Salt of the Earth

I ate dinner out with friends last week. We went to a place we regularly go to. This time I did not enjoy the food as much. Every bite of food I ate, seemed to be loaded with salt. The other girls said that their food was also extremely salty. This restaurant has a sign posted saying that they only cook with healthy oils but I wonder if they are monitoring their salt content. I started to wonder if our taste buds change with age. Do we have more of a sensitivity as we grow older. I left over some of my meal, which is something I normally do not do. If I cannot finish my food, I ask to take it home. This time I did not. I would have not enjoyed it. As I am writing this blog, I am thinking that I will call the restaurant and tell them how we all felt. Maybe no one ever mentioned it to them and they are unaware.

Forever Engraved

Many years ago, my father gave me his mothers' wedding band. My Grandma Celia. She died when I was only ten years old. She was born in Russia and came to the United States when she was a girl. She was a tiny woman but I remember her lifting up her arm, making a muscle and telling me there was a bird in there. I vividly remember the songs she used to sing to me and sitting in her kitchen eating the delicious food she used to cook. She was a soft spoken, kind woman. I only knew her for a short time, but she made a large impact on me. A few weeks ago, I tried on the wedding band and it fit perfectly. I have not taken it off since then. I began to think....in years to come, when I am no longer here, how will anyone know that this was her ring? I immediately took it to the jeweler and had her name engraved in the inside of the ring. Celia. My Grandma. Her name is forever engraved in her ring as her spirit is engraved in my heart.

Nutritionally Speaking

This week we hired a new psychiatrist. Along with treating by prescribing mainstream psychiatric drugs, he specializes in first treating with nutrients, amino acids and vitamins. He feels that there is a direct correlation between the foods we eat, and some mental disorders. There are foods that can trigger depression, anxiety or even psychosis. He told us of case histories where chocolate was totally removed from a persons diet and their depression vanished. During his lecture he informed us that these triggers would not show up as food allergies, but would effect the brain, never the less. He explained that most of our prescription drugs are made from derivatives of plants and vitamins, so why not try to treat patients naturally and holistically. In some cases, medications are needed, but it was interesting to learn that we do have options. In some societies, the villagers know of medical uses for every kind of vegetation. They have less illnesses than we do and as a whole, are a healthier people. Sometimes we need to revisit the old ways first before we try the new.

Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck and Co. is a large retail store founded in the late 1900's. The unique thing about it, at the time, was that it offered a mail order catalog for those people that resided in rural America and had no easy access to department stores. It was a wonderful idea. Allow people to browse through a catalog and choose what they needed and it would then be mailed to them. It they didn't like it or it didn't fit, it could be exchanged for another. Us "city people" used to laugh at the idea of people buying from a catalog. How country. Poor things, they did not have all of the wonderful shops that we had at our fingertips. Imagine....buying your clothes and shoes from a book. Well, who's laughing now. Americas has now become a Sears, Roebuck society. How many of us now buy our clothes and shoes and many other items from an online catalog? The choice to buy from a catalog has gone from a need to a want. The option remained the same. The public changed.

Enchanting

I realized today, that I am still young enough to be in awe of things. Since I am still in New England, my son and daughter-in-law planned a special day for me. They took me to see The Enchanted Village. It is a display from the 1940's that was originally set up in the Jordan Marsh department store. It was created by a Bavarian craftsman and originally comprised of 28 village vignettes. In 1972, the display was packed up and shuffled around from place to place. At one point, Macy's owned it. A few years ago, Jordan's Furniture, who is not related to Jordan Marsh,  bought the display and recreated the exhibit. The remaining display contains 18 of the original scenes and 59 movable characters. When I walked in to the warehouse to see it, I was amazed. It was not at all what I had expected. It was a life size village with all of the original stores, filled with the original goods.There was the barber shop, the post office, the hat store, the bakery, the candy shop, the town square and even a living room with children sitting around the fireplace, listening to a story. There were motorized mannequins still dressed in the same clothes from the 1940's. You could see the unmistakable age of the clothes. I remember wearing those same coats when I was a child. The mannequins were porcelain dolls, masterfully carved and lifelike. When I looked into their eyes, as they moved and turned, it was almost eerie. I could envision them coming to life each night after the display closed. To add to the beauty, it was snowing soap bubbles. As I moved from shop to shop, all I could repeat was "wow". I stood there like a child, soaking in all of the magic of the holiday village.

