Stop Complaining and Just Eat

Growing up Dinner time was an important part of our day.  From the time I was eight and my brother was six we would eat our evening meal as a family.  That was difficult for my brother and me because my Dad came home at 7 pm every night but that was what our after school snack was all about. 

Eating Dinner together usually was fun.  We were all allowed to talk and even though I was young I held the same position in the pecking order as everyone else at the table as long as everyone took their turn.  The meal was usually a healthy well balanced meal.  My Mom and I were always “watching our weight” so she was very conscious of what she put on the table.  There was a meal template as follows; one protein source such as beef, chicken, fish, one starch such as potato, pasta or rice, a non starchy vegetable and a salad.  There was no dessert and bread was never part of our meal. There were no substitutions and there were never complaints.  It wasn’t as though my Mom was a gourmet cook.  She was a good cook but we were happy to have Dinner so therefore, no one complained.  It was a matter of the respect we had for her.

I tried to carry on this tradition in my own home.  I like to cook my own meals rather than carry in food.  There are two obstacles to preparing meals. One is the obvious, time constraints.  I work an hour away and I because my job is supporting computers and android devices I often work late or I am on call.  But the biggest obstacle is that someone is always complaining about something I serve. I just get sick of it. That is why I found this article in the Food Section of the Washington Post so interesting.

Apparently I am not alone. Here is what I don’t understand.  No one in my family is volunteering to prepare the Dinner meal. According to them either they don’t have the time or they don’t know how.  Fine! I will make the meal.  But I have added a new rule. (I have my rules just like Jethro Gibbs on NCIS). Rule number 44  there are no complaints at my table any more.  You don’t like the food find another place to eat or have a bowl of cereal.   But rule number 62 we will not have take out more than once a week still applies.  Someone will be cooking the evening meal in my house.  So put up or shut up or take over the cook’s duties.

 In fairness to my family I am working hard on improving my cooking skills as you can see in my new cooking blog. trying to cook So hopefully in the future I will hear fewer complaints.  If not well we will just wait and see. Read the article. It's the Family not the Dinner

Dave Barry Sums up 2014 Quite Well

I like Dave Barry and I enjoyed reading his article in the Washington Post. It was a recap of 2014 which I personally feel was an incredibly crappy year. He goes month by month and event by event.  His humor in presenting the facts is the only thing keeping you from breaking down in tears. 

So it with very little sorrow that I bid the year goodbye and hope that 2015 will be better.  It is so nice to have a few days of optimism until reality hits.  I have included the link to the article.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/style/2014/12/28/davebarry-yearinreview-2014/

Nora Webster

Plain and simple, this is the story of Nora Webster.  The story takes place in Ireland in the late 60's and  1970’s.  We are introduced to Nora right after the death of her husband.  She is left with four children, two are away at school.  The other two live with her in a small village in Ireland where everyone knows who you are.  Her husband was a teacher and while he was alive they had a comfortable life but now with him gone she finds that she must step up to the plate and figure out how to take care of her and her children. It is a journey for her. 

Before she was married she worked in an office for a company in town.  The owner of the company has offered her a job which she takes.  What I liked about this novel is the reader does not feel sorry for Nora. She might feel grief for the loss of her husband and their way of life but she never has a pity party for herself. 
she faces challenges. She weighs her options and moves on with her life.  It is not easy for her but she seems to manage. It is interesting to watch her find herself especially since this was in a small village in Ireland in the 1970's and women once they were married became homemakers and had many of their decisions made for them by their spouse.  

For more information on this book, check out this link Nora Webster

Time Capsule found. How Cool!

Recently, I spent a couple of days in Philadelphia.  We stayed at the Wyndam Old City which was the most perfect location at least that is in my opinion.  Looking out our window I noticed an old cemetery which turned to out to be the old Christ Church cemetery.  Buried here was Benjamin Franklin.   Even though this cemetery is in the city of Philadelphia when you are there you feel like you are secluded from the modern hustle and bustle of the city. Sitting in that cemetery on a cold, wet, dreary day I could almost feel the spirits lying there. They seemed restless or maybe it was I who was restless. 

I came across this article right after I came back from Philadelphia.  Boston is another place where you can find  history dating back to the early colonial days. If we created a time capsule with an iphone, a tablet, a copy of the Washington Post or New York Times a piece of the space station, what would people think about these items in say one or two hundred years.  So I thought I would share the article with you.

To read the article follow this link Boston Time Capsule

Happy Holidays

Happy Holidays and a Healthy New Year.  To another great year of reading

Sunday Notes on Monday

It is hard to believe that Christmas is this week.  I am afraid to admit it but I went overboard this season.  Even today after completing all my shopping I bought another gift.  I like giving those I love gifts.  But I am done, I think.  Good news for my wallet!

Another bit of good news is that after today the days should start getting longer.  Even if it is a minute I will take it.  I hate waking up in the dark, going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.  The nice thing about this time of year is seeing all the holiday lights on my drive home.  They make it a little cheerier.

