Ponder Post: Windfallen

I did not enjoy Windfallen  by Jojo Moyes despite my very much liking Me Before You and One Plus One by same author.

The novel is set in post WW-II in the seaside town of Merham. One main character is an adolescent, Lottie, who had been evacuated from London to the English countryside for safety during the London bombings. Never really liked nor reclaimed by her mother, she is also a bit of an outsider within the seaside town family who shelters her. There was potential in this premise that I felt the author never fully explored. Lottie becomes fascinated one summer with a modern atypical house with its ocean view and unique architecture located near the home where she is staying. She also fascinated by its associated occupants. The residents of this architectural oddity were actor and artist types. The first third of the book, despite its picturesque setting, was boring, pompous, and confusing. I stuck with the book, but in retrospect I wish had not.

So why did I? Usually when I stick with a not-so-great book it is because "hope springs eternal" that it will get better or I have liked other works by the author. There was a bit of that this time but there was also another curious reason. The consistent link in this book was the white art deco Hollywoodesque house, perched on the cliffs of seaside town of Merham in England. Arcadia, as the house was named, was distinctly different from all the neighboring homes and therefore subject to suspicion from small minded townspeople.The remainder of the book focused on a renovation of the now deserted Arcadia and the designer directing the work for the new owner. I thought with my interest in home design and home decoration and my enjoyment of shows like Fixer Upper and Property Brothers on HGTV that the setting and central theme of the book would be to my taste. I was disappointed that there was insufficient description of the setting, renovation changes, or design process to woo me.

For the next two-thirds of the book, addressing the house conversion to a posh resort, an entirely new set of angst-filled characters was introduced. The remainder of the book was set in more modern times and so was not quite as tedious and circuitous in language as the first third. The main character for this portion is Daisy, the designer for the house renovation who has to cope with being a single parent after having been deserted by her partner and lover of five years shortly after the birth of their baby. The character links between the first third of the book and the remainder were too late in their revelation in my opinion. The book has innuendos of undisclosed homosexuality, several loveless marriages entered into for convenience or obligation, and two out-of wedlock births where the father is out of the picture, though for very different reasons in either case. Any budding romance has too many obstacles. Nobody in the book appeared to be happy. I was not happy that I'd invested my time reading it.

Isaiah Is Here!

Isaiah Thomas made his appearance into this world on Thursday, July 16, 2015 at 10:09 am, weighing in at 9 lb 1 oz and measuring 20.5 inches long. Mom and babe are doing well.

Robin had gone in to work Wednesday morning, the day before Isaiah was born, and left shortly after lunch. She'd had mild contractions in the afternoon that stopped and then resumed in the late evening. She and Jeremy left for the hospital shortly after midnight while Frank and I stayed with Autumn until daycare opened 6:00 am the next morning. Then we joined Jeremy at the hospital. Jeremy and I were both present in the delivery room with Robin for the actual birth. Proceedings were pretty normal until the final pushes when Isaiah's head was out but one of his shoulders was stuck under Robin's pubic bone. Staff was anticipating this possibility with a big baby and Jeremy and I had been pre-warned to stand back if it occurred. The head of Robin's bed was flipped flat. A nurse climbed on top of Robin's belly to externally manipulate and guide that little shoulder onto the correct exit route commanding Robin to really, really, push, push, PUSH! Those final moments were a bit scary but the delivery team really knew their stuff. And Robin calmly told me afterward that "I knew, Mom, with his size, that dystocia could be an issue." Well, my vocabulary has sure been expanded.

When the nurses brought Isaiah back to Robin they routinely checked to make sure that the mother and baby identifying wristbands matched. He was sleeping at the time. Robin joked that she did not care if this baby was hers. "He is a sleeper, so I will keep him!" she quipped. Autumn was not a sleeper... no way, no time, no how... and continues that characteristic to this day. Robin and Isaiah came home from the hospital on Saturday. So far Autumn will bring her little brother toys and announce,"Uh, oh. Isaiah is crying".

Frank has returned to CA but I am staying on until mid-next week to be an extra set of hands. When I have a bit more leisure time I plan to post more about our visit.

Ponder Post: One Plus One

"Are we there yet...?" One Plus One by Jojo Moyes is delightful blend of unconventional characters thrown together on a road trip that is humorous in hindsight, but god-awful in the moment. An honest, hard-working, optimistic single mom, her math whiz daughter, a troubled teen boy, a brilliant software geek, and a huge aromatic dog set off to a math competition in a once pristine car. This unlikely cast of characters formed an impromptu, stopgap family. I positively loved this book!

