her slender body, and her ownership of a residence in New York and another in Florida. I prefer to brag on her, especially for her upbringing in a family that had family prayers. I think she was the only girl with a couple of brothers. Maybe they furnished the opportunity for her to learn to be tough and speak tough while remaining a lady. You need to read this book, if you have not done so. ***

ONE WAY OF LEARNING SOMETHING

It is great to find a few minutes to write another blog after a real ordeal of insomnia. It is now 11:36 a. m., on Saturday and I'm just having my breakfast hot chocolate. No plans to go downstairs for lunch, as plenty of food is on hand in my apartment. Let me see how short I can make this, to tell you the interesting highlights of my life, as boring as they might well be for you. I shall go backward with the events. 

Two days ago, our Executive Director, who has an RN degree as well as a master's degree in another field, asked my permission to call my doctor to get a prescription for my insomnia. (If I had called, without that RN after my name, I would not have received this fast service.) He did some research and replied yesterday with an Rx he had called in to my druggist, and one of our chauffeurs drove me there to pick it up. I looked forward to a good night's sleep and went to bed by 10:00. It took an hour to get to sleep and then I woke at midnight, too wide awake to expect further sleep at that time. So, I got up to read. 

I could hardly move my body to get out of bed. That took at least a couple of minutes. Once on the side of the bed, it took at least five minutes to fit my feet into the waiting slippers. I was too afraid to try bending down to pick one up, for fear of falling on over. When I managed to stand, I found my legs almost totally disabled. But holding on to furniture and doors, I got to my chair in the living room, got the lights turned on and my feet up, and picked up a lighter-weight book than DUTY. (See next blog for that one.) After reading a while, at 4:30 I got back into bed and didn't sleep for another hour or so, and then slept till almost 10:00! This sleeping aid had worked in reverse, knocking my legs out from under me and keeping me awake. I shall not repeat this tonight. Enough of this sort of thing now.  

Our manicurist here is reading my copy of THE GIRL WITH NO SHADOW and loves it. I thought she would. She has a unique situation: when she is waiting for the next client to show, she places the book right on her table, under the special light, and reads. *** 

AT LEAST HERE'S A CONNECTION

As you might have guessed, I've had a holiday away from blogging, while staying right here. I want to continue that holiday for Pete is still acting up. However, time will not allow much blogging for a while, for other jobs have priority. Like taxes and such nuisances.

 I am reading Robert Gates's DUTY and find it most interesting. The man who loaned this book to me was reading my copy of THINGS THAT MATTER but it proved too much for him. He gave it back today. I imagine Krauthammer's vocabulary was just too challenging for him. Oh, what he missed! And TTM is still on the nest-selling list, according to O'Reilly.

I've noticed my blog about the two movies "The 39 Steps" and "North by Northwest" continues to be read, or perhaps only looked at, but clicked on at least, several hundred times. Last night I saw about half of Hitchcock's earlier version of STEPS, and turned it off. The 2008 version is so much better.

With British films, I think Americans understand the speech better if the actors have started their careers on the stage, and have learned how to speak to the audience in person. Joan Hickson was the perfect Miss Marple and the several actresses who have tried the role since the death of Hickson, just aren't up to par. They speak as if they have worked only on film, and perhaps they have. ***

AN APOLOGY

What a goof! Today I realized the print on the new box of Fig Newtons said 110 calories for two of the newts, not 10 as I had read before! That sounds more reasonable and still better for your children than other types of cookies with more sugar. Amy brought this to my attention. If all our mistakes were this silly, wouldn't it be a wonderful world?

An apology needs to come from the cooks in our kitchen. They don't prove they know how to tenderize chicken and beef before cooking them. Tonight, even with a steak knife, I couldn't cut the beef. Our chef has been in the hospital for surgery, and we miss him. He would have taken that steak back and brought one that was cutable.

