Sunday Salon, March 19

Daffodil season is upon us. I am keeping my eyes alert color splashes of yellow.

Weather: the day looks to be shaping up nicely, or at least a brief respite from the rain.

Song of the Day: Pentatonix "Can't Sleep Love". I am probably the last person alive who hasn't seen this until this week. But I enjoyed it so thought you might enjoy seeing ti again.



Hard decision ahead: A few weeks ago I reviewed the book Lily and the Octopus about a dog who was dying from a brain tumor and her master. I couldn't help making the comparisons between Lily and our dog, Muffy. Both are 12 years old, both are low-rider dogs, and both have tumors. (Click the hyperlink if you want to read the review.) This week we had to take Muffy to the vet twice because the tumor had grown so much and we wanted to talk over options during the first visit, and for wound care the second visit. The only option to save her life is to remove the leg, and that isn't really even a solid option because the tumor has spread to her lymph glands and, being a short-legged dog, she would have tremendous difficulties with only three limbs. During our last visit the veterinarian spoke aloud the word which was rattling around in our brains: euthanasia. Oh boy, hard decisions ahead. Both Don and I broke down repeatedly yesterday just thinking about our options...which is really shaping up to be one option.

Spa Day: For my birthday LAST year my daughters gave me a gift certificate for a spa day. Yesterday Rita and I went and treated ourselves to a facial (Rita) and a massage (me.) Ah.h.

Books completed this week:

• LaRose by Louise Erdrich. I am about half finished with the review of this marvelous book. Watch for it later today or tomorrow. (Audio)
• History is All You Left Me by Adam Silvera. A gay teen's first love dies in an accident. He is trying to cope with his guilt and shifting friendships. (YA, E-Book)

Currently reading:

• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi. Slavery. Interconnected stories. Horrifying and disgusting, I am having a lot of trouble making myself listen to this book for that reason. (Audio, book club selection, 25%)
• Tales from the South Pacific by James Michener. This is my Classics Club Spin book. This also is made up of interconnected stories. (Print, >10%)
• Long May She Wave: a Graphic History of the American Flag by Kit Hindrichs. This is a coffee table-sized book all about the American Flag. I am totally digging this book. I have it opened on the counter at school and look at it when I get a chance here and there during the work day. It was given to the library by the JROTC program. (Print, 33%)

60 for my 60th: Today I am going to see the movie Beauty and the Beast with my husband's cousin. Just us girls! Then later this week a friend, one of my oldest and dearest, is driving up from Portland so we can spend the afternoon/evening together. She turns 60 in a few weeks so we will double celebrate our age and our long friendship.

Gotta run!