In this novel, Jojo Moyes makes a very improbable situation believable and engaging. Jess works as a cleaner and lives in a very poor neighborhood near some white trash type neighbors. She struggles on two meager paychecks to provide for the children, Tanzie and Nicky, and the dog, Norman. Ed is adept at computer coding and has launched a financially successful business. His money, lifestyle, and happiness is put at risk by his fumblings in the emotional arena. Ed is one of Jess's moderately wealthy cleaning clients, and that is initially how their paths, stemming from two very different worlds, intersect. This unlikely cast of  characters forms an initially awkward bond.  

I found myself caring strongly about each of the main characters, wanting to reach out and hug every one without exception to make their troubles go away. This novel made me laugh, it tugged at my heartstrings, and yet, at several points, it downright outraged me. 

The book reminded me of the 2002 Disney movie Lilo and Stitch in which a Hawaiian girl adopts an unusual, destructive pet who is actually a notorious extra-terrestrial fugitive from the law. The great line from Lilo and Stitch is, "Ohana" means "family." "Family" means "no one gets left behind." 

This same heartwarming sentiment is expressed for the very hodgepodge collection of unique, but very identifiable, souls in One Plus One. There are two phrases repeated in this book. They are, "Do the right thing," and "You've got to find your tribe." This novel does an excellent portrayal of striving toward both those worthy goals in everyone's life.

Ponder Post: 1st to Die

James Patterson is a very prolific author but 1st to Die is the first work of his that I've read. In it, a serial killer victimizes bride and groom pairs, either at their wedding or shortly thereafter on their honeymoon. Following the clues to figure out "whodunnit" was intriguing. A budding romance introduced a bit of sexual tension. The unexpected plot twists sustained interest. As contradictory as it sounds to call a book about brutal murders light reading, it was! And I enjoyed it.

This murder mystery is Patterson's first in a series called the Women's Murder Club. To date there are fourteen books in the series. That is why I chose this work to read  - besides curiosity about the author. I reasoned that if I were to like the first book in the series, I would have a ready supply of easy reading options that I could be pretty confident I would like. Plus, with a series, the number of character names I would need to recall should be fewer, since theoretically, the core characters should remain constant for the most part. As an added bonus, 1st to Die was set in San Francisco and I have been to many of the locations where the actions occurs. I am a bit curious if the others in the series are also set in and around San Francisco.

There is another reason I liked this murder mystery. It reminded me a lot of the Castle television series which is my favorite TV show. I suspect the outline for the show Castle, if not based on this novel, was at least heavily influenced by it. At the very least I am convinced that the show's black, female, medical examiner was modeled after the one in Patterson's book. In 1st to Die, Lindsay Boxer, the detective and Claire, the medical examiner are best friends. In  Castle, counterparts Kate Beckett, the detective and Lanie, the medical examiner play those roles.

I was also clued in to the book/show correlation by a vague recollection I had of Rick Castle playing a poker game with his fellow writer buddies. Upon investigation I learned my memory had not failed me. According the Castle Wiki, "Every now and again Richard Castle gets together with his literary friends to play poker and talk shop. Real life authors James Patterson, Steven J. Cannell, Dennis Lehane and others. All the episodes featuring writers' games have "Death/Dead" in the title." There is James Patterson right smack dab in the center of this scene from the Castle show.

I am definitely going to check out the next book in James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series. After looking at this photo I have incentive to check out novels by the writers Steven J. Cannell and Dennis Lehane as well.

Ponder Post: Skateboard Poem

In my previous post I mentioned a skateboard that was a Christmas present to our son Dan in 1995. My husband Frank fell off that very skateboard the day after Christmas. At his visit to the doctor, Frank learned he had broken his wrist and deeply bruised his hip. The doctor said that after a fall like that, ordinarily he would check the patient for brain damage. He joked that if Frank had gotten on a skateboard at his age, then brain damage must have been a pre-existing condition. My brother Eric, my sister Maxine, and her three sons Glenn, Eric, and Dean, wrote a poem to Frank commemorating the incident. Here is that poem.

‘Twas The Day After Christmas

‘Twas the day after Christmas
And outside of the house
Frank Chambers was stirring
To the dismay of his spouse.

Frank skipped out the door
And thought “Wouldn’t it be neat
To borrow Dan’s new skateboard
And play in the street?”

Suddenly out in the street
There arose such a clatter
Diane threw up the sash
To see what was the matter

Alex was in his nightshirt
Robin in her cap
Nobody was prepared
For this kind of crap

He was just frolicking out there
Trying to have some fun
But it was easy to see
He was no Scott Hamilton

And then we saw Frank
Just like an everyday kid
But lo and behold!
He had started to skid!

Frank veered to the left
He veered to the right
When he went out of control
It was a horrible sight

He looked like the acrobat
Of 1583 Cross Creek Place
But suddenly – there was a sidewalk
Staring him smack in the face

He fell off it gleefully
And thought he had class
But wouldn’t ya know it
He was flat on his ass!

He gazed at the heavens
And boy! Was he pissed!
He found that his ass hurt
And he had broken his wrist

Diane peeked from the window
She was a nervous wreck
Could it be Frank
Has broken his neck?!

