A Few Scenes on a Dry Day - Skywatch Friday

Hello friends & fellow bloggers,

I hope you are all doing fine.

Where I live we've been having a week of significant rainfall and there's more to come for several more days.

I captured the following photos on a rare dry day. 

Thank you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post.  Have a wonderful weekend.  I hope to see you again soon. 

More Books of 2026

It's been awhile since I posted about the books I've read this year.  If you're at all interested in what I read earlier in the year have a look at this post and this one. 

As the year draws to a close I'm l looking at my reading stats. I set a modest reading goal of 50 books and I met it. I learned from Jeanie over at Marmalade Gypsy that a good goal is to set the pages at 20, 000 pages for the year. This works better for me as some books are quite short and the occasional one is quite long.  It can really affect the total number of pages read in a year if I only stick to the number of books read because some books are very short. In any case, 20,000 pages in a given year makes for a little more of a challenge.  I've got just over 1000 pages to read before the year ends in order to hit the mark.  It's very doable.

Here are the books read since September 2026.  The book covers are rather small but if you click on them you will see a larger image.

Of the 5 books in the photo above, 3 of them are about women. 

The Lost Girls of Paris is about a group of English women trained to be spies and assist in WW2 war effort based out of France.  I've read a number of similar books and generally enjoyed them including this fictional effort. 

Little Wonder is a wonderfully written book by 'new to me' author, Sophie Chen Keller.  It's about a poor woman left to raise her child as a single mom and widow in China. It happens that her child has a great gift for music and for playing the piano in particular.  She works hard to ensure her child is able to take lessons and they eventually move to Beijing to continue lessons with a great teacher based in that city.  Almost immediately upon arrival in Beijing the child and the mother become separated. The remainder of the story is about how each of them cope during their involuntary separation and what they do to try and reunite.  Eventually they do make their way back to one another but not in a way you might expect.  The story unfolds in the most tender and loving way illustrating the bond and the love between a mother and her child.

Sisterhood is the story of two sisters who end up going through unexpected hardships and life challenges at the same time.  They step up to support one another and along the way discover new things about themselves and each other.  It made me miss my sister who was gone too soon from this life. 

Passport Photo Service is a fun little book consisting mainly of photos of famous and not so famous customers of a passport photo office in London.  I found it fascinating to see the various photos, some of various people taken over decades. Sadly, the particular photo office is now closed after having operated for over 50 years.

Lost Girls is book #2 in a series.  I read book one, Lilac Girls last year. Book 2 is set a generation earlier and is inspired by real life events that occurred between 1914 through to the Russian Revolution.  The book follows 3 strong women Eliza Ferriday, Sofya Streshnayva and Varinka. Eliza is a wealthy, New York philanthropist who helps Russian refugees.  Sofya Streshnayva is a Russian aristocrat and cousin to the Romanovs.  She becomes separated from her son Max during the Bolshevik Revolution. Varinka is a Russian peasant women hired as a nanny to care for Max but her associations eventually lead to danger for Max and his family.  I found it a little hard to keep everything straight in this sweeping story and I was interested in some aspects of it more than others.

Out of the 6 books in the above photo, my favourite was Daughters of the Sun and Moon by Lisa See. Three women arrive in the small and dustry pueblo of Los Angeles in 1870 during a time of anti-Chinese sentiment. The women all come from very different backgrounds but are brought together one night during what is called he Night of Horrors.  The novel gives one an appreciation for what it's like going to a far flung country when civilian sentiments are against you and about one's struggle for survival despite the hardships one faces in life.

The Paris Daughter is a gut wrenching book.  In 1939 Paris, two young American artist and mothers Eliza and Juliette meet and become friends.  Both of them have young daughters and when Eliza has to flee due to her husband's arrest and becoming the target of the Nazi's, she leaves her daughter in Juliette's care.  After Eliza suffers various tragedies including a period in the concentration camp, she begins a search for her daughter and ultimately tracks both her & Juliette to New York City.  This story is powerful and gut wrenching and deals with themes of trauma, grief and love. 

