Goodwill Hunting (the Sequel)

A while back, I blogged about an English transferware bowl that I'd scored at the local Goodwill near our home in NH.  It was a steal at 99 cents, and I just couldn't leave the store without it...even though the whole reason I'd gone to Goodwill that day was to get rid of excess bric-a-brac, not to acquire more of it.  I was Goodwill dropping-off, you see; definitely not Goodwill treasure-hunting. (Here's the link to that post, if you want to click on over and take a peek at said pretty little bowl.)

Well, yesterday I did some more Goodwill hunting.  (Full disclosure: there is not a Goodwill store in this town in upstate NY, so it was actually Salvation Army hunting--but that does not sound nearly as catchy and would probably make a lousy movie title.)  I was hoping to find some kind of gently used toddler ride-on toy/wagon or baby activity chair/walker, thinking one of those items might make a nice addition to the collection of goodies I have at Oyster Haven to amuse my grandchildren, who will be coming to stay there with Papa and Grammy next week.

I did not find what I was looking for.  But I did stumble upon a small stash of lovely old transferware dishes, brown on cream, stamped "Made in England" on the bottom.  English transferware, as I have already noted here at the blog, is my Kryptonite; so as you can imagine, even though these dishes were the last thing I was shopping for, I found them very hard to resist.

There were two cups, six saucers, and two dessert plates in the incomplete set.  Only one of the saucers was tagged, and it was priced at $2.00.  Since I'd been able to get a transferware bowl in NH for 99 cents, that was almost too rich for my blood.  If each piece was priced that high, I knew I wasn't going to buy the whole set; but I thought maybe I'd take one of the dessert plates to hang on the wall at Oyster Haven.  After all, the scene printed on these dishes is absolutely perfect for our lakeside Colonial, which is located in NY and was built circa 1830!

So I took one plate to the register...and the gal behind the desk told me that the $2.00 tag on the saucer represented the price for the whole kit 'n kaboodle, and she was not allowed to break up the set.  Ten pieces of transferware for $2.00--what a bargain!  Then to top it off, she informed me that everything was half off that day!

So for $1.00 (plus 8 cents in NY state sales tax--something we do not have in the "Live Free or Die" state of NH), I took home all the dishes.  I would say that was a pretty successful episode of Goodwill Salvation Army hunting!  Wouldn't you?

Testing, Testing, 1,2,3...Is This Thing Still On?

Well, I've been gone so long that I just had to make sure blogging was still a thing.  You know, that it's still being done.

I mean, technology and social media seem to be evolving at warp speed these days, so you never know what might have become obsolete overnight.  You could go to sleep and wake up in a Brave New World-ish place, feeling like you're trapped in an episode of "The Jetsons."  (Now that TV show reference doesn't date me at all, does it?  Just a few days ago, I celebrated my 58th birthday, and it shows.  Oh, does it ever show!)

But getting back to the idea that it's hard to keep up with the latest techno-trends: yesterday, I took some pictures of my nieces and their little ones on my iPhone, and I offered to make the girls up some flash drives or CD's of all the shots I got.  That gave everyone a good chuckle.  Why didn't I just go ahead and put them on a 90's-era floppy disc while I was at it?  (The photos got sent via text messages, so I didn't even have to make a trip to Best Buy to hunt down some storage paraphernalia from the Stone Age.  Easy peasy.)

Here are a few of the pictures I took, just to give you an idea of the sort of cuteness by which I found myself surrounded yesterday afternoon, lakeside.

My sister-in-law has four of her five kids staying with her this week, and all four of her grandchildren.  She lives next door to my husband's childhood home, where he and I are staying for the summer so that we keep an eye on nearby Oyster Haven and clean it in between rentals.  (Our fourth set of week-long renters are there as I write this!)  Spending time with her crew, and seeing how much they enjoy the lake, gets me so excited for next week--when all five of our boys, our four daughters-in-law, and all seven of our grandchildren will be with us at Oyster Haven for a big family reunion of our own.

In anticipation of feeding my little army, I have been baking goodies ahead and freezing them.  So far, I've got two coffee cakes made, and two pans of caramel brownies.

Oreo brownies are in the works this morning.  (Those are the roses my hubby sent for my birthday, which he spent flying some lucky folks to Rome.)

My daughter-in-law Preciosa is busy making special "team" shirts for the whole family to wear when we have professional pictures taken together during our vacation week.  The numbers on the backs, 1 through 18, have been assigned according to when each member officially joined the family, whether by marriage or by birth.  Here is my husband's, being held up by son #3.

