Author: sssmahh303

Brain Games 

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

When you suddenly can’t remember a name or recall a word that is on the tip of your tongue, you begin to panic that you are getting early onset Alzheimers.  At our age, it probably would not be early onset.  It is just old age. 

It is frightening to think that you might be losing your mental faculties.  It is hard enough to deal with the aches and pains of aging and then be fearful that you will fall for a scam giving all your money away or be in a permanent brain fog.  So, what can you do about it?  

The experts would tell you to learn new things, get enough sleep, eat well, exercise, have social connections, and challenge your brain in novel ways.  Even in old age, the brain can adapt, learn, and build new connections between nerve cells.  This is called neuroplasticity. 

People with mild cognitive impairment can do many things to improve their mental skills.  They can “exercise” their brains with activities that require thinking, remembering, focusing, learning, and problem solving.  The secret is to challenge yourself.  There are lots of computerized cognitive games that you can do on your computer, iPad, or phone.  You can learn a new language or a musical instrument. Take up any new artistic endeavor.  Write a journal and read everything.  Take classes.  I Zoom classes all the time – a previous blog detailed this. The activity should be novel, test you, and be enjoyable so you will continue with it. 

Crossword puzzles are always mentioned.  However, I cannot spell so that makes it doubly hard for me.  I can look at a word and know it is misspelled, but if I must generate the word, it will take me several tries if I ever get it.  I have taken to doing Word Searches or Find-A-Word puzzles which I find relaxing.  After years of teaching, I can read words upside down and backwards which is necessary to do the searches. This comes from looking at students’ papers from the other side of the desk.  That learned skill has finally come in handy.  Who knew?  

I also like to do Hidden Picture Puzzles.  I guess I always loved the Highlight magazine’s Hidden Pictures that we found in the dentist office. The company Brain Games has a wonderful selection of all kinds of brain games.  The Scavenger Hunt books from them are challenging but lots of fun.  The Find the Cat books are hard.  Kitties are tricky.  

If you like numbers, there is sudoku.  I have a variation of the puzzle that is a wooden board with colored balls.  It looks easy, but it is very thought-provoking.  There is a game for every interest and attention span.  You just need to find something of interest to you.  You can sign up for expensive online courses or go to Dollar Trees and stock up on Word Searches. And of course, Amazon has endless brain games.

I start everyday with prayers, meditations, readings, and brain games.  I am hoping that it is all helping my brain.  At least, I am trying, and it is all enjoyable.  It is nice to kill two birds with one stone – exercising the brain and having fun doing it!  Join me in making a difference in your brain and in your life.   

The Correspondent 

by sssmahh303, posted in Reviews

Mary Ann

Dear SSS Reader,

I am writing to share a unique book with you, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans.  In the last few years, there have been several books written in the letter format, so I decided I would write the review in the same manner.  Let’s see how this goes.

The Correspondent is the story of Sybil Van Antwerp.  Sybil is a woman of letters, that is, letter writing. The story progresses through her letters and emails that she writes each day.  Sybil is in her 70s, and this is another trend in some recent literature with Theo of Golden and Remarkably, Bright Creatures with Tova’s story.  All older people who share their wisdom thorough the stories.

Sybil writes her brother, her best friend, her children, her neighbor, and famous authors such as Joan Didion who do answer her. There is a continuing battle with her garden club. You can identify with Sybil and her fellow characters as they live life just like you.  She has a charming exchange with Harry, a young man who needs a friend in his corner.  We watch Harry grow up in Sybil’s letters. 

There are some romances in Sybil’s golden years, and secrets from her past that unfold with the evolution of the story.  Sybil was adopted, and her DNA opens new avenues to investigate. The Correspondent is full of surprises and is a good lesson for us all to learn.  There are surprises waiting for all of us that are just around the corner. 

As you join Sybil by reading her story through her letters, you will find a book of memorable characters and witness a life well-lived.  The Correspondent has been a selection for many book clubs and questions are provided at the end of the book.  Cynthia read it as a selection for her club.  