Meet Me in Paris was a change of pace from the historical fiction that Ms. Harmel generally writes.  The book is set in contemporary times and is appropriately all about love since it's set in Paris, known as the City of Love.  Nine Americans meet in Paris and what follows are 7 intertwined love stories, all very unique and some very bittersweet.  It was a pleasing reading experience.

In The Parisian Chapter a young American, Lily, and her friend Mary Louise, move to Paris from their small town in Montana. It's 1995 and they share a 6th floor walk up surviving on baguettes and French cheese. Lily wants to be a writer and Mary Louise wants to become an established painter. When Mary Louise suddenly moves out Lily is left alone trying to navigate a new chapter in her life. She finds a job at the American Library in Paris (ALP) and begins a written correspondence with Odile, a French woman who lives back in Montana and who also worked at the ALP.

Mansfield Park is a novel by the very well known English author of the 17th century, Jane Austen. I'd read this book a few years prior and enjoyed it so I thought I'd read it again.  I very seldom read books a 2nd or 3rd time because there are so many books I've yet to read a first time.  In the book, Fanny Price is sent to live with her well to do uncle and his family.  Over the course of time as she develops into a young lady she draws the interest of a well to do gentlemen who asks for her hand in marriage.  She refuses to accept him raising the concern of her uncle and other family members who pressure her to change her mind but she stands firm in her refusal to accept the offer of marriage.  Her refusal stems from what she's observed as a character flaw in her intended suitor and fiancé.  I won't say how the book ends in case you haven't read it yet and want to add it to your reading list.

Perfect Recipes for Having People Over is about exactly what it says. I found the book very useful in identifying potential meals and preparations for entertaining. Personally I enjoyed the recipes unlike some reviewers who didn't think the recipes passed muster for entertaining purposes.  Whether you agree or disagree will likely depends on your personal style and the kind of people you want to entertain. I found the recipes tasty looking and fancy enough without being too labour intensive or intimidating to try. If I was buying books I'd buy this one for a reference.

My favourite book was Little Wonder followed by Daughters of the Sun and Moon out of the books I've read this autumn.

I have several books more books on hold at the library so I'll have a lot of reading material available before the year ends.  Right now a book is ready for pick up called The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenhoff (she also wrote The Lost Girls of Paris see above at photo 1).  In this new book, Marta survives Nazi concentration camp and after escaping she meets Paul, an American soldier.  They make plans to meet in London but Paul dies in a plane crash so he doesn't show up.  (This kind of reminds me of the movie, An Affair to Remember when Cary Grant's character is supposed to meet Maureen O'Hara's character at the top of the Empire State Building.  On her way there she has a car accident and misses their arranged meeting time which changes the trajectory of their lives. Anyway, I digress).  Eventually Marta meets and marries a kind British diplomat but her peaceful life is threatened when the British Government identifies her for an undercover mission.

Thank you for sticking with me and seeing what's been on my reading list this autumn.  I'd be interested in hearing what books you're reading and in particular, what book you enjoyed most in 2026.

When You Wish Upon A Star ~ Tuesday 4

 

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4.

We ask 4 questions each week to get you blogging and visiting other bloggers.

1.  Jiminy Cricket sang "When you Wish Upon a Star" in the movie Pinocchio. What are your favorite Disney movies?

My absolute favourite is Mary Poppins. After that I like 101 Dalmatians and Snow White & the 7 Dwarfs.

2. Are there any Disney songs that you are fond of or have special feelings about?

Colors of the Wind (Pocahontas) 

3. You can actually have a star named after yourself or a friend and they will register the name and send you a certificate. Is this something you would do as a gift for someone?

Years ago I considered it. My memory is hazy but I think I was looking to do it as a gift for someone but for whatever reason I didn't do it.

