{wordless wednesday} Hawk

Hawk from the White Clay Creek Fest

{read: fiction} So Much for That by Lionel Shriver

If you've been lucky enough to avoid chronic and/or serious illness or injury, this novel will be an eye-opener for you. Shriver tells the story of Glynis, whose diagnosis of mesothelioma and its subsequent treatment drains her husband's savings account - money Shep had been saving to escape to "The Afterlife," what he imagines to be an idyllic retreat in a country with a much lower cost of living. After many "research" trips, he's decided on Pemba, a Tanzanian island. But now, as Glynis's costly treatments drain his savings since many aren't covered by insurance, he watches his dream slide away. The novel also tells the story of Jackson Burdine and his family - notably, his wife, Carol, and daughter Flicka. Flicka has a rare, terminal illness, and the Burdines struggle under its financial and emotional costs.

The story is told by Shep and Jackson, and just as I was wishing for a chapter by Glynis or Carol (around page 200 or so), we do hear from Glynis. By this time, she's worn out from battling with cancer and side effects from the chemo, and maybe that's why we don't hear much from her own voice.

This is a story of the toll that caregiving exacts on a family, of the cost of healthcare, and of how much a life is worth when measured in dollars and cents. Near the end, Shep asks Glynis's oncologist how much extra time they've bought with the 15 months of treatments, which he estimates at about $2.1 million. "A good three months," the doctor estimates. "No," Shep says, "they were not good months."

This novel has its moments of humor to balance the serious content and a happy ending to reward those who stick it out. I found it almost compulsively readable and stayed up too late many nights, trying to get to the end.

So Much for That by Lionel Shriver (HarperCollins, 2010)
My rating: 4 stars

{food} yogurt popsicles

I have a picky eater at home; one that barely eats anything. When we have popsicles he is all over them, so I am looking for some creative ways to get some food in him. I will have to try these yogurt popsicles...yup, I have a toddler who won't touch yogurt, I thought all toddlers loved yogurt. These sound very refreshing:

"Healthy for them" yogurt popsicles

Ingredients:

Yield: 8 popsicles

• 3/4 cup milk
• 6 ounces cans preferred frozen juice concentrate (do not add water)
• 1 cup plain yogurt

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

1. 1 Mix all the ingredients using a blender.
2. 2 Pour into popsicle molds.
3. 3 Freeze and enjoy!

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/healthy-for-them-yogurt-popsicles-67664#ixzz1LrlOgGAD

{a thought for Thursday} Inspiration

"Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it." -- Madeleine L'Engle


Author event
Geraldine Brooks, author of People of the Book, March, and others, is touring for her newest book, Caleb's Crossing. It's the fictional story of the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. She will be at Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee at 7 p.m. May 12. Tickets are $5 for this closed-store event, and ticket holders will get 20 percent of the book's price.

Other tour dates are here.

{wordless wednesday}

{read: mystery} Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane

This book, the second in Lehane's Patrick Kenzie and Angela Gennaro series, has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing. Kenzie and Gennaro, private detectives in Boston, take a case in which a psychologist seems to be threatened by the Irish mafia and receives a picture of her son in the mail. But as the story develops and the gruesome deaths keep on coming, the evidence seems to point to a killer who's been in jail for 20 years. At the same time, Patrick is starting what might be a serious relationship with a surgical resident and Angie is struggling to put her 12-year marriage behind her.

Lehane's characters are troubled and flawed, yet realistic and funny. The prose is clean, the dialogue is crisp, and the pacing is perfect. I'm a huge fan of the Kenzie and Gennaro series. As one of my friends said, Kenzie and Gennaro are her favorite detective pair. I agree. The six books in this series, ending with the recently released Moonlight Mile, are time well spent.

Darkness, Take My Hand by Dennis Lehane (HarperTorch, 1996)
My rating: 5 stars

{crafts} Mother's Day: What we are Loving

Here are some crafts inspired by Mother's day, enjoy:

Twisted Around My Heart...... Hand Stamped Sterling Silver Heart Washer Necklace

I carry your heart in my heart - love quote wall art print

Limited Edition- Mommy and Baby Elephants - post earrings