LIVING WITH INSOMNIA

Last night I awoke around 3:00, about a couple of hours after I'd finally gone to sleep. Wide awake, I got up, had a cup of hot chocolate, and got the short story ready to re-send to the editor of WOMAN'S WORLD. It is ready for Amy to take to the Post Office, if she ever gets here today. (She's facing some health problems with her father at this time. It's possible she won't get here today.)  I got back to bed around 5:00 and slept till after 9:00. 

When I lose sleep this way, it does not seem to make me feel less capable the day after, but if I toss and turn for hours, it takes its toll. So, if this pattern keeps up, perhaps I can write the great American short story. If there is such a thing.

Today begin the sessions of a new activity here, NEWS CURRENT. I expect to attend it in 30 minutes from now. Some will come, doubtlessly, thinking of local news. But that's not the idea. The Universe is to be our territory, and most likely Russia and Ukraine today. Thursday afternoon is not a time I would choose for this, for Thursday is usually my day out for shopping, etc. But the truth is, there is no ideal time to work something new into the schedule. Time to get ready for the session now.

WHAT'S BETWEEN THE EYES

For several days I've been noticing something on the telly that needed to be written about. Some of you may disagree with me, but many of you will recognize what I'm talking about has been around a long time and is firmly believed. It is about that space between your eyes. The width of that space means something. The age-old saying is that an extra narrow space between the eyes is a bad thing, even amounting to depravity. But before you look into a mirror, please hear me out. There are the narrow spaces and there are the pinched spaces, which are also narrow. These can mean different things. As I watch TV, I notice such characteristics on famous faces. And recently there has been a goodie. Before I tell you that one, let me say numerous of these famous faces have a small space between the eyes, but I hadn't noticed any pinched ones till lately.

What you must take into account is the whole face, whether it is square, long, oval, broad, or whatever. That space in question should rest comfortable so that one does not notice it. A long face might have a narrow space more likely than a broad face, etc. But if that space is pinched, not suiting the human face comfortably at all, beware! He or she may be a killer. Do not consider the age lines that cut deep in between the eyes as time goes by. The real pinched look has always been there. Take a look at Vladimir Putin's face if you want to see what I'm talking about. And he is a famous killer.

Years after I learned about the narrow space between the eyes meaning anything, I read about the extra wide space between the eyes! What a shock to find that means the same thing as the narrow spaces! So I've convinced myself this trait must not be so extreme. Many beautiful women have this attribute but the only one I can put a name to is Jackie Onassis. Her beauty was acclaimed, partly because of that feature. Now forget this about her and go back to the other name I gave you.

The next time you see Vladimir Putin's close-up on the telly, notice his pinched space and try to take in the idea that this killer has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for 2014.

HARRY REID IN HOT WATER

If you have not kept up with the news lately, you might have missed this one item. Majority Leader of the U. S.Senate, Harry Reid, has called the people complaining about losing their insurance which deprives them of costly drug treatments--liars! He repeats the idea with other words in addition, such as making up the story "out of whole cloth." He proves he watches the wrong television channel to get the news. Perhaps NBC and other channels might fabricate such a story, and I can't see Harry Reid watching Fox News. His head has long been down in the sand. 

If you don't know the man I'm talking about, search for him in action in the Senate. How did he ever get elected leader? He is not a good public speaker and does not have the appearance as a speaker or leader of anything. His voice is weak and he holds his head generally in a way that says he is opposed to any other's opinion whatever it may be. He will likely be facing lawsuits over this humongous error. 

A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT AND A PLUS

The short story you've heard was in the process of creation was finished about a week or two ago. I had bought a small voice recorder and the plan was to record the story for a small group of readers here, without their knowing whose voice it was or who wrote the story. I might have given a prize to anyone who guessed correctly. Last night I tried recording it. Brand new recorder and brand new batteries. I couldn't believe what I heard: what sounded like a man's voice and in slow motion! I found nothing on the machine about speed control. I learned also it must have been picking up a sound every time I moved the screen higher, although I could not hear the sound myself. The next try will be from across the room. 

