Karen’s Opinion

We do not have earthquakes very often here in the mid-west so it was a real shock to feel one this morning. I was helping my daughter in-law assess the situation of a sick dog and the mess on the carpet when the house began to shake. At first we thought it was a big truck going down the road in front of the house but when it lasted longer than a few seconds, we thought it was a sonic boom. The news caster on the local radio station said we had just experienced a 4.2 earthquake. That was later revised to a 3.2. No damage has been reported. Shew!

As for the mess with the sick dog; our son and daughter in-law’s dog had eaten some bones out of the kitchen trash on the day after Christmas. He was feeling the effects from the food and was experiencing diarrhea and vomiting blood. It was a horrific mess. I got the award for being the only one able to clean it up without loosing her cookies. My husband was gagging. He is a wimp. The dog got a trip to the vet who said he would be fine. The kids came home with the dog, cans of soft dog food and Pepto Bismol tablets. The dog is very energetic now and the kid’s wallet is a bit lighter.

Oh yeah, the carpet came out good as new. I love my Green Machine!

My daughter got me hooked on James Patterson’s series of novels, Women’s Murder Club. I had read all his novels about about American psychologist Alex Cross so I knew that this next series of books would be page turners. As seo of laundry and cleaning detail in my home, I rarely curl up with a book so when I do, it must be a good one. The Women’s Murder Club fits the bill.

This series revolves around the lives of four women in San Francisco. Now, San Francisco would be my choice of a beautiful place to live. I love the variety of culture and the hilly streets. That said, after reading these books, I would have to have 4 locks on my door and carry pepper spray at all times. The situations these ladies find themselves involved in are intense.

Patterson draws me in to the story, making me feel as if each of the characters would be ones I would sit down with in an Internet cafe. I love the sense of friendship they have. As strong as the head of a seo services organization, these women are smart and do not sit back when pushed. Turning each page to find out if someone gets hurt or worse, murdered, keeps me up way past my usual bed time. Good reading.

What will our grandchildren say when they look back on how our world has changed? We think it is amazing that technology has come so far with music and video available with the click of a mouse. We can talk to people without picking up a phone. Don’t get me started on how immune we are to the raunchy things we are exposed to in the media. Good or bad, things are always changing. Take a look at this preview of a video that shows what might have been put out on the Internet during the events of Christ’s birth.

When asked what gets me into the Christmas spirit, I had to stop and think. I love the huge decorations that the malls put up. I can remember, as a little girl, walking through the cosmetic department of a huge department store and feeling mesmerized by the huge, sparkling ornaments. These days, the ornaments don’t look nearly as big! Could it be that being so small made everything look big? I wonder how many employment recruitment agencies it took to hire people to decorate and then take everything down again? And to think, I dread putting it all away at my house!

I miss singing in the choir at our church, especially at this time of year. In the fall, the recruitment for choir members begins. I thought about joining again this year but remembered how my back ached after standing so long each Sunday. I miss singing in the annual cantata. Does your church have a choir? Do they sing a cantata? Our church teams up with two other churches to sing the cantata. That makes a huge choir that sounds amazing. I know how much practice goes into performing a choir and that causes me to sit in awe as I listen each year. This production involves many talented singers as well as instrumental accompaniment. Violins, flutes, and other instruments add a professional flair to the movements. Goosebumps? Yes, I get them.