A few Random Thoughts

Even though we just passed a library bond, they are still cutting services - of course to the elderly first...

There is nothing like snuggling down with a good book - I've read a few Luanne Rice books lately - in particular "The Geometry of Sisters" and "The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners" - although she doesn't spend a whole lot of time connecting them, there are many same characters in the two books, so you feel like you are visiting with old friends.

The Geometry of Sisters deals with a sister / daughter who goes missing and the feelings and thoughts of the mother and her children at having this young woman gone from their lives and of the mother who has not spoken with her own sister for a while.

I have three sisters - no brothers - Every once in a while - hasn't happened for some time now, but one of us will get in a snit about something and not "communicate" with the others but never for any longer than a month or so - Ms. Rice explains what comes about in a family when that happens on a bigger scale:

"Something happens to sisters who've stopped talking to each other for any stretch of time. Once it has happened -- once ther pattern has been set, and months and years go by, they get used to it. The unthinkable becomes thinkable. They imagine they can live without each other --because that's what they're doing. Even if they make up- get back together, at the first sign of strife, they might revert to not speaking.


The initial break is so wrong, such a crime against nature and love. They might tell themselves it's justified, that she did such-and-such, that she deserves so-and-so. l Everyone knows that we're most hurt by the ones we love most. Drastic measures, turned backs, and buttoning of lips, the childish pronouncements - "I'll never speak to you again!" -- might feel momentaarily satisfying and righteous.


But it burns deep. And if it lasts long, watch out. For every day sisters don't talk to each other, a day is taken from the end of their lives. It's that destructive. Their lives are shorter, because their anguish and bitterness destroys them from the inside out. It eats away at their veins, weakens the walls of their hearts."

If you have sisters, you know what she means.... The Shepherd doesn't have any sibs. He doesn't understand The "Geometry" of Sisters at all - in fact, I think it actually frightens him a little - the emotions, the "discussions" that to him seem heated - to us are, well, just that, discussions - part of life - what's the fun of a sister if you can't yell once in a while??? You know that she won't take it personal. I know people who only talk with their sisters once or twice a year - and they live in the same county! I can't, however, imagine going for longer than a week or so without talking to one or more of my sisters.

Anyhow, both of these books are good reads - in fact I ordered one of my sisters her own copy off Amazon.com because I knew she wanted to read them, and I wasn't ready to give mine up yet. Gotta love Amazon.com (except for the Kindle, ha, ha)

On to other news - The Fusion (which still needs a name) is now officially an only child - I sold The Jelly Bean today. The fellow who bought it did the repairs on it a year or so ago when the hatchback got smashed. He has built an Electric Festiva which is really gorgeous - He had mentioned that he was impressed that The Jelly Bean was in such good shape for it's age - so I thought of him when I needed to find a new home for it. At least I know that he won't just take it out, run it into the ground and then take it to the car smashers...

Actually I'm really enjoying the Fusion - it is really fun to drive - of course, it is power everything and the Festiva was power nothing...will it last 18 years like the Festiva? We'll see.