Looking Back - Talk Before Sleep

Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.

Talk Before Sleep by Elizabeth Berg
Fiction
1994 Random House
Read in June 1999
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

What do women talk about when they know they don't have forever? They talk about what they have always talked about, only they go deeper and more honest: with outrageous humor they try to mitigate pain. Intimate and uncensored sharing, the kind of connection women prize, is at the heart of this deeply moving novel about the grit and power of female friends.

Ann and Ruth have always talked as only great friends can--honestly, and about everything: husbands and marriages, sex lives and children, their work, their hopes, their disappointments, and their dreams. For Ann, cautious and conventional, her closeness to the outspoken and eccentric Ruth brings about discovery and liberation, a chance to say whatever she wants, and, most important, under the insistent tutelage of Ruth, to become herself. Over the years, the women have shared recipes, quilting patterns, child care, delicate and dangerous secrets. Each rests secure in the knowledge that they will be friends forever. Then something happens that will change their lives forever, and the women begin to share something more profound than either of them might have predicted.

Written with an unerring ear for how women talk, laugh, and cry together, and with a gift for capturing the uniqueness of personality, Talk Before Sleep is sure to find a place in readers' hearts.

My Original Thoughts (1999):

My second reading of this novel. Great story, although it's terribly sad. I love the friendships and the intimacy between women just hanging out together. Something I've enjoyed in the past and long for again. Berg is a marvelous storyteller. I love her books. Two thumbs up for this one.

My Current Thoughts:

I wonder if this novel has stood the test of time. I'm ready for a re-read. And, I am so very thankful for my dear girlfriends. We laugh, we cry, and we hold each other up in times of trouble. 

California Road Trip 2019 - Bangor

Thursday, October 10, 2019
Carmichael to Bangor, CA
Spencer Shirey Winery
Distance: 83 miles
Route: I5 to Hwy. 99 to 20/70 to La Porte Road
Duration: 1 night
Cost: Harvest Host (free)
Weather: Sunny and warm

After a delicious breakfast at Sarah & Bert's we headed out to a Harvest Hosts vineyard in Bangor. It was a bit of a tough drive due to 40-50 mph wind gusts, but we made it. The vineyard is in a very isolated area and the road in (La Porte) is not only curvy with lots of hills, but extremely bumpy in spots. I didn't get a chance to meet the owners (Kimball & Mary) since I was feeling so miserable with a head cold, but Rod had a free wine tasting and brought a bottle of wine back to the RV for me to enjoy later.

Our site was fairly level, overlooking the vineyard, and we had a picnic table, water and 30 amp power (which is not typical for Harvest Hosts locations), but we were in an area in which PGE had turned off the power due to the risk of fires, so we had to run our generator, which was fine with the owners since they were running theirs as well. There were plenty of trees to provide shade and it was very peaceful, but as it was so far out of our way, I'm not sure we'd return.

California Road Trip 2019 - Carmichael

Monday, October 7-9, 2019
Tahoe to Carmichael, CA
Sarah & Bert's
Distance: 95 miles
Route: Hwy. 50  
Duration: 3 nights
Cost: Moochdocking

We really enjoyed our short stay at Fallen Leaf Campground and hope to return sometime soon for at least a week or so. I envision long bike rides, trips to the ice cream parlor, reading by the lake, and gazing up at the stars while sitting by the campfire. 

From Tahoe we headed west on Hwy. 50, stopping near Placerville for lunch at In-n-Out. We reached our friends' home in Carmichael by mid-afternoon and enjoyed a relaxing evening, catching up over drinks out by the pool. They have such a lovely backyard and we always enjoy our visits, picking up right where we left off the last time we got together.

 Our wonderful hosts.

 Shrimp Scampi & Orzo

We were only there for three nights, but I caught Rod's cold and wasn't feeling 100%. Thankfully, we didn't have much on the schedule other than a couple of meals out and relaxing on the patio by the pool. I also managed to make dinner one night before my cold really kicked in. 

The Janes

The Janes by Louisa Luna
Alice Vega #2
Mystery
2020 Doubleday
Finished on March 5, 2020
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

The electric follow-up to Louisa Luna’s acclaimed thriller Two Girls Down, featuring bounty hunter Alice Vega and her partner, Max Caplan.

