Category: Meanderings

I love Time Hop and Facebook’s Time line.  That’s when you can look up posts and/or pictures that you posted on a certain day in past years.  For the most part, you may find something interesting once in a while….a good memory… a great pic…. but today must be a day that I do things because January 8th had a lot to say.

For starters, I made the above picture my Facebook profile pic on this day in 2013.  What is interesting is that I love(d) to change out my Facebook pic and used to do so frequently…. but my current Facebook is and has been for quite a while now, this same picture you see above.

Also, on this day 3 years ago I was appointed to the City Library Board.  In 2012, I had two conversations about books with Justin on that day.  One was regarding the book, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo… the other was about purchasing second-hand text books for college from Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

And then…. there was this:

This is a box that was sent to my book club on this day for our book club meeting that night.  The book was In The Belly Of Jonah, and the amazing author was Sandra Brannan.  What was fun (beyond the super cool BIG package) was what was inside.  Sandra and I had originally met in New York at the Book Expo.  I had since seen her a few times including a time she was speaking in Minneapolis and myself and another book club member Susan went and took her out to dinner before her speaking.  After dinner I introduced her to the delicious drink the Colorado Bulldog (which may or may not have caused us to cut it close on the speaking engagement but really…. that is another story).

So…. in the box was chocolate rocks with Sandra’s book cover on it, a 6 pack of coke, chocolate syrup, and a skull (yes skull) of good vodka.  All the making (except the milk) to make Colorado Bulldog’s.  It was awesome and since Sandra skyped with us that evening, we all had a drink together.

Now that is a good January 8 memory.  Actually… they all are. LOVE my book club.

Any good January memories for anyone?  What were you reading a year ago today?

 

I first experienced a Diane Chamberlain novel in the fall of 2014 and I connected with her brilliant style of writing immediately and continued to read her ever since without disappointment….  consistently delightful.  ~Sheila

Molly and Aidan are preparing to adopt a baby.  While there is the normal fear and anticipation between the couple as they hope for the best, Molly carries secrets from her past that she feels could ruin everything if they came to light.  Thus begins a journey of present time Molly, and alternating chapters of 14-year-old Molly…. and everything that happened that 14th year and led to the possible destruction of everything she holds true in present day….

It has been a while since I have listened to a Diane Chamberlain book.  In this new world I live in, I need to consider topics carefully before I go into a book, watching out for my own personal tragedies that would hit to close to home.  When I first looked at the synopsis for Pretending To Dance I was uncertain if this book would be a safe one for me, yet the subject matter and of course the fact that it is the amazing Diane Chamberlain drew me in.  I am glad I did.

There is something about Diane Chamberlain’s books.  They always carry something in them that you do not see coming, yet told in such a way that you are not necessarily looking for the “WOW”moment until it is revealed.  That is what happens in this book and I was delighted to see that Diane Chamberlain had not lost her touch, nor did I in my experience of reading her.  Author and reader are truly a match here.

I enjoyed the past story line of Young Molly and the references to Judy Blume’s book, Forever (a banned book by the way…. but most of Judy Blume’s writing – if not all, are.)  As I listened on (yes, I once again enjoyed Chamberlain’s book in audio format) I was impressed by the elements of comparison that was placed into this story line that tied close to the Blume book.  This held a different feel for me than past Chamberlain books, but one that I found fitting.

If you have not read Diane Chamberlain I would highly recommend this author.  This is my first audio book of the year and I am have a feeling it may wind up on my best of 2016 list.

• Audible Audio Edition
• Listening Length: 12 hours and 45 minutes
• Program Type: Audiobook
• Version: Unabridged
• Publisher: Macmillan Audio
• Audible.com Release Date: October 6, 2015
• Publisher: Macmillan; Air Iri OME edition (October 8, 2015)

 

Other Diane Chamberlain books I have experienced:

Necessary Lies

The Secret Life Of Cee Cee Wilkes

The Midwife’s Confession

The Silent Sister

Sunday morning with COFFEE cup.  I feel….  ready to start something.

This morning I was reading Bryan’s post at Still Unfinished  about his one word for 2016 and he links others as well.  It is a beautiful post and I enjoyed visiting the others one word as well.  Check it out, I love the pictures with all of the words.  It caused me to go back and read my own choice for this year.  I believe it is the right word for me.

In other random news I need to update this blog look.  Seriously…. brown?  What was a I thinking?  The background color has to change.  And my side bar is so outdated.

And now that I am writing… I feel scattered this morning like I thought I had a good post in my head and now I am looking at this thinking “what are you trying to say?”

So that said…. I am just going to tiptoe out of here.  Have a great Sunday.  Read something wonderful.

