It will make me laugh, I'm told

The Unorthodox Arrival of Pumpkin Allan ~ by Suzie Twine, 2014, fiction (UK), 246 pages

An uplifting and moving story of Lois and Tom’s relocation from London to a surprisingly quirky, rural hamlet.  Tom falls off his mountain bike just days before they take ownership of Honeysuckle Cottage, leaving a pregnant Lois and her close friend to collect the keys to their new home.  Finding her dream house fraught with unexpected problems, Lois becomes sick with worry that she should never have persuaded Tom to leave the city.  But, as they settle, glitches with the cottage are resolved, and a wonderfully eclectic mix of friends, enemies, crooks, and eccentrics is revealed within this extraordinary community.  Lois and Tom’s  wedding and the birth of the baby happen in very quick succession, with a melodramatic twist as uninvited guests arrive at the home delivery.

"I highly recommend this to anyone needing a laugh and a little sunshine in their day!"  I ran across this recommendation as I was trying to decide which of the books on my friend Donna's Kindle I should read next.  I could use a few laughs, so this is what I'm reading today.

Some Snoopy stuff ~ and a book, of course!

This is for my favorite daughter-in-law, who happens also to be my ONLY daughter-in-law.  I tried to put a hug on Facebook where we were chatting, but it didn't work.  So I had to put it here, on my blog, then share the link on FB.  It gets complicated, doesn't it?

And now I've found another Snoopy hug, this one where I hugged you in my thoughts!

I've learned that people enjoy doing nice things for each other.  Sometimes, it's harder to allow others to feel good about doing things for me, but I'm still learning.

How is it August already?  Yes, it's HOT enough, but the days seem to fly by.  A friend gave me a ride over to the grocery store to get Meow Mix Hairball Control food for my cat, even though I have it on order.  Why?  Because I was completely OUT and delivery wouldn't be for another two days.  Oh, the things we do for the pets we love!

Why am I showing you this right now?  Because I did NOT stop at Meow Mix, of course not!  I also picked up a few other things as I hurried through the store.  Yes, I admit it.

BOOK UP NEXT

Seeds of Revenge: A Greenhouse Mystery Book ~ by Wendy Tyson, 2017, cozy mystery, 280 pages

Megan Sawyer is determined to farm year-round.  So much so that she braves a December snowstorm to pitch her fresh greenhouse greens to Philadelphia chefs.  And then she sees a stranger stranded on the side of the road.  But this woman is no stranger; it’s Becca Fox, a love chemist (you read that right).  She’s headed to her aunt’s house to sell her love potions at holiday events.  Or so Becca thinks.  Her sneaky aunt only invited Becca home to reunite her with her estranged father.  It sounds noble and kind-hearted, until the man ends up dead. 

Megan soon finds herself in the middle.  She realizes Becca’s not the only one getting iced over.  Megan’s own aunt, the famous mystery author, is dragged into the drama.  Her novels implicate her, and she’s in trouble.  Now it’s personal.  Our Megan must follow a cryptic trail of literary clues, all while sifting through the victim’s sordid past.  She gets closer to the truth as the murderer gets closer to her.

Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.

Beginning ~ twice

Beginning

Here's an amazing weight-loss tip for all the women in America:  an out-of-body experience makes you look thinner.  Forget about vertical versus horizontal stripes.  I'm telling you, an out-of-body occurrence does the trick.

Retirement Can Be Murder: Every Wife Has A Story (A Baby Boomer Mystery Book 1) ~ by Susan Santangelo, 2009, cozy mystery, 214 pages

This is the story of Carol Andrews and her beloved husband, Jim, who are members of the fastest growing demographic in history, the Baby Boomer generation.  Carol dreads Jim's upcoming retirement more than a root canal without Novocain.  She can't imagine anything worse than having an at-home husband with time on his hands and nothing to fill it except interfering in the day-to-day activities of their household and driving her crazy — until her plans to stall Jim's retirement result in Jim's being suspected of murdering his retirement coach.

Beginning the night before the reunion

"I don't know how I let you talk me into this," I said, huffing as I pulled my overnight bag up the marble stairs toward our third floor bedroom.

"Well, Carol," said my very best friend Nancy, "if you weren't such a nutcase about taking the elevator, we'd be in our room by now.  I bet Claire and Mary Alice are already unpacked, lounging in their pajamas, and sipping a glass of cold chardonnay.  While we're pulling suitcases up these damn stairs.  And probably overstressing our hearts.  Which could lead to a stroke.  And death.  Not the way I pictured spending our fortieth high school reunion."

