V is for Vengeance by Sue Grafton

I enjoyed being back in Kinsey Millhone's world for a few days. Sue Grafton seems to be back on track for these books after a few that weren't so great. I enjoyed U is for Undertow, and I thought V is for Vengeance held up too.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

I didn't see the first Sherlock Holmes movie. My son saw it and gave a shrug when I asked how it was.

This time around I didn't wait for his rating. Ray and I were bored, so we went to the movies. We had great seats, and I must admit to being riveted from the outset. I saw a few things coming, but was delightfully surprised by most of the things that were foreshadowed. It might be fun to see it again, knowing the end from the beginning.

Robert Downey Jr. makes a great Sherlock, and Jude Law is well cast as Watson. The movie bears just enough resemblance to Conan Doyle's stories to make it very fun for me. I've read every one of the Sherlock Holmes stories. That was when I first felt the shiver from a thrilling story. I almost had a heart attack while reading The Hound of the Baskervilles and my dad startled me. But I digress.

I'm now going to watch the first Sherlock Holmes movie. It may not be as good as this one, but I know I'll enjoy it.

Mission: Impossible, Ghost Protocol

If my typing is shaky, it's because the adrenaline is still pumping.

• I thought I might wet my pants from the excitement. 
• I think I crushed Ray's hand during the anxious parts. 
• At one point I had to hide my face in his shoulder so I wouldn't explode from the tension. 
• No chance I was checking my watch or wondering when it would ever be over.
• Good thing the movie was so loud (no one heard my screams).
• Great action.
• Good plot.
• Fabulous supporting cast.
• Whew!

Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog by Lisa Scottoline

Very fun book.

Lisa Scottoline has written several mysteries that I have not yet read. This book is a collection of her newspaper columns that she writes for the Philadelphia Inquirer. I usually don't care for this kind of reading, but I really enjoyed this.

Lisa's subject matter deals with life as a "woman of a certain age." I happen to be one of those, and she hits the nail on the head. I giggled and related to almost every column.

It's a quick read, and I recommend it.

Now I'm off to explore her mysteries, because we all know how much I love a good mystery!

Disappearing Nightly by Laura Resnick

A friend of mine on Goodreads recommended this book. She said it was fun and funny urban fantasy. I wasn't sure what she meant by urban fantasy (I guess I haven't really explored that genre), but she usually gives reviews that I agree with, so I decided to give it a try. Plus I was ready for a fun and funny book.

It was kind of fun and parts of it were funny. Mentally I give fantasy novels a wide berth. I don't know why, because many of the ones I've read I really liked. But I always balk at the idea of reading a fantasy novel.

This book had minimal fantasy. Just a little bit of magic and mages. It takes place currently in New York City, so perhaps that's where the urban part comes in.

Here's the label I'd give it: a mystery with a little bit of fantasy thrown in. It was a  diverting and quick read. Not great literature, nothing to set the world on fire, but enjoyable. There are more books in the series. I'm not in a rush to read them, but if the opportunity arose I might give them a try.

Dec 25: We Wish You a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Design by Audrey Hanks

We Wish You a Merry Christmas    traditional

Dec 24: Santa, Make Her My Bride for Christmas

Fifty-six years ago today my parents were married. Four children, nine grandchildren, and seven-almost-eight great-grandchildren later they are still going strong.

In 1955, the Catholic church didn't do weddings in the chapel during Advent, so my parents were married in the rectory, with just four friends attending. Neither set of their parents were there. Mom and Dad were both in their mid-twenties and saw no reason to wait. They just wanted to be married.

When I was young my parents would eat a very nice meal at home late in the evening to celebrate (we children were banished to our bedrooms). In particular I remember a few years running where they brought home live lobster and cooked it. The sight and smell were horrifying to me. In later years they would go out to lunch together as their celebration. 

Christmas and my parents' anniversary are fused in my memories. Every time I hear the song Christmas Bride by the Ray Conniff Singers, I think of my dad smiling and saying, "That's our song." I used to roll my eyes because I thought it was so corny. Now it makes me cry.

They've had a good run. And like I said, they're still going strong.

Vic and Ann December 24, 1955

Look how happy they are.

Taking off for their honeymoon.

Christmas Bride   lyrics by Ray Conniff

Dec 23: Here We Come A-Caroling

The Linfords have a grand tradition of caroling. For many years they went as a family - Mom and Dad and their eight children. This number grew as the family grew up and got married and added spouses and children to the mix. They would carol, and as a gift leave fresh oranges for the people they were singing to. I was lucky enough to be a part of this tradition a few times over the years. They are some of my favorite experiences.

Now we gather together at Mom and Dad's home to sing one evening during the Christmas season. Anyone who possibly can make it comes. This year we had family members from seven of the original eight children. We had dinner first, then gathered to sing. Mom had arranged the Christmas story and hymns to go along with it. My son-in-law Randy played the piano, and Nancy and Sarah played the violin and Jonathan the cello. Many of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren acted out the nativity story.

It was beautiful and heartwarming, my favorite event of the Christmas season. We closed with Dona, Nobis, Pacem - the family song. Someday I'll share how that tradition began.

Mom and Dad - the ones who started it all

These first few pictures were taken by Charles my brother-in-law/photographer. I had to include the pictures of Diane and Madeleine - they are so superior to the ones I took.

Here we are! Not the whole family by any stretch of the imagination, but a wonderful group nevertheless

Diane and Madeleine

 The following pictures are ones that I took while sitting on the couch and singing. Rank amateur, but fun to have the pictures.

Here We Come A-Caroling (the Wassail Song)   traditional