Life and Things
This has been an exciting and exhausting week. I literally missed over 48 hours of sleep. One day was a 28 hour day… It’s been mostly worth it though. The property finally sold! That was pretty emotional for me, given it’s where I spent a significant portion of my life.
The sale of the property gave me funds to get several important things taken care of. I had an eye dr appointment and got two new pair of glasses. I had the first of four ocularist visits and learned that the out-of-pocket cost has gone up. Yay…? I’ll be getting two of them. The first visit was making a casting. Here’re example pics of what the process looks like. You’re welcome for the nightmares 😆😆
I updated my tech as well. My tablet stopped holding a charge properly. After much debate, I ended up with a pixelbook. I had also been on the fence about doing the Star Trek cruise with my family in January. Wil Wheaton is the emcee, which was exciting, but I’m not a big fan of travel or heat, and it goes through the Caribbean. Nevertheless, I did check to see if there was even still availability. Browsing the guest list I discovered that one of the two people I really hope to meet one day had been added to the roster. One of the people my family said would never be a part because they were so well known for bigger things. Jason Isaacs will be there!!! Yup, I signed up! A week trapped at sea with Lucius Malfoy, whatever could go wrong?
We went to see The Colour Purple on Thursday. That was my super long day, but it was so worth it. I had been leery, despite endorsements from major players from the original movie. How can you improve perfection? Well, they did! It was pretty awesome, abbd I stayed awake tgevwhole time 😆😂
New poem of my own is up 😄
Books read, reviewed, and posted/scheduled this past week
Whispers by Lynn Yvonne Moon, 3*
Song Castle by Luke Waterson, 4*
Favourite Read(s) of the Week
Current Read
Next Up (maybe)
Building a Trade Empire by Paul E Horsman
High Merchant by Paul E Horsman
Island of the Mad by Laurie R King
Hiding by Jenny Morton Potts,
What Kitty Did Next by Carrie Kablean
Book Haul
(I worked with this author briefly, teaching many eons ago.)
‘Reveals the origins and history of the New England witch hysteria, its continuing repercussions, and the multilayered practices of today’s modern witches
• Shares the stories of 13 accused witches from the New England colonies through interviews with their living descendants
• Explores the positive role witches played in rural communities until the dawn of the industrial age, despite ongoing persecution
• Includes in-depth interviews with 25 modern witchcraft practitioners, interwoven with practical information on the sacred calendar, herb lore, spells, and magical practices
New England has long been associated with witches. And while the Salem witch trials happened long ago, the prejudices and fears engendered by the witchcraft hysteria still live on in our culture. What forces were at work that brought the witch hysteria quickly from Europe to the new American colony, a place of religious freedom–and what caused these prejudices to linger centuries after the fact?
Weaving together history, sacred lore, modern practice, and the voices of today’s witches, Ellen Evert Hopman offers a new, deeper perspective on American witchcraft and its ancient pagan origins. Beginning with the “witch hysteria” that started in Europe and spread to the New World, Hopman explores the witch hunts, persecutions, mass hysteria, and killings, concluding that between forty and sixty thousand women and men were executed as witches. Combining records of known events with moving interviews with their descendants, she shares the stories of 13 New England witches persecuted during the witch trials, including Tituba and Mary Bliss Parsons, the Witch of Northhampton. Despite the number of false accusations during the witch hysteria in the New England colonies, Hopman reveals how there were practicing witches during that time and describes the positive role witches played in rural communities until the dawn of the industrial age.
Exploring how the perception and practices of witches has evolved and expanded over the centuries, Hopman also includes in-depth interviews with 25 modern-day practitioners from a variety of pagan faiths, including druids, wiccans, Celtic reconstructionists, and practitioners of the fairy faith. Emerging from their insights is a treasure trove of practical information on the sacred calendar, herb lore, spells, and magical practices. Bringing together past and present, Hopman reveals what it really means to be a “witch,” redefining the label with dignity and spiritual strength.’
‘Through campy pop culture rhymes and beautiful oil paintings, the narrator of our book guides you though a list of things you CAN grab while offering more poetic ways to refer to a woman’s genitalia than the word “pussy” that Trump so vulgarly used. As the narrator goes on, she lets you know more about her relatives (a reclusive aunt with a lazy eye) and her interests (Justin Bieber’s Instagram) while never losing sight of her mission to make the President as uncomfortable as possible. We think that the President, not to mention men in Hollywood, Wall Street, the news media and beyond, can benefit from reading our book. No matter who you are, or how dumb you are, you’ll be able to understand this book’s simple message: Hands off my pussy!’
‘Selling Dead People’s Things is a wry, behind-the-curtain peek into the world of antiques and their obsessive owners—while still alive and after their passing. An amusing observer of the human condition, author Duane Scott Cerny entertains in illuminating, scary, sad, or frightfully funny resale tales and essays. Whether processing the estate of a hoarding beekeeper, disassembling the retro remains of an infamous haunted hospital, or conducting an impromptu appraisal during a shiva gone disturbingly wrong, every day is a twisted treasure hunt for this twenty-first-century antiques dealer. While digging deep into the basements, attics, and souls of the most interesting collectors imaginable, traveling from one odd house call to the curious next, resale predicaments will confound your every turn. Be careful where you step, watch what you touch, and gird your heart—Antiques Roadshow, this ain’t!’