The Correspondent is being made into a major motion picture. Won’t that be fun!  Maybe Helen Mirren will play Sybil?  It is fun to imagine who will have the lead role.  As I read books, I often cast the movie in my head, and for the most part I never get it right.  I guess I do not have a future career as a casting director.   Do you do this as well?

I have enjoyed sharing this review with you through a letter.  I hope you have enjoyed it too.  The Correspondent is a quick read, and maybe it will encourage you to write an old friend or your grandchildren.  It is nice to get a letter in the mail.  

Fond Regards,

Mary Ann

Moonflowers

by sssmahh303, posted in Friends and Family

Mary Ann

When I bought my house in South Carolina from my fairy godmother, Mimi (I wrote a blog about her), left me some treasures in the empty house when I took ownership.  On the kitchen counter was a bottle of my favorite wine that we used to share together and a picture book, The Moonflower by Peter and Jean Loewer.  Mimi’s inscription on the inside of the book wished me happiness in my new house and that she planted some moonflowers for me to enjoy as the summer progressed. 

Moonflowers are climbing vines in the morning glory family.  They have white trumpet-shaped flowers and heart-shaped leaves.  They bloom at night and are pollinated by moths rather than butterflies.  This nocturnal flower only blooms for one night and in the morning wilts.  They are often part of a moon garden. 

That first summer I would watch the tight white buds bloom and if you listen carefully, you can hear a pop as it unfurls.  The moonflower has a lovely scent that is pleasant to enjoy on a summer’s evening.  For the remainder of my time in South Carolina, I planted moonflowers each year.  I didn’t have a yard when I moved to Jersey City, so no moonflowers until I retired and began the tradition again for my patio garden that I call Little Provence.  I just love watching all stages of moonflowers.

I grow the moonflowers from seed that I get from Renee’s Garden, a gardening company that has high-quality organic seeds and plants.  In prepping moonflower seeds to plant, you need to take a toenail clipper and snip a corner of the seed which are hard as bullets.  Then I soak paper towels in water and place about 10 or 12 seeds on the towels and cover with another towel that I keep moist.   Within a few days the seeds swell and out comes seed leaves. I then plant the seeds in little paper pots to await additional leaves.  Along the way some seeds to not sprout or some do not get leaves.  I am hopeful by the end that I have 6-8 plants for the two big pot that will be their homes.  I have trellises in the pots.  I usually do all of this at the end of April and have the plants in the big pots after Mother’s Day when there is no frost.  I keep them well watered in an area with good sunlight.  

The warmer weather encourages more leaves and tendrils that begin shooting up the trellises. Soon the trellises are covered in vines and little buds begin to emerge.  The buds grow bigger until they are ready to pop into the moonflower blossoms.  They usually keep blooming until the fall frost. I deadhead the withered moonflowers each morning which I think spurs future growth.  

Most of the flowers I plant are from a nursery, so I am transplanting more mature plants.  However, there is something magical about growing plants from seeds.  I love to feel dirt between my fingers.  My moonflowers are my little ritual each year.  It is a flower that makes me happy, and I always think of Mimi and the gift she gave me by introducing me to this amazing flower.  

I hope that my experience with moonflowers will spur you on to try to grow some yourself. You will be so surprised to hear that little pop and how the moonflowers will make summer evenings more special.  Good Gardening, My Friend!

Superpowers

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Superman!  I am sure that you may have played Superman or Batman or Wonder Woman as a child or that your children or grandchildren did.  I used to pin on a towel on my son’s shoulders every day for about a year as he faced the world and defended our home. He was only four, but he was sure he had superpowers.  I am lucky he didn’t try to fly by jumping off the roof.  

We live in a world of Marvel or DC characters in movies, TV shows, and books, and do not forget fantasy worlds where witches and elves have magical powers – superpowers!  We love them all.  Then there is the Harry Potter universe.  I am sure you have gotten lost in those worlds over the years.  Let’s explore this a bit more.