4.  Have you ever wished on a star even just for fun or on a romantic impulse?

Yes, many years ago we used to travel a particular highway quite frequently to go and visit my late mother.  Along the route there is a wonderful, open expanse of sky and stars. It's enough to make you stare in awe and wonder. In those times I would wish upon a star just for fun.

Beautiful Oasis in the City - Skywatch Friday

Enjoy the day with me at this beautiful, small classical Chinese garden.

It was a perfect outing before going for tea and a movie with a good friend.

Thank you for visiting my Skywatch Friday post.

Sandwiches & Housewifery ~ Tuesday 4

Welcome to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4! November 3rd is both national sandwich day and national housewife's day.

In the 1950s working married women outnumbered working single women , In a US population of a little over 161 million, over 9 million married women worked, while only 5 million single women had jobs.

The Dagwood sandwich based on the Chic Young comic   

" Dagwood", became very popular and men made them for themselves, the bigger the better.  

1. What is your favorite sandwich?

I think it has to be a Clubhouse Sandwich. After that it's a Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato (BLT) or a Tuna Salad.

2. Do you have a favorite Sandwich shop? We all know that soup and a sandwich is a great lunch but do you ever eat sandwiches for breakfast or supper?

I don't have a favourite sandwich shop. I tend to order a sandwich at the local mom and pop cafe or at a hotel restaurant. I never eat a sandwich for breakfast. I do make a soup and sandwich for dinner on a very rare occasion.  It's usually a Tomato Soup and Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

3. Growing up did your mother, grandmother, aunts have a job as well as being a housekeeper?    

My mother and an aunt both worked outside of the house while raising children and keeping house but they didn't work at paid jobs all the time.

4. According to the United Nations, unpaid domestic labor is the number one most important driver of the entire global economy. 

478% of women shoulder all the domestic and child caring labor as well as holding down full or part tme jobs. Without women the global economy would fail.   

 Did you juggle a family and a job?

I worked all of my life but never juggled a family and a job. I juggled my career, extended family obligations and running my household. Now that I'm married and retired, I'm still running the household and also carrying out extended family responsibilities (overseeing the care and keeping of my niece).

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate your time.

It Snowed ~ Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

I hope you're well. I'm doing great. Keeping super busy as I'm still in the throes of renovations and catching up on appointments, meeting with friends and getting things Christmas ready (which will take some time).  I'm trying to get ahead of things so I can hopefully enjoy a peaceful and relaxing Christmas. I'm in need of a good rest.  This year has been non-stop with this, that and the other and I haven't had a chance to have a vacation or just kick back and relax.

Anyway, I wanted to share that we had the first snowfall of the season today.  It was high on the mountains not down in the city.  It snowed more than once because the snow appeared lower down on the mountains as the day wore on.

I used AI to erase a telephone pole.

I made sure to dress for the day and I was quite comfortable as I went out and about.

It's been raining for several days but we had a bright and beautiful day when I went out on Monday. 

This is a new mini park on a very busy street.

I love all the flowers and the mural art.

Thanks for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post. I wish you a wonderful weekend.

It's News to Us ~ Tuesday 4

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Welcome once again to Toni Taddeo's Tuesday 4 where we give you 4 questions to ponder and blog about each week.  The details of our lives are 'news'.

1. Do you or did you ever have a nickname? Care to share?

Yes, I've had several nicknames over the years. These were usually given to me by my maternal uncles and my maternal grandfather.  One I can share is 'jawbreaker eyes'.  My uncle called me that because back then I had very large, dark eyes.  He thought they resembled a popular candy made in those days called jawbreaker. The candy was round, large, very hard & tasted like liquorice if I recall correctly.  Sadly, my eyes are no longer so large.  The candy also seems to have disappeared from the marketplace. Update:  I did a google search and apparently they still make and sell this candy somewhere (probably the USA) and it comes in different flavours not just liquorice.

