Reading in Retirement - #1

Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (aka Karen Blixen)

Read in the month of June, 2023

Having seen the movie first, the novel was unexpected.  Where the movie is the story of Karen and Denys, the book is more an ode to Africa, the land, the animals, and the people both native and colonists, and written or lived at a time when killing animals at will seemed to be no problem (At one time she comments on wanting to kill every type of animal in Africa), and when being the "lords" of the people, no matter how benevolent, reigned.  Denys was one, relatively minor, part of the book.   Her descriptions of the difference in perspectives or ways of seeing life, sometimes subtle, sometimes not, between the people native to Africa and the European colonists were interesting and gave fodder to rethink or tweak one's own beliefs.  Later in the book, her descriptions of the African landscape are mesmerizing.   

Overall I give the book a 4/5.  I don't know if it was the translation, but at times there was an awkwardness to her sentence structure.  I was committed to reading the whole book, but also looked forward to finishing it so I could move on to the next - Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus.

My Dad

My dad.

A man who has resided in a world of women for about 50 years.

Often he is on the edge of all that female conversation, but he handles it well - he doesn't try to stop it or change it!  I think he enjoys when this brood of women (which keeps growing with each generation) are together and happily kibitzing.

My favorite times with my dad are when we are working together on my place (both of them, home and Airstream); taking road trips; backpacking and fishing in the Bighorn Mountains or kayaking down the Wisconsin River; listening to him retell the books he's reading (and he reads a lot of books), both fiction and non-fiction; seeing historically based movies with him, because he's wonderful at explaining the historical background; and when he has a full hearted laugh.

Happy Father's Day Dad!!!!

I love you to bits!

Pure Joyful Laughter

This is my latest favorite photo!

It captures a moment of pure free laughter.

Both the laugher and laughee had to have to left this moment feeling elated.

I wasn't either, and I left the moment feeling pretty darn good.

Bob Newhart

Hello Bob!

Now, about that mood I've been in lately . . .

See You Soon - ISH!

We will meet again soon.

After the foot of snow . . .

After the 10 below zero temperatures . . .

After the darkness.

Youthful Chic vs. Middle-Aged Chic

Oh, I remember it well.

I can still pull it off, but only if there is little walking involved.

So now, my chic-ness returns to the chic-ness of my youth.

I am a woman, not a girl,

I am a woman, not a girl,

I am a woman, not a girl . . . .

OK, I know the shoes don't make the woman,

but I sure do miss those carefree-foot days.

By the way, those beautiful shoes belong to my

niece Hannah; the blue gym shoes, to me.

Bettina's Visit

Sometime in September, a beauty from Germany landed in

the good ol' USA via O'Hare Airport.

Was she here to see Chicago . . .

or to see me? I like to believe both since we both are stunningly fabulous!

Two days after she arrived, jet lag and all, she jogged for seven miles (aka 11km). If you look close enough you'll see her on the sidewalk jogging past a McDonald's with the American flag - she is definitely in the US!

As I went off to work, Bettina toured Chicago.

But for one day, we left the urban area for the

Indiana Dunes - good idea Bettina.

Let's move back a little so you can see that we really were at the Dunes and not in the Sahara.

It was the hottest day of her visit and we hiked up and down those dunes.

I was sweating like a pig (although I have no idea how a pig sweats).

Bettina was sweating like a tsetse fly (again, I have no idea how a tsetse fly

sweats but it has to be less than a pig).

We ended the visit to the Dunes with a dip in the lake and a picnic under the umbrella.

Another outing together was to Frank Lloyd Wright's Oak Park neighborhood.

Again, good idea Bettina.

These photos are taken before the torrential rain hit.

We also spent an evening with Kris along the lakefront (that big black mass in the background is Lake Michigan) for a glass of wine, chips and dip, and fun conversation.

Most days after work for me and days touring Chicago for Bettina ended with a visit with my ever engaging parents.

Her last day started with a leisurely breakfast.

And then a walk on Northwestern University's lakefront where student graffiti riddles the rocks.

The conclusion before packing her bags to leave for O'Hare, over the Atlantic, and back to Germany were spent lounging on a bench in a park on Evanston's lakefront.

It was a good day.

It was a good visit.

I'm lucky to count Bettina as a friend.

I'm unlucky that she lives so far away.

Oh yea, one more thing, I'm lucky her English is so good.

Bis später my friend.