A Superpower means that you have extraordinary or paranormal abilities. I found websites that list 100 or more superpowers. There is telekinesis where you can move objects with your mind.  There is invisibility where you are cannot been seen with the naked eye – remember Harry Potters’ invisibility cloak?  You can have super strength, or you can   manipulate time that includes time travel.  You can be a shapeshifter changing from one shape to another – a person to an animal. You have the power to fly, or you can teleport traveling from one place to another.  You can have healing superpowers that can regenerate body parts and fight an infection.  Power negation sounds pretty good because you cancel all other powers.  Check out Pinterest with its extensive display of Superpowers!

Have you ever wished that you had a Superpower?   I sure do.  It would be nice to disappear at awkward moments or move my groceries from the car to the kitchen or better yet put them away. However, what I really want to do is animal communication where I would understand and communicate with animals.  Move over, Dr. Doolittle!  I have always been an animal lover.  You must know that from my blogs.  I would have loved to know what my dogs and cats were thinking.  Today, I would love to talk to the catbird who has taken over the patio garden.  He (I am assuming he) brings food to its mate and soon to his hatchlings.  He flits around the garden with his tail bobbing up and down exposing his little red patch on his tush.  He checks me out to the point that he looks in my windows.  I think he would like to talk too asking me what I am doing in my nest!  

Then I would love to hear what the butterflies and hummingbirds have to say.  Maybe thank you for the plants that I have planted for them to have a tasty snack.  I am sure the bunnies and the foxes have some tales – no pun intended – to tell.  Now, we just look at each other, and I imagine what a conversation might be.  

if you could have a superpower, how would you use it?  Let us think about it as we visualize some possibilities. I do believe that those of us in the winter of our lives, maybe the fall for some, could use a few anti-aging superpowers.  How about a superpower for better vision or hearing?  How about a supercharged healing power where we could rid ourselves of pain or fix a bad hip joint.  We could use an anti-fall power – on the way down, we would right ourselves immediately.  How about anti-wrinkle or anti-gray hair powers?  We could use superpowers for sleeping better or talking to our grandchildren by just thinking about them. How about superpowers to do all our cooking or laundry and give you back lost skills like skipping or hopping. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to recall that word on the tip of your tongue or remember where you put your glasses. We need some superpowers for that.

 I am sure this list could go on and on.  We have not been blessed with any real superpowers, yet we have some power at our fingertips.  We can be a great friend.  We can be kind and helpful. We can always have a smile for someone.  We can deeply love our family.  We can give to charities and help hungry people. We can appreciate the small treasures in our world.  So, you see you really do have power to be super to others!  

4th in Sit

by sssmahh303, posted in Friends and Family

Mary Ann

It is hard not to fall in love with a puppy! That is exactly what happened when my father brought home a shy brown and white ball of fur with big brown eyes.  The whole family was grieving the loss of our beloved Irish Setter, Abigale, that was hit by a car.  None of us wanted to think about another pet. However, my father was a hunter and would need a working dog for the hunting season in the fall.  It was hard to think that this little puppy would have to earn her keep. To my brother and me, the puppy was going to be our pet. 

So that is how Heidi came into our family.  She was a Llewelyn English Setter having brown spots rather the typical black spots.  Since it was early spring and way too cold for a puppy to be outside, we got to keep Heidi in the house.  That allowed us to quickly bond and to fall completely in love with her. We couldn’t wait until we got home from school to play with Heidi.   

I have shared with you in an earlier blog that my 4H project was Dog Husbandry.  For that project, you had to care for your dog with feeding and grooming. You had to train your dog and show them at the local 4H Dog Show in early June and again at the end of the summer at the County 4-H Dog Show.  

Truly, Heidi was just a baby, but I practiced with her to prep for the club show which was a few months away.  Now, the training was not intense as it could have been since we had school and other childhood activities.  There was always time to play with Heidi, but I was still learning how to train a dog and show it.  We were both babies.  