Many Happy Returns

It is the day after Christmas. The stores will be filled with people returning their gifts. There will be long lines and inpatient people. One year, I was quite surprised to find the return line at a major toy store was empty. Everyone felt that the day after Christmas would be the worst day to return gifts, so they stayed home. Reverse psychology. The only problem was, that the next day, all of the crowds were there, so I guess a lesson was learned. Shopping and psychology do not mix. Today, emotions will be running high on the return line. There will be the happy people who find out that their gifts cost more than they thought. There will be the angry people who realize that they spent much more money on their friends or family, than was spent on them. There will be the fighters who did not get a gift receipt and are not happy to have to accept a store credit. 'Tis the season to be jolly, is a thing of the past. We are now back to reality.

Real Chocolate

I arrived in New England yesterday afternoon and had some time to spare before seeing family. Across the street from the hotel is a large open air mall. It used to be a twelve movie theater but since real estate is at a premium, the theater was knocked down and replaced by a 100 store complex that includes a more modern theater. Among the various specialty stores was one in particular that caught my eye. It was named Chocolate Therapy.  I went in just to browse and was offered a sample. I passed on the sample because one bite would never have been sufficient. I began to read the chalk board menu. The first entry was hot chocolate. Real hot chocolate to be exact. I inquired as to what real hot chocolate meant. The owner said that it was melted shaved chocolate brewed with milk and topped with whipped cream. It came in three flavors, mint, Mexican and hazelnut. The mint and hazelnut were straight forward. The Mexican needed to be explained. It was chocolate mixed with cayenne pepper and cinnamon.  If it had cost less, I would have tried it, but I was not going to go out on a limb for $2.80. Mint it was. It took the man 10 minutes to melt the chocolate and slow brew it with the milk. When it was ready, I took it outside to drink. I sat on a bench in 28 degree temperature and sipped the hot chocolate. Wow! This was not hot chocolate. This was hot CHOCOLATE! It was heavenly. As I took each sip of this liquid silk, I breathed a bit of the ice cold air. The back flavor wafted through my nose. It was the best drink I ever had. It really was Chocolate Therapy.

Holiday in New England

For the past few years, I have been spending Christmas in New England. Massachusetts, to be exact.When my son married his wife, we were lucky enough to become part of his new family. I consider them my family now. A group of the nicest most sincere people I know. And that is why we look forward to spending the Christmas holiday with them. Before my son met his wife, we only celebrated Hanukkah. We have broadened our horizons since then. I enjoy being with my extended family as they celebrate their day. There is good food, good company, and the special feeling that only a loving family can give. I have learned about their traditions and family history. I watch the children grow from year to year, as new babies arrive. No matter what holiday you celebrate, as long as it is spent with family, you are blessed.

The Cutting Edge

This is the time of year for ribbons, bows, wrapping paper and .... glitter. Although it looks pretty, it can be annoying. Once it silently attaches on to you, it never wants to leave. Just this week, I have seen grown men and women with those pesky shining spots clinging to them. One man had a red piece in his ear and a woman had a green one next to her eye. Of course, no one will tell them that they are attached to a shining speckle. It is the unspoken rule, just like when you have broccoli between your teeth. Don't ask, don't tell. Even though glitter is beautiful, it can be dangerous. In reality, glitter is tiny metal shards that are colored. Think about it. Tiny metal shards. The other day, I opened a holiday card from a co worker. It was a beautiful card, covered with glitter. About a half hour later my thumb began to throb, as if I had a splinter. Upon closer look, I had a piece of glitter imbedded into my skin. It took a tweezer to remove it. It is now two days later and my thumb is still sore. What would have happened if it had lodged in my eye? I realized that I am no longer pro glitter. I am now pro confetti.

Another Year Older

Today is my birthday. I am 56 years old. I have now joined the ranks of "the elderly". I don't feel 56. I don't think I look it either. Most people tell me that I look much younger than my age. They are either being kind or they are also old and have trouble focusing their eyes. Whatever the reason, I will run with it. As I get older, birthday celebrations seem less important. Each year when people ask me what I got for my birthday, I tell them that the only present I want is to hear my parents and children sing "Happy Birthday" to me. That is the best gift and by the end of the day, I will receive this special gift, once more. As I get older, the birthday excitement diminished. I feel that each day that I am blessed to wake up healthy, surrounded by family and good friends, is like a birthday.