“Help me up! Help me up!”
That’s all that he said
As visions of sugarplums
Danced in his head

“I’m forty-seven years old
And stand six foot five
Now look at me lying here
Just barely alive.”

“This can’t happen to ME!
A Ph.D. working in uranium…
Do you suppose that I could have
Just broken my cranium?”

“I’m not Evil Knievel
Or even a modern-day Elvis
Alas! NONE of these stars
Had fractured THEIR pelvis.”

Uncle Frank was hurt badly
His ass really draggin’
It took all three kids
And Alex’s rescue wagon

After scraping him off the sidewalk
They brought him into the house
Now ALL Chambers creatures were stirring
And even Dan’s ‘mouse’

Frank sat there all dazed
And couldn’t even see
He thought that Diane
Was their Christmas tree

On Daniel! On Robin!
Let’s not forget Alex, too
It took all three kids
Just to pull off his shoe(s)

They tucked him in bed
And let his bones knit
Diane said “Don’t wallow in self-pity
We don’t give a s__t!”

The doctor said carpal tunnel syndrome
Comes on pretty fast
Especially when
Your wrist’s in a cast

Diane said “Remember Frank
Next time you’re looking for action
Ya gotta be careful
Ya might wind up in traction…”

It’s not particularly nice
When somebody falls
But it’s certainly fun
To be breaking your balls.

Happy New Year. Get well soon.
December 28th (Christmas 1995)
From Cary, Connecticut, and Boone.

DISCLAIMER:
The skateboard and wagon pictured here are not the actual conveyances cited in the incident. After twenty years, these are the closest replica pictures I could come up with.

UPDATE:
Carrie texted me a photo of the actual culprit skateboard that inspired this poem. This is it, safely ensconced in Dan's garage and nowhere near Frank.

.

July 4th Weekend in Livermore - Sunday

Alex slept over in Livermore Saturday night after the fireworks. Sunday morning we held a mini photo session with him and Vivian. They were cooperative as we seated them side by side on the couch but frankly this photo reminds me a bit of American Gothic. Maybe not. Vivian had an enigmatic expression like Mona Lisa. Then again... blue couch... blue shirt... How about Alex as The Blue Boy?

What do you think? American Gothic or Mona Lisa and The Blue Boy?

I like this photo better. Vivian is a bit curious as Alex leans in to give her a hug.

Before Dan took off to drive back to Southern California we snapped a picture of him sandwiched between his brother and his daughter. He took with him the wooden blocks and the Brio wooden train set for Vivian. He also took the Red Flyer wagon with tall wooden slat sides that Vivian enjoyed being pulled around in and the big Amazon box that she enjoyed pushing around so much.

Frank and I were bemused that Dan also took his skateboard that I had outside the front door for decoration. This is the very same skateboard that Frank fell off in Christmas of 1995. My brother, my sister, and her three sons wrote a poem to Frank, commemorating the incident. I plan to type that poem and put it in my next blog post. This is the only picture I have of the infamous skateboard. Perhaps Dan will take a better one and send it to me... hint, hint!

Dan and Snoopy left a bit after 9:00 am to get a jump on the Los Angeles holiday traffic. Frank took Alex bowling at our local lanes and Carrie and I came a bit later to watch. Vivian liked all the many colored bowling balls.

After bowling we stopped off at Lizzie's Fountain, near the flagpole in central downtown Livermore. Vivian was a bit intimidated by the jets but she had fun playing with a few plastic containers at the perimeter of the fountain.

Carrie sure had her well protected from the sun!

Alex on the other hand really, really enjoyed the fountain. First there was gleeful clapping.

Then there was slapping at the streams of water...

... followed by full facial insertion!

Carrie's flight back home was reported to be late by a couple hours. The delay was not good for her and Vivian, but since we were watching the flight status on the internet they did not have to waste time withering at the airport. We had a few bonus hours with Vivian. Vivian loves to be outdoors and she idled the extra hours away wandering in our backyard out by our spaboose and railroad signage.

By Dan leaving as early as he did and the flight being delayed there was a generous time margin for Dan to pick up Carrie and Vivian at the airport. Unfortunately they returned home to a house full of ants, typical of being in a new construction area. Other than that tiny bit of a downer, we all sure had a fun weekend!

July 4th Weekend in Livermore - Saturday

The 4th of July was pretty laid-back for us. Carrie and Vivian came downstairs all decked out in red, white, and blue for the occasion. Happy baby meant it would be a happy holiday.

Before it got too hot, Carrie, Vivian, and I went to the fabric store to get an idea on what Carrie wanted for curtains for Vivian's bedroom. We did not buy anything but I got a better idea of her color preferences and style leanings. Afterwards we stopped in Starbucks for a drink for Carrie and to get a coffee to bring back to Dan. Vivian likes straws and kept struggling to reach Carrie's. I suggested Carrie let her have a taste thinking the bitterness would turn her off. She loved it! Just what a 15 month old needs at nap time... caffeine!