Anyway, I'm hoping the blog hasn't gone the way of the floppy disc or the dinosaur, at least not yet.  After I finally got around to cracking open my laptop for the first time in ages, I realized that I MIGHT just have more to say, even though you wouldn't know that by the radio silence over here at String of Pearls this summer.

Speaking of the radio...I did recently do a radio interview with Allison Gingras, on her "A Seeking Heart" program (which is a sort of on-air Catholic book club).  Ten days ago I included a link to the program--wherein we discussed Finding Grace, Erin's Ring, and marrying our high school sweethearts, among other things--in a 7QT post; but if you missed that and are interested in listening, here's the archived link to the podcast.  Since I didn't get around to doing a Grace-filled Tuesdays post yesterday (because I've become a bit of a blogging slacker as of late!  I blame the heat and humidity, and the fact that my husband and I are busy managing our VRBO property), this should fill in nicely for my own online book club.

Well, I hope you're having a great summer, dear readers.  Mine has been spent visiting with lots of special relatives on both sides of our family tree and looking forward to having a whole glorious week with my own nuclear family.  And also, I must admit, it's been spent feeling a tad jealous of the renters who are staying at our beloved Oyster Haven!

But truly, my accommodations have been absolutely stellar.  Here's the view from the deck of the Pearl homestead, where I've been privileged to spend my summer.

There's nothing like getting up and having a relaxing cup of coffee, while enjoying a view like that!  (Another fun thing to do with your morning coffee might be to listen to Allison's radio show, if you're so inclined...)

Okay then, until next time...

7 Quick Takes Friday (Playing Catch-up...on Sunday!)

I haven't done a 7 Quick Takes Friday post in ages.  But then again, I haven't blogged in ages either!  (At least it seems like ages, when I think that for the first three or four years of String of Pearls' life, I was here just about daily, hardly ever skipping an opportunity to share my thoughts the way we introverts like to share them best--from the safety of our laptop computers...)

Anyhoo, I thought it was time to get back into the 7QTF routine. I'm already two days late to join Kelly et. al. for the link-up, so I better get to it lickety-split and keep these takes short and sweet.  Quick, that's what they'll be.

1

My brother-in-law died just over two weeks ago, but I don't feel able to write about the events surrounding his premature passing just yet.  His last days were filled with heroic acts of humility, acceptance, courage, selflessness, faith, hope, and love, as well as some truly extraordinary supernatural signs and tender moments of grace that have left all who were a witness to them forever changed.  I did blog about this beloved man, who is a hero and a role model for us all, in a recent post, just days before he died.  When I can manage to do it, I'd like to tell you more about him and his beautiful and holy death.

2

One great blessing, for which my sister-in-law and our whole family feel extremely grateful, is that before he died, my brother-in-law was able to realize his dream of opening a craft brewery/tasting room/ restaurant/event center/B & B in a Civil War-era structure known as the "Old Stone Barracks."  Valcour Brewing Company is located in Plattsburgh,  NY, with a bird's eye view of Lake Champlain, on what was once a large Strategic Air Command Air Force Base.  My brother-in-law had a vision for transforming this historical building--overseeing and doing much of the gutting of the interior himself, and then along with my sister-in-law designing what has become, just in the few months since its doors have been open, the popular place to be in Plattsburgh.  If you're ever in the area, you must stop by to enjoy one of their signature brews and soak up the Barracks' one of a kind ambience.  (And the food is as good as the beer!)

3

Our 40th high school reunion was at the end of June.  (My husband and I started dating in 1973, the summer after our freshman year, and graduated together in 1976).  One of the weekend's events was held at VBC's Old Stone Barracks.

It was so much fun catching up with dear old friends, like this beautiful lady.  (Thank goodness for Facebook, which has been helping us to stay in touch between reunions!)

My baby sister also had her 35th  high school reunion gathering at the Barracks recently.  My husband and I crashed the party.  (We can do this, you see, because we know the owner.  We have an in.)

4

My high school boyfriend and I are actually spending the whole summer in Plattsburgh (except for the times when he's commuting to work or we're off visiting with our kids and grandkids), staying at my husband's childhood home on the lake (which he and his seven siblings decided to keep after their parents both died, forming a family LLC to maintain its upkeep).  So needless to say, our date nights are usually spent at--where else?--VBC!

5

One of the reasons we're staying here, besides the fact that it gives us the opportunity to visit with both of our families, is that we're keeping an eye on Oyster Haven, our VRBO house located just several miles down the road.  Our first renters came for a week in June, to participate in a big bass fishing tournament on Lake Champlain.  One of the six professional fishermen who stayed at Oyster Haven was Andy Morgan, who ended up winning the FLW Tour's 2016 "Angler of the Year" award.  (He also won the title in 2013 and 2014).

