MAY READS

[rapa]

Happy May Day! Did you remember to "RABBIT RABBIT RABBIT"?

Early this morning I finished what might be called chick lit but was a very enjoyable read. It's THE OPPOSITE OF MAYBE, a new novel by Maddie Dawson. The back of book describes it as "Funny, painful, heartbreaking and real; a lyrical, realistic portrayal of a modern-day relationship. A heartfelt and exceptionally human novel about the best mistakes a person can make."
Would give you the AMAZON URL but my new laptop just arrived and I can't yet do diddly on it. I miss my WIN XP!!!!!!!!!

HAPPY READING!!!!!!!!!!

[rapa]

Yep, we're well stocked with yogurt! Also take daily probiotic. It's good stuff!

[Ioruach]

I finished Coben’s Missing You a couple days ago. Very good, of course; typical Coben. I did think the story line was a bit predictable. But perhaps that was partly because I had just finished We are Water, which was far from being predictable.

[Ioruach]

So sorry to hear your news, rapa.  I have been away since Friday so only founds out just now when I signed on to Bookoholics.

About a year ago one of my very good friends from the horse track learned she had Parkinson's. She has been in treatment ever since, of course, and now she is doing very well.  The rest of us were very concerned about her for a few months, but her progress has been better than any of us expected. She is back to cussing out loosing jockeys and horses like her old self.

[rapa]

:) Thanks for the encouragement, Loruach! We're now at a private small rehab hospital for PT/OT and other therapy for Parkinson's. Fortunately it's only 5 min. from home. He's working the game plan and the C-Diff seems to be resolving. Haven't had any reading time and too tired at night. Do have at the ready, FIELD OF PREY and THE SNOW QUEEN.

[Flowergram]

All good news Rapa - so very glad for you.  I know his hospital and rehab have been wearing hard on you.  Be sure to get plenty of sleep and rest.  No two patients are alike with Parkinsons and with hubby getting it so late in life is a good sign.  The earlier the onset, it seems the worse the symptoms get.  I had an aunt who the doctor told her got hers from her medications - she was in her mid 80's and only had tremors - no other difficulties.  Will be thinking of you and hoping for the best. Take good care of yourself and the books sound good.

[rapa]

Thanks for your input, Flowergram. Second opinion from another neurologist is that he's not convinced it's true Parkinson's. Is withholding the drug for a couple days to see what happens. Projected discharge to home is Sunday. Walker provided. I've been out to get the basket and shower stool that we want. Busy, busy! Am sure when he gets home will be able to get back to reading. Right now I'm his social secretary and gopher! As my kids say, "It is what it is." Yep, and we deal with it!!!!!! :)

[Ioruach]

I just put down Lisa Unger’s In the Blood. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, either.  Talk about dysfunctional characters and all the angst! On the other hand, it was a very interesting and original story, although I thought it occasionally rambled on a bit.

Now I am starting Black Horizon, James Grippando’s latest Jack Swyteck novel. I have enjoyed Grippando’s other books and am looking forward to this one.

[Mandy Muffin]

I am a giant Barbara Kingsolver fan, especially those set in the Appalachians, her native land prior to her move to Arizona.  In her latest,"Flight Behavior," she takes on the life a of a hum-drum existence of a local Tennessee mountain wife, bored with life and looking for answers.  http://www.amazon.com/Flight-Behavior-Novel-Barbara-Kingsolver/dp/0...  There is a tie in to climate change" and the plight of the monarch butterfly.  Warning: It's 600 pages, as the usual happens to authors who have made it -- no editor dares tell them the novel is too long. 

[grammyk]

I loved "Flight Behavior".  I've been interested in the monarch butterfly since early childhood when we collected the caterpillars, watched them become butterflies and let them go so that's probably part of it but the climate change tie-in is interesting too.  

[Lip Service]

The monarch butterflies seem to be coming under difficult conditions because their winter habitat in Mexico is disappearing. They migrate to the north in two different routes. The western route goes through California, in Santa Cruz there is a park that they used to like and you were able to see hundreds of thousands of them, you could even HEAR their wings flapping. Now that park only gets a few thousands

http://www.weekendsherpa.com/stories/monarch-butterflies-at-natural...

[grammyk]

It's really sad.  Pesticides are destroying the milkweed that they live on also.  There is a family near me that sells milkweed plants and I am going to plant some this year; last year I did not see a single monarch here and that was very unusual.  2 or 3 years ago we found 2 caterpillars so my grandchildren did see the caterpillar to butterfly miracle but I want them to see it more.

[Carci]

Haven't been checking in lately...  Sorry to hear of your dh's problems, rapa, and glad to hear they are being resolved.  When a loved one is sick or injured it can be worse than having it yourself...  you feel so helpless.  And being a caregiver is never an easy task.  Best Wishes for his full recovery.

I have read a couple of books on my Kindle this month... ones I actually purchased because they were not available in hard book form.  First I bought Bullseye by Baldacci which featured both the Camel Club and Will Robie working together during a bank robbery... a very entertaining 200 pages and well worth the $1.99 I paid for it.  Then I bought Walk Me Home by Catherine Ryan Hyde whose books are always uplifting...  another $1.99 well spent...  lol

In between I read The Target by Baldacci...  678 pages  (large print)of action featuring Will Robie and Jessica Reel which has them set against a North Korean female assassin that you can't help rooting for...