Friday, March 11, 2022

A Busy Week and Some Beautiful Skies

It's been a very busy week and I'm looking forward to a bit of rest over the weekend. It was also a very beautiful week weather wise with some fabulous skies.




 

I completed reading the next books a little quicker than I wanted because two of them were due at the library. They could not be renewed due to their tremendous popularity. I love using my library but sometimes it's difficult to read popular books when there are long wait lists for them.  If there is no wait list for a book, the library has increased renewal options to three times (9 weeks) rather than two (6 weeks).  I'm very happy about that.




The Dressmakers of Auschwitz introduced me to a new angle on the Holocaust.  Apparently there were many Jewish women who toiled and sewed for the wives and women who were part of the Nazi regime.  The author of the book painstakingly pieced together the story of these women and paid homage to their contributions to war resistance efforts. It was not an easy task since the Nazis burned a lot of the incriminating evidence when they realized they had lost the war.  This is definitely a very eye opening and interesting book which goes into considerable detail about the textile operations at Auschwitz.

 

 

The Man Who Died Twice is a very engaging book. It is a complicated murder mystery and I guess it is book #2 of a two part (to date) series. I didn't read book #1 and I think this book stands on it's own. It is described in part as a humorous book but it isn't "split a gut" or "laugh out loud" funny. Subtle humour is sprinkled throughout to balance the numerous murders. I understand that Steven Spielberg is turning this book into a major motion picture.

 

Wish You Were Here is another excellent read. I am surprised I enjoyed this book so much after reading several negative reviews. The book was written after the author's experience in contracting Covid-19 and it  deals with what a patient experiences after contracting and surviving Covid and having been put on a ventilator.  Perhaps it is too soon for most people to appreciate such a book but I was very engaged in the story line throughout.

The storytelling is top notch and besides the great story telling, I was very interested in the topic of lucid dreaming that many Covid survivors experience. Another tidbit I picked up from the book is the concept of generational trauma. This is a new to me concept,  having only just heard about it in the past month or two.  It is only mentioned in the novel and not discussed in any detail.

Apparently the Japanese have done research on the idea of generational trauma. The subject piques my interest due to the recent findings of several massive child burial plots at multiple Indian Residential School sites in Canada. The intergenerational trauma suffered by many residential school survivors is of keen interest to me and one I hope to learn more about.  I'm interested in better understanding the lingering affects of trauma, not just on the person directly traumatized but also on their descendants.

Besides reading, I recently enjoyed dinner out at a vintage restaurant (pictured below). Don't you love the individual booth jukeboxes? The play list is full of old hits and I often dance in my seat when I hear the songs start up.  It's fun!

I've also been busy this week with health issues, both mine and my "baby" brother's.   He had his second eye surgery on Wednesday.  He has now completed two eye surgeries and things seem to have gone successfully though it will take a few more days healing.  As for me, I finally have the 'go ahead' to do some treatments on my neck and back which are suffering after the accident I had in late September.  There are numerous reasons why the treatments didn't happen sooner. I won't go into details. It is good timing now for things to move forward since I'm currently experiencing a lot of neck and back issues.  As for my ear, I've been told that the hole or tear in the drum has miraculously healed itself. I don't know how it happened but the specialist said that once the ear canal environment is made more healthy, holes or tears can sometimes heal on their own. Just to be sure that things remain that way, I have a follow up appointment in 3 months. One thing she did tell me after reviewing the CT scan more closely is that it looks like I had a fracture in the back of my jaw. I'm not surprised because the impact I had was very significant. I also had the fracture in my cheek area. I'm not sure that it is fully healed but it looks a lot better. My cheek doesn't exactly look normal but the surgeon and I have agreed that I won't be moving ahead on any facial surgery due to possible complications, primarily infections.

I made another trip to the library to pick up a few more books. I forgot to get a photo of two other books I have in my stack so I actually have 6 books on the go.  That's a little too much for me. I wasn't going to read much this year and I'll reach my very modest target when I finish the current book,"Burke's Law:  A Life in Hockey" by Brian Burke.  Brian Burke is well known in the hockey field but I only heard of him when he married a local journalist, Jennifer Mather.  I think he met her after he was hired as the Director of Hockey Operations for the Vancouver Canucks. I'm not fully sure because I didn't get to that part of the story yet. I only know they married and lived here for awhile before moving to the USA (they are now divorced).  I only follow hockey a bit here and there but I am finding the book, and the man, very interesting.  The book is full of interesting hockey history too.

I will still be limiting my reading this year so I can focus on a few other things.  First I need to complete the current stack of books I'm reading.


Joining in with Skywatch Friday this week. Thank you for stopping by!


 

11 comments:

Jo said...

Dearest Penny, at last I am able to do a bit of blog visiting. thank you for your kind comments on my blog, always.As you know, I am an avid reader and we have discussed books and reading before. I am fascinated by the book: The Dressmakers of Auscwitz. I love Maeve Binchy and have read all her books. I hope your brother is better soon. And I wish you improved health as well. Have a great day. Jo xx

Jeanie said...

What a fun p ost! That's fabulous about your ear and not-so-fab about your jaw. I know you have the same no-fault as we do, but I still think as a mark of good faith, the bus company should have ponied up at least a bit. I loved the first Osmun and I think you would too -- it introduces the characters I think continue into the second. You're right about stand-alone but it's fun and a good plot. I'm especially interested in the Picoult. And that resto looks delightful. Sending good wishes to both you and your brother.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

I just love reading, I don't do as much as I thought I would since retiring. Oh well, I stay busy. Those books sound very interesting.
Sorry about your health problems. Sending you healing thoughts and prayers from Oklahoma.

Stacy said...

Well, I'm glad things went well with your brother's surgery and I hope things get figured out and taken care of with your health issues. Thanks for the book tips...I am hoping to read more than usual this year. Jodi Picoult is such a talented story teller but her subject matter is always so emotionally piercing (and sometimes it just hits brutally close to home). I have to be in the right mood to read her or it just brings me down. Have a wonderful weekend!

affectioknit said...

Hi Penny,
...I'm so glad you and your brother are getting the help and care you need...I've got the dressmaker book on my list...and I think I'll add the covid one too...I love the vintage diners...there were several of them in the upper midwest...all shiny and silver on the outside...but you don't really see them around here...probably not enough seats inside...yours looks awesome though...
~Have a lovely weekend!

Spare Parts and Pics said...

Those are some fabulous skies. Nicely photographed!

Spare Parts and Pics said...

Those are some fabulous skies. Nicely photographed!

Red said...

Keep on reading. Reading gives more pleasure and satisfaction. I hope the treatment you get on your back and neck do some good.

Rhodesia said...

Hi Penny, beautiful blue skies. Some interesting books there, I must see what is available.
Keep well and take care Diane

Mari said...

Your blue skies and beautiful buildings are always a treat to see.
I read the Dressmakers book - very good! I always like Jodi Piccoult books and will have to look for that one.
I'm dealing with health issues with my Dad this past week. I'll blog about it next week. Praying your health issues are soon resolved.

Lowcarb team member said...

I agree those skies are lovely ...

Nice to see the books you have been reading, I too enjoy reading, it is a very pleasant pastime.
Take care, my good wishes.

All the best Jan

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