more of the on-going car saga

Transitowne (of the failed car purchase) texted me this morning saying they cannot find proof of my cleared deposit check and until they have proof of it they cannot refund me. So I texted back pictures of my statement AND the canceled check.

I have now confirmed that I can pick up the check on my lunch today. Which is great as I can then take it the block and a half to my credit union and deposit it same day.

All of this running around can only be possible because of a very generous action on the part of Baron P and Baroness J, who have lent me one of their cars to get around until Thursday - because the battery on the current van has decided to not want to hold a strong enough charge to start the engine. So Thursday Baron P will come and use his monster truck to jump my current van so I can drive it to the dealership. If it won't start there I can do "I drove it here".

Thursday cannot get here soon enough.


Oh... and add to this the fact that all this stress and anxiety not only kicked my hormones into activating early... I'm having an honest to god period (something I haven't had in 5 years because of the ablation) on a day when I chose to wear white pants. Thankfully a female coworker rescued me.

Glad Game 2019: June 9

* friends like Baroness J, who came and helped me run errands while we tried to figure out what was wrong with the van. (won't start)

* AAA membership. Van needs a new battery - not happening when I'm 4 days from trading it in. Will get it jumped Thursday to take it for the trade in.

* real dinner (though I didn't get any of the ones for the week cooked)

* walking goal met - first time in MONTHS. Grimmy really just seemed happy to be outside walking up and down the street (we did it a total of 8 up and backs throughout the day)

* a shower that just felt wonderful and seemed to wash the tension away.

GR Summer Challenge 2019: Not from around here: Read a book set in a different culture from your own

A Bend in the Stars by Rachel Barenbaum

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


4.5 stars.

I found this a moving, compelling and overall sweet story about love, societal positions/expectations, roles and faith set during the eve of WWI in Russia.

Miri is about to become one of Russia's first female surgeons, despite being an orphaned Jewess. Her brother, Vanya, is a brilliant physicist who is working to prove or disprove Einstein's new theory of relativity. In order to do so, he needs to travel across Russia to work with an American who will be taking pictures of the total solar eclipse happening in the summer of 1914. But as he and Miri work to make that happen, war breaks out. Miri's fiance and mentor, Uri agrees to help Vanya get to the location though they have both been conscripted into the Czar's army.

Miri learns things are going wrong, and she and her grandmother need to get out of their town before things get worse for the Jews, but Miri cannot abandon Vanya and strikes out with the assistance of an Army deserter named Sasha to find Vanya and get him, Uri, herself and their Baba out of Russia and to America.

Overall, this was a good book, the two readers (Therese Plummer who reads the chapters in Miri's POV, and Edoardo Ballerini who reads Vanya's chapters) did a great job envoking emotion and helping to just tell a wonderful story.

Definitely recommend.



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