An excellent book, a good cup of coffee and some knitting

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be an early onset Alzheimer's patient? Some days when I can't remember what I'm in a room for or what a certain word is, I do. And so when I came across the book STiLL ALiCE by Lisa Genova I snatched it up and bought it. The National Alzheimer's Association has endorsed it and it's the only one that they have endorsed.

This isn't a statistical book. It's a work of fiction that follows 2 years in the life of Alice who just turned 50, is a professor at Harvard, is a mother and who discovers she has early onset Alzheimer's.

It is written from Alice's viewpoint but also shows how her husband, children and coworkers deal with the disease.

It made me cry. But it isn't written to grab sympathy but to as accurately as possible show you what is happening to an Alzheimer's patient.

I give it 5 stars.

And for a real change in topics...I'm not really a coffee drinker. I usually go for a Diet Coke or some tea but this is something else that I could give at least 4 stars. It's Maxwell House International Cafe Vanilla Caramel Latte. And it makes it's own foam on top! What fun!

There have been days and days that I haven't touched my knitting but I am making some advances on the Norwegian Woods Shawl. I'm on the 3rd chart now and it is less rows for a repeat so it will go quicker.

And I have to admit that reading a chart is easier/faster than reading the words. I just had to learn how and stop thinking that I couldn't!

I think I love the beads. They look like little dewdrops.

The next shawl will probably be Frozen Leaves. If I can decide on the yarn....

Conditions update & new toy...um I mean phone!

There are a few flowers still blooming. A lot are past their prime though.





















Claus is chilling.















And so is Teddy. I'm blaming their laziness on


















this weather. Grey and damp. Fall is here for sure.












This is the new toy! And yes it makes and answers phone calls but you can't really call it a phone. It just does so much more. It's a mini computer in your pocket.

I'm not in love with the keyboard. The touchscreen is easier to use and so I do.

And I don't think I'll be adding too many apps. There aren't many that have caught my attention yet. I do have WeatherBug. I loves keeping track of the weather.

But the one that I think I'll love the most is Kindle. I can read books on my phone! Unflippin believable! And the classics are free. And so being the cheapo that I am I'm reading "War of the Worlds". It is a good book. And I'm really enjoying my new pocket size computer. :)

Sounds old to me...

I'm a great great aunt! The little guy that turned me into that was born on Saturday morning, 9-4-2010. His mom, my great niece, and him are doing okay after a labor that ended in a c-section.

He's a hefty 8 lb 10 oz and 21" long. 3rd DS who has done a fair amount of fishing said he sounds like a lunker. I said he's a keeper! He has loads of dark slightly curly hair and dark eyes. He's a darling, a sweetheart and adorable. My sister, his great gramma, is over the moon.

The down side...all those greats just sound sooo ooooold. :)