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Fred’s Funeral is a novella by Sandy Day, inspired by hundreds of letters written by the author’s Great Uncle Fred, but a wonderful concoction of her imagination. Fred Sadler has just died in his room in a hospital for the mentally ill. He sees his cousin and his brother and a whole family of those who died before him, congregating on the other side of an ethereal divide. The problem is, he can’t cross the divide. He finds himself – or at least his consciousness – watching from the ceiling of his room, as his priggish sister-in-law, Viola, and her brother, Thomas, open his one possession, an old battered suitcase. It is Viola who gives her interpretation of Fred’s life based on old memories and the contents of the suitcase. As they paw through his belongings, Fred is shocked to find Viola’s version of the events of his life is not as he remembers it. Why had he spent so many years locked up in Whitby Hospital for the Insane? As Fred moves through his funeral and the gathering of the family afterward, and between his memories and the pronouncements of Viola and others, we learn that the young Fred went off to fight in World War I and came back damaged: addicted to binge drinking, constantly angry and full of anxieties. At that time, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome was not recognized, and the remainder of his life was consumed by his trying to govern his emotions and fit in, his family’s attempts to provide and adjust for him, and finally, his placement in the hospital. We are reminded of the barbarity of the so-called modern treatments for patients at that time in such institutions. What I particularly liked about this story are the ways different people look at the same events, and the ability to see how his confusion, frustration, and mental breakdown – now so understandable – were met with misunderstanding by his family. Fred desperately wants to gain control of his life, to spend his life in the home and with the family he so values, but can’t help pushing them away.  The reader can feel his angst and understand his actions, but at the same time see themselves in the family’s shoes. The author does a wonderful job of describing family relationships and deep-seated feelings. This is a short, but very profound read. About the author: Sandy Day is the author of Chatterbox, Poems. She graduated from Glendon College, York University, with a degree in English Literature and spends her summers in Jackson’s Point, Ontario on the shore of Lake Simcoe. She winters nearby in Sutton by the Black River. Sandy took 20 years off from writing to run a gift store and raise a family, but is now a trained facilitator for the Toronto Writers Collective’s creative writing workshops. She is a developmental editor and book coach. You can find her at https://sandyday.ca @sandeetweets And Fred’s Funeral on Amazon at https://www.amazon.com/Freds-Funeral-Sandy-Day/dp/1979556164 0 0

Well, I survived whatever the last two weeks are called – Christmas and New Year’s? My two legged was so busy every day, I hardly got any pets. So I had to do something to get her attention. Like walking around on the table, which was set with nice plates and napkins, and knocking stuff on the floor – or ripping the ribbon off the tree – or racing around the house as fast as I could go, skidding on the wood floor. I got swatted with a newspaper a couple of times, but then she petted me. I got some pretty nice snacks, too – some beef at Christmas and ham for New Year’s. And quite a bit of cheese. I love cheese. So two days ago, I decided not to be afraid of the stairs. They’d blocked them off with a gate, which had fallen on me the first time I tried to get around it. It scared the fur off me. Since then, they’ve put little treats on the stairs to convince me not to be afraid. So when they weren’t looking, I slunk upstairs. The problem was, I got confused and when they called me, I had to chirp to let them know where I was so they could put on a light or two. Were they surprised! Then I climbed up to surprise my two legged while she was writing. I was just going to breeze by her legs and maybe scare her, but I chirped accidentally, and she saw me. Last night I discovered this big, flat, soft thing where my two legged spends her nights. When she turned the light off, I jumped up and walked all over her – just to let her know I was there and needed petting. After petting me a little, she stopped. I think she fell asleep. So I stayed with her all night. It was soft and warm and a great place to flake out. Anyway, to all my four-legged friends out there, and their two leggeds, Happy New Year! I’m a lucky cat and I know you all are lucky, too! 0 0