This story is fiction, of course, but as I wrote about a situation that is out of this world, I realized certain facets of this existence that might really be possible. That made the point of the story more profound as well as explaining questions in the dialogue. It is a situation that needs its own word, for our vocabulary is lacking one for this situation--I imagine. In time, perhaps this scientific or psychological discovery (not necessarily beneficial) will have real possibility and the word will already be there for it! So I probably shall let one of the characters, perhaps the main character, create the new word. It could go into dictionaries in time. This new word will relate to a subject that has to do with one or more of my most popular blogs with numerous readers. I think it will be of interest to many of you, as those blogs keep having pageviews.  

It just occurs to me that the classification for this story may be, in the long run, Scientific Fiction, without my intention. Perhaps it needs more thorough editing for that. The horizon is always climbing higher! 

WHAT GEORGE WASHINGTON SAID

March 1st, in this location, is overcast, a dreary look outside, and I believe a bit of wind blowing. If I looked down further, I might see the sidewalks are wet. So little rain here, but now California farm land is getting the rain. Good! I wonder what everyone thinks about the weather phenomena we've had in recent months and that we expect to continue into a very hot summer this year. Scientists have answers, of course (not Al Gore), but they are not giving God any credit or blame about weather, when He may be trying to get our attention. 

Some of our attention should focus on Putin and his aim for Ukraine. The Russian Parliament has approved his use of armed forces in Ukraine. Our president said something in reply, but will he be believed? His weakness has spread far and wide over the world. His plan to cut our military power down to pre-WWII size lets the world know he does not mean business with his threats. Why is this president doing everything in the opposite way it should be done? Are all those czars he put into good jobs as advisers coming up with these ideas and is his I.Q. not high enough to understand what they come up with? It must be that, that he has a low I.Q., right?

George Washington wrote that in order to plan for peace, we must be prepared for war. That's common sense. Who would attack us if we were armed to the hilt? As someone in the news said recently, in essence, it's far better to be fully prepared for battle and never need it, than to meet the enemy and not be prepared. ***

PIANO, NEWSLETTER, READING, AND A WITCH

March 1st, today, a new beginning in short time. Fortified with my yellow cup of hot chocolate with a hint of nutmeg, I'll bring my readers up to date on a few things. The baby grand piano is selected and the last I heard of it, our Executive Director was awaiting a call back on the price. I don't pester her about that, but I'm eager for it to materialize in our dining room. Because some miracles happen here after hours (quite a staff working here then), last night after 10:00, I took a walk and checked out the dining room. No piano yet.

Our first newsletter has come out. The E. D. had asked me to read her article in advance and "make corrections" if needed. As that is my delight sort of thing, I agreed. I kept waiting for it. Then yesterday, while I was sitting under the hair dryer in the salon, she came in, spoke to the hairdresser, and then saw me. She said she had been to my suite, looking for me. She held a paper in her hand, her article for me to read and she needed it in the next few minutes! And there I was, no good pen in my purse and without my magnifying glass! The manicurist loaned me a pen, the regular type that I shun, but I took it. The typing seemed to me about a font size 8 but I did the best I could. (It was probably actually 12.) The newsletter turned out fine. I found my copy in my mail-holder at my door (not mailbox). If my services are required next month, I hope to be ready with the better pen and with my magnifying glass.

Now for my reading, which has been spasmodic and quite brief because of other requirements. I lack only about 35 pages in THE GIRL WITH NO SHADOW. You'd finish it easily, but you would not be holding the heavy book in your left hand and a magnifying glass in your right, would you? The pages are not short, but are well-packed with words. And at the beginning of each chapter, I have to read a while before knowing who is talking. I believe this book, among several other descriptions, is a murder story. A particular murder hasn't happened yet, but there is the love of money. You recall, I assume, that the love of money is the root of all evil. I anticipate the "no shadow" girl will steal a life for the money she gains in the process. She admits to stealing other lives, even her own mother's. I don't recommend this book.

