Books I Read in 2021, Vol. XV

 

JUNKYARD DOGS: A Walt Longmire Mystery
Craig Johnson

"Missing body parts and dead developers are only the beginning when Wyoming sheriff Walt Longmire finds himself in the throes of a modern-day range war. It's a volatile new economy in Durant when the owners of a multi-million dollar development of ranchettes want to get rid of the adjacent Stewart junkyard. The notorious Stewart clan is an adventure unto itself and, when conflicts erupt, Walt, Dog, Henry Standing Bear, and deputies Santiago and Victoria find themselves in a small town that feels like a high plains pressure cooker."

This is the sixth Longmire novel I've read. I started reading them because Beloved and I liked the TV series based on the characters, but now, I'm fairly hooked on Johnson's easy-going, down-to-earth style of storytelling. ("As helpful as an accordion on an elk hunt") Yes, there are enough F-bombs to warrant an R rating, but nowhere near as many as a Scorsese movie, and all in line with the character of the characters.

First line: I tried to get a straight answer from his grandson and granddaughter-in-law as to why their grandfather had been tied with a hundred feet of nylon rope to the rear bumper of the 1968 Oldsmobile Toronado.

Page 56/Sentence 5: What are you shooting, Geo?

Last line: I glanced at the Cheyenne Nation with my one eye, and things didn't look half-bad.

Roth Christmas Epistle 2021

 

A year of blessings...

After a year of missing our weekly Thursday night visits with Anawynn as Dustin and Kelly Jo do their dance thing, it was a tearful reunion when she ran into our arms again. So happy to be in the process of putting the pandemic behind us (at least we're heading in the right direction). SweetCheeks is a bundle of artistic expression, be it dance, drawing, crafts...

That 21-month old joy-bringer, Ivy June, amazes "Debbie-Da" and "Deweee" with her intelligence and love of people. It came in handy as she, Curtis, and Abbey welcomed baby sister Ezra Ann to the family this year.

Johnathan, Shonda, and Maverick have settled into post-military life in Arkansas, even as Mom and Dad work on the Air Force base (and Maggot works hard on his social and verbal skills in pre-school).

Phil, though still officially on a temporary break from teaching high school art, is fully-engaged as an apprentice electrician and by all accounts is enjoying the change. Angel continues her work as a reading specialist, adjusting to the ever-changing Covid quirks of education. Jesse sent shock waves through the family when he became our first grandchild to reach double digits and Thomas is shining his own light of love and energy.

Debbie was so grateful to be able to get back to doing some in-person events with Rest in Him Ministry, the most notable of which was singing for the Sunday morning Boat-In Worship on beautiful Lake Wawasee in northeastern Indiana. It was an amazing sight as the boats just kept coming to hear the Word preached and sung. She would love to come to YOUR church or faith-based organization and share some encouragement and hope.

Dewey started working a six-month contract position in November, which got extended to April 1...though he is still seeking a full-time direct-hire position and has a couple irons in the fire even as we speak. Creatively, he started two podcasts this fall. You can find out all the particulars by going HERE.

Our deepest desire for all who read these words is for you to be healthy, happy, and secure in the knowledge that God put on flesh because he loves you. He thinks you're to die for! Have a blessed new year!

Books I Read in 2021, Vol. XIV

 

FOOD: A Love Story
Jim Gaffigan

Have you ever finished a meal that tasted horrible but not noticed until the last bite? Eaten in your car so you wouldn't have to share with your children? Gotten hungry while watching a dog food commercial?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are pretty pathetic, but you are not alone. Feast along with America's favorite food comedian, best-selling author, and male supermodel Jim Gaffigan as he digs into his specialty: stuffing his face. [This book] is an in-depth, thoroughly uninformed look at everything from health food to things that people actually enjoy eating.

Having enjoyed Dad Is Fat and being fond of Gaffigan's stand-up comedy, I've been looking forward to reading this book for a while. As expected, there was plenty to laugh about, though I must say I was slightly disappointed that a lot of the book is just the written-down version of several of his routines. I laughed the most at the totally new stuff.

First line: As many of you know, I am a comedian who, with the immeasurable assistance of my wife, Jeannie, wrote a book called Dad Is Fat, which chronicled my life as the father of five young children in a two-bedroom apartment in New York City.

Page 56/Sentence 5: You arrive at Uno's, Giordano's, Gino's East, or Lou Malnati's and place your order, and then you wait and wait for what seems like a lifetime.

Last line: Am I right or what?