Reading with my Finger in the Book

I am reading two books concurrently, Angle of Repose and The Troubled Man. I really don't know if I'm loving The Angle because of the book or because of the great discussions we are having at our weekly PALAC meetings or because it sort of reminds me of family. Wallace Stegner was born in Saskatchewan 3 years before my father, several hundred miles south of Dad's birthplace. He had a different life, at first a very hard life, then a very blessed life in that he got his college education and degree, then a very writerly life. Dad followed his own straightforward life from 8th grade to a skilled profession to retirement. In between he pursued his interests without benefit of degree. It all mixes together in my head. I L O V E this. I love the connections to my family in my mind, I love the depth of Stegner's writing, I love the discussions I have with these very interesting people.

We were talking last week about why the character in the book, Lyman, had such difficulty with his son. I asked the two men in the group if they had sons. If so, how did they feel they were doing? Poor Bob was the only guy with a son and he had completely disappointed him. Too much information. Boy, did I feel bad. But I remembered how Dad wanted his two very bright sons to be just like him. Engineers, bah. Can you build a fence? Sure, that was in my Beginning Engineering 101 class. Sons have it rough with dads and Lyman's son has it rough with him. And since the book is written from Lyman's viewpoint, poor Rodman does't have a chance. I'd probably like him, like I love and admire my brothers.

Also, Lyman is worried about the end of his life. After all, he is 60. Sigh. (And horribly crippled, but I still just hear 60.)

Then there is The Troubled Man. I slept through the first part last night, but I am catching up on all that today. What I know for sure is that Kurt Wallender's (the protagonist's) Dad died of Alzheimer's complications. In between solving an interesting mystery, he is dealing with his own aging. Yep. 60. These guys are such wimps. However, Wallender is displaying symptoms of Alzheimers. Just my feelings. He may just be experiecing overload. That's what I always tell myself when I forget. So, the story is good, but I am missing Per. He turned me on to Wallender. After reading my last Swedish mystery (there are so many) I chatted him that I wanted to cruise around there with him when he got better. He was a little sad that his father is dying and we couldn't go right away.

Per's funeral was Saturday. I could not tell his sisters that we loved and cared for him despite the outcome. All I could do was cry. But only about Per. At the funeral I talked to some people about health care benefits, others about people in their departments. But not about Per. Our dear friend Tom gave an endearing tribute to his friend. Per's friend and one time boss, Manny, told about Per training him on the pagination system and being scared shitless as that was happening. I talked to Manny later. I told him how much Per cared about him. Per was very particular. I slipped under the wire because I didn't have anything to do with the pagination system. We just lunched and socialized. My favorite thing was "what are you reading?" "What are you anxious to see?" "What do you recommend?" "What are you cooking?" It was my most stimulating time. Now I have PALAC. But no Per.

No "Hubba, hubba." No, "Hi, beautiful." No Per. But we know the Life is Good (LIG) and now we know that LGO (Life Goes On.) It does.