This review is for Rosie’s Book Review Team. The book was purchased by the reviewer. A Tincture of Secrets and Lies is the fourth book in the Dr. Adam Bascom Mysteries series by William Savage.  His other series is the Ashmole Foxe Mysteries and both are set in Georgian England, in and around Norwich. I’ve read the previous three Dr. Adam Bascom books, mainly because I love mysteries, history, and am married to a physician. A perfect syzygy for Savage’s books. Despite being part of a series, A Tincture of Secrets and Lies can be read as a stand-alone, without any confusion on the part of the reader. The main character, Dr. Adam Bascom, practices medicine in Aylsham, a small town in Norwich. His closest friend, and the person off whom he bounces ideas, is Peter Lassimer, a pharmacist and a confirmed ladies’ man. Dr. Bascom’s unmarried status has the subject of many of their interchanges, but this book hints that his status may change,  sooner or later. Dr. Bascom has fallen in love with Lady Alice, young and wealthy widow of one of his former patients. The story opens on the night of April 13, 1793 with two significant events. Bascom is thrown from his horse on his way home, and lies unconscious for a long time on a remote country road. At the same time, some miles away, a young woman is viciously stabbed, her body pushed under a hedge to prevent it from being discovered. The good doctor, although badly hurt, rouses himself enough to let his horse lead him home, but his injuries are serious enough to keep him there for an extended recovery period. In previous adventures, Bascom has developed into an astute detective, and when two other murders are discovered, he is naturally sought out to solve them. However, this time he is frustratingly confined to his bed and must use Peter Lassimer, plus the nephew and niece of Lady Alice, and even his groom, William, to be his eyes, ears and legs to find the killer.  Through them, he uncovers a plot to destabilize the country, already on edge with a threatened invasion by the French, and the topic of smuggling, rampant on the English coast, becomes entwined in the story. I shared the sheer frustration of Bascom, being confined to his room and then his home, and at the mercy of his housekeeper, Mrs. Brigstone; Hannah, the nervous parlor maid; and Mrs. Munning, a warm-hearted young widow brought in to nurse him. I was nearly tearing my hair out, right along with the patient. How the author managed to keep the plot afoot from Bascom’s confines is a real feat, but allows him to write from different characters’ points of view, which keeps the readers interest. I particularly enjoyed, Professor Panacea (wherever did Savage get that name?), a snake oil salesman with real charisma but no medical knowledge. Characters from previous books in the series evolve in this one. Lady Alice’s niece, Ruth Scudamore, is a young woman who dislikes the trapping s of traditional society, and is more than happy to investigate and interview people at Bascom’s direction. She reminds me of a Georgian Nancy Drew. Her twin brother Charles, who has been unable to find a focus for his life other than genteel leisure, discovers what he’s made of working for the doctor. Through him, the reader gets to experience a military attack to stop a group of rebels. The reader is kept hanging about the outcome of the doctor’s relationship with Lady Alice, who keeps a huge secret from Bascom. Perhaps in the next book? The author’s ability to weave interesting characters into the social mores and historical detail of the day is his strength, along with a complex and complicated story line. The book is written at the pace of the time, and there is lengthy dialogue, both of which can take a period of adjustment for the reader; however, with the varied settings and points of view, the mystery never flags. I recommend it to all, but especially to readers who love mysteries in perfectly described, historically accurate settings. About the author: William Savage grew up in Hereford, on the border with Wales and too his degree at Cambridge. After a career in various managerial and executive roles, he retired to Norfolk, where he volunteers at a National Trust property. His life-long interest has been history, which led to research and writing about the eighteenth century.  But his is not just a superficial interest in history, but a real desire to understand and transmit the daily experience of living in turbulent times. You can find A Tincture of Secrets and Lies on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tincture-Secrets-Lies-Bascom-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B075LM2TZP/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 https://www.amazon.com/Tincture-Secrets-Lies-Bascom-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B075LM2TZP/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 William Savage’s blog is Pen and Pension:  http://penandpension.com/author/bluebrdz1946/ 0 0