I don't know if it's the luck of the Irish or what...but it seems that we have a lucky house.

6

Speaking of Oyster Haven, I really must do some posts about it, complete with pictures.  It is such a charming old house on such a glorious piece of lakefront property.  We have our third set of renters staying there as I write this.  So far, we have six weeks booked this summer, and inquiries are coming in all the time.

But I ask you: who could resist this view?

7

I was honored to be a guest on Allison Gingras's "A Seeking Heart" radio show (a sort of online Catholic book club) on July 15.  She was kind enough to have me on to talk about my Catholic YA novel, Erin's Ring--although we covered a lot of other topics as well, including the fact that we both married our high school sweethearts.  It was so much fun to talk to Allison.  I was a bundle of nerves beforehand, per usual.  I thought about backing out and seeing if we could reschedule for a later date.  But I overcame my fears, thank goodness.  And once we got started, I felt as if I was just chatting over coffee with an old friend.

If you're interested in listening to the podcast, here's the link.

Okay, that's it for me.  Now maybe you should head on over to Kelly's (if you haven't been there yet)!

An Open Book: Sunflowers in a Hurricane

I haven't been doing a whole lot of blogging lately (which you may or may not have noticed, depending on how often you stop by this little old blog of mine); but a bookworm's got to talk books.  She's just got to.  And what better way to do that than to link up with Carolyn Astfalk et. al. for An Open Book discussion?

So books...books.  Let's see, what have I read lately?  Hmmm...

I did finish this one (at 30,000 feet, because that's where I spend half my life).  I had started it back before the June link-up and mentioned it there, because I thought it was going to be amazing; but I didn't end up enjoying it as much as I thought I would.

I loved the WWII-era parts of this novel that goes back and forth in time between the 1940's and the present, the well-rounded and very believable characters, and the engaging writing style of this talented author.  I didn't like the way-too-detailed descriptions of intimate scenes--that always ends up turning me off.  And there is one particularly disturbing scene involving a sexual assault.  So I can't in good conscience give this book a big thumb's up.  But I admit that it kept me turning the pages, because I had to see how it all turned out.

So I did read that one book.  But aside from not blogging much in recent weeks, I haven't been reading much either.  I have a list of books as long as my arm that I'd like to get to (Anne of Green Gables--how in the world did I grow up without ever having read that one, even once?  I started it while out visiting our oldest son's family earlier in the summer, and after sampling 40 pages of my daughter-in-law's copy, I knew I needed to get my hands on that whole series of novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery, which I have no doubt are destined to end up on my "favorite books of all time" list); but the list of those I've actually read is very short.

HOWEVER--

There is one book that I'd like to tell you about, a wholesome work of Catholic fiction that I think you'll really enjoy.  Although it has only recently appeared in print, I had the rare privilege of reading it months ago, while it was still in manuscript form, and giving feedback to the author (who has become an online friend of mine over the past few years).  Here is the Amazon review I wrote for that recently published novel:


I was honored to receive a pre-publication copy of Anne Faye’s latest novel, Sunflowers in a Hurricane.  Having read—and very much enjoyed---The Rose Ring, I was quite excited to read the latest offering by this talented author of Catholic women’s fiction.  Sunflowers in a Hurricane is a short novel, at about 50,000 words; but it is by no means short on substance.  If you are able to clear your calendar for an afternoon, you could devour it in one sitting—which is exactly what I did!  I dare say you won’t be able to put it down once you start it.

There's my endorsement on the cover!

As I was reading along, I could clearly picture every scene of this sweet and uplifting novel, and the thought occurred to me more than once that it would make an excellent Hallmark channel movie.  Faye has woven a compelling tale here, with engaging characters whose flaws and struggles are so painfully real that any reader can relate to them.

George is an elderly gentleman who still misses the beloved wife he lost tragically during childbirth when they were both very young.  Long ago, he was also forced to make a decision no one should ever have to make, and he’s had to live with the consequences of that heart-rending decision every day since.  Cheryl is a bitter single mother who has been raising a teenage daughter on her own, far from the town where she grew up.  When her estranged mother dies, Cheryl returns to her hometown to take care of her mother’s affairs and is ultimately forced to confront her own mistake-filled past.  Cheryl’s daughter Ruth is a confused and mildly rebellious thirteen-year-old who didn’t want to move away from the only home she’d ever known, has never met her father, and can’t understand why her mother won’t allow her to even talk to boys.  She develops her first crush, and becomes intrigued by her late grandmother’s kindly next-door-neighbor, George.

