Bella

So much has happened since I last wrote, but the most important thing is the passing of this amazing creature, Bella.

This photo was taken during the big snow we had just before she left us. She loved her sticks and the neighborhood girl gang often stopped by to throw them for her. The mail lady and regular delivery dudes always had a treat for her.

I was a part of her life for such a short time but she stole my heart. She was so sweet and well-behaved, and she is sorely missed.

Two days before she crossed the rainbow bridge, I found out that my position was being eliminated at my agency and that I was being reassigned to a job doing what I had been doing previously…which I hated so much and took this job to get away from. It was not good news, and we still have no news about the approval of making my move to Tennessee permanent. I am not best pleased.

Some good news: more wedding planning milestones were completed including the selection of flowers and decorations for the ‘venue’, Tennessee found her suit, and music was selected for the ceremony.

We are also almost completely finished with the update of the living room. Paint, new furniture. etc., and it looks so good! However, the rest of the house is in complete chaos. We’ll get there. Hopefully, before we will have a house full of guests.

We’re trying to decide if we’re going to tackle the assembly of the three flat boxes we have this weekend or hire someone to do it. Normally it wouldn’t be an issue for us to take on such projects, but a few weeks ago (the Sunday after my job news and Bella’s passing), I fell climbing the stairs and tore the meniscus in my right knee.

The recovery from this injury is the main reason I have not been writing. Every task takes so much longer, and I have been battling pain and fatigue. Just keeping up with the absolutely required tasks has been a struggle and there just hasn’t been anything left for writing.

Fortunately, it has given me time to read, but I’m not going to be able to do full reviews for all of them. Sorry my friends.

I need to start with the mention of “Black Cake” by Charmain Wilkerson. This was the February selection for my LOACA Book Club. I did not finish it. I just was not in the headspace to read anything that week (see above for details of one of my worst weeks in a long time) let alone a complex read that required lots of attention. My friends liked the book and I hope I’ll get a chance to finish it someday.

Book 15

“The Six: The Untold Story of America’s First Women Astronauts” by Loren Grush

This was the March Selection for my SLC Book Club and is by far my favorite non-fiction book to date. As someone who wanted to be an astronaut when she was six because of some of these women, I absolutely loved learning all about their stories.

I appreciated that they treated Sally Ride’s bisexuality as just another thing about her and how the Challenger explosion was just another event. These were important things, but they were just one of many things that defined the woman and this program.

Highly recommend!

Book 16

“Under the Whispering Door” by TJ Klune

Queer ‘romantasy’ with ghosts and reapers in a tea shop. The love story is sweet. Recommend.

Book 17

“A Traitor in Whitehall’ by Julia Kelly

Historical fiction about a woman with a top-secret job solving a murder in a top-secret bunker during the WWII Blitz in London. Recommend.

Books 18 and 19

“Red Hot Summer Sorcery” #21 and “Fireworks Finale” #22 by Sara Bourgeois

Book 20

“Acorna’s Quest” by Anne McCaffrey and Margaret Ball

Book 2 of the Acorna series and I still love Anne McCaffrey books!

Books 21 and 22

“Murder Through the English Post” and “Murder at a London Finishing School” by Jessica Ellicott and narrated by Barbara Rosenblatt

The two most recently released Beryl and Edwina Mystery books in the series. I hope she keeps writing these and that Barbara keeps voicing these interesting characters!

Book 23

“The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax” by Dorothy Gilman

This is the first book in a series written in the 60s and 70s and I picked it because I was looking for audiobooks narrated by Barbara Rosenblatt. It is completely silly and lots of fun. I’m looking forward to listening to the rest of the series.

Book 24

“Mad Honey” by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylen

This is the April selection for my LOACA Book Club, and it was so good! I’m not sure how much to share because I don’t want to give anything away to spoil it for those who plan to read it, but I have to say that this book contains some triggers for domestic and trans violence. I also need to say how pleased and surprised I was that this book was available as a physical book to check out at my local library.

I experienced some frustration with the way the authors set up the chapters to tell the story but as I reached the end I was able to see the reasoning for why they did it the way they did.

With 24 books read through the end of March, I am still on track to meet my goal of 100 books for 2024.

Take care of yourselves and I hope to be back again soon.