Monday, February 26, 2018

Things That Make Me Happy

Home again, home again, jiggety jig. It was time and although spending the day putting five suitcases worth of stuff away was tiring, I am happy.

Saw A FANTASTIC WOMEN in our last days in FL and liked it a lot. It's not for everyone, but I found it moving and honest.

Glad to come home to no snow. I dreaded putting on those boots again.

Thrilled that Lawrence Block asked me to write a story for his third volume of art-related stories. I chose THE PRAIRIE IS MY GARDEN by Harvey Dunn. Sent away for a bio on him.I hope I can do it justice.
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW. Certainly a page-turner but in the end I found something missing. Phil was much more enthused.

Happy Birthday to my brother, Jeff. 

And my books are here. Yeah!

What about you?

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on being asked to write that story! That's great news, Patti! And I'm glad you're safely home.

Jerry House said...

Welcome back! I'm looking forward to the new book and the Block anthology.

Happiness this morning was six words: "I think I'm getting over it." For the past few days, Kitty has been hard hit with the flu but seems to be on the road to recovery.

I'm enjoying F. Paul Wilson's PANACEA and should be getting to its sequel later this week.

THE WALKING DEAD is back as Carl's death has people crying all over the country. In the early seasons, he was an obnoxious little boy whom I wished would be killed off. The character matured into someone immensely likable. After a so-so first half this season, I'm really looking forward to how Carl's death will play out for the characters.

Granddaughter Amy had her picture taken with John Barrowman, a.k.a Captain Jack Harkness from DR. WHO and TORCHWOOD and Malcolm Merlin from Arrow. I am jealous.

Grandson Mark injured his knew recently so he wasn't up to speed for a 5-mile race on Saturday. He was disappointed that he did not make a spot in the top 15, but he did come in second in his age group. I think the kid is phenomenal!

Watching a lot of old CRIMINAL MINDS and enjoying the good weather.

Have a super week, Patti!

Jerry House said...

"Knee," not "knew." Darned fumblefingers!

George said...

The February Thaw took away the snow so the scene outside my window looks a lot like April.

Diane and I are listening to Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson. Alfred Molina is a great narrator!

I'll be happy next week because I'm doing my taxes this week. It's always a relief to have that chore completed!

pattinase (abbott) said...

Sorry I didn't stick with Walking Dead. Thanks, Jerry. You too.
Someone gave me LEONARDO for CHristmas but the length puts me off. I like books under 350 pages. Bios seldom are.
Always glad when Phil is done with the taxes. I worry we will be audited every year. After this year we might be doing the standard deductions.

Charles Gramlich said...

Very cool about that invitation

Jeff Meyerson said...

Patti, very glad you guys are home safely and back to the routine. And again, congratulations on the story news.

I'm afraid WALKING DEAD jumped the shark for me with recent storylines. Killing Glen and Carl was the last straw. Maybe we will come back when Negan is dead, but I think we're done.

Really enjoyed Season 2 of VICTORIA.

No interest in WINDOW. I'd rather watch REAR WINDOW again.

Enjoying the warmer than normal weather for the most part, and all the movies we've been seeing. Last was FILM STARS DON'T DIE IN LIVERPOOL. Tomorrow is BLACK PANTHER.

And we're both getting more reading done this year.

pattinase (abbott) said...

He refers to REAR WINDOW and VERTIGO constantly.The movie references got on my nerves for one thing. They were almost like filler.

Gerard Saylor said...

Both children participated in the Solo and Ensemble performances on Saturday they each played two pieces, one each with tuba and bass. 6th graders get comments instead of scores and Boy #2 had some nice comments by both judges. Boy #1 scored a 1 on his tuba solo for what seemed to be a tough judge. (Some kids at the competition perform multiple times with solos for two instruments and voice plus ensemble performances. We were able to end our day at about 12:30PM.) I helped Boy #1 carry the instruments back into the high school this AM and he did not want his dad around at all.

I attended Library Legislative Day last week. Those days can be difficult because I am the political opposite of both of my reps. Fortunately, pretty much everyone loves public libraries and we're able to let them know all the work libraries in the state are able to accomplish.

I'm very grateful that my brother has been able to assist my parents for the past three months. He lives in Seattle but has been in IL all that time except for one short break. I was going to drive down there and spell him when I caught the flu.

Steve Oerkfitz said...

Congratulations on your invite.
Sunny out today with highs near 50. Warmer tomorrow.
My son turned 41 today. How time flies.
Movie doldrums this time of year. Saw Annihilation and was disappointed. Was expecting to like it. A lot of changes from the book and not to the good. Red Sparrow opens Friday. Keeping my fingers crossed.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Thanks, guys.
Too bad about ANNIHILATION. I was looking forward to it. Gerard-your family is amazing: music, sports, Scouts. That is how it should be and seldom it. I am sure they will be outstanding adults.

Rick Robinson said...

Congratulations on the story request! I'm not sure how it works. You pick a story as "inspiration"?

We're glad the Olympics are over, We enjoyed much of it, but other parts not so much (hockey, curling, cross country) and the endless commercials wore us out. The skating and snowboarding were fun to watch.

Cold and foggy this morning, and quilt group day for Barbara, so the cat and I will just hang out.

The snow has stopped temporarily, but probably more tomorrow. When it's not snowing, it's raining, so not outside weather, certainly. I finished SEMIOSIS by Sue Burke yesterday. I really liked the first third of the book, the middle third not so much and the last not at all. I was glad to finish it and back to the library it goes. I haven't decided what to read next, though I have a couple of things from the library sitting here. Sometimes books that sound so good when I put a hold request on them don't appeal so much once in hand.

My hip is slowly getting better (I had a fall) so I'm not so gimpy, which is good. Over all, I'm happy, and am looking forward to evening reading now that I won't be watching TV every night.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Rick, be careful. That book sounded semi-interesting, so I'm glad to know I can safely skip it.

I'm reading a very interesting book about Chester A. Arthur, not a sentence you hear very often, I'm sure.

Gerard Saylor said...

That is a sentence I have never heard. That is quotable.

BVLawson said...

Congrats on the anthology invitation and glad you're back home again - here's to spring!