Wednesday, June 13, 2018

The Last Town on Earth

I was introduced to Thomas Mullen by my friend Alli who suggested Darktown by him, but when I went to my library that wasn't in so I got The Many Deaths of the Firefly Brothers and The Last Town on Earth which he also wrote.  I read Firefly brothers first and that was super good! I enjoy historical books that have a bit of truth but a lot of the authors imagination involved and he delivers.

The Last Town on Earth is set in Washington during 1918.  The Great War is on in France and and the Spanish Flu is raging around the globe.  Commonwealth is a town in the state of Washington that was started by Charles Worthy and his wife, Rebecca, who is a political activist.  They own a mill and he believes in fair wages and treating workers with respect. 

The town decides that they will cut themselves out from the rest of the world to try to keep the flu away from them.  They close off the road to town and set out guards to keep people away.  Anyone who wants to leave can leave, they just will not be allowed to re-enter until after the quarantine is lifted.

As the quarantine continues and food supply starts to shrink and the townspeople start to learn some interesting traits about themselves and their neighbors.  Was the quarantine the best solution? Would they do it again?

It brings up a lot of questions to think through and would be a great book for discussion.  I liked that it took ideas from the time (Great War, Spanish Flu, women's right to vote, patriotism, unionizing, etc) and put a personal spin to the situation.  And I liked that the characters were developed enough to re-think some of their past choices and see how what they did had a domino affect on others in the community.

DescriptionSet against the backdrop of one of the most virulent epidemics that America ever experienced-the 1918 flu epidemic-Thomas Mullen's powerful, sweeping first novel is a tale of morality in a time of upheaval. 
Deep in the mist-shrouded forests of the Pacific Northwest is a small mill town called Commonwealth, conceived as a haven for workers weary of exploitation. For Philip Worthy, the adopted son of the town's founder, it is a haven in another sense-as the first place in his life he's had a loving family to call his own. 
And yet, the ideals that define this outpost are being threatened from all sides. A world war is raging, and with the fear of spies rampant, the loyalty of all Americans is coming under scrutiny. Meanwhile, another shadow has fallen across the region in the form of a deadly illness striking down vast swaths of surrounding communities. 
When Commonwealth votes to quarantine itself against contagion, guards are posted at the single road leading in and out of town, and Philip Worthy is among them. He will be unlucky enough to be on duty when a cold, hungry, tired-and apparently ill-soldier presents himself at the town's doorstep begging for sanctuary. The encounter that ensues, and the shots that are fired, will have deafening reverberations throughout Commonwealth, escalating until every human value-love, patriotism, community, family, friendship-not to mention the town's very survival, is imperiled. 
Inspired by a little-known historical footnote regarding towns that quarantined themselves during the 1918 epidemic, "The Last Town on Earth" is a remarkably moving and accomplished debut.

Have you read any historical fiction recently? Any that you'd recommend? What are your thoughts on quarantining a community when there is a mass outbreak of illness? Do you think that it is wise? UnAmerican?

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

Not Quite Narwhal

Since our children section in the library is back in action we got visited and got books last week.  My kiddo is in full on unicorn obsession mode and this book had a cute cover and beautiful illustrations so I convinced her to give it a try.  (SHE HATES WHEN I TRY TO GIVE TOO MUCH ADVICE on book picking ha).  


Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima is a winner! My seven year old could read it on her own, but she enjoyed it more when I read it to her.  (As did I).

Kelp is a little different from his family of narwhals.  He can't swim as well, his tusk isn't as long, and he's not a fan of the narwhal diet.  No one in his family ever makes him feel bad about himself, but he just doesn't feel like he fits in.  And I'm sure we all have felt that way at one point or another.

One day the current pulls him away and he ventures on to land where he meets unicorns and realizes that he's actually been a unicorn his whole life and the traits that made him a lousy narwhal were on par with other unicorns.

He misses his family and then he goes back and tells them he realized he was a unicorn.  His family responds that they KNEW but loved him anyway.  SO FREAKING CUTE!!!

I really like it and will probably be gifted to a few other unicorn loving kiddos I know on their upcoming birthday's.

The message is great and the illustrations are too! Definitely check this one out if you need a cute story or have a unicorn lover too.

Have you read any great children's books lately? What is a book you usually gift?

Friday, June 8, 2018

TGIF!

It's been awhile since I was able to post one of these!  I tend to remember them on Monday's or Tuesdays ha.

The high of my week was painting part of the outside of our house.  Our house was built in two parts a decade or so apart.  So the bottom have has a concrete look and above is siding.  The concrete part REALLY needed a paint fix up so we painted it on Tuesday after about a week of postponing due to weather.  Hopefully weather permitting this weekend we can do the floor of our porch and the tops of our steps! It looks so good now and starts the slippery slope of now our siding looks like it needs a touch up! New siding is a wish list, but first comes our central air (being installed NEXT FRIDAY), then new windows.. then dealing with siding and or an addition.


we also took a trip to one of our favorite local places after school this week



The low of my week was the slow process after you've gone so long neglecting yourself via eating/working out and no immediate improvements.  



my mug after a walk this week

The book I am reading is The Last Town on Earth by Thomas Mullen.  I went to start this last week but had to finish another book for the library first.  So far I really like it.  It's about a closed off town in Washington State during the flu epidemic of 1918.  

A Recipe I made was Chicken pesto sandwich! I took canned chicken and mixed with with pesto.  I cut up radishes and onions to put it on and then ate it on bread.  It was delicious! I can't wait to make it again this summer and add some mozzarella and tomatoes!