I’d like to invite all of my friends and followers to join me for Christmas cookies and coffee (or tea if you wish). This is a rewrite of last year’s post with some new photos! I will meet you at our front door. Come on in and you can see our living room. When you first come in, you are greeted by my carolers.From the entryway you can look into the living room, where we always put a big wreath on the fireplace with red poinsettias for color. And here is our Christmas tree, which we have in our solarium. We like real trees and usually get something 10-12 feet to hold all of the Christmas ornaments we’ve collected over the years from all the places we’ve been. This year my daughter and her husband came over to help decorate with our 50+ year-old ornament collection. I needed my son-in-law to put on the Christmas lights since Hubs is down and out with his back surgery for three months or more. So have a seat in our family room, and I will get you some coffee and cookies, Try anything you like. I spent the last three days making ginger butterscotch, sugar, and devil’s food crackle plus orange and cranberry shortbread and some pretty powerful bourbon balls. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season, no matter what or how you celebrate. I’m taking a few days off to enjoy mine with my family and get some rest from taking care of everything while Hubs is healing up, so I’ll see you in the New Year! Merry Christmas! 0 0

They’re back! My two-legged and Mister came back on Saturday. While they were away, some big two-legged with a beard came and took care of me. I eventually warmed up to him – he played with me and fed me, so what could I do? – and I eventually let him pet me. He took pictures of me every night and sent them somewhere. In any event, I’m glad my owner is back. What I really wanted to talk about is how much I love my cat tree. It’s the greatest. I can sit on the top and watch the birds, or just sleep there. Sometimes I sleep in the tunnel right below it, but I’m getting too long to fit if I stretch out, and parts hang over the end. Then there’s the bottom, where I can scratch and scratch. Lovely. Right now, Mister is spending most of his time in the recliner, which sort of blocks the cat tree. So I’m not on it very much. He’s not happy. I think he hurts. And my two-legged is running around getting things for him. I’ll be glad when he is better and moves out of that chair! In the meantime, I am getting a ton of cuddles and am so happy everyone is home! Yesterday, men brought a large, green tree into the house. Now it has colored lights on it. I’m thinking of climbing it, but I’ve been shooed away. I also tried eating the leaves of some red flowers but got swatted for that. Honestly, what’s a kitten to do? 0 0

Can you guess which on of these made me chuckle? https://40before40.blog  is a son, husband, and father who loves New York City, photography, country music and movies. He is in a long-term relationship with Diet Coke/Pepsi and cakes. He writes about his thoughts, feelings, opinions, and goals on his road to becoming 40. I think he is a rare blogger! Misty English, a square peg in a round life. I couldn’t find her blog site, just her gravatar. https://helpfulhunkswaiters.wordpress.com This is the website for a group of men in Australia who – for a price – will attend to you every need and treat you like a queen (their words, not mine). They will be your butler, tradie, bodyguard, topless waiter, champagne filler, compliment giver and ultimate party accessory all in one. Ladies, check this one out. So sad I don’t live there. Wonder how they found me? Healthy Lifestyle at https://theuntold854.wordpress.com says “I can’t control everything in my life, but I can control what I put in my body” and writes a blog about healthy food. Just what we need. She had a recipe for almond milk chair latte that looked fabulous. Pooja Thapliyal  at https://rootsntrails.wordpress.com  blogs about having a rich inner life, an urge to make the world a better place,  and a desire to explore the unknown, and she has posted some stunning photo essays of places she’s traveled, from Singapore to Venice and beyond. Eveline blogs at https://historicalromancegirl.wordpress.com. She blogs in hopes of finding new friends who are as passionate as she is about historical romance. She plans to post reviews, lists of favorite books and also those not so favorite. I know there is a huge number of historical romance fans out there, so her blog is right up your alley. http://bitaboutbritain.com blogs about everything you need to know if you plan to visit Britain. Fabulous photos with lots of history, travel tips and where to go’s. I will definitely scour this blog for my next trip! Mind and Voice at https://masalahealth.wordpress.com/ writes a food blog. All you foodies, listen up. I salivated at the pictures and recipes she’s posted on Indian cooking. This is a great site. Christina, or Crazy Dreams Girl, blogs at https://justabucketlistdream.com has 214 items on her bucket list, but, hey, she’s still very young. In one of her latest post, she writes about her bucket list trip to L.A. You can’t help but catch the enthusiasm! https://shereadsreviews.wordpress.com is written by a young woman who reviews historical fiction, YA, fantasy, contemporary, literary, and non-fiction books. I’ve enjoyed reading some of her reviews. Check her out – maybe she’ll review you! 0 0