Well, I turned around and suddenly, it was the beginning of June.  Show Time!!  Saturday morning of the show, I bathed and groomed Heidi so she would look her best.  She was older, but she still looked like a puppy with a fat belly.  We practiced sit, come, stay, heel, and down that were basic obedience skills.  We were shaky on all of them.  My father drove my brother and me along with Heidi to a local park for the “show.”  Our leaders had us all line up and then instructed us on what we were expected to do.  Heidi was like Velcro next to me.  She was not prepared for lots of people and lots of dogs. Dogs that were bigger and more confident than she was. 

 So, there I was with a timid puppy who forgot everything she knew.  When we told to walk our dogs around the ring, Heidi wouldn’t move.  I had to pick her up and carry her.  From there the obedience trial went downhill.  Heidi wouldn’t even come to me when called.  She was terrified from all the show commotion. However, when we were instructed to have our dogs sit, Heidi sat her little tushy right down in a perfect curtsey.  In the end, we got 4th in Sit.  I was so proud of our little white 4th place ribbon. I was so proud of Heidi.  Everyone else was getting blue, red, and yellow ribbons.  At least, we placed. However, it was a long quiet ride home.

When we got home, Heidi was exhausted.  She could hardly stay awake.   We were also all tired.  Heidi had done her best, and you can’t ask more of a puppy who was trying to grow up.  I sat with my father who said that we could get Heidi trained for the County 4-H Dog Show in late August.  We basically had three months to make this happen.  My father asked if I was ready to do the hard work necessary to make this happen.  I was and had visions of Blue Ribbons dancing in my head.

For the remainder of the summer, my father and I would go in the backyard after supper and worked with Heidi on commands and how to behave in a show ring.  We didn’t miss a day.  It was repeat, repeat, repeat.  Of course, we gave Heidi little treats for her hard work.  She really was working hard for “good girls” and lots of pets and hugs.  Our little puppy was growing up into a dog as she was approaching her 6th month birthday in August.  She was almost at her adult size. Her coat was feathering out, and her body slimmed down into a beautiful English Setter.  Daily brushing was making a difference, and she knew what the different commands meant and could flawlessly execute them.  Would all this hard work pay off at the show? 

The day of the show arrived.  I had butterflies flying all over my stomach.  Heidi had gained confidence over the summer, and I did too.  She was just glad to be with the family.  We got to the fairgrounds where the big County 4-H show was underway.  There were all kind of animals being showed all week long.  There were kids from all the county competing. 

We went to the dog show arena and got ready for the competition.  There were three categories – obedience (sit, stay, come, down, and heel); showmanship (how you and your dog showed in the ring); and confirmation (grooming and how each breed compared to its standard). Heidi and I were ready.  We just had to prove we had grown. I am sure people remembered our last performance.  

The judges cued us on each category, and Heidi and I went through our paces.  Heidi was doing so well in each class, and in the end, we won a Blue Ribbon for obedience, showmanship, and confirmation.  All three.  It was a 4-H Trifecta!  Heidi was just happy working with me. I was so proud of her.  It was a far cry from 4th in Sit.  

As the years passed, my brother and I continued showing our dogs with the 4-H, and there were lots more blue ribbons.   Nothing else ever compared to those first blue ribbons. They were precious.  I still have them.  Heidi was a sweetheart and was so loved by our family.  My father hunted with her, and she gave her whole heart to something she loved to do with him. Heidi is now buried in my heart and will always have a special place there.  

 What I learned from this whole experience is that hard work pays off.  This was the lesson that my father was teaching me.  I think if you were to check out my family, our work ethic is central to who we are.  It is our family ‘s treasure.  We are all hard workers.  As the years passed, you realize what a gift it was to have that trait instilled into our lives.  Heidi was a pretty good teacher too!  Thank you, Sweet Girl! 