George and Ruth develop an unlikely friendship, which leads to some wonderful developments—not only for the two of them, but for other characters in the story as well.

The writer’s tools of first person point of view and time shifting are deftly employed by Faye in this novel.  Each chapter is told from the first person perspective of one of the three main characters, so the reader is able to really get inside the heads of George, Cheryl, and Ruth and see what makes them tick.  Aside from changing speakers, the story also bounces back and forth in time, from 1935, to 1972, to 1986, and back to 1935 again, which allows the reader to experience all the events that drive the plot right along with the characters who are experiencing them.

While Sunflowers in a Hurricane clearly illustrates the sad reality that life here on earth is filled with trials and tribulations, with loneliness and sadness, with tragedies and tough choices, it is ultimately a story about faith, hope, and love. It is a story about sin, yes, but also redemption.  It is a story about the healing power of forgiveness.  As a Catholic, I was especially touched by the way George’s deep faith—his daily Mass routine, for instance—influences his young friend.  But a reader of any faith should appreciate the positive messages conveyed in this book.

In a nutshell, Sunflowers in a Hurricane is a wholesome and inspiring novel, one that I highly recommend for teens and adults alike.


Okay, that's it for me.  Now head on over to the An Open Book link-up, to find out which books everyone's noses are in this summer (and maybe discover your next great beach read!).

TRUE Death with Dignity

My brother-in-law is dying.

His poor body has been ravaged by a particularly unforgiving form of cancer called mesothelioma, with which he was diagnosed almost exactly a year ago.  Fifty years after exposure to asbestos while doing chimney work as a young man, this terrible disease struck him like a thunderbolt, just as he and my sister-in-law (my husband's older sister and "Irish twin") had begun the process of fulfilling their dream of starting a craft brewery in an old stone Army barracks that dates back to the Civil War.

In spite of all he's been through this past year, this dream became a reality a couple of months ago, and the historical building he and my sister-in-law lovingly transformed into a brewery/sports bar/tasting room/event center/restaurant/B&B has opened for business and has been wildly successful, breathing new life into the hometown where my husband's family has deep roots, going back several generations.

There is nothing more that can be done for my brother-in-law medically now, other than palliative care.  Surgery and chemo and trips back and forth to Boston to receive the most cutting-edge treatments from the foremost experts on the disease did not produce the hoped-for and prayed-for miracle, and he has come home to die.  He is surrounded by people who love him dearly and upon whom he must depend more and more every day to help him with even the simplest of tasks.

This man has always been exceptionally strong, a warrior, a rock for so many people--both personally and professionally.  It has to be hard--not just hard, but truly humbling--to depend on others for everything now, but this guy makes it look easy.  No one who has been privileged to observe the manner in which my brother-in-law handled the news of his diagnosis a year ago, how he endured the harrowing and painful treatments and recoveries in the past months, or how he has exhibited such tremendous heroism as he walks his own personal way of the Cross on the road home to his Father, will ever forget what they have witnessed.  He is showing us the way to die, the way to have a holy death; and it is a lesson I believe I for one badly needed.

Last night, my husband and I attended a party in one of the brewery's event rooms, and I got talking to my old high school biology teacher (who has a special place in her heart for the class of 1976, as we were her first real teaching job after she got her degree).  I mentioned that I was so awed and inspired by the dignity with which my brother-in-law is facing the end of his life.  He is uncomplaining and serene, appreciative of every little thing his loved ones do for him and thanking them profusely.  He is dealing with his own helplessness with such acceptance and grace, it's a wonder to behold.

"I don't like that word, 'dignity,'" she said.  "It has a different connotation now."  And she's right: the pro-euthanasia crowd has hijacked that particular term and made it mean something different to many folks.  There are some who would look at this man who is suffering in a way that no one should have to suffer (yes, but who is surrounded by so much love, who still has the capacity to give and receive love and find an incredible amount of joy in that, whose dying days have profoundly changed and improved the lives of everyone around him) and say that to give him a dignified death,  his pain should be ended at once.  It would be more merciful, they would argue.

But I would argue differently.

I started out this post by saying that my brother-in-law is dying.  Scratch that; what I should have said is that my brother-in-law is becoming a saint, right before our very eyes.

The first thing this man said when handed the worst news of his life was, "I want to become a Catholic before I die."  Let that sink in for a minute.