My hot chocolate is all gone. Do try it with nutmeg. It won't turn you into a witch. I'm having my lunch today in my suite so that I can get some work done. But before that I must finish breakfast. ***

SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO

Another gorgeous day at 9:00, breakfast time. We have a Residents' meeting today and are expecting some good news about living here. We heard some of this yesterday and I am excited. I must tell you about one item of interest. Our Executive Director has been looking around to purchase a new or newish affordable piano for our dining room. She was having a problem finding a good used baby grand. And then I received something special in the mail. 

A university in Nampa, which is my alma mater, sent me its annual notice of pianos for sale. It listed several famous makes. I had the office to place this letter in the E. D.'s mailbox and forgot about it. At yesterday's "Chat with Janine," she said that thanks to me, she was on the hunt for a piano again. She has an appointment in two days to see these pianos, some of which are baby grands. (As a side note, the university is going "all Steinway," for the future.)

Further excitement includes this place's getting rid of its guest suites and directing over-night guests to nearby Marriott Hotel at a reduced price. This allows us more suites here for people moving in. And they are coming in all the time. Some leave, of course, for various reasons, but growth is imminent. Soon, with all the changes taking place, this will be the most desired retirement facility in the Treasure Valley. 

STILL A BEAUTIFUL DAY EVEN AFTER 15 MINUTES

This is the same beautiful day, my door to the outside is still open, and at 2:30 I'm finally dressed for the day and have had lunch in my apartment. I must go walking and check my mailbox downstairs. That reminds me of something to tell you writers out there. Several months ago, last May I think, I mailed a short story to a popular magazine, WOMAN'S WORLD.  It was a romance, as they require, and I haven't heard from them since. When this happens, it means the story might be chosen for publication. The WW guidelines say not to e-mail them or call them about it, just send the story in again, giving the date of the first mailing! There has been no time for doing so, but I still hope to manage it. 

The other mag I sent a story to has the same problem. ALFRED HITCHCOCK MYSTERY MAGAZINE has kept my story for several months with no word. Its guidelines do accept e-mail inquiry, I recall, but I haven't had time for doing that. I have to skip meals downstairs to do anything about the writing world, and still I pay for the meal missed downstairs. This situation has become severe enough that I do not return business calls, and at certain times I try not to make a dash to answer the phone. There are four phones in my suite and apparently manned by foreigners, whom I cannot understand. Or they fly with their memorized speeches that I just tell them they are not speaking clearly. I hear their noise, but their enunciation is way off, for they do this all day long. There needs to be a course of training for telephone callers from a business. Well, when I become Empress . . . 

Now a letter to write to one of these business places for the telephone is out! I brought home a form to fill out about the saleswoman's service and then she promptly called  to ask how I liked the merchandise I had purchased from her! I was too busy to do either of these things. Now the letter, in which I shall point out AGAIN to her I don't have time for these things. Some people, perhaps most, never hear you when you tell them that. 

BEAUTY FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES

What a beautiful spring day it is here! The door to my porch has been open for hours, well before my arising. I love the fresh air and perhaps a walk around the building is in order today.

I didn't see much of the Olympics for so many other topics in the news were more important. The uprising in Ukraine is over now, with the trial of that losing president now coming up. Korbachev, former premier of soviet Russia, says it's a real mess, but can be resolved. Remember him? He's the one that President Reagan told to "tear down this wall." Though many would-be dictators will take note, their "logical" conclusion will likely be that they could have succeeded better than Yanoukovych did, and grabs for such power will still be sought. History repeats itself and we should all learn from it that ultimately right wins over evil. Dictators in world history are famous by their horrible deaths.

