Book Review: Lessons from Lucy by Dave Barry.

If you are on my book receiving Christmas list, get ready...you're getting a copy of this wonderful book.

From the book's blurb:
"Faced with the obstacles and challenges of life after middle age, Dave Barry turns to his best dog, Lucy, to learn how to live his best life. From “Make New Friends” (an unfortunate fail when he can’t overcome his dislike for mankind) to “Don’t Stop Having Fun” (validating his longtime membership in a marching unit that performs in parades—and even Obama’s inauguration), Dave navigates his later years with good humor and grace. 
Lucy teaches Dave how to live in the present, how to let go of daily grievances, and how to feel good in your own skin. The lessons are drawn from Dave’s routine humiliations and stream-of-consciousness accounts of the absurdities of daily life, which will leave you heaving with laughter and recognition."

Steven King said, "I laughted until I fell off my chair." My reaction was, 'yeah, sure, Steve.' But now I believe him. I laughed so hard, I almost choked to death, several times. I think Dave Barry has been stalking me and then writing about this old lady. It was all so honest and spot on for those of us in Dave's age group. 

If you love dogs, you'll love this book. I can just see all the dog lovers in my family smiling and thinking 'yep, that's my dog.'

If you have trouble with today's technology, you'll you love this book. I truly believe Dave watched me trying to take photos with my phone and then rushed home and wrote about it. My grandchildren are going to roll their eyes and think, 'that's Mimi' when reading this chapter.

If you've lost touch with so many old friends and don't care to make the extra effort to make new ones, you'll nod with understanding and some nostalgia as you read about Dave's friendships.

If you've ever tried to order refills of your medications, or unsubscribe to something, or get help from a cable company, you will be shouting your agreement with Dave when he tells of his experiences along that line.

You get my drift. This is a book we can ALL relate to. And I'm not exaggerating, all my families with get a copy of this book for Christmas. Even the 'non'readers. 

Thank's for the laughs, Dave. Sometimes we all need to laugh at ourselves and know that we are not alone in our misery.

I received my copy of Lessons From Lucy through Net Galley. Thank you so much. Book is not available until late October but you can preorder as I am. Now if only I can catch up with Dave when I get my box full and have him autograph them for me. But no one comes to Tally for book signings.  Not even Dave!

Book Review: The Romanov Empress...by C.W. Gortner

Book Review The Romanov Empress: A Novel of Tsarina Maria Feodorovna

From the book's blurb: 

"Even from behind the throne, a woman can rule. 

Narrated by the mother of Russia’s last tsar, this vivid, historically authentic novel brings to life the courageous story of Maria Feodorovna, one of Imperial Russia’s most compelling women, who witnessed the splendor and tragic downfall of the Romanovs as she fought to save her dynasty in its final years."

This lovely historical novel is the story of Dagmar, called Minnie, a teenager from an improvished line of Royals in Denmark. She seemed doomed to a second or third place in history, but she rose to become an Empress of Russia through her marriage to Alexander III and she became the Mother of the last Tzar of Russia, Nicholas. She lived in splendor and in hiding and depravation.  Both were vividly described by the author.

More importantly for me, the author brought to live all the various members of the Russian royal family. So often they are not as clearly delineated, one from another, and they simlply become a mass of humanity. This time the characters were real, with real foibles and strengths.

The Empress is shown as a daughter, wife, and mother. She is loved and honored, and sometimes used by those in power, but through her strength of character she proves that even from behind the throne, a woman can rule. I liked Tsarina Maria Feodorovna, Minnie. Thank you, C. W. Gortner for making her come alive for me.

Last week, July 17th, was the 100th year anniversary of the Imperial family's murder. The Empress was not with the family during their imprisonment, so she escaped their fate. In Grotner's novel we learn of her later years as she tried to find her place in the world after the Russian Revolution.

This is a must read if you like good historical fiction about the Romanov's. Now svailable online and at major outlets. I received an advance reading copy from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

 

Writing Childhood Memories for someone else. Or, everyone has a story to tell.

I recently completed a three year project that had me digging into the childhood memories of a friend. I'm writing this post because I think others should do this for loved ones, friends, even strangers. Strangers, you ask. Yes. Work through your locale elder care services, VFW, American Legion, or retirement community, and they can point you to those in their care who have stories to tell and are willing, even wanting to tell them, but no one to listen.

For instance, what about the old man on the corner who sold fruits and veggies from his garage for years. He would even play his guitar for you if you asked. Now he's living in a retirement community. Did you know that he has a story to tell? He is a decorated WWII vet. Returning home, he toured with several country music groups. For most of us, he simply became "the tomato man on the corner." But, he has stories to tell, and his stories, and countless others like his, should be recorded and left for posterity.

