Opinion
Books with a northern focus
Hopefully we have well and truly entered the season of mud. I don’t like it, but know that we have to get through this season to get to spring. It is very easy to stay indoors in this season and read in the evenings (or knit). Thus far this year I am working hard at alternating my reading between light, cozy titles and heavy reading of a variety of genres. I’ve read non-fiction social commentaries, histories, literary novels that explore social issues, and a classic or two that just took more energy to read as the language was dense. Keeping up, at least nominally with the news, means I have to keep reading light, cozy titles to stay healthy.
The best last sentences
I mentioned in last week’s column that I’d be sharing book prompt ideas two weeks in a row, because I forgot to include ideas in the column for Feb. 28. This week the prompt is to read titles based on the last sentence of the book. This was a prompt I borrowed from another list and had to go searching for books that were supposed to have the best last sentences. Here are eight titles that I’ve read that I could agree had a good last sentence. The subject matters vary tremendously, and they were written between 1868 and 2005, so other than their last sentence being a marvelous end to the book very little in common.
Margaret and George
Had some neighbors who were born in the early 1900’s: Margaret cautioned me but I didn’t have the capacity to understand; I now realize how truthful it is that “Getting older isn’t for sissy’s!”
Rules on school bus lights?
Question: Hello, we read your column every week. I’ve noticed more often lately on numerous occasions that when a school bus is stopped and dropping-off or picking-up kids, they do NOT have their red lights flashing or their STOP arm extended. The bus will only have the yellow lights flashing. When searching the internet for school bus rules/regulations I can only find information related to how other drivers are required to respond, rather I’m interested in what the bus driver is required to do. I was unaware that there are potential scenarios where the bus driver is not required to force traffic to stop.
Medical Adventure
Old adventurer-journalist here has previously reported on some life-style changes following 2013 idiopathic neuropathy diagnosis. New “Medical Adventure” with this affliction is reported herein.
Last week’s prompts: Classics
Oops! I was supposed to provide titles for the next reading challenge prompt in last week’s column and didn’t remember until it was too late to change my submission. I will provide title suggestions this week and next week will get back on schedule. So, you will get two prompts in a row. I did however remember to schedule the Facebook post with the prompts, so you can always check the library’s Facebook page to find the suggestions.
On the road in Roanoke
As we watch a white Christian patriarchy exert its influence in Washington, I think back to H.L. Mencken whom I admired back in eighth grade for his sharp tongue. I come from soft-spoken people who shunned mockery and I abandoned Mencken in my twenties when I became a romantic liberal but Project 2025 has made him relevant.
Churches, bake sales & fundraising
Visits from the preacher were far from everyday events but it appears they were welcome. Joe Mannausau recalled that all but one family in his area were Catholics and priests from either Fort Frances and later International Falls managed to see them about every two months. And how about Emma Anderson and George Watson, who proposed marriage, and they had to find out when a minister was going to be nearby. They found one but the full-time Baptist minister had to make a two- and half-day trip to officiate. It was attended by seven adults and two children, cost George $10.