This week I am finishing up Nora Webster which is my second book choice from the Washington Post top 50 fiction books of 2014.  While I don't plan to read all fifty books, I have downloaded Lila and All the Light We Cannot See and I look forward to reading them. I also have Diary of a Mad Diva by Joan Rivers.  I need a little levity right about now.  Joan Rivers was a comedian you either liked or didn't.  I liked her.  I thought she was funny, well at least most of the time. I admire her as a business woman as well.  She was one of those people who was right there at the table.  She did not hesitate to "Lean In". 

If you missed my Post from last week I finished Lucky Us.  This was on the top 50 list and my first pick from the list.

Look for my post on Nora Webster on Saturday. And if you need any information about any of the books click on the book covers below. It is going to be a busy week and I have a lot of reading to do so I best be going.  To everyone Happy Holidays.  I hope you get to spend it with someone special two legged or four. 
     
 

Lucky Us

This book is one of the books on the top 50 fiction choices from the Washington Post. I really felt after seeing the list and noting that I really had not read anything on that list that I needed to get cracking.  This is an interesting book with well written characters that you can loosely call a family. 

I looked up the definition of family in Merriam Webster and there were two sections.  The first section had what I would call the more traditional definition as follows:

(a)   a group of people who are related to each other

(b)   a person's children

(c)   a group of related people including people who lived in the past

The next set of definitions loosely fits the characters in the novel Lucky Us, specifically number one.

1.    a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head

2.    a group of persons of common ancestry 

3.    a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation.

This novel is developed around a rag tag group of characters, two half sisters and there Dad around WWII. Eva, her father's daughter by his mistress and Iris his daughter with his wife first meet when Eva is 12.  Iris' mother has just died and Eva's mother thinks that Edward will now marry her and make Eva "legitimate".  But Edward. the father, does not see it her way.  Eva's Mom leaves her with her suitcase at Edward's house and Eva does not see her Mom again.  So begins the development of the bond between the sisters and the clueless head of the household Edward.

Iris a budding actress decides to leave home after her high school graduation.  She takes Eva with her even though Eva is still in school. They end up in Hollywood where Iris starts her career until she makes a mistake by having an affair with the wrong person.  Her father shows up at her door  shorty after Iris is disgraced and with Iris' friend and make up artist they make there way back to New York and start a different life.

This book is an interesting study on the time period and the bonds that hold a group of people together.  You don't necessarily need to be born into a family to be one.  Give the book a try after all it is a choice on the 2014 bestseller list.

For More information on this book click this link Lucky Us

A Bright Red Ribbon

It is Christmas.  It is snowing but who cares you have a four wheel drive. However, Mother Nature doesn't care about your four wheel drive and you get stuck.  You wade through the snow that is now so high it is exhausting to walk and then you fall.  You think to yourself I will never get up.  I am going to freeze and be covered by snow never to see my loved ones again.  But then you feel a warm breath on your face.  No it is not human it is a dog.  This dog leads you to the safety of a warm inviting house with a fireplace, a Christmas tree, something that smells delicious and the icing on the cake, Mr. Gorgeous. This is Morgan's Christmas tale.  I left out some of the important details so you will read this gooey Christmas romance. 

I give it a half of a Ho in my Ho Ho Ho rating scale

The Invention of Wings A Good Deal

Just in case you have not read this book yet, you may want to put it on your list especially if you have time off for the Holidays.  The book focuses on the life of two women with very different stories but who curiously have a lot in common. It is based on historical facts. I have a blog post on this book  on March 5, 2014. Amazon has this book at a special price that is well worth it.  If you want more info on this book follow this link Invention of Wings

The Divorce Papers

I was a little skeptical of this book when I first started to read it.  Not because of the content but because of the format.  The book is about of course a divorce but somehow a criminal defense lawyer gets the case when all the divorce lawyers are either  tied up or away.  Sophie was only suppose to do the initial interview and fact finding but the client liked her so much the client requested she stay on the case.  Through a series of memorandums, emails and letters ( this takes place circa 1999 right before email became the norm) the author does a great job telling the story with intelligence and wit.  Usually I don't enjoy a story told through letters etc. but Susan Rieger did a great job pulling it off. For more information on this book click on this link The Divorce Papers

A Nantucket Christmas

This is your feel good family holiday story.  Nicole comes to visit a friend on Nantucket, meets Sebastian who is divorced and they fall in love.  She marries him and moves permanently to Nantucket.  Everything is wonderful except for the fact that Sebastian's grown daughter still is under the delusion that her parents are going to get back together again.  As if! She schemes to make it happen.

The whole family arrives in Nantucket for Christmas.  I am not saying another word.  It all ends well.  It's a nice feel good holiday book.  I would give it a Ho Ho

Sunday Notes on Monday

I had a fantastic weekend. My daughter scored two tickets to the Meredith Vieira Show and asked if I wanted to go. I could not say yes fast enough. There’s something so exciting about watching a show being taped, and the guests were genuinely interesting. The episode airs January 6th, and I’m eager to see how it all comes together on screen. Spoiler alert, one of the guests was Jill Biden.

After the show, we hopped on the subway and headed downtown to Union Square. Hard to believe I’d never been there, especially since I grew up just outside the city. We had lunch at Lillie’s—great atmosphere, cozy and charming.

