Sunday Snippets 12/10/23
Pat came over the other day and brought a poinsettia to me.
That was so nice of her. She and Ron are both so kind and friendly, and have been since I first moved in here.
Well, actually before I moved here now that I think about it.
They came outside to greet me when I came here to put down a deposit on the apartment. At that time I was only allowed to walk around the outside, as the previous tenant still lived here.
Thoughts Of Making Candy:
I’ve been thinking about ordering ingredients to make fudge. But it likely will remain just a thought.
I used to make all kinds of candy at Christmastime. Divinity, fudge, peanut brittle, etc. But that was back when the girls were still at home.
Riley just had a birthday. He is now 20. Hard to believe. I look at him and I know he’s considered a man.
But I just see that little boy who loved to go to Barne’s & Noble to pick out history books about presidents to read.
Marley will be 15 in just over a week. And she’s looking more and more like a young woman.
They grow up so fast! Andrew will be 10 in March.
Gorgeous Fall Leaves:
This is what I see when I step outside my apartment and look up. This big tree with fall leaves.
I love that I can just step outside and see the brilliance of the yellow-gold leaves.
Steve came over the other day. Ivy promptly went to sit in one of her toy tubs that happened to be empty of toys.
Ivy knows that’s where he will play with her because it’s near the chair he usually sits in.
Getting My Car Checked Out:
On Friday Steve had arranged to take my car to his mechanic to check it over. It is a family-owned business Steve has been taking his car to for years.
It needed a new battery. I thought why not get it checked out thoroughly while it was at the mechanic shop.
My car has rarely had anything go wrong with it. For the most part I just have the oil changed and the tires checked for air.
The car is 18 years old and has 58,000 miles. I’ve only had one end of the brakes replaced, but they said the other end did not need replacing.
They changed the oil and replaced the windshield wiper blades. The bill was only $380, much of it labor.
Then Steve and his girlfriend headed to Branson, Missouri yesterday for a short trip.
What I’m Watching:
I just finished watching “The Suspect” on Prime Video last night.
JOSEPH O’LOUGHLIN APPEARS TO HAVE THE PERFECT LIFE.
A beautiful wife, a loving daughter and a successful career as a clinical psychologist. But even the most flawless existence is only a loose thread away from unraveling. All it takes is a murdered girl, a troubled young patient and the biggest lie of his life.
An unknown young woman is found dead with multiple stab wounds, all of them self-inflicted. The police ask Joe to help them understand the crime. Are they dealing with a murder or a suicide?
Reluctantly, he agrees to help and the brutalized body he views at the mortuary turns out to be someone he knows: Catherine Mary McBride, a nurse and former colleague.
At the same time, Joe is grappling with a troubled young patient, Bobby Moran, whose violent dreams are becoming more real. As Bobby’s behavior grows increasingly erratic, Joe begins to ponder what he’s done in the past and what he might do next. Is there a link between his terrible dreams and Catherine McBride?
Caught in a complex web of deceit and obsessed by images of the slain girl, Joe embarks upon a search that takes him into the darkest recesses of the human mind. Ultimately, he will risk everything to unmask the killer and save his family.
What I’m Reading:
I read this book in my twenties, but I wanted to revisit it again. The paperback was cheap at Amazon during the Black Friday sales.
Which got me to thinking I might want to reread more of Steinbeck’s classic books.
In his journal, Nobel Prize winner John Steinbeck called East of Eden “the first book.” And indeed it has the primordial power and simplicity of myth.
Set in the rich farmland of California’s Salinas Valley, this sprawling and often brutal novel follows the intertwined destinies of two families.
The generations of the Trasks and the Hamiltons reenact the fall of Adam and Eve and the poisonous rivalry of Cain and Abel.
I haven’t read the novel “East of Eden.” I had a vague memory of “East of Eden” on TV a long time ago. The only scene I remember is of an elderly woman sitting in a rocking chair looking out a window (second story at least) and just rocking, rocking, rocking. Her graying hair was in a bun, you only got a side-view of her face as she sat in the rocking chair staring out the window. A young man was in the scene too, her son. I don’t remember the dialog, but do remember all these years later, it struck me as spooky/creepy/sad. The lady in the rocking chair seemed to be filled with hate for that son, she wanted to hurt him with her words. I checked to see if there was an “East of Eden” on TV and found a production from 1981. A TV mini-series produced, and Jane Seymour was one of the stars – she was the “mother” figure in that scene that I remember to this day that gives me chills. Not a book I’d want to read. I much prefer my family. We seem to have inherited the ability to be funny and serious at the same time. I didn’t marry, but my younger sisters and brothers have and their spouses just fit right in with the strange comedic-tendency genetics my family seems to have. There is constant laughter and humor when we have a get-together while throwing zingers at each other and the world in general. We had a sibling (and spouses) get together on 12/10 and I’m still laughing. Ah yes, such a relief from a world that is so filled with strife.
Oh, I so look forward to your Sunday Snippets. It’s been a good week. The pointsettia is beautiful! So sweet and thoughtful of Pat to give you that. The yellow tree is gorgeous! It’s amazing that this far into December, you still have trees with pretty Fall colors. I swear, Ivy is the cutest thing ever! It’s funny how her toys are scattered everywhere, and she’s just sitting in the toy box, pretty as you please. Steve is so nice to look out for you the way he does. What a good friend. Did you end up getting a new battery for your car too? $380 seems a little pricey for just an oil change and wiper blades, even considering the labor. But I guess if Steve’s been going there for a long time, he obviously trusts them to take good care of you both. Isn’t it amazing how fast the years go by? My grandkids are getting older too, and like you, I remember them being cute little kids, wanting to climb in my lap and have me read to them, and watch a million children’s tv shows with them. Ahhh, the good ole days! I’ve been working on making a Christmas stocking. I’m hoping to have it done by Christmas. I’ve also been watching my Hallmark Christmas movies and reading a cozy mystery. It’s keeping me busy. After I catch up on some of those things, I need to finish decorating and start working on my holiday baking. I make breads, cookies, and fudge. We should all do a Christmas cookie exchange on your blog. We can all type out our favorite Christmas cookie recipe, lol. It could be fun.
Hi, Brenda!
If you are interested in reading more of John Steinbeck’s books, you might want to try TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY.
Poinsettias are my birthday flower, so they not only look like Christmas, they also say, “Happy Birthday” to me. It puts my teeth on edge, though, when I hear people pronounce them “poinsettas.
Brenda, I just remembered a show you may like, “Keeping Faith”. I’m not sure if you’ve mentioned watching it or not. It’s on Britbox or Acorn TV and I think you’d like it. I get most of my shows from your recommendations. Thanks.
I’ve already watched it. Really liked it too.
What nice neighbors you have!! So fortunate…it surely was a good place to move, wasn’t it?
One nice thing about having friendly neighbors is that you can enjoy and share the holiday goodies that you make, such as the fudge and cookies if you decide to make some. I actually added fudge to my making list this Christmas in place of some cookies. Making less but still enjoying a treat and some to share. Happy holidays! 🎄