Happy Hanukkah

Today is the first day of Hanukkah. The beginning of the holiday season, as far as I am concerned. Our annual  pot luck holiday luncheon, at work, was yesterday. It was like the movie Ground Hogs Day. Everyone brings something, whether it is an appetizer, main dish or dessert. People are consistent from year to year. We all look forward to Keith's macaroons and dread Katharine's dry macaroni and cheese. We arrange the chairs in a semi circle and the room looks like we are getting ready for group therapy, which, by the way, would not be such a bad idea. We all fill our plates, sit down and begin to eat. Silence. You could hear a pin drop. Awkward. Other than work, we have nothing to really say to each other. Maybe we are just a boring group of people. When I get to the point of hearing myself chew, I can't take it any longer. I start a conversation, about the stupidest thing, but, lo and behold, everyone joins in. When that topic is exhausted, I think of another. I feel like the MC. These are all intelligent people, but no one seems to have the social skills to intermingle. I wish we could cut out the yearly party and just make doggy bags to take home. I can't handle the holiday stress anymore.

Shelby Goes To School

A few days ago, my sister sent me an email. She called me and told me to open it up while she stayed on the phone. I opened the email and smiled. There she was, in front of a smart board (She explained to me that a smart board was a board that showed a computer screen on a large panel in front of the classroom). Up on the screen was Shelby's blog on The Cold War. She decided to use the blog as a teaching tool. The entire class enjoyed the blog. The lesson was on how the expression Cold War could be used in two different ways. Shelby had finally made it to High School. What an accomplishment for a four year old puppy.

The Worst Gifts

The worst holiday gift I ever received was a "dickie". A dickie is the turtleneck part of the sweater that is attached to two flaps, instead of the entire sweater. It is supposed to give the illusion that you have a full sweater on, under another shirt. It was a dumb gift and the only person that used it was my older son, when he shoveled snow. We used to have a "secret Santa" event in work. Each person was assigned the name of another person and was told to buy a gift worth $20. I did research into what that person liked and got them something appropriate. No one else did that. Most people got recycled gifts or just plain junk. The only good part of the event was watching each person as they opened their gift, hoping that the gift they received was not as bad as the one they gave. It never was, and I loved seeing people try to look happy and say they loved a gift that was awful. Hehehe. After two years I stopped the secret Santa nonsense. So, now comes my five worst gifts list.
1) Body lotions with scents that smell like bathroom deodorants
2) Candles that also smell putrid (I love the good smelling ones, though)
3) Gift certificates to a book store
4) Random chochkies
5) Handkerchiefs (a blast from the past)
I finally realized that I like to give and not receive, so please... no more stupid gifts.

Man On The Roof

As I was walking my dog this morning I heard loud banging. It was very early so I went to the front of my house to see who was making so much noise at 7am. It turned out to be roofers installing a new roof on the house across the street. For some reason, when men stand on a roof, everyone stops and looks. Maybe because most of us would never feel comfortable standing on a slanted surface 50 feet above ground. As I was watching the man on the roof, I heard a telephone ring. Then I saw the man stop what he was doing, go into his pocket and answer his phone. Most people have trouble getting their phones out when they are only in their pocketbooks or pants pockets. This man did it balancing on a roof. He stood there and talked for about 5 minutes, while I was thinking that this must really be an important call. If it was me I would have been splattered on the ground if I attempted such a move. I guess there is now nowhere we can go without being disturbed.

Lots Of Laughs

Laughing is good for the soul. Family is good for the heart. If you are lucky, you can combine the two. That is what I did yesterday. My family was together to celebrate Hanukkah a week early. Sometimes our schedules are so busy that getting everyone together on the same day is hard. The best alternative is to celebrate on an alternate day. The important thing is that we still celebrate together. You sometimes hear the expression that "the room was filled with laughter". Last night, the room was overflowing. Not just the small giggle type of laughter, but the belly laugh type, that makes you bend over and hold your stomach, while you uncontrollably laugh. It is almost cathartic. We laughed about everything from You Tube videos to which fruits need to be avoided at all costs, if you are a public speaker. Years ago there was an educational course that was devoted to laughing and how it can be used as a healing method. I believe in that. Laughter really is the best medicine.

