Books I read in May 2018

The photo above is art made by Jane Mount and you can purchase prints of her work and even create a customized bookshelf for yourself. Just go to her website:  Ideal bookshelf

The Recovering by Leslie Jamison (library) about alcoholism. I enjoyed it. Basically a memoir of her journey to sobriety.
Fylling's Illustrated Guide to Pacific Coast Tide Pools by Marni Fylling just a gorgeous book wonderful illustrations
The Dark Side of River Heights by Renee Walker If you are not a Nancy Drew fan, you will probably not have any reason to ever read this book. I am rereading now and thoroughly enjoying it. It explores the ways in which Nancy Drew is not perfect. The things that she does wrong, the ways in which she is careless and so focused on a mystery that she breaks the law or neglects her family. 
Must Love Dogs by Claire Cook (library) The basis of the movie with John Cusack, it is the beginning of an entire series of books, so I will be reading more of these.
Dallas Noir ed. by David Hale Smith Short stories set in Dallas (reading because I will be spending a week in Dallas doing training for the airline this month.)
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (library) I really liked this one, a retelling of the Scarlet Letter, modernized
Tangerine by Christine Mangan (library) very interesting book about a woman obsessed with her college roommate, she follows her to Tangiers. I liked the exotic locale and the interesting plot.
New Leash on Life by Claire Cook (library) the next book in the "Must Love Dogs" series...it was okay
Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero (library) I enjoyed this thriller. It is a throwback to the idea of a group of kids ala Scooby Doo has a mystery solving club. And what happens when those kids grow up and they are pulled back into a mystery that they thought they had solved as kids.
Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia Really liked this one. a girl is murdered and we see the steps leading up to it
Fetch You Later by Claire Cook (library) yet another book in the "Must Love Dogs" series....I am getting tired of these, she just creates misunderstandings between the main characters to keep them apart and then brings them back together again in the end.
Loss of Innocence by Chassie West  Chassie West was once a Nancy Drew ghost writer and I am reading some of her books in preparation  to write an article about her for a Nancy Drew fanzine
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather (library) Wow, I really enjoyed this one. It is the story of a priest traveling to New Mexico back in the 1800's when the missions were just being formed. I loved her descriptions, the story is loosely based on real life and if you love the desert, you should read this!!





To Be Read:

The Riders by Tim Winton
True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg
Blog Post Mortem by Mark Berkeland
Who Let the Cats In by Claire Cook

2018 Postcard: Virginia

My sister has been working in Virginia and sends me cards from there all the time.

2018 Postcard: Tropical

Lots of my friends and family go on cruises and I get all sorts of Tropical postcards from them from their ports of call. 

2018 Postcard: Washington State

Even though I live in Washington State now, many friends and family will still send me cards when they visit the area. I love that !! 

2018 Postcard: Aquariums

Some folks send me postcards from their visits to Aquariums

Anne Marie Takes Lisbon

I just got back from a vacation in Lisbon, Portugal with my niece, Anne Marie. It was her first visit to Europe. We only spent 4 days in Lisbon. It was a quick trip, but we managed to see most of the city. I always find that I can go back again and again and find more things to see and do.

the beginning of our journey

First lunch at a European Cafe

Tapas in Lisbon

View from Sao Jorge Castle

Peacocks in the trees at Sao Jorge Castle

Gelato with Suzi Robertshaw

Rossio Square in Lisbon

Something you do not see much in the USA, everyone dries their laundry on a clothesline

Piri Piri Chicken on the grill at a Take-Away spot by our Air BnB

Lots of steps up to our Air BnB

Street Art in Belem with Suzi and Anne Marie

Pasteis de Belem

Hop On Hop Off bus to Cascais

Sand Castle art at Cascais

Love the tile work on the buildings

Gorgeous views along the way back to Lisbon

Marquess of Pombal Square

Pedestrian shopping streets

We visited the Museu Coleção Berardo, in Lisbon. Anne Marie is interested in Modern Art and this was on her list of things she wanted to do,  we saw lots of great art from Warhol, Picasso, Man Ray, Max Ernst, Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, Calder, Lichtenstein and more

Google Plane from a Portuguese artist

This might be my true favorite on the wall outside the museum

another view, I love how it is 3D taking in the balcony area

Art fair going on outside of the Museu Coleção Berardo

Lots of great artists and craftsmen

Purchase from an artist

Tastes of Madeira at the art fair 

We ate lunch that day from the Taste of Madeira booth

Caco Cake Prego, Beef with Garlic Butter and Cheese

We found TinTin in Portugal

Guards in front of the President's residence in Belem

The national Tile Museum It is located in the former Convent of Madre Deus, founded by Queen D. Leonor in 1509

Who Wore it Better?

Who Wore it Better?

A section from a Panorama of Lisbon

A modern Tile piece made to look like wood

detail of the faux wood tile

Examples of Tiles from all eras

If I had known about this ahead of time, I would have signed up! Paint your own tile at the The National Azulejo Museum

View from our Air BnB

And the panorama version

Suzi and Anne Marie on a TukTuk tour

Best spot in Lisbon?  Miradouro da Senhora do Monte Viewpoint

More arts and crafts

Pavements are gorgeous, the ship is the symbol of the city of Lisbon and you see it everywhere

The Moon over the city

Scored an Aisle Seat for the flight back to PHL! Not bad for being the last non-rev on the list and getting pulled aside for extra special screening in LIS