2.  Did you ever have a penpal or have you chatted online with someone you don't know in person?

Yes, I've had several pen pals over the years whom I've never met.  I've also chatted with several people on line that I've never met and likely never will.  The time I shared snail mail with a pen pal was when I was a young adult.  His name was Leczek and I 'met' him through a local friend who worked at the university when I was a student. I can't recall why I started corresponding with Leczek but I think my university friend thought it would be a good idea.  Leczek was Polish and lived in Poland with his wife and 2 children.  My memory is hazy but I think Leszek and his wife were both teachers.  I do remember that they were both deeply fascinated with Native Americans. 

This interest is what later made me back off from corresponding with Lezsek.  I was very uncomfortable with his views of Native Americans and his insistence on seeing them as historical, noble savages rather than the contemporary peoples they are today.   No matter what I shared with him, he and his wife refused to see Native Americans as contemporary beings with a rich history.  

In many parts of Europe, primarily Germany and Poland, there are people who romanticize Native Americans and emulate their way of life before and during early contact. They even have friendship clubs were they get together each summer to camp and recreate the lives they think Native Americans live/d including their way of dressing, dancing and so on.  They seem to have gotten their information from the writings of the Eastern German novelist, Karl May. 

Karl May never actually ever met a Native American and never travelled to America but he wrote many novels about the life of Native Americans as he imagined it to be.  He is well known and still today people believe whole heartedly in what he wrote. I met some of these people when I travelled to Germany and I when I visited the Karl May museum in Dresden, Germany.  Anyway, the correspondence with Leczek was interesting while it lasted as I also learned a bit about Poland and the life there as well as his family and how they lived.  I almost forgot that I currently have a friend who lives in Nottingham, England and we've corresponded by snail mail for several years.  We've never met in person but if I get to England there may be an opportunity to meet.  My friend's name is Joy and she's been going through a lot of trials over the past year when she lost her husband through a bitter divorce and she also lost 3 family members to health complications.

Tony is the last person I chatted with on line and whom I've never met.  He's from Nigeria and when I met him he owned a women's accessories shop selling things like shoes and handbags though I'm not sure if he still has it. Recently he got married and had a child so we haven't had an in-depth talk in some time and likely won't.  

Though I've enjoyed having these pen pals, it isn't likely that I'll be chatting with more strangers on line.  It's a lot of work to sift through their peoples intentions.  I no longer have an interest in doing that, nor do I have the time to do it. I almost forgot that I have another friend who I met on line when she lived in Spain. Enza is an Italian who has lived in Mallorca, the Netherlands & even New York City during the time I've known her.  Now that her children are grown she lives in Dubai, UAE.  She and I keep in touch by chat and voice messages, not usually through live phone calls due to the time differences and schedules. She is a dear friend though we've never met. We talk about meeting but so far we haven't done it. 

3. Do you read a  newspaper ? How do you keep up with the latest news?

I no longer read a physical newspaper but from time to time, I read some on line newspapers.  Mostly I catch 'breaking news' on Instagram (IG), You Tube and local news broadcasts. IG seems to be a good way to see what the latest breaking news especially since I no longer use the site formerly known as Twitter.  Since Elon Musk bought the company and called it X, I no longer follow.

4.  Is there any news in your life lately?

There isn't much news of interest to share.  I'm still in the middle of renovation chaos. It's primarily the bathrooms that are being partially renovated and a few minor changes in the kitchen and the open area of the condo.  I've learned to live with the chaos but I can't wait until everything is completed and some sense of order is restored.

I also want to update that the MRI test I had had several weeks ago didn't reveal anything of concern.  There was just one small issue that my doctor already knew about and which doesn't require any further follow up.  Thank you to those of you who remembered to pray for me when I mentioned it in this space prior to the MRI appointment.

A Week of Beauty - Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers,

This is just a short note to wish you a fantastic weekend whatever your plans.

Today I'm sharing a week of skies here in beautiful Vancouver. 

I've enjoyed  looking above. I hope you have too.