Just wanted to let you all know why I am not attending to all your posts. My husband just had a three level spinal fusion, so I am shuttling back and forth to the hospital, where the food is terrible and his room claustropobic and shared (!) with another patient. Some post-op complications but we are hoping he can come home by Sunday. Anyway, I have a couple of pre-scheduled posts this week. Be back soon… 0 0

We always have a second bloom of fall color right around Thanksgiving, here in Chapel Hill. I thought you might enjoy these:   0 0

I am making a habit of posting this every year. It seems appropriate. Having grown up in Plymouth and worked as a tour guide at Plimoth Plantation, the Pilgrims are near to my heart. ***** Much has been written about the first Thanksgiving which took place at Plimoth Colony. Here is some information that is probably closer to the truth. As usual, click on the pictures.                  The First Thanksgiving 1621, oil on canvas by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1899) The voyage from Plymouth, England, had taken 65 days. Once the decision to settle on the shores of the harbor of what is now Plymouth, MA, the Pilgrims faced a daunting future:they had no houses, no stored goods, no knowledge of the country they faced, nor any knowledge of its inhabitants besides wild stories of cannibals. And the season was winter, harsh and cruel. A common house that had been built to house some of the Pilgrims burned on January 14, 1621, and those who had lived there had to return to the Mayflower for shelter.                   Pilgrims going to church (1867) by George Henry Boughton, New York Public Library Not long afterward, the sickness swept through both the colonists and the crew of the Mayflower. It is knot know what this sickness was, although it is thought it might have been pneumonia. At one point, only seven of the entire population were well enough to care for the remaining 150, fetching wood for fires, making food, bathing and dressing the sick. When the sickness was over, only 12 of 26 men with families, 4 of the 12 single men and boys, and all but a few of the women survived. Despite their reduced numbers, they soon set about laying out First Street (Leyden Street) and setting the foundations for a fort at the top of the street. The colonist noticed Native Americans near their settlement in mid-February, and the two groups final met on Friday, March 16th. This is the famous encounter that involved Samoset, an Abenaki Sagamore from what is now Maine, when he and another man entered the developing village and said “Welcome, Englishmen.” Samoset had learned English from the English fishermen who crossed the North Atlantic each year to fish for cod, some of whom remained on small islands off the coast of Maine. He told the Pilgrims of a great plague which had killed the Patuxet people who had previously lived on that spot: indeed, the Pilgrims had found cleared farmland when they disembarked. The local native Americans, the Wampanoags, were very distrustful of the English because some had been kidnapped and sold into slavery by Thomas Hunt, an English captain who had visited the area a few years before. Samoset returned with another Native American, Squanto, on March 22nd; Squanto was one of the men taken by Hunt, had been sold as a slave in Spain, escaped to London and returned to American as a guide. He became the colony’s interpreter and worked on their behalf in their interactions with the Wampanoags. As a result, the regional leader of the Wampanoags, Massasoit, visited the Pilgrims. There was an exchange of gifts, and a treaty was signed that lasted for over 50 years. Massasoit’s purpose in aligning with the Pilgrims was to provide protection for his tribe, which had been decimated by disease, from surrounding tribes. It was his suggestion that the fields south of the brook be turned by hand and crops of wheat, barley, Indian corn and peas were planted in early April. Work continued on the houses, and the little Mayflower left the colony to return to England on April 5th. The first Thanksgiving was not really a thanksgiving but instead a traditional English harvest celebration to which the colonists invited Massasoit and members of the Wampanoag. It is generally thought to have occurred in November of 1621, but might have been at the end of the summer.                                  The First Thanksgiving, Jenny Augusta Brownscombe 1914 I have eaten a traditional Pilgrim meal, and I can vouch for the fact that the food was very tasty and filling. There are no records of exact fare of this harvest meal, but Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow noted that the colony’s governor, William Bradford, sent four men on a “fowling” mission in preparation for what was to be a three-day event. Wild turkeys were plentiful in the area and a common food source for both English settlers and Native Americans. But it is just as likely that ducks, geese and swans, which frequently graced Pilgrim tables, were also on the menu. Both the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims occasionally stuffed birds and fish, typically using herbs, onions or nuts to add extra flavor. Deer were also killed and roasted venison would have been on the menu. Strangely, in a land where the shoreline and coastal rivers were teeming with salmon, cod, flounder, shad, haddock, and sea bass, the Pilgrims were not huge fish-eaters. From Edward Winslow, we also know the Pilgrims ate lobster, which were in such abundance they could be collected by the bushels from tidal pools. But familiarity soon bred contempt, and the Pilgrims came to regard them as food for the poor. They also collected and ate eels, mussels and clams but later, with the arrival of livestock, fed the mussels and clams to their pigs.                                    A Re-enactment of the First Thanksgiving at Plimoth Plantation The Pilgrims had brought no livestock with them. The first cattle — three cows and a bull — did not arrive in Massachusetts until 1624m so in 1621 they were without butter, cheese, milk, and cream. There is no indication that cranberries were served at the feast, but they did occur in Wampanoag dishes, adding tartness. Remember that it is unlikely there was any sugar in the Plimoth Colony, although honey might have been available. However, there were plentiful wild gooseberries, strawberries and raspberries. Forget baked or mashed potatoes. Potatoes, sweet or white, would have been

