Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.
Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.
You ever have plans--really great plans? You ever look forward to those plans and then get miffed when they get messed up? That was me yesterday. All I wanted to do was get back in my garden and put up the crop cover and finally plant everything. Did I do that? No. I showed houses instead. Now, don't get me wrong. I love my job. I just wish it hadn't taken over my life.
I'm probably grumpy. I missed all last week blogging because I was...working. That came on the heels of me spending a few days doing the most depressing thing I've done in a long time--cleaning out my in-laws' house. I'm not sure I fully appreciated how difficult it is to pack up the lives of your parents or in-laws until doing it. Gosh, they aren't even gone yet and I was crying over finding things like family photos and art projects from the boys' school years. There are two big things left to clean out--the basement and my husband's old room. Not looking forward to either.
On to lighter and brighter things...my mailbox. This weekend brought with it something I've been waiting for. Author Vannetta Chapman, one of my favorite Amish fiction authors, opened up a store on her website. So I bought something because I firmly believe in supporting my fellow authors as much as I can.
Amish schoolteacher Miriam King loves her students. At 26, most women her age are married with children of their own, but she hasn’t yet met anyone who can convince her to give up the Plain school that sits along the banks of Pebble Creek. Then newcomer Gabriel Miller steps into her life, bringing his daughter, an air of mystery, and challenges Miriam has never faced before.
Will Gabe be able to let go of the past that haunts him? He thinks he just wants to be left alone, but the loving and warm community he and his daughter have moved to has other plans for him. After a near tragedy is averted, he hesitantly returns offers of help and friendship, and he discovers he can make a difference to the people of Pebble Creek—and maybe find love again.
I also picked up two Kindle books by my friend Marilyn Meredith. She writes the Rocky Buff P.D. (under F.M. Meredith) and the Deputy Tempe Crabtree series.
Based on the author’s family stories, three generations of dauntless women follow their hearts across the western plains.
1858 - Mary, the gentle eastern schoolteacher, loses her heart to a handsome trapper. They overcome the hardships of frontier life in Wisconsin to establish a family dynasty.
1880 – Wilhelmina, Mary’s flame-haired daughter, kidnapped as a child by Indians, is renamed “Indian Paintbrush.” She marries Taihinco, a Menominee brave, who teaches her the meaning of unbridled passion.
1908 – Desdemona Diana, nicknamed “Minnie,” the fiercely independent daughter of Wilhelmina’s older sister, defies family and convention to wed the man of her choice. They journey to Southern California to make a new life, where she founds a dynasty of her own.
Based on the real lives of two families, Two Ways West, chronicles the journey of the Crabtrees through Mexico and by steamboat to California; and the Osborns by wagon train along the Mormon Trail.
That's it for me this week. Hope you had a great mailbox.
I'll be cleaning out my parents' house in AZ before the end of the year. My dad died a few months ago and my mom is now living in their house up north. I don't even want to think about it right now *sigh. Good luck, Cheryl.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, what a job it is cleaning out someone's house. I remember when we did it for my grandparents...and we (the kids) loved it. It was like finding treasures. But the adults didn't enjoy it, of course.
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to purge things occasionally in my own place in anticipation of that time in my life when someone faces the task.
I haven't read a Marilyn Meredith book in a while...I have read some of her fiction. We belonged to a Central Valley author's group that occasionally held book signings around here. It has been several years since we did an event, though.
I hope this week goes better than last for both of us. Enjoy!
How nice to have you visit, ladies. I am sorry to hear about your father, Mary. I didn't know. There are services that can help with clean outs, but you still need to go through all the keepsakes and family photos.
ReplyDeleteLaurel, definitely love finding the treasures. I didn't know my in-laws when they were in their 40s or younger. Some of the things they saved spoke to a life well-lived. it's tough to think of them coming toward the end of the road. That's all.
Appreciate you both stopping by.
We have just had to clear out my late mother and father's place, not helped by the fact that most things got ruined when the place was on the market for sale and there was a water leak. Quite sorry to see it sold as a shell to a developer, even though we were lucky to get the sale!
ReplyDeleteI am determined that no-one should have to go through such a task when anything happens to us, so I will definitely be making the effort to down-size on 'stuff', this year.
I have a few Amish books and authors on my 'Want To Read' shelf, but nothing by this author and as it sounds so good 'A Promise For Miriam' is duly going to be added.
As Robert Burns said in 'To A Mouse' ...
"The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_a_Mouse
I hope that you manage to get back on track this week :)
Yvonne
xx
I'm sorry to hear about that, Yvonne. There are so many things that can go wrong in a real estate transaction. The market has been picking up, but low inventory keeps it from doing as well as it could.
ReplyDeleteVannetta Chapman is a must read author if you enjoy Amish fiction.
Thanks for stopping by.
I can imagine cleaning the house was quite a task. My Hubby and I keep saying we need to start...one room at a time. Heck, it would be good if we did one drawer at a time.
ReplyDeleteI am aware Realtors work awkward hours - especially weekends when other working people are off.
I like Chapman too. Hope you enjoy some good reading this week.
That's all you can do, Martha--one step at a time. Thanks for your comments.
ReplyDelete