It’s time for our Sunday morning chat. On Sundays, I ramble about what’s been going on, what the rest of the family and I have been reading and watching, and what I’ve been writing.
Last weekend my daughter and husband found a couple of cassette tapes in my late aunt’s old dresser. My aunt passed away in 2018 and I’m not sure how we didn’t see these tapes before but there they were — recordings that someone had made, we are not sure who, of my grandfather, great-grandmother and another relative on one cassette singing and, at least according to the label, my grandmother and grandfather on another cassette singing.
My grandfather played the harmonica and the Hawaiian steel guitar and had a band with his brothers at one time. I really didn’t know if my grandmother sang but apparently she did some with my grandfather, based on these recordings.
My mom is 81 (82 in August) and she said she wasn’t totally sure it was her parents, since it had been so long since she’d heard their voices. The more she listened, though, she thought it must be, but when they were much younger, which is why they didn’t sound as familiar.
I have not heard my grandmother’s voice since 2002 since she died in early 2003, but something about the laugh made me thin it was her.
I was only 9 when my grandfather died, so I can’t be sure it was him either.
My mom was certain the other woman on the other cassette was her grandmother. The first time we listened to it she was trying to hear the voices, be sure it was them. The second time we listened she cried, but didn’t say why, only saying it wasn’t about being sad. I think a lot of good memories of her grandmother came back hearing those songs.
I texted my great aunt and she confirmed that the voice on the one cassette tape were her brother (my grandfather) and her mother.
Grandpa played bluegrass-style music, or maybe it would be described as Apalachian-style.
The songs we heard on the cassettes were mainly hymns, with some instrumentals on either the Hawaiian steel guitar, the dobro, guitar, or harmonica.
I don’t know why, but I ended up with one of my grandfather’s harmonicas when he died.
I only saw my grandfather once a year since he lived in North Carolina and we lived in Pennsylvania, so I wasn’t very close to him. From what I hear, he wasn’t an easy man for anyone to get close to, but that’s another story for another day.
Quick update on the older cat: she’s doing much better but still not eating well. She is moving better, wants to cuddle more, and is on the mend, even though her left eye is still goopy. The other cats seem fully recovered and are actually back to being a bit annoying.
What I/We’ve Been Reading
Just Finished
I just finished The Cat Who Brought the House Down by Lilian Jackson Braun.
It was a very, slow, light cozy mystery with a pretty dark ending (though not described in detail). I enjoyed it even though it was more like reading a gentle vintage fiction book than a mystery. And that ending…it was like a Christie ending. Not bad, actually good, but really out of place for the rest of the book.
In Progress
I am slow reading Stillmeadow Daybrook by Gladys Taber. Since each chapter is a month, I plan to read a chapter a month. I am also reading Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, but had put it aside for a bit. I hope to pick it up again this week.
Stolen Past by Tara Randel, an Amish Inn Mystery, and The Silver Chair by C.S. Lewis.
Up Soon
I’ll be reading The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie soon for the 2026 Christie Reading Challenge.
What The Family is Reading
The Husband is on assignment for the paper so I didn’t get a chance to ask him what he’s been reading. Little Miss and I took a break from Heidi this week but are picking it back up this upcoming week during our last week of homeschool for a month.
New arrivals to my bookshelf
No new arrivals for now.
What I/We’ve Been Watching
This past week I watched The Other Bennett Sister, The Letter (a movie with Bette Davis that I wrote about), and A Caribbean Mystery – a Miss Marple Mystery with Joan Hickson.
A Caribbean Mystery was so well done and very close to the book. The people they cast for the characters were absolutely perfect — especially Mr. Rafiel. I am glad they got rid of a three of the characters from the book, though, because it was a little confusing at times and would have been even more confusing in a movie.
There were a few other changes from the novel, including a more prominent role of Island resident Inspector Weston in the movie/TV show. The actor was excellent and I actually enjoyed him being more involved.
The one woman’s American/Southern accent was atrocious though. I really wish the British productions would hire actual Americans for these roles or get someone who doesn’t butcher a Southern accent at least.
There were these horrid crickets or tree frogs or something sounding during many of the nighttime scenes and I wondered why they didn’t cut the sound out but toward the end I realized it created an unsettling feeling that added to the story/mystery.
What I’ve Been Writing
On the blog I shared:
- Spring of Bette: The Letter (1940)
- Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot for May 29
- Five Angela Lansbury movies I recommend
- Top Ten Favorite books by authors I like
- Sunday Bookends: More Agatha Christie and still sick cat
What I/We’ve Been Listening To
I am listening to Murder, She wrote: The Maine Mutiny by Donald Bain. It’s slow going because I usually only listen to audiobooks when I am driving and I have not been driving a lot lately. Or at least alone.
Photos From Last Week
Some Housekeeping
Erin (Still Life, With Cracker Crumbs) and I host a monthly bookish link party called A Good Book and A Cup of Tea. This link-up is for book and reading posts or anything related to books and reading (even movies based on books!). Each link party will be open for a month. You can find that link up for this month here.
Each week, I host the Weekend Traffic Jam Reboot with some great hosts. It goes live Thursday night, but you can share any kind of blog posts (family-friendly) there until Tuesday of each week. You can check my recent posts on the sidebar to the right for the most recent link party.
Now It’s Your Turn
What have you been doing, watching, reading, listening to, or writing?
This post is linked up with The Sunday Post at Kimba at Caffeinated Reviewer, Deb at with Deb at Readerbuzz, and Book Date: It’s Monday! What are you reading hosted by Kathyrn at The Book Date and Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Reading Reality.
Hello! Welcome to my blog. I am a blogger, homeschool mom, and I write cozy mysteries.
You can find my Gladwynn Grant Mystery series HERE.
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