Favorite Books of 2020

 

Favorite Books of 2020

Fiction:

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune 

Home Front Girls by Suzanne Hayes

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

The Redhead by the Side of the Road by Anne Tyler

The Shooting at Chateu Rock by Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #13)

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

Science/Nature:

Buzz, Sting, Bite: Why We Need Insects by Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson

Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter by Ben Goldfarb 

Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses by Robin Wall Kimmerer 

Rescuing Ladybugs by Jennifer Skiff

Living on the Wind: Across the Hemisphere on the Wings of Migratory Birds by Scott Weidensaul

History:

The Blood of Emmet Till by Timothy B. Tyson

The Age of Illusions: How America Squandered Its Cold War Victory by Andrew Bacevich

The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels by Jon Meacham

The Path to Power by Robert Caro

Ascent to Power by Robert Caro

The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson

Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson 

Nothing to Fear: FDR’s Inner Circle and the Hundred Days by Adam Cohen

Midnight at Chernobyl: The Untold Story of the World’s Greatest Nuclear Disaster by Adam Higginbotham 

Pessimistic

 Pessimistic 

Just because you’ve been labeled as a pessimist does not mean things won’t go all to hell.

I am exceedingly pessimistic because unless both Biden wins the presidency and the Democrats take the Senate, nothing will be done about our three looming problems:

     1. Climate change 

     2. The COVID-19 pandemic

     3. The economic fallout from the pandemic and our growing inequality 

I am turning my attention away from the things over which I have no control and focusing on keeping us:

     1. Fed

     2. Housed

     3. Healthy

Around OakMeadows

 

Common Buckeye on Blue Mist

    It is another absolutely beautiful day. Highs in the mid 70s and lows in the upper 40s. Clear skies and no humidity.  It is very quiet in the neighborhood and all you hear is the birds, including a couple of very raucous crows. The most spectacular thing though is the blue mist absolutely alive with bees and butterflies. Several times a day I go out and sit still in the scooter right by them and just drink in the beauty. We should have them for at least another week, maybe two.

     Today is Election Day and how thankful I will be when it is over. I hope with all my heart that Joe Biden wins. I cannot understand how people could vote for such an immoral, vulgar person as Donald Trump. I expect we will have a pretty good idea who the next President will be by 10 pm tonight. At least, whichever way it goes, the uncertainty of what will happen will be over. 

     The COVID-19 pandemic goes on. 232,000 Americans are dead from it. I don’t see any let up anytime soon. There may be a vaccine after the first of next year. It will take quite some time to inoculate enough of the population to get the virus under control though. Joe and I have been so fortunate to live here on our beautiful 4 acre Oak Meadows. We’d like to be able to go out to a restaurant or to see a movie or just go into a store but all things considered, we are in really good shape. 

Around OakMeadows

 

Something is blooming and has set my allergies off. I’m taking a non-sedating antihistamine and ibuprofen and never getting more than 2 feet from a box of tissues. It has been so beautiful outside with much improved temperatures so that I just cannot stay inside. I would rather deal with allergies than stay inside.

I’m reading a couple of really interesting books. Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham is about the 1986 nuclear power plant disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine and the response by the Soviet government. Fascinating. I’m also going back and re-reading some old Agatha Christie mysteries starting with The Mysterious Affair at Styles.

The election is just 28 days away. JMM and I voted by mail as we always do. I can’t stand to listen/watch/read all the negative campaign ads nor can I stand any of the Presidential or Vice Presidential debates. I hope will be glad when it is finally over and hopefully Joe Biden is inaugurated January 22, 2021. 

The pandemic continues. 211,544 Americans have died of it. The President and many of the people around him are infected. So far JMM and I remain quarantined and healthy. Being an introverted homebody makes it mentally less challenging for me than for people who are more outgoing. Between housekeeping, cooking, reading, quilting, all the creatures, I am always busy with mostly pleasant activities.

That’s about all for now. Hope everyone has a good week. 

Nothing to Fear by Adam Cohen

 

Nothing to Fear by Adam Cohen

If this had been the usual book about the Hundred Days bringing about the alphabet soup of programs, the CCC, WPA, NIRA, etc., it would have been a dreary book indeed. Fortunately, the author focused on the people who dreamed and imagined and crafted the policies that resulted in the alphabet soup of agencies whose purpose was, as Frances Perkins said, “to take the edge of human misery.”  If you don’t know Raymond Moley, Harry Hopkins, Henry Wallace, Frances Perkins, and others, you will find this a most engaging book. It has certainly spurred my interest in learning even more about these people and this time in America. Not just a good read, an excellent read.

Around OakMeadows

 

Today the Generac whole house generator was installed. They have to come back one more time actually turn it on and show us how it operates. It is a great relief to know that when the next hurricane blows through, we will have power/air conditioning during and especially in the days afterward. 

We had to have someone come out and repair the garage door opener. Somehow the heavy spring  broke. I am so old that I remember when you had to get out of car, unlock the garage door, and lift it open, then you would drive in  before closing it by pulling it down. 

The wildfires are blazing in California. 2 million acres have burned and several of the fires are completely uncontained. Completely to be expected with climate change. 

55 days until the election. 155 days until the inauguration. I hope I never see or hear anything ever again about the Orange one.

190K deaths from Covid-19. No end in sight. A vaccine may be available in the spring, 2021. We shall see.

Uplifting, Inspiring, Goodness

   

Henry and Tigger

I’ve been so uplifted by the speeches at the virtual Democratic National Convention. Michele Obama, Barak Obama, Joe Biden, and others were inspiring and a reminder of the goodness of America. It was refreshing and hopeful. I’ve done my best to avoid hearing negative responses. 

We have a tropical storm heading our way. So far it looks like it will be a Category 1 at landfall on Tuesday afternoon. Of course with any storm, it could stall and strengthen or it could go somewhere else altogether.  If it does come as a Category 1, it will bring some much needed rain. I am so hoping that we will have our generator installed before we have a serious storm. Stay tuned.

Today is our Friday for Texas Roadhouse curbside pickup. I miss going into the restaurant but am very thankful we can do the curbside pickup. I refer to JMM as our Uber Eats Guy. Angie loves to go with him and greet the person who brings the food to the van.  Of course, she loves bites of my kebabs even more.  

According to the NYT website, 174,361 Americans have died of Covid-19. It is just incredible. Never would it have entered my mind that this could happen in my America.