One of our local retirement communities sponsors a summer history academy open to high school students. Student's families may attend which is how I became involved. The focus, however, is on the student and the resident as the resident tells his or her story. Often students meet with the residents more than once and hear their stories in detail. The students then write the history of that resident for books being compiled by the resident chaplin at the community. The books remain in the community's commons room.

We've heard from a lovely woman who was a young girl in London during the bombing of WWII.  We've heard from a State Supreme Court Justice involved in two of our state's largest stories in years. and from a couple who met during WWII in Japan and fell in love. It took an act, signed by President Truman, for them to marry.

One quiet lady shyly looked at the young high school girls sitting just across the table from her when she was describing her life in occupied Poland and said, "I don't know if I should describe what happened next to these lovely children." Our older population, wherever you live, whether they're family members or not, have stories to tell.

Now, about my friend...Terry has been in my life for for 40 years. We've worked together, played together and traveled together. For several years we left our husbands at home, and traveled somewhere for a "wild" girls' getaway week. Now she is unable to do this, so I go to her. She lives in a community without access to anyone to record her memories for her. There is no such program as described above and there are no family members to help. She is becoming less and less able to order her thoughts for periods of time. She is also losing her eyesight. She wanted her childhood memories recorded while she could recall some of them. So we got to work.

At first she could recall an event or a preson or two. Soon, each thing remembered brought up another memory. I was traveling from my home to hers, about 1000 miles each way, once or twice a year, and there were phone calls each day. She would call so excited for she had 'just' remembered something else. Memories were not in order and were often retold several times, sometimes with changes in the memory.

Still, through laughter and tears, we persevered, and now she has a product. The story of her life from birth until college. Because her father was career military, her memories come from places around the world. What looked like it would be just a few pages is now 161 pages, complete with photos from her childhood and photos I found online that augment her memories. It is large print, 24 pt text. That size fits under her table size magnifier and looks wonderful. And in a pinch, for just a moment, she can look at the book without help from others or her machine. She is proud of her accomplishment, and frankly, so am I.

You may think you know Grandma's story, or Dad's adventures, but you may be surprised at all the new stories he or she might have to offer you. You may think that old woman living alone down the street is nothing but trouble, but she may have an enchanting story to share with you. So, find an elderly person who would love for you to record their life story. You might just make a new friend who will enrich your life.

My entire family became involved in the writing of Terry's story. Each in their own way helping me and thus helping Terry. Even our youngest granddaughter. She saw the title and turned to me with a question. "But Mimi, I thought you said she is your friend. Why are you calling her a brat?" Time for the teacher in me to explain a new concept to a granddaughter and time for Terry to have a new memory, for after I told her this little story, she remembers it exactly and with a big smile on her face, repeats it to anyone who will listen.

Happy Birthday Heart of my Heart

It's here. Jim's 82nd birthday. He is active, young at heart, and the heart of my heart. Two years ago when we celebrated his 80th birthday, a former employee of his at the Orlando Sentinel wrote Jim a lovely tribute. I'm printing it here for our family and friends who may not have seen it.
Picture, if you will late 1969, journalism and newsrooms of the day. Man has just landed on the moon and...

From Bill Dunn: July 8 2016

 80 years! Them’s a lot of years, Jim… Why, you’re older than chocolate chips! Older than Nylon and that mystery meat Spam! You’ve even been around longer than MGM’s Wizard of Oz...and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. 

But birthdays are nothing to be afraid of, pal -- it’s been scientifically proven that people who have the most birthdays live longer.

Officially an octogenarian, you’ve now outlived most of the wits and nit-wits who were our sidekicks back in the day… laboring as we did in smoke-filled newsrooms filled with gluepot fumes, serenaded by that bell-clanging symphony of wire service teletype machines, the clatter of typewriters and pneumatic tubes crashing into wooden boxes… I know, I know, it sounds more like a TV game show, but to think we labored in that cuckoo’s nest with the goal of getting our facts straight. What were we thinking?

You may be 80, Jim, one of the last men standing who remembers all that stuff, but to me you’ll always be that dashing young editor who moved about that maze of mayhem with all the cool efficiency of a honeybee drone on roller skates… Part boss, part buddy, there you were, always on the prowl for someone frazzled by headline or deadline... and asking, "How can I help?"

I’m especially grateful to you for going out of your way to help me “launch” my career when I arrived at the paper fresh out of J-school in the summer of ‘69… for not only adopting me but taking me home with you one memorable July night. On that occasion, as I recall, you taught me a thing or two about rapid-fire brainstorming … and also about professional dedication. Even with Faye and your precious newborn Tricia still down at the hospital, you babysat not-quite-two Dane with one hand and gave birth to the Apollo 11 moon landing keepsake edition with the other -- right there on your kitchen table! I’m not sure how impressed Faye was with your journalistic obstetrics, but as an aspiring newspaperman, I found it inspiring, for I knew that I had witnessed the true joys of labor and delivery.

Happy 80^th… Peace & all good things in the years ahead.

 -- Bill Dunn