Family Dinner & A Great Book
Yesterday evening Kendra and her two kids came over and we enjoyed a family dinner she picked up from a nearby restaurant.
Next week, 18-year-old Riley is headed to college at the University of Oklahoma, where I obtained my journalism degree.
Riley’s Dormitory:
I never lived in a dorm, but Riley will. Things have really changed in terms of some of these dormitories.
His dad arranged for him to live in a lovely dormitory. He will have his own room and bathroom. He will share a kitchen and a living room.
These college kids will have their own chef and a theater. It doesn’t sound like a dormitory, does it?
Can you imagine leaving home for the first time and having your own private chef? No ramen noodles for these kids.
Riley wants to become a doctor. Right now he’s interested in radiology. Of course, it is early days in his life in terms of career choices.
Ivy Shenanigans:
Riley and Marley played with Ivy. It was hard for them to believe that Ivy had just as much fun with a piece of paper that came off of a sipping straw as her toys.
Ivy likes to look on the side table I have next to my chair to see what goodies she might pilfer.
Then she’ll stand up on her hind legs, grab what she wants with her paw, and take off with it. That’s how she got the paper sleeve from a sipping straw.
Marley and Riley enjoyed watching her jump up in the air and twist her body around. Because, at 17 pounds, that’s a lot of cat body to maneuver. And Ivy is always attention-grabbing.
What Happened To The Bennetts:
I began reading the best book the other night. It is called “What Happened To The Bennetts” by Lisa Scottoline. She writes terrific fast-paced legal thrillers. This book came out in late March.
The Bennetts are a regular suburban family. The father owns a court reporting business, and his wife is a photographer.
They are driving home from their daughter’s field hockey game one night when something totally unexpected happens. A pickup truck begins tailgating them on a dark stretch of road. Suddenly they are stopped and two men jump out with guns.
I won’t describe what happened next, as you may want to read it yourself.
At any rate, their lives are changed forever in just a few minutes on an ordinary night after a ball game.
Within mere hours, two agents from the FBI pay them a visit in the dead of night.
A Crime Of Opportunity:
The men who stopped them were part of an organized crime family and were fleeing another crime.
It was a crime of opportunity, stopping the Bennetts to steal their car. The two men needed to switch cars, and the Bennetts drove right into their view.
The agents advise them that they need to enter the witness protection program. They are told that this crime family will leave no stone unturned to eliminate them.
They must sever ties with their friends and family. Their loved ones will never know what happened to them.
It seemed to everyone that the Bennetts left the ballgame that evening and simply disappeared.
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Sounds like an enjoyable family dinner! Sounds like Riley has a pretty fabulous dorm set up – a personal chef? Where do I sign up? Best of luck to Riley as he begins this exciting journey.
Glad you got to have a dinner with your grandkids and daughter!! Time is so swiftly passing…hard to imagine when our grandkids are in college (our oldest finishes this year). Hope your healing progresses along well too!!
It seems like Riley was just a little boy yesterday. Now he looms above us he’s so tall.
Just requested a copy of that book from my library! Can’t wait to read it!
I think you’ll like the book!
It’s so good to hear of a young person wanting to go into the medical field. I hope and pray more do this, as there seems to be more and more a shortage of doctors, nurses and other medical people. Sounds like the dorm is pretty nifty! And yes.. cats have more fun with the simplest of things. My cat loves playing with a long strip of fabric.. it fell off my table when I was sewing. He loves it! He loves pulling on it, chewing it, and then I pull it and he chases it. So funny. I tied one of his little stuffy toys to the end, and we spend about 10 min. a night now, playing with it. I pull it up away from him, into the air, and he jumps and grabs for it. My other kitty is the typical cat that loves yarn. She will dig it out of my yarn bag (somehow.. even though it is closed) and in the morning I find it all over the floor! They do love to stalk things and chase things. Your family dinner sounds so very nice. Marilyn
I think a lot of doctors stopped seeing patients after the way they were treated with Covid. So we need new ones to take their place. Yes, cats are the silliest creatures. Amazes me what Ivy finds to play with.
Glad to hear you had a nice dinner with your family. My oldest niece (25) is in radiology, though not a dr. She’s a Diagnostic Sonographer. I have never heard of a dorm having a private chef!
Yeah, me either. It’s costly.
Ha Ha about Ivy entertaining you guys with her straw paper. The read sounds like a good one. I love good books like this one. Have a great weekend. xoxo Kris
You too, Kris. I think you’ll enjoy the book.
A lovely way to spend your Friday evening, Brenda. Wishing Riley, the best as he starts his university journey.
I need to get that book because it definitely sounds very intriguing.
I hope you’re enjoying your Saturday!
I’ve read about 80 pages so far and not a dull moment yet.
Congratulations and good luck to Riley, as he begins the next phase of his life. College years are the best. Freedom and no responsibilities yet. I hope he has a wonderful college experience! Your poor daughter, on the other hand, will begin to feel the effects of the empty nest. At least she still has one child at home for a while longer, but it’s still a very hard transition for parents. Especially Mamas. My heart goes out to her. I totally understand!
She’s spent as much time with him this summer as she could. Yes, it will be hard for her.
Sounds like a wonderful day, with your family, Brenda.
It’s 87 degrees here in Wisconsin, and so humid out there, it feels like a person could melt. Suppose to get storms tonight and tomorrow. August weather for sure. Can’t believe Fall is only a few weeks away, and the start of a new school year. Summer sure does go fast.
Have a nice weekend, hope you are feeling “NO” pain. Hugs and good wishes,Bonnie
I would take your weather!
Glad you had a nice dinner/visit with your family. Ours all live thousands of miles away and we rarely see them. I just finished What Happened to the Bennetts. It is a good example of how life can change in an instant.
That’s exactly what I thought. In an instant.
My nephew is a doctor and it was interesting hearing him intern in all the fields and traveling around for all that interested him before deciding on orthopedics. Riley will fill a very much needed profession in any health care field and never be without a job. Nice he spent time with you before embarking onto this new journey.
I have heard about that book so might need to get my name on the reserve list at the library.
I’m loving this book. I’m trying not to read it too fast so as to savor it.