Class Reunions Can Be Murder: Every Wife Has A Story (A Baby Boomer Mystery Book 4) ~ by Susan Santangelo, 2013, cozy mystery, 240 pages

Carol Andrews and her beloved husband, Jim, navigate their way along life's rocky highway toward their twilight years.  Carol has no interest in her upcoming fortieth high school reunion.  Her memories of days at Mount Saint Francis Academy are mixed, to put it mildly.  But BFF Nancy convinces her to join the reunion planning committee, so she'll have some say in how the event is organized.  All is going smoothly until the dead body of one of their classmates is found the night before the reunion — in Carol and Nancy's room!

The author says:  "Be sure to study each cover carefully to see if you can identify the murder weapon!"

Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts

Book Beginnings on Fridays.

Today's intention

Altruistic August 2022 is from the Action for Happiness folks.  Click to enlarge it and read each day's suggestion for being happier.  However, I think I'll just try to find JOY today.

Words for a rainy day

My daughter posted this photo on Facebook, saying:  "I am a 'pluviophile'…… a lover of rain."  I responded with a link to my recent post about flooding inside my apartment from the 7.68-inches of rain in six hours in St. Louis, which was about 25% of our normal yearly rainfall total in just 12 hours.  That rainy day made history.  I left this comment on her post:  "Some rain (like the history-making rainfall that hit St. Louis this week) makes us tend to lean in the opposite direction."

Word of the Day #1

pluviophile = The word pluviophile comes from the Latin word "pluvial," which means rain, and "phile," which denotes a thing or a person.  Therefore, a pluviophile is a lover of rain, or someone who finds joy and peace of mind during the rainy days.  Example:  My daughter is a pluviophile.

Word of the Day #2

pluviophobia = fear of weather related to rain, including storms, wind, thunder, and lightning.  This is a neologism, but there's already a word for fear of rain:  ombrophobia (see definitions below).

Word of the Day #3

ne·ol·o·gism /nēˈäləˌjizəm/ noun = a newly coined word or expression.

Word of the Day #4

Ombrophobia is an intense fear of rain, from intense weather to a drizzle.  An ombrophobe might worry about acid rain, germs in rain, floods, or other dangers.  Ombrophobia is a type of anxiety disorder that can cause symptoms and emotions that affect daily life.

The next couple of books I'll read

Random Acts of Kindness by Animals ~ by Stephanie LaLand, 1997 and 2008, stories, 226 pages

Stephanie LaLand has gathered stories sure to fill your heart with happiness and hope.  Anyone who’s had a pet knows there is something special about them.  We see it in their eyes when they look at us affectionately or play with others or help someone in need.  How animals act and the things they do are similar to the way we care for each other.  Doris Day says in the Foreword:  "That tender connection — the bond between all living things that we call love — is what this little book is all about."

Four Fantastic Surprise Endings for Children 3-5 ~ by Scott Gordon, 2015, children's stories, 176 pages

1. Froggy Dearest ~ One fine day, you come across the frog of your dreams.  Soft spoken and ever courteous, you've never met a creature quite so charming.  But tread carefully, for this frog has quite a secret to share!
2. Little Chickadee ~ After months of loneliness, a little chickadee realizes that he misses someone in particular.  He writes constantly and waits for her return, but time slowly trickles by with no end in sight.  There's something he's been meaning to tell her — something very, very special.  Will he get the chance?
3. Eggtastic ~ Spring is just around the corner, and it's time to see what the Easter Bunny is up to.  This year he's enlisted some help, and it's an odd choice at that.  What is that clever rabbit up to, and what is he really planning?  Find out in this humorous picture book.
4. Who Wants To Be a Robot? ~ The off-world planet of Infinim, which promises a heavenly and eternal existence for its society of robots, is now taking applications. Although one of its applicants is older and not quite as quick as he used to be, does he have what it takes to be accepted?  Figure out who he is before the story's end in this clever children's book.

I found both of these books on the Kindle I inherited from my friend Donna.

Starting another book today

One Crazy Summer ~ by Rita Williams-Garcia, 2010, YA historical fiction (California), 240 pages

In the summer of 1968, after traveling from Brooklyn to Oakland, California, to spend a month with the mother they barely know, eleven-year-old Delphine and her two younger sisters (Vonetta and Fern) arrive to a cold welcome.  They discover that their mother, who had abandoned them seven years ago, is resentful of the intrusion of their visit and wants them to attend a nearby Black Panther summer camp.  They, on the other hand, had hoped to go to Disneyland and meet Tinker Bell.  This moving novel won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction and the Coretta Scott King Award and was a National Book Award Finalist.