Happy Random Tuesday

 I'm linking up with Sandee and Stacy  today.

I hope your week is off to a good start!  Mine started with taking mine for an oil change, and tomorrow, after I pick up groceries, it's going in the shop.  It's making this weird siren-like sound when I accelerate.  I've searched the internet for possible causes, but I'm going to let the experts take a look.  I hope it doesn't cost an arm and a leg!

When my dad used to watch.

I have been watching SWAT on Hulu lately.  It's been in my list for a long time, so I decided to try it.  I wasn't sure if I would like it, even though I like cop shows, because I thought there would be too much action.  But there's not.  I like it. 

The one I'm watching now.

The theme song takes me back to the 70's.  I'd hear it when my dad was watching TV.  I wasn't into it at that young age, but it only lasted from 1975-1976.  I'm watching the new one that started in 2017, but it's the same theme song!  Really brings back memories.  I miss my dad.

On this day in 1788, a British captain with a fleet of 11 ships sailed to Australia.  Captain Arthur Phillip was tasked with establishing a work camp for 700 British convicts. The 8 month journey resulted in 30 deaths. You can read more about it here if you are so inclined.  January 26 is recognized as Australia Day, so happy day to all of you out there from Australia.

And now...

The closest you'll get to politics on my blog if I can help it!

Childish, I know... but I laughed.

More childish humor.  Makes me giggle!

Isn't this the truth?

This doesn't happen in my house!

~Some kind of magic going on here~

Last, but not least,

Awwwww.  So cute!

Have a great week!

Sunday Synopsis

 

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was the first Truman Capote book that I have read, although I'm sure I read his short stories in my American literature classes in college. I don't know what I expected from this book, but I have to say I'm a little disappointed, similar to when I finally read one of Agatha Christie's novels. At first, I was enjoying the easy way he narrated. It reminded me somewhat of Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath at first. It also reminded me of some of the other Southern writers such as Flannery O'Connor, William Faulkner, and (Capote's childhood friend) Harper Lee. That's good, right? Well, yes, but it changed.

The further I went in the book, the more the reading became almost like a chore. There were far too many sentence fragments - not fragments for effect. I understand using those. I would frequently see something like this, "Under the circumstances." and "Thus the morning." He probably thought it was charming. I didn't. He also frequently used the phrase, "who shall here be known as Mrs. Frederic Johnson." After the second time, it began to annoy me and reminded me of Lemony Snicket (which here means...).

Frequently, I would not know who was narrating. He seemed to use mostly third person, but I would be reading and come to a part with "I" that was NOT part of dialogue, and I wondered, "Who is I?" The retired English teacher in me notices these things.

Last of my criticisms, and what made it a chore in certain places, was Capote would use letters, doctor's diagnoses, statements, court documents, personal recollections in their ENTIRETY which I thought was unnecessary. A good author doesn't want to bore the reader but will pick and choose the necessary parts of these documents and statements to get the point across. Here is one such example of such tediousness: "The murderous potential can become activated, especially if some disequilibrium is already present, when the victim-to-be is unconsciously perceived as a key figure in some past traumatic configuration."

On the flip side, I do like reading about true crime, and this crime was abhorrent. Having southern roots, I also enjoyed the setting. I admire Capote's descriptions of people. Here is one example: "tall people with weight and strength to spare, with wide hands, square and calm and kindly faces—the last being most true of Mrs. Meier..." That is good writing. And Capote doesn't leave the reader with his own opinions but shows both sides of the matter allowing the reader to choose with whom his or her sympathies lie.

Will you enjoy the book? It depends on what style and subject matter appeals to you. I liked and disliked several things about this book, but I'm glad I read it.

View all my reviews

Thursday Thirteen

 

This post is brought to you by words that begin with the letter "C."

1.  Chocolate - I love chocolate!  I would say, "Who doesn't?" but I have relatives who don't like it.  Strange to me!  Chocolate ice cream is my favorite followed by chocolate milkshakes.  I also like chocolate cake and Reese's.

2.  Calendar - Up until last year, I bought a new calendar every year.  I liked making it neat and pretty and filling it with birthdays and other special events.  Now that I'm retired, I don't really need a physical calendar.  I just use Google calendar on my phone.

3.  Crime - I watch a lot of true crime shows and read a lot of true crime books.  My most recent true crime book was In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.  I also read fictional crime books and watch crime drama.  My favorite used to be Criminal Minds, but I've also watched every episode of Law and Order and Law and Order SVU multiple times.

4.  Classic Rock - This is my favorite music genre, although I like a few other types.  Some of the bands I like are Aerosmith, Van Halen, Led Zeppelin, you know, the rock gods!