I did not send out Christmas Cards this year so consider this our Christmas card.
I look outside at the silent whiteness and feel a great emptiness. Loss can be all-consuming and I waiver on the blurry edges of this new world and the one I had. My heart longs to go back and have a do over. I want to change things and put things the way they were but the pieces of this puzzle fall between my fingers as I try to hold tightly to the past that I wish so much was the present and the future.
In this new world I see friendship differently. I see life lines. I see compassion. I see those who have stepped up and those who have stepped back… and I understand both sides. The rose-colored glasses are off and my world is at times painfully real.
I don’t want this to be a sad message. I want it to be one of hope. For whatever reason, my time here on this earth remains. I don’t necessarily want… I would readily trade it – but it seems that is not meant to be.
And with that I look cautiously towards this new uncertain world. I cannot will not let go of what was. It is too much engraved in this beating heart and to take that away – would stop this heart forever. However, I can look at the blessings sprinkled throughout this new world. The connections with Justin’s friends, the courageous people I have met with their own stories of loss, the people and community who have held us a little closer, the ability to see somewhat of a path I hope to travel that will honor my son for all the years I have left until I can be with him again.
This post is not going as I planned.
What I want to say is this.
THIS Christmas, share a little more of you. DO something kind for a stranger. BE a little more open. Hug a little longer, laugh a little louder, and LOVE with all you have.
NEVER NEVER take any moment for granted. Each memory is precious so open your eyes to it and embrace each day for all it is worth. Your memories are treasures and you have the power to build on them. SO build.
Merry Christmas.
The DeChantal’s….. Al, Sheila, Brad, and Justin….. ALWAYS

 

My attendance at this site has been spotty at best this year.  When I think “I am back”, I am not back.  I write reviews in my head for hours after I read a book… what I will say, what funny punch line I will give…. but for whatever reason I don’t sit down and review it.  I hope that changes soon.  I am still here.  I still want to be that voice on this page that talks books and life and heartbreak and finding my way… and I hope you will all continue to stop in and see me here in 2016. ♥

I went on a little break after Thanksgiving.

I packed up my bag, my books, my laptop, and my dog, and drove to the cabin this past Sunday afternoon through Thursday afternoon.  It was a trip to get away after the hard holiday and regroup for what is next.

The first evening and through Monday my friend Belinda joined me and we talked and read and hung out wayyyyyyy to long waiting for the cable guy to show up and connect the internet but that is another story and we made the best of it.  🙂  Monday evening (once freed from the Cable Guy) we drove into Beaver Bay Minnesota and had dinner and then drove to Two Harbors Minnesota to go to Shopco (the only retail store they have).  On our way back from Shopco we seen these two floaty guys and could not resist…

 

 

The next morning we were hit with a lot of snow so Belinda drove back into Two Harbors and had lunch at a nice place called the Vanilla Bean before she headed back to the cities to beat the weather.

Then after she left, I drove back to the cabin to spend a few days alone.  I just needed a break to refresh and I knew if I was at home I would have been running around doing what I always do, worrying about what was for dinner…

and I just didn’t want to.

The snow, which I never like – was actually somewhat symbolic.  It seemed, once it blanketed the ground… that it muffled everything… like it almost became more

quiet.

And that spoke to me.

 

I spent the next two days reading and napping, hiking with my dog, watching movies…. just being. It was good.  I plan to do something similar after Christmas.

8 months have passed as of yesterday.  I spend a lot of time thinking about that day, and the days before when I had been with Justin.  With the heartbreak, there is a mix of thankfulness for the time we had together.  I know in many ways I was lucky.  My son and I were so close.  I will miss and cherish that forever.

I am searching for my new normal every day.  I am not sure as of yet what that will look like but I have some ideas of who I hope I am.

I am linking this post to Saturday Snapshot.

 

Another day.

I am looking out my window this morning.  If you don’t look at the ground (which I can not see from my spot at the kitchen table) it looks like fall.  Blue skies.  Crispy leaves still hanging on the trees.  I can not see the frost on the grass from this spot and I like that.  Let’s keep believing winter is not coming.  SO far…. that has worked.

One thing for certain – no matter what is going on in someone’s life – whatever heartbreaks they are enduring or mountains they are struggling with …. the sun does rise every single day.

Today I am leaving for our cabin.  I am taking a mini break to clear my head from the past 7 months and prepare for the next big upcoming holiday that sits ever present at the corners of my mind.  I have not spent any time really alone through all of this and I feel that I need to do a little of that.  Later today my friend Belinda will join me until Tuesday and possibly Farrah.  I hope if it is not too cold to do a little hiking, a camp fire, hang out, watch movies…  another friend may join in at some time as well.  When they leave I will spend time reading, writing, and BREATHING.  I am not sure how many days I will do that but plan to stay until Thursday or Friday.  Maybe Saturday….

 

Recently when looking for audio to download I thought I wanted something non fiction.  I do love a good non fiction listen.  Yet when I went on Audible nothing was catching my attention in that genre.  Instead… I went a different route and chose these two:

Both of these books on audio were excellent!  In If You Only Knew,  letting go of her ex-husband turned out to be harder than Jenny thought it would be – especially when the ex’s new wife is sweet and adorable and wants to be Jenny’s best friend.  When Jenny moves into a new apartment to open her own business she finds she has her hands full with her sisters marriage problems, her mother’s constant undermining, and oh yeah… the good looking guy downstairs.

With After I Do, after a fairy tale like romance Lauren is stunned when Ryan says he needs time apart from her.  She is further shocked when he says he wants a year apart and no contact to see where they are at.  Burying herself in her work and family activities to keep her mind off Ryan, Lauren learns things about herself she did not know were there.

I plan on chatting about them over the next couple of days – but seriously, if you are looking for fun audio – these were great.  now…. I want more like this.  Great audio listening is a good way to keep my mind busy while doing other things.

That’s my Sunday.  I am out – ROAD TRIP means audio. Got to like that. 😉