We posed in various permutations of people groupings for the obligatory family portrait in front of the house. Folks dressed in Americana colored attire. Our house was in the spirit of the day – flag pillows, blue door and bench, red flower pots. We even had Dan's patriotic skateboard with stars and stripes displayed as an accent piece.

Here are the smiling grandparents with smiling son and serious granddaughter.

Take smiling son out of the picture and serious granddaughter turns to serious melt-down when held by Grandma.

Afterward, Dan went to visit his college friend Ryan in Martinez about 40 miles away. Carrie and Vivian stayed behind because Vivian's nap was delayed. Hmmm... perhaps the caffeine? All was well once we were back in the house. "It's okay if I pull your hair, Grandma, just don't try to pick me up!"

On his return trip home, Dan picked up Alex so we could all have a spaghetti dinner together and go to Livermore's fireworks display. Our house is walking distance from downtown so we took an evening stroll to the activities. We had no parking hassles to contend with, and the weather was light jacket or shirt sleeves perfect. The fireworks were set off from the roof of the parking structure behind our performing arts and movie theatres. We set up seats on Railroad Avenue just behind the VIP Pass area. Our vantage point was great but, truthfully, any vantage point would have been good.

Here is the view we had. Livermorons just brought their camping or lawn chairs and relaxed to enjoy the show with its accompanying patriotic music. We were very near the speakers but they were not obnoxiously loud.

Alex loves being out at night and he clapped throughout the fireworks.

Dan was very apprehensive about bringing Vivian thinking the loud noises would scare her. We convinced him to try, saying he could always leave with her or cover her ears if it was a problem. The first firework went off, illuminating the night sky, and Vivian utters "Ooh. Aah..." She was enraptured by the whole experience. Her reaction made for a very memorable July 4th fireworks this year.

And although my daughter's branch of the family was not here in Livermore this 4th of July, I wanted to share this picture to show that they were here in our thoughts.

July 4th Weekend in Livermore - Friday

Dan, Carrie, and Vivian spent their 4th of July weekend with us in Livermore this year. We picked them up from the Oakland airport mid-morning on Friday, July 3rd. At 15 months old I believe Carrie told me this was Vivian's seventh plane trip. Going to Hawaii in August will be her eighth! Times have changed. My first plane flight was my freshman year at MIT when I flew home for Thanksgiving. Here are Dan and Vivian waiting for their flight at the Orange County airport in Southern California.

It was a relatively empty flight so Vivian got to run up and down the aisle. She fell asleep on landing, though. I guess there is no flight stress for her.

Once we arrived at our house it was investigation time. We'd gotten out some items from Dan's childhood that he was going to take back with him. Carrie and Vivian are flying back but Dan is driving back with their dog Snoopy. Snoopy had been our house guest for a few weeks while Dan and Carrie's landscaping was being installed at their new house. Here is Vivian playing with those blocks from Dan's childhood.

These are pegboards and puzzles that Robin, Dan and Alex had. Vivian loved stacking the pegs but was lukewarm on the puzzles.

 
Our remote took some TLC to return to a functional default mode after Vivian was finished with it. She was very intent and it was cute how she kept glancing over her shoulder to see if her button pushing had accomplished anything ... anything desirable, that is.

Dan and Carrie took a brief nap and then went local wine tasting. I was in charge of keeping Vivian amused. Water play is always a winner!

The best toy of all was the box I'd located to corral the blocks during transport. Vivian loved pushing it around and trying to climb in. She definitely uses her tongue to help herself concentrate! Yes, the photo is a bit blurry but I had a moving target. I am bemused how the Amazon smile echoes Vivian's.



We decided to have our main holiday meal on Friday night instead of eating heavily just before the fireworks display on Saturday. Our friend Vickie came over to see Vivian and joined us for dinner. I broiled sirloin steak and chicken which we accompanied with corn on the cob, asparagus, baked beans, and tater tots. I took photos, (Frank calls them blog fodder), and was surprised how good they came out. They could be in a magazine. Maybe that is because food does not move while trying to take its photo...?

It makes me hungry looking at it all. Here is a photo of the happy diners.

And here is Frank, looking quite pleased with having good food, family, and friends all around. It reminds me of Mr. Banks from Mary Poppins singing "I'm the lord of my castle, the sov'reign, the liege."

I feel a surge of deep satisfaction

Much as a king astride his noble steed

When I return from daily strife to hearth and wife

How pleasant is the life I lead!

...

I'm the lord of my castle

The sov'reign, the liege!

Here is a YouTube link to the song The Life I Lead if you want to listen to the whole thing. It is kind of cute.