Thank you for stopping by my Skywatch Friday post today.

Bookish Questions ~ Tuesday 4

White washing the fence, Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer

Welcome to Tuesday 4 kept up in honor of it's founder Toni Taddeo.

   

Over 12,000 books, many once required reading in schools and including children's books have been banned.  Even Jane Eyre finds itself under scrutiny.

1.Do you think any book or series has  helped form your view on things...life, love, etc?

Many will say the Bible but how about more secular books that you feel have taught or influenced you?

I can't say that any book or series has influenced my view of things. I've had a good upbringing with what I feel was appropriate moral guidance on the key things in life. Whatever was taught at home was confirmed and enhanced at church. 

Books and the values they exemplify, often provide guidance too but a different type than what I got at home but I like to challenge my thinking and my knowledge beyond what is comfortable or immediately accessible through reading, film, travel, friends.  In terms of reading specifically, I would say that my most read genre is historical fiction.  Through these types of books I get interesting in further researching historical events rather than just reading the fictional version.

I also enjoy authors that focus on family relationships, love and forgiveness.  They give me a warm cosy feeling and a sense of comfort.  I also like books that teach me about other cultures. This interest dovetails well with my love of travel and learning about the people of other lands through their food, clothing, views on land and so on.  All these interests are confirmed through the reading of books.  The interests didn't originate with the reading of books. I hope that makes sense.

2.  What is your favorite book or book series and why is it a favorite?

I have too many favourite books and they are favourites for different reasons. Some of my most favourite books  are simply because the stories were so well written.  The authors evoked an emotional response with their masterful way with words.  Some that come to mind A Fine Balance & Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry, Tara Road by Maeve Binchy, The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher, Cutting for Stone by Abraham Vergese & The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini but these are by no means the only books I thoroughly enjoyed.

3. If your favorite book or book series was being cast for a TV/Movie series, who would play the main characters?

I have no idea.  Most of the books I like books are set in other countries with other nationalities as characters. To be believable, the movie or television series would need to hire some actors from those ethnicities and countries. The Binchy and Pilcher books are set in Ireland and Scotland respectively.  Both books were made into movies but I don't think they did the books justice.

4.  Are there any books you have read many times?

I tend not to read a book more than once.  I have so many books yet to read on my 'to read' list. However I have accidentally read a book more than once. One I re-read recently is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. Surprisingly I didn't enjoy it that much on the 2nd reading though I did enjoy it the first time around. 

I had a similar experience with one book I read in university many years ago.  It is called The Invention of the World by Jack Hodgins, a writer from Vancouver Island. I made a point of reading it again many years later just because I enjoyed it so much the first time. Again, surprisingly, I was disappointed in the 2nd reading and I didn't finish it. I wondered why I had enjoyed it so much when I read it the first time?  Believe it or not, I want to try reading it for a 3rd time just to make sure whether I like it or not. If I don't, I guess it means my tastes have changed and I'm okay with that.

Mid-October Skies - Skywatch Friday

Hello friends and fellow bloggers, 

Happy Friday & Happy Weekend ahead to you all.

As we get farther away from summer, we begin to experience wetter days and cooler weather in my part of the world.

These photos were taken earlier this week just before a day of rain.  It only lasted a day.  At least this time around.

The last 3 photos above show the roads and sidewalks at the corner of Main Street & Broadway that have finally been repaired.  They were in a state of chaos while the subway was being built.  The only remaining item to fix on this corner is the completion of the new subway station on the corner.

The current state of the new station.

The new subway along the Broadway Corridor (east-west direction or west-east) is scheduled to open for passenger service in the autumn of 2027. For now it only stretched from Arbutus in the west to Clark Drive at Vancouver Community College (VCC) in the east. It really should have extended to the most westerly part of the city where the University of British Columbia (UBC) is located. I'm sure it will eventually be extended.

Thank you for visiting my Skywatch Friday post.