Well, as you can see, I are back from Kerrville, Texas and loved having a period of time where "it was all about Connie" and what I wanted to do and read and when and where plus deciding on a movie, exercise time, and seeing some of my neighbors on Rock Barn Drive and "catching up" since my last visit.

At the same time, dear readers, it was lonesome not having Himself around to discuss things and ideas with (mine being much superior to his!) and helping him with his decisions, what to wear, and whom to vote for in the coming elections!  You can't leave husbands alone to their own devices--their decisions are so "all about them" and when you ask, "So, didja miss me?", their answer in the affirmative seems a jot slow in coming! 

It's been hot in Texas, as well as here, but why should that even be worthy of comment in late July?  You were expecting maybe brain freeze?  I love my neighbors both places--wonderful, intelligent, kind-hearted people who are old enough not to panic and young enough to laugh--and it's nice to find Wal-Mart and Sonic Drive-In are part of both communities (although I haven't had my foot-long chili/cheese coney for the Summer yet!)  I could eat the foot-long hot dog while reading some surprisingly good Fiction and I say "surprisingly " because at the last of Summer libraries and bookstores are offered titles that are translated from any of 6 foreign countries, in softcover, and the plots sound less than enchanting--howsomever, here are two excellent authors and their newest titles.

First is Lisa Gardner's, "Say Goodbye" which seems to parallel a spider and its web used to snare "flies" or, in this case, victims.  Kimberly Quincy is a special agent for the FBI and her case starts with a hooker, Delilah Rose, who is concerned--something the police aren't--that her "fellow sisters of the night" are being obliterated--snuffed out--removed from the streets and nobody seems to b e aware of it or care. Kimberly is a member of the "Evidence Response Team which does not include investigating the demise of hookers--but--but--even taking into account that this killer uses spiders to kill his "soiled doves", she realizes she has to take on the case because her mother and sister were killed by a serial killer, and Kimberly has never felt an emotional connection to spiders.  Her problem is that the psychopath is getting her caught up in his web and he's getting closer.  This author writes a really rousing good story, usually, and in looking through this story I've seen no reason to change my opinion! 

Another constantly-read author is Ridley Pearson and his newest is "Killer View" (if Susan Stoddard is reading this, she and Joe would like both of these!) with Sun Valley's mountain peaks being the backdrop. The resident Sheriff, Walt Fleming, and his Search and Rescue team heads out into a stormy and bad-condition night and all does not go well.  The conditions are exremely bad; one of the team disappears and one of the team is dead. Plus, for Walt, the list gets longer of things going wrong. The local water-bottling plant has workers going to the hospital and the incidents are setting off biohazard warnings.  Walt is "waist-deep in snow and knee-deep in lies, with the life of his friend in the balance." 

I've always been drawn to both strong, character-driven stories (including both the goodies and the baddies) and where weather or environment plays a major role--probably one reason I so enjoy mysteries set in the tenth, eleventh, or thirteenth centuries and there are storms, floods, and diseases that were incurable then. To continue--Walt's strong suspicion become that all of this is brought about by people of great wealth and power--which leaves Walt definetly out in the cold. You'll like this story so come in and check it out.

What about a tale during a bitter cold winter--of 83 A.D., no less-- in the Britain ruled by the Romans and the lead character is Arcturus, a half-Roman doctor and problem solver, and "he's risen, despite not playing the politics game, because he is Agricola's doctor, and Agricola's best friend, and Agricola is the governor of Britannia."  Now, he learns that Agricola is in real trouble, with the Emperor Domitian having sent a spy with secret papers demanding Agricola's resignation as ruling Governor. 

A dead body follows, dumped unceremoniously on an altar. A beautiful woman named Gwyna and our hero have seven days "to unravel fact from rumor, and motive from murder" and his path to justice is strewn with more dead bodies, pimps, drunken "ladies of the evening"(any evening!), and treachery.  Oh, the title?  Forgot that, didn't I? It's "Nox Dormienda; A Long NIght for Sleeping" by Kelli Stanley, and it is the first in a projected series in a Roman Noir--a fancy term meaning murder mysteries set in Rome in very, very, ancient times.  It is written in a smooth, moves-right-along manner and I, for one will read it. Join me? 

This next --and last, to my editor's relief--will no doubt be written into a movie script with some of Hollywood's brightest stars; "The Condition", by Jennifer Haigh.  This is the story of a "beautiful" family who seems to "have it all"--the McKotches, Frank and Paulette (who's described as "pedigreed", for Heaven's sake, rather like a dog!) and their three beautiful children--but don't be misled.

One Summer day at their big house on Cape Cod, "Frank is struck by an image he cannot forget", his thirteen year old daughter, Gwen, looking so much smaller and fragile next to her cousin.  Her condition, Turner's syndrome, is a genetic conidition that will prevent her from ever being freed from a child's body--and not only Gwen but the whole family implodes and destructs because of it.  The least of it is that the parents get a bitter divorce, one son becomes an embittered ex-addict, one son is very successful in medicine and has nothing to do with the family, and Gwen?  She handles it by being very aloof,  is largely silent and wants no interaction with people around her.Then, in her thirties, Gwen falls in love and that in itself brings on more problems.

This story brings out the loves, denials, lies, and loyalties that bind families, whether they like it or not, The character's descriptions--not the physical traits but the emotional and cultural and thoughts of the family members--are well put and their reactions to what cannot be changed will grip you.  A very good book and one you will be pleased you checked out--I sincerely hope.

I have a new dog, a three year old, named Rufus (a good dog's name!), and he's very quiet and well-behaved, medium-sized, cream body, black and brown face, and a tail that curls up and over his back in the manner of breeds such as Spitz, Chow, Pekingnese,Husky, and Pomeranian and, I am almost positive, the Schipperke.  Rufus has a quiet sense of who he is and has not decided whether he will continue to allow our resident squirrel to remain  and is friendly with Manny, the half-mine German Shepherd who lives next door. Thank Heavens for that since I am very attached to Manny, even if he does tend to bark at the golfers who  come down the fairway behind our houses--and times it for their backswing because he loves to see and hear the golf ball being hit! 

Keep a hat on, when out in the sun, watch the Olympics being broadcast on NBC, have a popsicle rather than a hot fudge sundae, and do not ever give out your credit card numbers to someone who calls on the phone and says they're checking up on credit card fraud and they're a member of that company.  The credit card company already knows your numbers!  See you later on this month--bye!  P.S. We will be dedicating the Bernice Stipe Memorial Rose Garden, in front of the library, hopefully this month--come and join us when we select the actual date.