More really interesting people you might want to meet! Gregg Savage at https://greggsavage.net/author/greggsavage/  Gregg Savage lives in Townsville, Australia. When the house is quiet at night, he writes and publishes a children’s tale for everyone to enjoy. His stories are delightful – you, dear followers, could have a different bedtime story to tell your children every night if you visit his blog. Radix at https://cluelessinasia.wordpress.com who is now living in Guangzhou, China. His blog is an open diary into his experiences living and working in Asia, as a Westerner. His posts are informative, humorous and amazing. His first meal in China was at McDonald’s (he’d been taught to avoid street food). https://newbraunfelspoolservice.wordpress.com/  This pool service must have noticed that I like to swim. Too bad they are too far away to be of service to us. Texas… kulinaditya at https://simpsite.wordpress.com This blog has short, pithy and rather profound comments every day. https://somewherebetweenheartandhead.wordpress.com  written by the wife of a very lucky man, compulsive thinker, architect by profession, writer by heart, animal lover, putty in her dog’s paws, hopeless romantic, proud nerd, on a quest to find joy in everyday life. Wonderful poetry!! Karolina at http://lifeinkarolingston.com I’m pretty sure she lives in Scotland – gorgeous photo essays of Scotland and pictures of Edinburgh, one of my favorite cities. She is an historian, photography amateur, traveler, who loves life and enjoy every minute of it. She says hers is another blog about life, experience, beauty of places and blah blah, but I think it’s pretty darn good. Naftali chirchir at https://timehackwizard.wordpress.com  He is a time management coach for part-time bloggers! Lots of very useful posts. Check this one out! https://www.bloglovin.com/ A site where you can post your blogs and a collation of other blogs on an infinite number of topics, several of which you are bound to love. Fredricka Walker at https://realvisionfromrealwomencom.wordpress.com Short, inspiration messages and thoughts for women. Jumisshop at http://jumissshop.com is a Vietnamese blogger, husband of Christina, and father of Gloria & Anna. Check out the blog about life and family in B Na Hills in Danang. Lovely intro to the country. Laura Libricz at https://lauralibriczblog.wordpress.com She is a historical fiction writer who worked a few years building Steinberger guitars (!) and spent her time in college reading German lit. She moved to Germany to stay in 1991 and is the author of the Heaven’s Pond Trilogy. An interesting writer to get to know! Kath at https://kathandkin.wordpress.com blogs about her family history. Her motivations for researching and writing up my family history started when her grandmother died and her son was born. Her posts are really interesting. Perhaps they will motivate you to do some researching of your family? Simon J Kyte at https://certainmeasureofperfection.wordpress.com/ who has written a book set in the time of the British Reformation about Roger Brierly and the Grindletonians, who were a sect of Puritans who remained active in the north of England until the 1660s. Yes, I had to look that up! Julie Davide at https://juliedavide.wordpress.com/  who writes book reviews and other musings. She sounds like a delightful young woman who lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (another New Englander!) She likes chocolate, wine, caffeine, cheese and black leggings. Check her out! Kashyap at https://kashbaby13.wordpress.com  expresses her feelings in lyrical, lovely poetry. 0 0