A Witch, a Fox, and a Magical Inn

by sssmahh303, posted in Reviews

Mary Ann  

When you think of a witch, do visions of the movie Wicked come to mind or a witch from the Grimm fairytales darkening your mind’s eye?  Of course, it does.  We have been programed.  However, there are gentler witches, and the following review is about one such witch. 

When powerful witch, Sera Swan, loses her magic, how does she gain it back?  This is the theme of A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna.  This book was recommended to me by a couple of my book-loving friends – always the best recommendations!  So, I wanted to share it with you.

There is The Inn aptly named Batty Hole, and it is a character on to itself.  It keeps bad guests away and causes flowers to grow in the teacups.  There is a cast of quirky characters that include Great-Auntie Jasmine, who raised Sera; a talking fox named Clemmie -I want to meet this fox; Nicolas, a knight; Matilda, a geriatric oddball; and young cousin Theo who is a budding witch.  Of course, all stories must have a villain and Magical Innkeeping is no exception.  Albert Grey of the British Guide of Sorcery and a powerful witch is Sera’s nemesis and has tried for years to understand her powers.  And if you have a bad guy, you must have an equally good guy. – somewhat like a Hallmark movie!    Hence, Luke Larsen, a handsome academically focused witch, enters the mix with his little sister, Posy. 

This enchanting “family” joins Sera on her quest to regain her magic.  It has it challenges as all quests do, but will it have its rewards in the end?  You will have to read to find out and what a fun read!  I just downloaded A Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches – a romantic cozy fantasy, another book by Sangu Mandanna.  I am hoping it will be again a sweet story full of whimsy and magic. However, I have been contemplating – what is an irregular witch?  I guess I will have to read and find out! 

Ritual

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

Do you remember when you would get up in the morning and run a brush through your hair, brush your teeth, splash water on your face, and maybe a dash of lipstick or mascara and run out the door?   Do you also remember when you went to bed, and you only washed your face and brushed your teeth– maybe skipping the face washing if you were very tired.  Well, once you become old, those days are over.  It is time for daily rituals both day and night.

I must now plan my mornings and evenings to perform my rituals.  Each evening before bed, I set out my pills and eyedrops for the morning.  I then must do a 20-minute treatment with this heated eye gizmo for dry eye therapy.  I usually fall asleep while I am doing it, and I must do it twice since the longest it can run is 10 minutes. After the treatment, I clean my eye lids with eyelid wipes and top it off with GenTeal Tears, a Vaseline-like ointment that helps dry eyes.  This is the very last thing I do because you will be only seeing fog.  No reading when you can’t sleep.  This all works so you keep doing the protocol.  Then there are lotions or ointments for one thing or another that is acting up.  My back may hurt so I will put arnica on it which does seem to help. Most of this is not a beauty regime.  That was all done when I was younger.  I kind of chuckle when I see on TV, beauty regiments that are 4 to 6 steps. I would probably be asleep by step two.  So, I save time and money and only use moisturizer on my face.  Oh, I forgot that when I brush my teeth, and I must put my Invisalign retainers in to keep my teeth straight.   I guess if you have TMJ problems you are wearing those as well to prevent a sore jaw.

I have a friend with sleep apnea, and she has a whole host of things she must do to prepare the machine for action.  We need to be thankful that we have medical devices to help us with our many ills, but it sure does take a lot of time to get it all together.  

Then, the sun is up.   It is time to rise and shine.  So, the prep from the night before is ready to go for the morning ritual. One pill must be taken with no food and with a full glass of water.  You can’t eat for 30 minutes.  The eyedrops are timed 30 minutes apart so they are absorbed correctly.  The next pill must be taken with food so that is saved for breakfast.  The final pill cannot be taken anywhere near the first two pills, or it will affect the potency of those pills.  I haven’t even begun to discuss the vitamins and supplements which I may or may not need – maybe I am just the middleman between in and out???