The best money I spent was a new hat for the beach/boat this summer.  I've wanted this hat since I saw it last summer on Zulily and they had it in stock again this year in the color combo I wanted.  I'm excited for it to get here!

My plans this weekend include probably putting up our pool.  We were supposed to have a day date tomorrow going kayaking down the river but the weather is not looking good so we may go downtown and have a few drinks instead.  This is probably one of the last few non-crazy weekends for awhile.  My husband got poison ivy this week so I'm not sure how much more yard work we will get done but we have to finish pulling out a bush/tree for the ac to go next week.  A bonfire if it's not too rainy.  And possibly just having a night sitting on the porch listening to the police scanner and talking.  A lot of this is weather dependent.  If all else fails we may just clean and watch movies ha.


What are you reading? Any fun weekend plans?

Thursday, June 7, 2018

Finally!!!

Last June, there was a very sudden rainstorm that drenched our local area.  I forget the specifics but inches of rain fell over night.  We luckily slept through the ENTIRE thing.  We woke up and nothing seemed abnormal to us until we looked out the south side windows of our house.  We were 'lakefront' and we live in farm country ha.  At the corner which is a house away from us the road was under water.  Further down our road it was washed out.  The way I took to get to the main road had lawns covered in water.  We actually had gotten water in the very corner of our basement but wouldn't notice it until later.  Luckily, nothing was damaged.  We were lucky.


In my town, many roads were under water.  Neighborhoods had were full of ruined basements.  Because there was also a sewer backup.  For months, you could be in some neighborhoods and contents would be on lawns.  It was horrific.  Our mall and supermarket parking lots were underwater.  It was just incredibly crazy.  Roads would be open one minute and closed the next.  Our HIGHWAY closed.  It was also the weekend my SIL was getting married and our route was okay on the way there, but coming home we got trapped on a dirt road off a dirt road and powered through because we were looking at MILES of back tracking.  When we got home after her rehearsal our road was closed because water was over a bridge  and THANK GOODNESS we lived on the south side of it or we'd have been out of lock for 48 hours and no wedding clothes. 


this is supposed to be a ditch and then a farm field

This is a lot of backstory to lead up to one of the most devastating community wide losses.  Our local library's lower floor had extensive damage.  The lower level is all of the amazing kids and teens area.  It happened right at the beginning of the summer reading program.  It was over $1.5 million dollars in damage and no insurance covered it at all.  For the past year, we've had a very subdued kids area in an underused room of the library.


this is supposed to be a park/ball field next to the road..

Until this week... It FINALLY RE-OPENED!!! It's not 100 percent finished and books are still being moved in but it's back in business.  You can bet we were there the very next day after school to check it out.

We love the new floors and the new set up.  They reconfigured a few things that just make sense and the teen area looks really neat now too. 

We spent about 40 minutes playing with toys and looking at books.  Also, can I say how much I LOVE our library? My daughter and I are greeted with smiles and even know a few of the employees who greet her by name.  LOVE IT!


The kiddos library selections yesterday

I'm so glad it's back just in time for the summer reading program to start next week!!

Do you utilize your public library? Did you use the library as a child?

Monday, June 4, 2018

Monday Rambles

- Why do people water their sidewalks? Like what a waste.  In the neighborhoods I've been in lately the owners are basically watering the sidewalk and the yard.  Also, WHO CARES SO MUCH ABOUT A LAWN THEY WATER IT??? This is just one of the many reasons I probably cannot live in a neighborhood.

- Why can I not focus on reading lately? I was kicking butt at the start of this year and the last 2 months I can barely get through a book. I keep finding books I want to read though! And I want to be reading the books I've read too.  Why brain, why?


books read in May

- We've been watching old movies lately and trying to incorporate kid friendly movies for the kiddo too.  We've seen Stagecoach, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Hugo, and a few more old westerns.

- What is the appeal of unicorns? Why is my child obsessed?

- I wish campfires did not attach their smoky smell to your hair.  Like I just bathed and now I reek again.  So annoying.

- Lemon in water really is magical.  I can drink so much more water and drink it quicker than if it's just plain.  Though, I will drink warm plain water just as easy as cold flavored.

New books I added to my list after my library visit today ---
The Immortalists by Chloe Benajamin
Sing Unburied Sing by Jesmyn  Ward
Sunburn by Laura Lippman
Manhattan Beach by Jennifer Egan

What randomness do you have to share? Did you read any books this weekend that you'd recommend?


Friday, June 1, 2018

Currently

Here's what's up with me currently..

Reading Flight of Dreams by Ariel Lawhon.. it's due at the library Friday so I'm hurrying!!
Loving the weather!!


Feeling so much better now that I quit my job.  I feel like I'm a bit of failure in that aspect because I just quit, but I need to take care of myself and taking care of myself is NOT working full-time busting my ass.  I always wanted to be a boss, and I was.  And now I'm not.  And I'm happier for it.
Thinking about how to revamp my eating to make it healthier but still yummy.
Anticipating the summer with my kiddo! I have big plans for us.


Watching Southern Charm, S.W.A.T. and lots of old movies.
Working on clearing out a bunch of clutter in our house and selling stuff we no longer use.
Grateful for a husband who as much as he can't understand me, allowed me to quit my job to be happier.  He's the best!!!
Listening to an abundance of podcasts! Current faves are The Girl Next Door , Oprah's Super Soul Conversations, and Annotated.
Wishing that our quest to get central air installed this month goes off without a hitch!


What are you reading? 
What are you watching?
What are you loving?