Time Repeats

In the past few years, my friends have achieved wonderful milestones. They have passed from the role of parent, to grandparent. Along with this change comes memories of our own grandparents. Even though we are only one generation down the line, the world has changed so much. It got us to talking. Thinking about the special time we spent with our own grandparents. Doing simple things that meant the world to us. Sitting and coloring. Playing cards. I will never forget playing the card game "War" with my grandma. Card games, in those years, were the video games, of these years. My friends and I reminisced about watching television with our grandparents. In those days there was a show called "The Million Dollar Movie". It was on channel 13. It was a movie that re ran every day for a week. In the middle of the movie was an intermission. That's when music was played and the audience was asked to sing along. A white dot and song lyrics appeared on the TV screen. The announcer told you to follow the bouncing ball as the music played in the background. The ball would bounce over each word until it was time to move on to the next. The song "By The Light Of The Silvery Moon" will forever bring a smile to my face. I am hoping that when I am blessed with grandchildren they will fondly remember me for something so small, but so special.

Beauty Queens

I have been watching a new television program in the past few weeks. I do not watch it because I like it. Quite the opposite. I watch it because I find it so disturbing that I am trying to understand it. The show is about children's beauty pageants. Some of the children are under one year old. Last night, one mother said that the only reason she had children was to enter them in pageants. She was not joking. Her first child was a boy and she put him in dresses to compete. She said there was nothing wrong with it. It was like doing a Drag Show. I was stunned by this woman. Each child is glitzed up to look like an adult. Big hair, heavy makeup and spray tans. The mothers tell the viewers that the children love to do this, as the camera focuses on the child hysterically crying, saying "mommy, this hurts me". Where are child protective services when you need them? When I am done writing this blog, I will be sending an email to the producers of the show, voicing my concern. Then I will stop tuning in. Maybe low ratings will stop the insanity.

Patterns

I am a very structured person. I have a daily routine and I stick to it. I find that my life runs smoother if I do so. There is only one problem with having daily routines. If you deviate from them, people worry. Every morning I call my family at specific times. I arrive to work at the same time. I post this blog at the same time. On the rare occasion that I do not stick to these patterns, I have my family frantic. I understand why they feel as they do. They think that something has happened to me. My children consciously do the opposite of what I do. They will never call me at a special time. They do this for a reason. They both have dangerous jobs, and if they stuck to a routine and did not follow through, I would be sick with worry. They are doing me a favor by living this way. I am glad they broke the pattern.

False Advertising

I find most television commercials annoying. I find some of them downright deceptive. We all know that advertising is meant to attract our business but I also believe that it needs to be done in a somewhat honest way. The food that they show on commercials are not real food. They are wax reproductions that have been painted and enhanced to look appetizing. When did you ever get a fast food hamburger that looked like the one on television? The ads that show a 12 hour lipstick are pure lies. Eat one meal and the lipstick vanishes. The commercials that I find most deceptive are the ones for mascara. Take a good look. The models are wearing a minimum of a triple layer of false eyelashes. Even in the magazine print ads. There is no way that a human being can have such thick lashes, totally even, and fringe like, from applying mascara. It is false advertising, while wearing false eyelashes.

Home

I just returned home from Florida. The flight was a good one, smooth and on time. Even though it rained every day, I still had a good time. It was a visit, not a vacation. There is a difference. When it rains on your vacation everyone is unhappy. When it rains on a visit, it does not really matter. The purpose of the trip is not the same. I spent most of my days away, just sitting and talking to my parents. As I get older, they seem more interesting. I hang onto each word they speak as they reminisce about their childhoods. Each time I visit them I come home with another bit of family history. It adds to my heritage and makes me understand what my family went through to get me where I am today. I only hope that I will seem this interesting to my own children, when I am my parents age.

A Free Lunch

People say that there is no such thing as a free lunch. That might be true for 49 of the 50 states, but it does not apply to Florida. Here you can get free lunch and free dinner, too. The code word for these free meals is "Seminar". In Florida, a seminar is a social gathering that is sponsored by an independent group that wants to solicit your business. They place an ad or send a post card, announcing the date, time and restaurant. They then give a telephone number to sign up in advance. The number of  attendees is directly related to the quality of the venue. The sponsors have a wide range of services from assisted living, to hearing aides, to chiropractors and even funeral homes. I know of one couple that changed their burial plans because the meal was so good. Many people book themselves for a seminar a week. The only downside is that you will receive telephone calls from the sponsors asking if you are interested in their product. That is a small price to pay for a delicious four course meal.

