SOUP AND BOOK WEATHER.

Yesterday, I had my pile of wood cut into usable chunks. The last of my wood pile had pieces so big they wouldn't fit into my stove. Dave and Jerrod from Cutting Edge Yard Service do a great job getting me ready for the next siege of cold and rainy weather. I got up on the roof and cleaned the screen on my chimney and settled in for a good read with a pot of soup on the stove.

It was a long quiet weekend and I took both days off. Retired people need days off too, so I indulged. I didn't do much reading this year, but I finished a book I had started and looked at my list:  Books Read 2015. I hate to admit that I have in the past re-read half way through a book before realizing I'd read it before. Thus I keep a list.  I began listing in 2008. I've read some good, bad, great and funky stuff.

Books I’ve read: 2008.
***Devil In The White City, by Erik Larson-Really enjoyed this historical book about the Chicago World's Fair and a serial murder. A kind of wayward read, but a good story, told thoroughly. True story and devilishly intriguing.

***The Glass Castle by Jeanette Wahls-Great book, real life story. Good story, amazing insight.

***Sea Glass by Anita Shreve-Wonderful book. New author for me.

***The First Women’s Detective Agency-My niece loved this book. I found it just OK.

***The Bone People by Kerri Hulme-Good, but disturbing in ways.

****Dirty Blonde And Half Cuban, by Lisa Wixon-Just okay.

****The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins-Lousy read. Couldn't get his point across with any interest

****Diana Gabaldon Books-Loved all 4 and want to reread them.
The Outlander- is the first book. Dragonfly In Amber-is another. Excellent.
I spent a week with my broken leg up in the air and took an amazing trip in these novels.
I think I 'll publish all of my lists,  since things I've read in 2015 are authors I started in previous years.
My cousin Bob and I often trade book suggestions. I'd love to hear your recommendations.
CIAO

WHY DO WE CELEBRATE OUR AGE?

In 1982, when I first met Paul Moeller, I gave him a cat my daughter hauled home from a goat show. He didn't want to take the cat without his wife seeing it first, but he did. Then he kept me informed and sent pictures of the cat's antics for the rest of its life. He lost his wife two years ago, and at lunch yesterday, he told me, "I reach for Martha's hand each morning before I'm fully awake. But our cat likes to sleep where she slept and I touch fur instead. It comforts me."

In 1983, he talked me into joining a Public Access group. Happiness for Paul is producing video of what goes on in the community. He loves to find raw talent, put a camera in someones hands and send them out to do video with minimal instruction. Learning comes later. I reluctantly at first, and then enthusiastically helped him produce around 80 videos. Paul has done thousands, so my part was very small.

Paul has suffered a stroke, a car accident, a broken femur and he can no longer drive. He is still happiest when producing videos for the Public, so he hires a driver to take him to the shoot, and at 86 years old, he still produces video. His driver is my housemate, Karen.
I learned a great deal from this man, and I treasure him as one of my best friends. It doesn't take much to realize that life is a journey and keeping active, no matter how hard, is what we do to make it all worthwhile.

Later in the evening, Karen and I drove to the Pizza Factory and joined my two brothers to celebrate my birthday. Theresa and Clark, me, Bill and Karen.

The same photo with Jan.  Some friends are as much a part of the family as family.  I'm fortunate to have three brothers out of five still living. So, we count our blessings and say, life is good, and then we make it so. Stay as healthy as we can, do for others, overcome adversity, smile and be happy.