Because I had a lot on my plate, we went up late Thursday night and came back Saturday, but we packed in plenty of fun. I drove, so I brought along an audiobook: Lucky Us by Amy Bloom. Let’s just say—it’s different. I haven’t finished it yet, but I’ll keep you posted.

Also, stay tuned—I’ll be talking about The Divorce Papers in my next post.

Wishing you a great week and Happy reading!

Tree at Rockefeller Center. Took the shot from the NBC Building.  Looks much prettier in person.

 

Working Stiff Kind of like Bones meets Ducky

At first I thought this book might be a little too boring or too graphic for me. After all it is written by a forensic pathologist and they can see some pretty grisly things and believe me she does. It was neither.  I guess it is because I love watching shows like NCIS and Bones. 

The author started out as a surgical resident but found it wasn't what she wanted out of her life.  She applied for a residency in California in forensic pathology and then ended up doing a rotation at the New York Office of the Chief Medical Officer.  You can just imagine the variety of cases she saw there. Like the time a big crane hit one of the construction crew while he sat drinking is coffee.  Let's just say that his brains were splattered on the NYC street and he never knew what hit him.

Just to keep things clear, a forensic pathologist as defined in the book is a specialist who investigates sudden, unexpected deaths or violent deaths by visiting the scene, revisiting medical records and performing an autopsy all while collecting evidence that might be used in court. The forensic pathologist must be able to recognize what everything is and looks like in the body and understands how everything works.  I feel like we have a lot in common.  I work on sick or dying/dead computers and must diagnose what caused their demise.  She must do the same on humans except all are dead.

 So for all of my medical friends this book is going to be a walk in the park for you. Something you deal with all the time.  And for my friends who like the shows such as NCIS, Bones and Rizzoli and Isles this book is right up your alley.  If you want more information click here  Working Stiff

The Christmas Train

 

I love travelling by train. When I graduated from college I would take the train from DC to NY all the time.  It was a nice reprieve from flying which I did for my job all the time. Train travel gives you a lot of freedom to do things you can't do if you fly or drive.  For example you can sleep on a train while it is moving which I guess you can do if you fly but I have never been able to do this. People have been known to snooze  while they drive but it is not recommended. Accidents happen, no good.  You can drink alcoholic beverages, again not recommended when driving.  You can walk around, read listen to music and watch the world go by from your window.  I think you get my drift.

In the Christmas Train, Tom Langdon decides to take the train from DC to LA.  Actually the decision is made for him since he has been banned from flying for two years. Long story read the book. Since he is a journalist, he decides to write about his train travel experience.  Why not he is already experiencing it.  Once he boards the train he meets a very interesting group of people and is very surprised when Eleanor the one that got away is on his train.  Imagine that.  Bam! The train ride has now become really interesting. In addition to the interesting characters, there is a thief on board and the train gets stuck on the tracks because of an avalanche So Christmas is a little different for those on board.  But different is good right?  Oh and there is a twist in the story, one I did not see coming but only because I wasn't really paying as much attention as I should have, silly me.  I really enjoyed the book and would give it a Ho Ho Ho my highest rating for a holiday book.  If you haven't read it yet give it a try. For more info on this book follow the link The Christmas Train

Sunday Notes on Monday

I had a week off for Thanksgiving.  It was wonderful.  I usually am responsible for cooking the Thanksgiving feast but I did not prepare anything this year. Instead my family and I decided to do something a little different.  We went to Philadelphia.  I had been to Philly when I was in college but only for a day and most of it was spent at a conference so really that doesn't count.  We stayed at the Wyndham In the historic district and the location was great.  We were three blocks from Independence Hall, two blocks from Betsey Ross' House and for all my foodie friends eight blocks from Reading Terminal. I think you all get the picture. Public transportation is great as well.  We went to some good restaurants there which I will talk about on my other blog Trying to Cook.

After spending a few days in Philly we hopped onto I95 North to New Jersey and spent Thanksgiving day at my parents'.  Both of them were not up for cooking and for the first time ever we pre-ordered the meal from Stop and Shop.  For all of you living in Maryland the Stop and Shop folks own Giant as well.  Surprisingly the food was pretty ok.  Not as good as home made but certainly good in a pinch. Then it was home again before the holiday traffic on the weekend.

Staying in hotels gave me some time in the evening to read especially since it was snowing in Philly on Wednesday and although we braved the cold and wet to go out that evening we gave up around 8:30. We were cold, wet and tired from our day of sightseeing. As promised, I finished A Sudden Light by Garth Stein and posted my blog this past Saturday. It was very different from another one of his books that I had read,  The Art of Racing In the Rain.  I  finished two other books The Divorce Papers and Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner so look for those posts in the next week or so.  I enjoyed both books.

And if any of you have any leftover cranberry sauce which we did, check out the dessert recipe I found to use it up or if you don't have any leftover perhaps you should get another can or make your own.  Check out the recipe on Trying to Cook.

Not sure what I am going to read next.  Once again the number of books sitting next to my bed is huge.  So many choices.  I will keep you posted.  Have a great week.