Nov. 21: Busy First Day of Break!

Bowling Avenue by Ann Shayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bowling Avenue is, simply, a good novel. It's well-written, interesting, moving, and full of sympathetic characters. The only thing I don't like is the weird woodcut silhouettes on the back cover--and that's digging for something to quibble about! Ann Shayne is part of Mason-Dixon Knitting, and knitting plays a part in the story, but I was impressed that this is, in no way, a Knitting Knovel. Shayne deals with addiction, loss, grieving, and family in a realistic but optimistic way, and the story is a pleasure from start to finish. I had to special order it from my local bookstore, and I am delighted that I did so!

Highly recommended as a well-written, warmly optimistic, entertaining pleasure. Go special order it for yourself!


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We are ALL in the livingroom: Lyle is home from college, which is great! Tomorrow we will go to Mom's, leaving around 9:30, and spend the night, then come home about the same time--a quick trip, but it'll be good to see everyone.

Today was super busy, though I woke up at 8:30, amazingly, despite waking at 5 first and lying there thinking, "I might as well get up!" and then having A's alarm go off at 6 (thank you, ihome). It felt great! I then. . . made piecrust and oversaw N's making his pecan pie and me making my pumpkin pie; a quick ingredient shop with Nate driving; setting up the turkey carcass for broth; making three batches of hot fudge sauce for the church fair next week; hanging out laundry; making L's bed; taking N to the eye dr's where we discovered his lenses were four powers off in one eye and three in the other (!!) and I did some correcting, of which I have oodles; went for a walk with A and Z and then a run by myself; then sorted through a huge pile of booksmagazineslettersschoolstuffrandomoddsandends. . .  WHEW. I am thrilled but tired.

Much, much, much to be thankful for this year as every year. So much! Wish that we might all start to realize how much we need to be grateful and then start being so! Am skipping Black Friday and doing Small Business Saturday in a small way instead. . .  spices from the health food store; a replacement spatula from Rooster Bros. . . . Onwards!