May/June

I had written this three times, this is the fourth. If I lose this into cyber space yet AGAIN, the next blogg will be after I get back from Japan which is reason number one in combining two months. The other is that no matter how hard I try to make time at the store to write, something always takes precedent. How's that for sounding professional? Well, as I said above, we will go to Japan to join our youngest son, Andrew, and his wife, Ai, in their wedding ceremony. Yes, they are already married...it seems in Japan, to get hitched all you have to do is apply to the government and it is so. The ceremony will be a "Western" wedding, Japanese style. Weddings are expensive and Japan is no different. Ten thousand dollars will get you a pretty nice ceremony being that the average price going for these events is around thirty thousand. Yes, that's right. Andrew said that ten thousand was the best price. And custom there is that everyone gives a monetary gift of 300,000 yen, or $300, to the happy couple. Most of the wedding paid for! Our other son, Samuel, and our daughter, Nicole, will join us there. This is the first time in four years that we will all be together. I'm looking forward to that! Summer seems to be the time for relaxing with a fun book. Here are some suggestions: NON-FICTION: Turn Right at MACHU PICHU by Mark Adams. A man, a mountain, a rediscovery. Wild by Cheryl Strayed. A woman, a trail, 1,100 miles. FICTION: A Year On Ladybug Farm by Donna Ball. Three women, a farm, funny results! Weird Sisters by Elenore Brown. Three sisters, a family home, life experiences. EVENTS for MAY at LUCY'S BOOKS: Intuitive Catherine Al-Meten will be giving readings from 4:00p.m.-9:00p.m. at Lucy's Books, 348 12th Street, Astoria. Call to find out pricing and to reserve a time OR just walk in. 503-325-4210. See you in July!