Raised a Lutheran, he was inspired (not pressured, but inspired) by my sister-in-law to convert.  He has been attending Mass for years, even going alone when my sister-in-law and he happened to be apart.  But the official process of entering the Church had not been completed.  Well, I am happy to report that last week, a priest at the parish my husband and his family always attended baptized him a Catholic, and he was able to receive First Holy Communion.  If this had happened even a few days after it did, he might not have been able to swallow the Host.  God is so good!

My brother-in-law is, as my husband says, giving the rest of us a clinic on how to die a holy death.  He is facing the end of his earthly life with courage, grace, and deep faith.  He is graciously allowing his loved ones to give of themselves unconditionally to keep him as comfortable as possible (a privilege which is in fact a tremendous gift that those who never get to witness a truly dignified death completely miss out on).  He is not bitter or resentful, despite his suffering.  He loves life, even now; but he is not afraid to die.  This, I believe, is what death with dignity is really all about.

I realize that it is not our place to automatically canonize our loved ones, no matter how saintly they might seem, when they pass from this life; we are instructed to pray for them unceasingly, for no one but God can know the state of any individual's immortal soul.

But I can't help but feel as if I am watching the making of a saint.

Just a Little Something to Brighten Your Monday

Okay, folks, in case you needed something to make you smile today, now that the weekend is over...here is a picture of my adorable but sometimes naughty 20-month-old grandson G-Man, which my daughter-in-law Preciosa posted on Facebook recently with this caption: "Where he hides after hitting his sister. ‪#‎guiltatitsfinest‬ ‪#‎toughbigbrotherlove." 

Is that priceless or what?  (Are you smiling yet?)

One of the main reasons I love Facebook so much (and can't break away, no matter how many times I convince myself that I ought to try) is that I get to see cute or amusing (or both!) pictures of my grandchildren on there almost daily.

And then as an added bonus, I can scroll through the comment streams underneath those pictures and enjoy the hilarious observations of my sons (and their cousins and friends).  Here is what my youngest son had to say about the above photo of that lovable, guilt-ridden little stinker: "The ole' Ostrich maneuver. His form's a little sloppy but he'll get there."

I'm pretty sure I L'ed, OL, when I read that one.

I guess G-Man has no other option but to hide his face in shame when he gets rough with his sweet 4-month-old baby sister, because Princesa is just a precious little bundle of joy, an angel.  Take a gander at her beautiful face.

And she's always, always this happy.

Okay, if you're reading this, you are definitely smiling now.  How could you not be?  So this blog post has served its purpose, and I'll sign off here.  Because Grammy's got a suitcase to pack, so that she can catch an early flight tomorrow morning and head out to the Midwest for a visit with four of G-Man and Princesa's older cousins.

Have a great week, dear readers.  And keep on smiling!

Reviewers Wanted for a New Catholic Novel

My writer friend Anne Faye, a Catholic blogger and novelist, published her second novel, Sunflowers in a Hurricane, less than a week ago.   (Her first novel was titled The Rose Ring, for which I wrote this review.)  I was privileged to receive a pre-publication copy of Sunflowers in a Hurricane and serve as a beta reader for Faye, in exchange for feedback and an honest review.  I enjoyed the book enormously, and gladly wrote a five-star review for Amazon.  And I was surprised and delighted when she asked me if she could include a quote from my review on the front cover of the book!  Wow, what an honor!

Would you, too, like the opportunity to read this wholesome and heart-warming novel?  Anne Faye is offering a free copy in exchange for an honest review.  Here is a June 10 post from her blog:

Reviewers Wanted for Sunflowers in a Hurricane

Would you like to read a free copy of the new Catholic Fiction Sunflowers in a Hurricane in exchange for your honest review on your blog, Amazon, and/or Goodreads? Please send an email to AnneMFaye@gmail.com. I'm happy to send you a .pdf, Kindle version, or hard copy.

Thank you!

"Sunflowers in a Hurricane is a wholesome and inspiring novel, one that I highly recommend for teens and adults alike." - Laura Pearl, author of Finding Grace and Erin's Ring

George Ferguson, an elderly gentleman, still misses his beloved wife who died in childbirth many years before. Cheryl Callahan is an angry single mother who left her home and her faith after high school and never looked back. Her teenage daughter Ruth chafes under her mother’s rules and resents having to travel from Ohio to Massachusetts to bury a grandmother she didn’t even know.

When Cheryl and Ruth move next door to George, the older man and young girl form an unlikely friendship as all three are forced to face the past in order to create a new future.


I'm always happy to help out fellow Catholic authors, who are writing fiction that is nothing like the usual fifty shades of secular humanism you'll find on the shelves of most bookstores and instead entertains while also giving glory to God!  I wish Anne Faye much success with her work.