When I am too old or when my memory goes, and I must be taken care of by others, I think I need to write down my procedures for various times of the day, so I am properly cared for.  I have a notebook with my name on it that I am going to put all my instructions and where to buy products to support those rituals. I will put it with my Comphy Box which I wrote about in an earlier blog.  I did put a tin of tea in with the night gowns and fuzzy socks, but I didn’t leave instructions how I like my tea made for example – Paris Teabag, some half and half, and some organic Stevia. There are many things that I like but no one else really knows.  I need to take responsibility for this while I still able to do so.  

Do you ever think about this kind of thing?  You prepare for dying with burial instructions or financial matters.  But do you prepare for living well when the time comes when you can’t independently care for yourself?  In many ways all the rituals are funny, however, necessary.  I am sure with the coming years I will probably add more to my daily routines.   It is best to figure out some systems now, and it may make all the difference later!

Being Prepared for a Natural Disaster!

by sssmahh303, posted in Taking Care of Business

Mary Ann

I was living in Jersey City and working in New York City in 2012 when Hurricane Sandy hit the region.   Who would have thought that such a terrible storm would manifest in late October and cause as much damage in the NYC area?  This was not on my bingo card!

I lived by the Atlantic Ocean a good part of my adult life, so I was used to hurricanes and was prepared.  I was not ready in any way for Sandy to embrace my life as it did that year.  The storm itself did not damage my apartment even though I was located close to the Hudson River.  The water, however, was rising fast from the drains in the complex’s underground garage.  I had to move my car to higher ground.  As I returned to my apartment, the winds were picking up.  It was going to be a long night.  So, the cat and I cuddled up together and rode out the storm.  When the morning dawned, and Sandy went out to sea.  I began to realize how unprepared I was and that was the real storm in my life.  

Of course, the electricity was out so when you went out into the hall, it was pitch dark, no light anywhere.  I did have a headband flashlight and could use that to maneuver the building.  My phone was almost out of juice, but I could use my computer to recharge it for a while.  There was no way to get news, no idea of what was happening.  My refrigerator was beginning to defrost.  I was able to eat what was in there for a few days.  The frozen shrimp thawed out, so I had to cook it.  Thankfully, I had gas, and my stove was fully functioning.  I had to light it the old-fashion way with matches.  The bonus of having a gas water heater is having hot water for a bath even if you had to do it the dark.  Small wonder.  I was so thankful for a hot cup of tea. 

So, one day turned into another, and each day I had a mission.  I went out to find food or ice to keep what I had cold.  The hardest thing was getting money.  The ATMs were not working making it hard to buy food when it became available. Some of the local restaurants were able to make food.  They had gas so they could cook. You had to have cash because the credit card machines were not working. The local banks would only make money available for their clients, so it was a hike of a few miles to my bank for cash.

As the week progressed, the surrounding buildings got electricity.  My apartment was on a different grid, so I remained in the dark.  I found that I got up with the sun and went to bed when it set in the evening.  Electricity allows us the freedom of extending the day well into the night.  Something that we take for granted for the most part.  Eventually, the apartment management brought in trucks with giant generators that gave us light in the common areas.  They showed movies during the day to entertain and set up charging stations for our phones and computers.  If you had an extension cord, you could plug it in the outlets in the hall.  Humans are so adaptable that we immediately create systems to survive.  

What we were dealing with were inconveniences, not real problems.  No one was dying.  You had to put on an extra sweater to keep warm, you had to read rather than watch TV or play games with the family.  The cat enjoyed watching me play solitary, and I think she liked having me around all the time.  I had plenty of food for her, and she was wearing a fur coat.

My school was in Lower Manhattan, so it was closed.  No electricity and several streets had water issues. You couldn’t get into the city if you wanted, because the subways were flooded.  The lines for the ferries were for hours long.  Upper Manhattan had electricity, and you would not know that there was a hurricane.  My boss lived there.  Life was going on as usual.  After a week, the school opened so I had to get into the city.  One of my teachers gave me a ride through the Lincoln Tunnel on Sunday.  I ended up sleeping on my boss’s couch for a week.  The show must go on or rather the school bells must ring.  I was there to greet the children. (In case you were wondering, my cat sitter was able to come to take care of my beloved cat.) 

