Record Breaking

 

On January 14th, Zagreb recorded its biggest snowfall in 87 years, topping out at around 26 inches.  Apparently we brought some Minnesota with us.  

 

With this much snow, you might as well build a luge.

This is the street Reese's school is on.  It's barely wide enough for 2 cars when there isn't any snow...and then it looked like this. 

 

The Croatians have not latched on to the capitalistic fortune of snow such as this, which in the Twin Cities means declaring a snow emergency and towing all of the poor sucker's cars who happen to be parked on the streets during said emergency.  Nope, they just spew kindness and leave these cars be.  Which is great until you actually have to drive down such a street.  It's loads of fun when you meet a car head on.

Fortunately, a weekend of rain has washed most of the snow away. 

 

Pages Turned

I've been logging books I've read and those I want to read on goodreads.com for a few years...it's a nice way to keep track of all things books.  In 2012 I read 25 books.  And gave 4 of them 5 stars, which is the highest rating offered.  And in a nice, orderly way, 2 are fiction and 2 are non-fiction.

Here are my favorites.

Fiction:

Rules of Civility

by Amor Towles

Rules of Civility 4.01  ·  rating details  ·  24,555 ratings  ·  4,134 reviews

On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar with her boardinghouse roommate stretching three dollars as far as it will go when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker with royal blue eyes and a tempered smile, happens to sit at the neighboring table. This chance encounter and its startling consequences propel Katey on...more On the last night of 1937, twenty-five-year-old Katey Kontent is in a second-rate Greenwich Village jazz bar with her boardinghouse roommate stretching three dollars as far as it will go when Tinker Grey, a handsome banker with royal blue eyes and a tempered smile, happens to sit at the neighboring table. This chance encounter and its startling consequences propel Katey on a yearlong journey from a Wall Street secretarial pool toward the upper echelons of New York society and the executive suites of Condé Nast--rarefied environs where she will have little to rely upon other than a bracing wit and her own brand of cool nerve.

Wooed in turn by a shy, principled multi-millionaire and an irrepressible Upper East Side ne'er-do-well, befriended by a single-minded widow who is a ahead of her time,and challenged by an imperious mentor, Katey experiences firsthand the poise secured by wealth and station and the failed aspirations that reside just below the surface. Even as she waits for circumstances to bring Tinker back into her life, she begins to realize how our most promising choices inevitably lay the groundwork for our regrets.

 

 

The Fault in Our Stars

by John Green (Goodreads Author)

The Fault in Our Stars 4.54  ·  rating details  ·  138,615 ratings  ·  22,679 reviews

Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxy...more Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind.

 

Non-Fiction:

 

 

What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love

by Carole Radziwill

What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship, and Love 4.06  ·  rating details  ·  3,381 ratings  ·  628 reviews

 

"What Remains" is a vivid and haunting memoir about a girl from a working-class town who becomes an award-winning television producer and marries a prince, Anthony Radziwill, one of a long line of Polish royals and nephew of President John F. Kennedy. Carole Radziwill's story is part fairy tale, part tragedy. She tells both with great candor and wit.Carole grew up in a small suburb with a large, eccentric cast of characters. She spent her childhood summers with her grandparents and an odd assortment of aunts and uncles in their poorly plumbed A-frame on the banks of a muddy creek in upstate New York.

At the age of nineteen, Carole struck out for New York City to find a different life. Her career at ABC News led her to the refugee camps of Cambodia, to a bunker in Tel Aviv, to the scene of the Menendez murders. Her marriage led her into the old world of European nobility and the newer world of American aristocracy.

"What Remains" begins with loss and returns to loss. A small plane plunges into the ocean, carrying John Kennedy, Anthony's cousin, and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Carole's closest friend. Three weeks later Anthony dies of cancer. The summer of the plane crash, the four friends were meant to be cherishing Anthony's last days. Instead, Carole and Anthony mourned John and Carolyn, even as Carole planned her husband's memorial.

Carole Radziwill has an anthropologist's sensibility and a journalist's eye. She writes about families--their customs, their secrets, and their tangled intimacies-- with remarkable acuity and humanity. She explores the complexities of marriage, the importance of friendship, and the challenges of self-invention with unflinching honesty. This is acompelling story of love, loss, and, ultimately, resilience.