Terrifying Tuna

It is day three that I am in Florida. It has been pouring rain, almost non stop. As I am sitting on the patio watching the clouds slowly drift across the sky, trying to allow the sun to peek in, I remembered a funny story from last years trip. My sister and I were just about to zip up our suitcases for the return trip to NY, when our parents had a great idea. They had bought a lot of cans of tuna fish and wanted us to take some home. This was no ordinary tuna fish. This was the kind that came in the gold can. I usually buy solid white albacore and didn't know that there was even better tuna. The gold can must only be sold to special people. Anyway, my parents had so many cans that they begged us to take them home in our carry on suitcases. For some reason, I was adamant that I was not carrying tuna fish 1300 miles across state lines. My sister caved in and packed 4 cans into her carry on luggage. I was in front of her at the airport when we went through the security check. When I looked behind me, there was my sister being escorted off the line by two TSA guards. I ran over to her and was told "step away Ma'am". Fearing arrest, I did what I was told. They proceeded to put on gloves and unpack her luggage piece by piece. She is such a neat packer and they just flung her clothes out of her bag. Well, they finally found the tuna fish and it seems that they saw a powder on it. It must have been dust but they decided to bring out the testing cloths to verify that it was not poison. After watching this scene for a half hour, they finally threw her belongings back into the bag and released her. She asked if she owed a copay because it seemed as if they did a complete physical on her. I started to laugh hysterically. All of this fuss for 4 cans of tuna. Next time we will let the tuna swim to NY.

In A Different State

This morning I woke up in a different state. I also woke up in a different state of mind. I am in Florida. It is one of the 50 states, but it is a world of it's own. The pace is a bit slower and time schedules are geared to the older generation. People greet each other, as they walk by you in the street. The older men make jokes, while their wives look at them lovingly, even though they have heard these same jokes for 50 years. Each person cannot wait to introduce their children to their condominium friends. Of course each person has daughters that they think  look like super models, and sons who are the biggest and best of their chosen profession. Sometimes I have been introduced as "this is my Susan, isn't she beautiful." I have learned not to be embarrassed by this introduction. It  is just my mothers way of showing her love for me. Now, when she gives me that introduction, I add on "but not as beautiful as my Mom." This makes her beam even more. I plan to have four more relaxing days enjoying the company of two of the nicest people in the world.

The Sunshine State

Today I am heading to Florida to visit my parents. They now split their time between New York and Florida. The move was the best thing for them. They have a wonderful social life there and can get up each morning to a beautiful view of a lake. There are shows, bus trips, seminars and the pool. It is almost like they are in summer camp. I truly believe that their life span is longer because of the lifestyle they have there. They go more places and have more energy than I do. Florida is named the Sunshine State, for its beauty. I call it the Sunshine State for another reason. My parents are my sunshine. They bring me warmth and light.

The Big Cover Up

All of us, at some point, have lost things in our dryer. Four socks go in, and three come out. We give it our best effort searching for it, but it has jumped ship to be with it's other emancipated sock friends. We never expect to have any problems with our washing machines acting out. Until yesterday. My son decided to wash his new comforter to get the lint off of it. Even though it was a large comforter, he told his wife to just stuff it in the machine. She disagreed with this decision but finally gave in. She stuffed, and stuffed, and finally the cover gave up and stayed in. She would realize later, that the cover would have the upper hand. At the end of the cycle, the machine shredded it, and twisted it around the agitator. It would take three people to unwind the carnage. My son blamed this fiasco on me, as I have washed comforters in my machine for 30 years. He should have listened to his wife. He needs to learn that Mom doesn't always know best.

Class Action

In yesterdays mail, I found a letter from a lawyers office. The return address read ebay Class Action Law Suit. I opened the letter and began to read a whole lot of legal talk. It seems that someone on ebay was selling car parts at a higher rate than they were allowed. Someone must have realized this and started a class action suit. I do not remember seeing any mailings asking us to join the suit. Maybe anyone who purchased a particular item was just included. On the second page of this letter was a settlement check. When I saw the amount of the check, I laughed. The check was for 22 cents. Wow, what a settlement. It cost 100% more than the settlement, to mail the check. That is not very cost efficient. Who took the loss on the postage. They should have just pooled all of the settlement money and bought a Starbucks Latte. They might have had enough money to add the caramel.

