Aren't our daughter Monica and her two girls, Kady and Ally, just gorgeous? I love this picture of them. Steve was talking to Ally on the speaker phone on Christmas and she was just chattering away about the gifts she received. She is in Kindergarten now and has grown up so much. We haven't seen them in quite some time so I can't wait to play with Kady. She was an itty bitty when I held her last. Not sure when we will get back up to Kansas City or when they will get down here. When I was growing up grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. all lived close by and we had big family gatherings. Wish Monica and Mary lived closer so we could have everyone over. What is the use of a 9 foot Christmas tree if the grand kids aren't there to help trim it? Speaking of tree - it is still sitting, un-ornamented, in our living room. Too dang big for me to take down. Hopefully Steve will do it this weekend while I am at ALA in Philly. Hint, hint - of never mind, he never reads my blog!

I just sent in my two book reviews that are due next week so I wouldn't be worried about them in Philly or after the surgery. Writing them under the influence of narcotics would not be good! I was supposed to be at ALA Midwinter through Tuesday as I love going to the YALSA/AASL/ALSC reception on Monday night - get to see all kinds of friends there. But, my cervical spine surgery is scheduled for 10:00 Monday morning so I have to leave on Sunday. The doctor was waiting for the insurance company to approve the surgery and the approval came through yesterday. It was Monday or not until March - not an option. I am tired of hurting! The last set of numbing injections is wearing off. But, at least this way I am not spending weeks worrying about the surgery. And, I should be healed enough to hold my newborn granddaughter in late February. I am praying Mckinley has blue eyes and blonde hair, but not likely as neither of her parents do.

Read Truesight by David Stahler, Jr. I absolutely loved his delicious ghost book, A Gathering of Shades but was not as delighted with this SF title. I liked the main character, Jacob, but I kept thinking of The Giver as Jacob was turning 13 and would know what job he would be assigned in the sightless community of Harmony. Yes, another dystopia tale. Everything changes for Jacob when he begins to see - he had been born blind but was beginning to see. It fascinated him as he saw the corruption of his small community - it had been hidden by the blindness. His own mother was having an affair. Like Jonas, Jacob was given access to things that no one else in the community had. Well, except for his friend Delaney's very corrupt father who claimed his vision had been taken but had not been. I do think young teens who like The Giver and other dystopia tales will enjoy Truesight and the other two titles in the Truesight Trilogy - The Seer and Otherspace, which will come out in 2008.

Now to deal with my back log of emails. It feels like evening and has all day. The sun never came out and we had heavy rain with some hail a bit ago. A tiny river was running down the side our yard. Glad we didn't plant my lilac bush there. Very weird weather for January.