Last night the producers of a new movie "Son of God" were featured in an hour's interview. Have you ever heard of any Hollywood movie-makers asking people to pray for the production at the beginning of work on it? Mark Burnett and Roma Downey, a married couple, told of such spiritual preparation. I'd like to encourage all my readers to see this film. I'll have to wait for the DVD for I don't go to theaters these days. I'm sure this program last night was more enjoyable and beneficial than the Olympic wind down.

GOOD AND BAD THINGS TO REPORT

I just checked and learned Parliament has ousted the president of Ukraine! I am eager to get back to reading all these stories. But first, i'd better go down to lunch. 

The News Police is now not planned mainly because of the outcry of the journalists who would be involved and others. However, history tells us it may happen piecemeal and not be realized till the victims get acclimated to it. That is, sneaked in.

Yesterday I learned that another citizens' revolt is going on in Venezuela. I count at least three countries who are each fighting for their freedom. 

HE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE THIS WAY

Why should the self-promoter-in-extreme, most popular host on cable television for what -- 15 years or is it 51? -- act so cocky? Does he not know we can see through him? For instance, he has on his show many persons who already work for his channel. But who are they? Well, the females are, it seems, the most beautiful bottle blondes on the staff. One of them was Miss America. Sure, they have to be smart. Several have law degrees, perhaps all of them do.  
But what about the men from the same staff whom he chooses for his show? Do you ever see darling Bret Baier on this cocky guy's show? Or handsome Brit Hume? Or gorgeous James Rosen? Seldom, if at all. I mean, there in person at the next seat at the table, like the women. (Of course, with his chair lower than the cocky guy's chair. Yes, I know the cocky guy's height.) The ones he usually picks are less handsome than he himself. Some are brilliant. But in this part of the country, however, one has the reputation of being a wife-beater, his first wife. I don't know if that is true, but it came from a reliable source. I did not like to see this man join this channel, from another channel perhaps. The one really good male choice he made was to use Charles Krauthammer once a week, a man both handsome and brilliant. But he could not ignore Krauthammer, could he now? Perhaps some of his fame might rub off onto the cocky guy. Then when this cocky man takes a day off, and has a male substitute for his show, he is likely less handsome than the cocky one. The usual female sub is great and also beautiful. 

What a psychological study!  This cocky man has many traits to admire. He is a huge success. So, why does he have to be this way? It belittles him.

INSOMNIA, QUITE A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT

Questionable to-be weather here this morning. It looks pleasant outside but the sun has not shown its face. I'll wait 15 minutes for that. I read till 12:05 this morning and slept till 8:30. Great for me. I have always been an insomniac. As I look back over 30 years of teaching high school English, I wonder how I got by repeatedly on nights of 2 or 3 hours of sleep. I'm in Edison's Club. Rarely did I sleep in on Saturday. 

I developed my insomnia before school age by going to bed and thinking up stories in the dark. I created in my mind a whole family of people to follow in episodes. I met these interesting people after my high school days. Last night, I got to sleep by seeing what they were now up to. The youngest daughter of three, is the main character currently, as she has been for at least the past 20 years or so (at the same age). She has met the love of her life, but hasn't married him yet. She has been busy getting her Ph.D. and then an LLD before age 22, writing best-sellers since age 13, rejecting numerous suitors, designing and making her own beautiful clothes that every other young female goes looking for in department stores! Not believable? Well, yes, but this is make-belief. She also sings beautifully, plays piano and violin, but gives them up for her writing. She speaks several languages. She writes literary mysteries. What else would you expect? And her sisters and her one brother are all beautiful and well educated as she is -- almost, but she's the only daughter with a law degree -- but they all have different interests. She also is on the adjunct faculty of the university her father is president of! One afternoon per week she teaches creative writing for two and a half hours with a break. Of course! Yes, she follows my own interests, not that I actually realized hers. 