A Tree Is A Tree

The Governor of Rhode Island has been in the news lately. It seems that he is calling a Christmas tree a holiday tree. I believe that a Christmas tree is a Christmas tree. I would be just as offended if someone called a Hanukkah Menorah a candelabra. Some symbols are just that. Symbols that represent your religious holiday. We do not have to be politically correct in these situations. I do take issue, though with something that Bill O'Reilly has been saying for the past few evenings. I have always liked Bill, until now. He is saying that schools, and I mean public schools, should call their yearly parties Christmas Parties. He is offended that the schools are saying holiday parties. Well, Bill, I am offended at your short sightedness. It is one thing to rename a symbol. It is another to disregard other people's holidays. Within those public school classes are children that celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. It is a party for all holidays. Not just for Christmas. How could a so called intelligent man be so ignorant. This is 2011. Shame on you. This time, Bill, you are the Pinhead.

Profit Margin

Yesterday, at a popular department store, they had a "Friends and Family" day. They usually have this event a few times a year. They place almost the entire inventory on sale. For most items, it is called a 50-30-20 sale. First you take 50% off the item, then take another 30% off and finally another 20%. If you open their store brand charge account, you get an additional bonus of an extra 10%. People think that this is the most fantastic sale, and it is. What they do not realize, is that even though the store is selling these items at great sale prices, they are still making a profit. No one sells at a loss. This goes to show us, how much of a profit margin and mark up these store have. That is why, I only purchase from this particular store on these special sale days. Every retailer deserves to make a profit but people still have the choice to decide how much they will contribute to it.

Alvin

I love consistency. Even though I like change, sometimes familiar things are just as good. Today, as I was watching TV, a familiar voice started to sing. It was none other than Alvin. The Chipmunk. Even though I am not a kid, I started to smile when I heard him singing a Lady Gaga song. Somehow, the world has never gotten tired of the Chipmunks. They must be around for about 50 years, but they are still cute and entertaining. They have grown from flat cartoon images to animated characters that mix in with real people. Just hearing their high pitched squeaky voices is funny. They can be saying the most serious thing, but when it is said as a chipmunk we all laugh. It is nice to know that in today's world, where there is so much uncertainty and unhappiness, we can still count on Alvin to brighten things up.

Smarter Than A Fifth Grader

A few years ago, there was a show named "Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader". The title was self explanatory. There was a panel of fifth graders and one contestant, who was an adult, over 40 years old. The adult was asked questions and the fifth graders had to decide if he was correct. Most of the time, the fifth grader was smarter. If I was asked the question "are you smarter than a fifth grader" I would have to be honest and respond, "not always". In life experience and common sense, I would be smarter, by a long shot. In technology, well, that's a crap shoot. This morning, I needed to get my camera disc out of the camera, so I could get the pictures developed. This is a fairly new camera, and I do not take many pictures, so this was the first time I needed to remove it. I had no idea where it was hiding. I sat and examined the camera to see where the openings were, and did not see one for the disc. After a few minutes, and a bit of deductive reasoning, I opened up the battery compartment. Lo and behold, there was the disc. If I had an eight year old in the house, he would have found it in under 30 seconds.

Grand Differences

I am coming to the phase in life when some of my friends are becoming grandparents. It seems weird because I have known their children since nursery school. The time has really flown. Most of the children are older than I was when I had my first son. Did I seem like such a baby then? I felt so mature. Now, I am getting to see first hand, women who have passed through the role of mother, to the role of grandmother. With maturity, comes differences. There seems to be much more patience in the grandmother role. The little things that upset us as mothers are taken in stride as grandmothers. I know what my big difference will be when I will have a grandchild. I will not skip pages. When my kids were little and wanted me to read a book, I always skipped pages. They never realized how the book's characters got from one place to the other so fast. Maybe that is why my sons do things in a quick and concise manner. When I am lucky enough to get to read a book to my grandchildren, I promise to never skip a page. I might even re read some pages twice.