5.  Coca-Cola - If I had the money, I'd decorate a room with Coke memorabilia.  I love it!  I also love to drink it, but as I've gotten older, I have cut down to one-a-day.

6.  Crafting - I love making anything crafty, painted wood, scrapbooking, sewing, creating with my cricut.  Crafting makes everything better!  It feeds my creative side.

7.  Carrabas - Great restaurant!  I love the rigatoni and the fettucine, but mostly the steak marsala.  I love their house salad, but the best thing is the bread!  Those seasonings with olive oil are incredible with warm bread.

8.  Cauliflower - I just recently discovered that I really like cauliflower.  I used to like it when my mom made it with cheese sauce, but now I prefer it roasted.

9.  Camera - A few years ago, my husband bought me a Canon DSLR camera.  I'd love to use it all the time, but it's not super portable, so I only take it out when I know I'm going to want to take good photos.  Usually, I just use my phone.

10. Children - I love my children, as I'm sure most of you do, too.  I always wanted to be a mom when I was growing up.  I have 5 children, 3 are my husband's and 2 are mine.  Twins. They are all grown up, and I'm getting to be a grammy now.

11. Coloring - I spend a lot of time coloring.  It's something else that feeds my creative side.  No one every sees my coloring, but it's fun to do.

12. Cabinets - I've been cleaning out cabinets lately and finding an assortment of goodies like binoculars, some sheers for the windows, wine glasses, and new toothbrushes.  I've also been accumulating various items to donate.

13. Cats - I think cats are adorable, and I happen to believe that mine is extra-special.  She has beautiful green eyes and is so soft!  She's the best!

Link up and join the fun at Thursday Thirteen!

Happy Random Tuesday

 Let's link up with Comedy Plus and Stacy Uncorked.

I FINALLY finished reading Truman Capote's true crime book In Cold Blood.  (More on why it seemed like it was taking me a long time in my upcoming Sunday Synopsis.)  The reason I bring it up now is the characters (real people, not just characters) spent some time in Olathe, Kansas, and when I was checking on a gift for my husband's birthday later this month, it shipped from Olathe, Kansas.  Huh.  Funny how that works.  You've never heard of a place (or a word, or anything, really) then it appears twice in the same day.  Weird.

I recently started using Olay Regenerist moisturizer because, let's face it (pun intended), I'm no spring chicken.  I'm not old, necessarily, but I'm getting there, and I care about my skin.  The problem is, I have a blemish on my chin, and I'm not used to getting them anymore, so I'm wondering if it's the product.  ???

You've all heard of Lizzie Borden, right?  Well, the old rhyme about giving her father 40 whacks - it wasn't really 40, but it is assumed she killed her father and step-mother although she was not convicted of the crime. 

Her former home is currently a museum and bed-and-breakfast. (shivers!)  The owner is retiring and has listed it for sale.  Strange home... built with no halls except for the landing on the second floor. Guess what?  You can buy the home in Fall River, MA, for 2 million dollars.  I, personally, don't have 2 million, but even if I did, I'd take a pass on that.  The website offers this tidbit for a possible new owner...

"Picture yourself serving fun hatchet cookies," the listing reads.

Hmmmm.  Seems a little twisted!

And now...

That would be my answer!

We need to start teaching spelling again!

Why aren't we still teaching these?

This is ME at the grocery store!

I know we're officially out of 2020, but this is how it feels still.

And last, but not least...

Have a great week!

Sunday Synopsis

 

The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty

 My rating: 3 of 5 stars 

 Before I read this book, I had heard two friends, who are both avid readers, discuss how incredible it was. Then I read the description, which also reeled me in. So, I read it. I enjoyed it, but it didn't live up to all the hype. 

Moriarty has a good sense of writing style and word choice, and I did feel like she developed the characters so that the reader can identify with their feelings and motivations. I also liked that it was set in Australia which allowed her to work in some aspects of authenticity.

On the other hand, I feel Moriarty spent too much time creating backstory that was extraneous. It took a while to get into the meat of the story, so much that I almost abandoned it. She connected John Paul's family to Rachel Crowley's character as well as Connor's character, but she failed to connect Tess's family to the others. Tess's story was unrelated to the main plot. She connected Connor to Tess, but she gave no logical connection to the Fitzpatricks and Crowleys. This really bothered me because I felt like it should have been two separate books.

I also think the plot was a bit predictable. On a positive note, I liked the ending. Moriarty gave several "what if" scenarios which created the perfect epilogue. Overall, I would have appreciated more intensity and a quicker pace.