Time to finish breakfast now, in time for lunch. Not much change in the weather in these fifteen minutes. Yesterday, when Amy and I took my black eye to the doctor, it was spitting rain and snow. I hardly paid attention to it. I wasn't driving. ***

TWO SITUATIONS TO WATCH DEVELOPING

First, it seems that the fighting in Ukraine has to do with Putin, president of Russia. On the opening night of the Olympics, he was quoted as saying that the demise of the Soviet Union was one of the worst happenings ever, or something to that affect. Now we hear he wants Ukraine back into the Russian net. One article about this calls Putin a "thuggish" leader. He earned that description of himself by heading the KGB, an Intelligence branch of the NKVD, if I have these initials right. It's not easy to remember data of the initial kind. 

 The other situation to watch is what is already called the News Police. Where? In the United States of America. The president has said a government inspector will "inspect" news agencies where they are. This is, of course, unconstitutional. The president says he taught the Constitution for ten years. So he knows just how to break it. Greta Van Susteren says she didn't believe she'd live to see this day. She's on the television channel that the president watches, we are told, for he thinks it's giving out the real facts. He cannot allow that. So, they are all up for inspection, but most viewers will likely feel he's after just one channel. 

I warned you of the current presidential Power Grab and advised you to do something about it. Actually, I think Congress may be working on this very grab of power, but it takes them forever to get it done. 

ABOUT WINNING

It's still a wonderful day here but at the moment, not quite as sunny as it was earlier. However, our weather here is noted for changing in another fifteen minutes. You just wait for it! I never keep up with our local forecasts but see the weather on the telly occasionally. I do try to keep up with the weather in other parts of the country, where I have family scattered about. More of my attention goes to those areas where people are fighting for their lives for freedom, such as in Ukraine currently. Perhaps the evening news will give more details.

My blog these days has quite a few readers in Russia, likely as not Americans there for the Games. Maybe they are looking for some publicity about themselves and their wins. Who knows? Keep reading. But for me, the more important wins are always those of subjugated people gaining their freedom. ***

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MORNING

This morning I awoke to a bright sunny day, with birds seemingly learning to sing out my open window. Really, they sounded like babies. It was 9:20 and I'd gone to bed at 1:20 this morning. What a great sleep, especially after four consecutive nights of sleeping only 2, 3, or 4 hours. And what a joy to wake up surrounded by the new watermelon-red bed sheets. Now I'm having my hot chocolate and in no hurry to dine downstairs for lunch today. There is so much else to do here and going down just might spoil the morning's perfection. 

I was reading late last night. My friend Jack finished reading DUTY and brought it to me to read. I am not far into the over 600-page book yet, but I must tell you what a hit the author has already made with me by his sense of humor. It took a while just to look at the photographs with their comments. One said, "Just another dinner with fellow government workers, visitors, and spouses."  The line-up shows Gates, Prince Philip, Laura Bush, Queen Elizabeth, George W. Bush, and Becky Gates. 

Still in the reading process is the book THE GIRL WITH NO SHADOW. Over half-way through it, I'll stick with it. There are witches in it, more than two, I think. But I'm learning more about chocolate. I am sure this author knows all about chocolate. I must remember to buy some nutmeg for my chocolate, a change from cinnamon. Only the author uses 70% dark chocolate, not milk chocolate, and cooks it in a pot. I microwave mine! 

Two more things to tell you before I finish my breakfast. Last Saturday morning I awoke with a black eye, a bad one. I suppose I rubbed it in my sleep. Sunglasses help when I show my face and tomorrow evening I should look much better, for that afternoon, I'm getting permed. ***

A MOMENT NONPAREIL

Under the honey locust

a breeze whips at me.

It's my childhood again

when skies were like 

this blue today with such 

white clouds.

Nothing stirs. Nothing.

Not a motor of the city

sounds.

No bird calls.

A lack of trees reveals

vast heavens, lets me know

the world is mine.

All this, as far as

I can see, is mine

and no other knows. 

Not one soul.

             -Lindsley Rinard