Yesterday we returned from a lovely visit family to Switzerland and England. We had a wonderful time but it’s always always good to come home. Although this time coming home was a bit strange…as soon as we opened the door the house alarm started to beep. We typed in the code, to no avail. Before we knew it, the outside siren was blaring. Soon the police called… we assured them it was only us and a malfunctioning alarm. We were on the phone multiple times with the security company. Finally we quieted the crazy machine. What a homecoming!
We saw many beautiful sights, rode the worlds steepest cog train up the Pilatus Mountain near Luzern, Switzerland. Absolutely breath taking! But, of course, the best part was catching up with long distant family members face to face.
I also had time to do read. Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo, an unforgettable nonfiction book that read like a great novel. I found myself wishing it was fiction because the story was so heartbreaking…
Help Wanted: Female by Sara Pritchard, an anthology that made me laugh out loud. She has a keen wit and writes wonderful stories. I was lucky enough to hear her read one in June at a reading at Wilkes University. I could hear her quirky voice as I read the book. She had the audience in the palm of her hand…we laughed till we cried. She’s a master of her craft with her memorable touching stories.
She Left me the Gun by Emma Brockes, a memoir of family violence, incest, and alcoholism set in South Africa in the 1950s and 60s. A very disturbing story and I hope I don’t remember this one…but it was so well written, I’m afraid I will.
The Aviator’s Wife by Melanie Benjamin, historical fiction was absolutely wonderful. The well researched unforgettable story of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. This author is young and will be a force to be reckoned with in the literary world for years to come.
We also watched two movies. The Heat with Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy. It was fun and we had some good laughs though there was way more than necessary bad language which always makes me think the writers are lazy not creating more challenging dialogue.
Mud, with Mathew Mcconaughey, was excellent. Described as a modern day Tom Sawyer story on the Mississippi River, it was well written and the acting was outstanding. Sam Shepherd played a supporting role and that’s always an indication it will be a worthwhile movie.
There’s always more to do after traveling than time to do it in. A bushel of ironing awaits me, maybe we can watch another movie tonight while I work on the boring task of ironing. Always works except for movies with captions! But what I really want is to visit the new baby as soon as possible…maybe tomorrow.
Meanwhile, keep reading my friends. Later, Ann