Set against the sprawling canvas of illegal immigration, trafficking, and border tensions, The Janes pulses with urgency and intensity. On the outskirts of San Diego near the Mexican border, the bodies of two young Latinas are discovered. They have no names, no IDs, and no family looking for them. Fearing the likelihood of a sex-trafficking ring, the police and FBI enlist Alice Vega to help identify the Janes—and to locate the others before it's too late.

The stakes have never been higher for Vega and her partner, Max Caplan, as they navigate an increasingly murky world populated with drug lords, crooked officials, and average citizens content to look the other way. Vega and Cap become both the hunters and the hunted as they race to find the missing Janes and prevent anyone else from being brutally murdered, including themselves. 

With Louisa Luna's The Janes, Vega and Cap rightfully join the pantheon of the most memorable partnerships in crime fiction in a thriller that could not be more relevant or powerful.

Another winner by Louisa Luna! My first reaction after finishing The Janes was that I didn't care for it as much as Two Girls Down, but as I began to write this review, I changed my mind. I raced through the first book in this series, but I spent nearly two weeks reading this follow-up. I don't think it's a flaw in the writing, but that I was distracted by the TV series, This Is Us, which I've been watching every night at the time I'm usually reading. I still love the character development between Vega and Cap and the mystery kept me guessing, even when I thought the big reveal had been disclosed. There were several twists and turns, and I couldn't keep a handle on all of the secondary characters, but the book is still a winner. I know this book was just released, but I'm hopeful that a third installment is in the works.

California Road Trip 2019 - Tahoe

Sunday, October 6, 2019
Topaz Lake to Tahoe, CA
Fallen Leaf Campground
Site #58
Distance: 68 miles
Route: Hwy. 395 to Hwy. 50 to Hwy. 89
Duration: 1 night
Cost: $17 (with senior discount 50% off)
Weather: Sunny and mild

We had an easy drive to Carson City where we stopped to get gas at Costco and groceries at Walmart. The drive on Hwy. 50 to South Lake Tahoe was very pretty, but the area was super busy with tourists. There was a large Octoberfest celebration at Camp Richardson, which caused bumper-to-bumper traffic along our route to Fallen Leaf Campground. I noticed a nice bike trail running parallel to the road and made a mental note to get out for a ride later that afternoon.

We fell in love with this campground! It's incredibly beautiful with lots of trees and tons of space between sites. Our site, which was situated high up above Taylor Creek, was large enough for three RVs! I don't think we've ever been in a site so large except when we've boondocked. It would have been nice to walk down to the creek, but there were warning signs posted for bears in the area (the salmon were spawning), so we stayed away from the marked areas. We never did see a bear, which I suppose is a good thing, although I would have loved to have seen them catching fish in the water. 

Once we got settled, we took a walk to the lake, which is gorgeous. Trees, mountains and water; it doesn't get any better!

More fall colors.

Bear country!

Also, plague country!

Fallen Leaf Lake

Oh, to be on the water in a kayak!

Look at all that space!

Very nice bike trail.

This crazy guy flew right over our site.

Our pull-thru site was paved and level with a picnic table, fire ring, and bear box. No hook-ups or WiFi (and I don't remember if we had a cell signal), but there was a restroom with showers within walking distance. The camp store was closed for the season, so I wound up having to get quarters for the shower when I was out on my bike ride. With all the trees, we had plenty of shade and privacy. We will definitely return, especially with that great price for seniors! I loved riding my bike and could spend hours sitting by the lake with a good book. 

Looking Back - Night Gardening

Looking Back... In an effort to transfer my book journal entries over to this blog, I'm going to attempt to post (in chronological order) an entry every Friday. I may or may not add extra commentary to what I jotted down in these journals.

Night Gardening by E.L. Swann
Fiction
1999 Hyperion
Read in June 1999
Rating: 4/5 (Very Good)

Publisher's Blurb:

A timeless tale of love and healing that proves it is never too late for romance.

Within the shadows of night, in a grand old city, in a graceful neighborhood, there was a garden where lives would be changed and hopes renewed and two hearts forever restored. 

Maggie Flaherty Welles is a vibrant, sparkling, Irish-American widow whose feisty, determined spirit is matched only by her love of life. While she is recovering from a life-threatening illness, Maggie's passion lies in her beloved garden, now thrown into disrepair with the passing of time.