The next several months, New York got back on its feet.  The surrounding areas did not recover as fast.  Anyone coming in from New Jersey spent double the time getting to work and double the time getting home.  My half an hour commute became an hour.  Thank God for the ferries and buses.  You never appreciated the subways as much as you did when they didn’t work. 

This was my Sandy story.  What did I learn from the whole experience?  You need to be prepared.  I bought an energy block so I could charge the phone and computer. You must make sure it is always charged so you are ready.  I bought a land line phone – a little Slimline.  When the phone towers went out, for some reason the land phone lines were working.  I am not sure if that would work now.  Many landlines are not functioning today.  I bought a battery powered TV so I could get the news.  It also had radio function.  It is an analog, so you are only getting a few channels.  I can’t seem to get any channels in PA.  I also keep a stash of money in all dominations.  I use it for emergencies sometimes, but you must replenish what you use, so you have money when you need it.  

Of course, you need to squirrel away extra non-perishable food and water. I bought a month’s worth of survival food in case there is a Zombie invasion.  Just add water!  Oh, so yummy.  I have Life Straws to use for purifying water from a creek or pond.  I also keep extra medicine in case there is a delay in deliveries.  A first aid kit is a must.  Prepare a go bag for you and your pets if you must evacuate and have your important papers organized to take with you if needed.  Have a deck of cards or other games available to play or books to read or hobbies items like yarn for knitting.  You never know what you may need or how long the ordeal may last. 

As the world heats up, we are going to experience more extreme weather. There is not much we can do about it until the Earth cools if it can.  In the future the inconveniences of what I experienced with Sandy may be real problems.  Be that good Boy or Girl Scout and be prepared.

Marc Levy Books

by sssmahh303, posted in Reviews

Mary Ann

I would like to introduce you to author Marc Levy.  If this were a true introduction, he would say “Bonjour.”  Marc Levy is the number one best-selling author in France of 26 books.  The 50 million copies of his books have been translated in 50 languages. He is an international literary superstar. 

His first book, If Only It Were True, was made into a Steven Spielberg movie, Just Like Heaven, with Reese Witherspoon and Mike Ruffalo.  What a way to begin a career!  

I discovered Marc Levy’s books from one of the ads that are page savers on your Kindle. I was hooked after reading the summary and since then, I have read three of his books.  The stories are just charming with lively dialogue and interesting characters.  It is a pleasure to get lost in the plots, and it is sad when the stories come to an end.  If I could read French, there would be more stories to read.  However, there are still a few US editions I have yet to read, and I look forward to checking them out. 

Amazon offers both English and French editions and a few in other languages as well.  So, you can get started enjoying his books.  I might suggest The Heart of Everything – a humorous story of a father-son relationship with interesting plot twists.  All Those Things We Never Said is another charming story of an estranged father and his daughter who are making up for lost time learning life lessons along the way.  P.S. From Paris is a love story set in City of Lights with actress Mia meeting writer Paul and how their relationship unfolds in a lovely ooh-la-la fashion!  These stories would all make great films – Hey, Netflix, it is time to take a look.

Lately, the world has been rather dark and gloomy.  Marc Levy’s books are wonderful ways to escapes it all with funny, interesting plots and appealing characters who will be like old friends by the last page.  That is why I wanted you to meet this clever author and discover his enchanting stories.  His newest book is, The Bookshop of Forbidden Books – Not all heroes wear capes. Some carry books.  Doesn’t that sound enticing?  The US edition will be released later in 2026. Meanwhile, check out his other books that I mentioned, and then you can introduce Mark Levy to others!  Bonne Lecture! – Good Reading! 

Reading Always Saves Me

by sssmahh303, posted in Wellness

Mary Ann

When I look back on my life and was faced with life challenges, I always found that books saved me.  I could have been depressed or discouraged, but somehow, I escaped to an alternative world or enmeshed myself in stories about different people and places.  Books were a great bridge to better times. 

