Where to begin? This has been a month of running as fast as I can… and still falling behind. I am not complaining nor am I bragging, it is just my crazy life! We spent a week at Ocean City, MD. July 8-15. It is our new favorite beach destination, the boardwalk is awesome, beaches beautiful and the proximity to western PA sure beats driving I-95 in the quest for the Carolina beaches. There were fifteen family members in our group, seven of them under age eleven. The week went by so quickly and what a lively fun time we had. Perfect weather and no bad sunburns, thanks to diligent use of sunscreen. It was the first trip to the ocean for two of the children. One little guy got angry with the ocean when the tides came in and destroyed his beautiful sand castle, but he soon learned and accepted that sand castles had to be re-built each day.
Two weeks ago I burnt my arm while ironing, just a little too close the iron when reaching for the next shirt to iron. After two days It seemed to be healing okay, but in the early morning hours of the third day, it was incredibly itchy and I scratched it while half awake. I woke immediately and hurried to do first aid on the open burn, cleaned it with cold running a water, then peroxide, patted it dry with sterile pad. Then applied a band-aid and antibiotic ointment. A day later, it was throbbing and so itchy I could hardly stand it but I resisted scratching it. The burn area turned bright red and I could almost see my arm swelling. I called my doctor, he fit me in. Since I had done everything right in the wound care…well, except for scratching it in the first place, he asked me if my antibiotic ointment was out of date, old antibiotic ointments can develop a fungus infection which is VERY BAD for wound care. I am an RN and did not even know that antibiotic ointments went out of date! He gave me a script for Keflex for a week. I also bought a new tube of antibiotic ointment. I had to use a magnifying glass when I came home to check my old antibiotic tubes when I came home. One had expired in 2012 and the other in 2014. The dates are stamped on the end of the tube. White on white, very small print, not easy to see at all! I share this with my readers so you might check the dates in your first aid kits.
We’ve attended graduation parties, anniversary parties and weddings this summer. We’ve hosted four sets of overnight visits from long distance family members. All have been great fun!
We attended three concerts this summer, two at Chatauqua Institute: Allison Krauss with the Union Station Band and Straight No Chaser. One Tuesday Night Tribute, in Bradford, Buddy Holly’s Greatest Hits. Each one was fabulous!
I reviewed Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls for WPSU BookMarks On our way to the beach. It is always fun to stop by WPSU at Innovation Park in State College. It is absolutely great to work with Emily Reddy. To listen to my review, click: https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-1-ab&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=W7tgW6DwNcrIsAWYjZKIBA&q=wpsu+radio+book+bookmarks+Where+teh+red+fern+grows&oq=wpsu+radio+book+bookmarks+Where+teh+red+fern+grows&gs_l=img.12…25811.31100..33340…0.0…92.1971.25……0….1..gws-wiz-img.YvDm3APSdtE#imgrc=BaHrgPZLNJot8M:
If you are interested in reviewing a good book, please check out the The Great America Reads List on WPSU, and contact the station. I’ve read most on the list and agreed with the merits of most of the books.
I’ve read these books this month:
The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson. Historical Fiction, Rye, England- 1914. Wonderful story. Excellent research and plot and character development. A small town loses its idyllic culture as it goes to war and life is never the same again. I loved this novel!
Trouble the Water by Jacqueline Friedland. Historical Fiction, Charleston, SC -1840s. Another well researched and written story. Characters and plot are well developed. This was an ARC copy sent to me for review and I just now realized I read it and forgot to write the review, (I know what I will be doing tomorrow!) It was a very good book, kept me turning the pages.
Clock Dance by Anne Tyler. Contemporary fiction. A typical Tyler novel, wit and underlying tensions that make the reader hope the characters will make needed choices. Sometime they do and sometimes they don’t. A very good read! Anne Tyler is one of my most favorite authors.
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate. Historical Fiction, Tennessee - Mid1900s. The story of an impoverished family in crisis, the father takes the mother to the hospital for a problem delivery. She has twins, is told they are stillborn, but they were healthy and sold by the Children’s Home for adoption. All five of the children left at home were also taken to the orphanage and adopted out for money. A well researched and written, characters and plot are well developed. A sad, because it is based on real events. and important book. It was my book club read for this month. Excellent discussion!
Yeah! Finally we’ve seen four good movies:
Mama Mia, Here We Go Again, LOVED it!! Want to buy the soundtrack. Uplifting and fun.
MI-Fallout, a very exciting movie! They say it will be the last MI for Tom Cruise. Maybe, time will tell.
Oceans 8, A fun and entertaining movie, not realistic BUT then what movies are? And sometimes it is just nice to be entertained! Sandra bullock and Anne Hathaway were great as wee all of the actresses.
The Leisure Seeker, A very good and surprising movie. Won a free movie through our local video store - stars Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren.
Till next time, keep reading my friends!
Later, Ann