When Maggie meets Tristan Mallory, the handsome landscape architect remodeling the garden next door, they begin a friendship that transforms them both, blossoming along with the exotic flowers in Maggie's garden that Tristan secretly tends to by the light of the moon. Brought together by a shared passion, Maggie and Tristan discover the sensuous pleasures of a relationship neither one had ever dared to imagine. Their romance gives proof to the restorative powers of love. 

Set in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Night Gardening is an enchanting journey into a real and metaphorical garden. It is a story of love and healing that celebrates passion in all its forms in such a way that it will touch your heart and linger at the edge of your dreams.

My Original Notes (1999):

Another good "fluff" book. A nice romance between two older gardeners. Lovely description of the garden and plants. Reminiscent of The Bridges of Madison County.

My Current Thoughts:

I have fond memories of this book and since I still own the ARC, I hope to read it again sometime this year. With only 225 pages, it's one I can easily read in a day or two.

About the Author:

E.L. Swann is the pseudonym of Kathryn Lasky, the American author of many critically acclaimed children's books, including several Dear America books, several Royal Diaries books, 1984 Newbery Honor winning Sugaring Time, The Night Journey, and the Guardians of Ga'Hoole series.

She was born June 24, 1944, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is married to Christopher Knight, with whom she lives in Massachusetts.

California Road Trip 2019 - Topaz Lake Waterfowl

Saturday, October 5, 2019
Topaz Lake

We weren't planning to stay at Topaz Lake for more than one night, but our next campground didn't have any available sites, so we decided to spend the day relaxing, reading, and gazing at the lake. We went for a little walk, but there wasn't much else to do. I grabbed my camera and went for a longer walk along the rocky shore and got some pictures of a solitary pelican, as well as some other birds. My zoom lens wasn't working very well, so the pictures aren't very sharp. All in all, it was a pretty quiet day, which isn't a bad thing.

Glad we weren't in a site with these dropping on our roof all night!

Not the greatest shots, but it was fun watching all the birds out on the lake. Sure makes me wish we had an inflatable kayak...

California Road Trip 2019 - Mono Lake and Topaz Lake (Nevada)

Friday, October 4, 2019
Lee Vining to Topaz Lake, CA
Topaz Lake RV Park
Site #26
Distance: 93 miles
Duration: 2
Cost: $28 per night
Weather: Sunny and mild

Beautiful morning at Mono Vista RV Park.

Mono Lake

View from the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitors Center.

The following morning wasn't quite as cold, but we still had to use the portable propane heater. We packed up and drove to the Mono Lake Visitor Center, which is very impressive with lots of great interactive displays. From there we drove back through town and out to the South Tufa area of Mono Lake, which lies west of Lee Vining.

Pretty awesome rig!

Tufa is limestone formations in the lake and it was so cool to see them on such a beautiful day. I've seen some photographs of the lake at sunrise and wish we were both early risers. It felt like we were on another planet as we walked around the lake. 

Tufa

After our self-guided tour, we realized that we were starving and drove back to Lee Vining to have lunch at Whoa Nellie Deli which, of all things, is a part of a Mobil gas station. I don't remember where I heard about this spot, but it's another winner! Who knew you could get such great food at a gas station. Well... it's really a restaurant and gift store with a gas station attached, but I never would have thought to stop and enjoy such a delicious meal. I had tacos (of course!) and Rod had the largest steak sandwich either of us has ever seen. They were both amazing, as were Rod's french fries. Needless to say, neither of us was hungry for dinner that night!

One of many classic cars parked at the gas station.

Yum!

One pork and one fish.

After our delicious meal, we had another easy drive up Hwy. 395 to Topaz Lake, which is on the border of California and Nevada. The RV park was getting ready to close down for the season, and was pretty deserted, which meant we had a quiet stay. We saw some pretty fall colors near Walker and there were a few oaks in the campground that were beginning to turn, too. 

Our back-in site was level with full hook-ups and a picnic table, but no fire ring. We had some shade from the large trees and the WiFi was decent, as was the cell signal for Verizon. The showers took quarters and weren't nearly as nice as some of the others we've had to pay for. Overall, I'm not sure we'd return to this campground There's no privacy between sites (which wasn't a problem this time) and the lake is pretty barren. I'm sure it's a great spot if you have a boat for fishing, water skiing or tubing. For us, it was a decent spot to spend a night while waiting to move on to our next location.

Lovely sunset!

Cute husband.

Pretty moon.