When I learned to read, phonics was taught.  It is an excellent way to teach children to read, unless you are a sight reader which I was.  Beginning phonics was a foreign language to me.  I never understood what I was learning.  I must have faked it well because my report cards don’t mention any problems.  I asked my mother if teachers ever mentioned that I had trouble reading, and she said no.  So, I read Dick and Jane, but I did not enjoy it.

Somewhere around 4th grade, something clicked and suddenly in the middle of an Old Mother West Wind book, I was reading and roller coasting over words I didn’t know. However, I knew what was happening, and I loved it.  A flood gate opened, and I was constantly reading – maybe that was the reason I got glasses that year?  I read the entire Bobbsey Twins collection and then on to Nancy Drew.  It was easy reading with the same format – a great way for a beginner reader to get a foothold on books.   I even won a reading contest in 5th grade for reading the most books.  Truly, how could that have happened when I was flailing in the early primary grades?

By the time I entered Junior High, the forerunner of Middle School, we were reading classic literature.  If I had a kerfuffle (isn’t that the greatest word?) with some catty girls or a dispute with my mother, reading Jane Eyreor The Count of Monte Cristo or any other timeless classic, I was relieved to come home and be whisked away to imaginary worlds.  My parents would say that I always had my nose in a book, and I did!  A perfect summer day for me was to lie in our hammock being gently rocked by a breeze and read a book by a favorite author.  I would read until dark.  

Then you go to high school and college, and you are so busy that finding time to read was a real challenge. Of course, you had assigned literature to read from your classes. Thank Heavens!  So, I often would read myself to sleep catching a bit of a pleasure book, and I would always carry a book with me so I could steal moments to read.   

After those rather carefree years, you enter adulthood.  You then might spend more time reading Good Night Moon or Where the Wild Things Are to your children instead being deep in a steamy romance novel.  It is all part of growing up, really growing up.  I can remember being in grad school, teaching full-time, raising young children, and running a house, and my only reading was the People magazine once a week as I soaked in a bubble bath.  The time was precious. 

Life becomes very real when you get a divorce.  It is such a sad time.  I was reading a lot of self-help books trying to figure myself out and understanding the pain my broken heart was enduring.  I have written before how the right book always comes, and it did.  I am so thankful for that gift.  It made all the difference.  However, I missed reading books for pleasure.  It was reading to survive. 

When my children were on their own and had left the “nest,” I spent a year or so reading reflective, inspirational books.  They all helped me heal my soul and allowed me to move forward to embrace the next phase of my life where a new, independent chapter awaited.  At midlife, it was truly a foundational time.

 At work, there were always professional books to read on teaching and learning treads.  All deepening my knowledge of children.  I would read fiction on the weekends and holiday vacations, but there was never enough time to really dive into all the stories I wanted to read.  

With the passing years, my pile of books to read and my lists of new titles grew and grew. Then one day you retire.  For the most part, you must grow old to retire, and therein lies the gift of aging, you have time to read!  Thank you, Thank you!  You may need stronger glasses or bigger font to read.  They do make large print books. However, before you is an endless supply of books to read.  I have taken full advantage of this gift and enjoy reading every day.  I often have three books going at once – the nonfiction I am reading with Lisa, my nature book for book club, and whatever I find of interest on various websites or a recommendation from a fellow reader.

You know that I love books.  My blogs this month are all about different aspects of reading.  I feel blessed.  I do know that a day will come when this will all slow down.  I may have to switch to audio books should my eyes fail or turn up the volume on the various audio book if my hearing goes or I might forget what I read the day before.  I once knew an elderly lady in her 90s who told me she forgets what she reads each day but still enjoys reading it again.  I think that is a great attitude to have and just keep reading.  It might be time to get the children’s books out again, so I can read the whole book in one setting.  Maybe there will be a great-grandchild to read to as they begin reading, and I will be ending my reading.