 

 

 

Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard

by Liz Murray

Breaking Night: A Memoir of Forgiveness, Survival, and My Journey from Homeless to Harvard 4.19  ·  rating details  ·  3,879 ratings  ·  841 reviews

 

In the vein of "The Glass Castle," "Breaking Night" is the stunning memoir of a young woman who at age fifteen was living on the streets, and who eventually made it into Harvard.
Liz Murray was born to loving but drug-addicted parents in the Bronx. In school she was taunted for her dirty clothing and lice-infested hair, eventually skipping so many classes that she was put into a girls' home. At age fifteen, Liz found herself on the streets when her family finally unraveled. She learned to scrape by, foraging for food and riding subways all night to have a warm place to sleep.
When Liz's mother died of AIDS, she decided to take control of her own destiny and go back to high school, often completing her assignments in the hallways and subway stations where she slept. Liz squeezed four years of high school into two, while homeless; won a "New York Times" scholarship; and made it into the Ivy League. "Breaking Night" is an unforgettable and beautifully written story of one young woman's indomitable spirit to survive and prevail, against all odds.

 

Honorable Mention

I give an "Honorable Mention" to this one, to which I gave 4 stars.  I gave it 4 stars when I finished reading it, and not 5, because I was dissatisfied with the ending...but the more I think I about it, the more I think the ending was realistic for that cast of characters.  It was a really good read.

 

 

Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn (Goodreads Author)

Gone Girl 4.00  ·  rating details  ·  151,544 ratings  ·  32,134 reviews

Marriage can be a real killer.

One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presen...more Marriage can be a real killer.

One of the most critically acclaimed suspense writers of our time, New York Times bestseller Gillian Flynn takes that statement to its darkest place in this unputdownable masterpiece about a marriage gone terribly, terribly wrong.

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?

With her razor-sharp writing and trademark psychological insight, Gillian Flynn delivers a fast-paced, devilishly dark, and ingeniously plotted thriller that confirms her status as one of the hottest writers around.

Happy 4th!

Reese rounds out the holiday and birthday madness of November and December with her birthday, which is on January 10th.  How can my baby be 4?

We didn't do much in the way of celebrating...just a quiet day at home and out for dinner.  She was thrilled to get some castle furniture and Sleeping Beauty figurines from us.  All of that was supposed to go along with the main prize - a castle!  However, the Amazon mail fairies didn't play nice with my timing.  Instead, we opened it yesterday, along with a LaLoopsy house from Aunt Julie.  And then she didn't bother me for four.solid.hours.  Needless to say, she was quite pleased with her new loot. Imaginative little girl, this one!

Interview with Reese, age 4:
What is your favorite color?  Pink.
What is your favorite toy?  Sleeping beauty figures.
What is your favorite fruit?  Bananas and oranges!  (Keep in mind, this is pretty much all we have here)
What is your favorite cartoon?  SpongeBob
What is your favorite thing to have for lunch?  Mac and cheese!
What is your favorite animal?  A giraffe.
What is your favorite song?  Call Me Maybe
What is your favorite book?  The Snowy Day
Who is your best friend?  Will
What is your favorite cereal?  Cheerios
What is your favorite thing to do outside?  Play on the swings
What is your favorite drink?  Like beer?  Milk and water.
What is your favorite holiday?  Like winter.
What is your favorite thing to wear?  Dresses!
What is your favorite thing to sleep with at night?  Mimi and Bubba (Blanket and Stuffed Dog)

Missing

After months of determined wiggling, Ava's top front tooth finally, finally came out.  With a little help from Dad.  In Italy.

The Tooth Fairy got word, showed up, and left 10 kuna for Ava.  10 kuna!  At about 5.5 to the dollar, that equals about $1.81.  She's pretty excited about her new look.  :-)

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday!

We got back to Zagreb on the 23rd and all had the next few days off to celebrate Christmas and Scot's birthday on the 26th. 

On Christmas Eve morning, Scot met some friends out at a park (it was unseasonably warm that day) while I fought the crowds at the grocery store.

Incidentally, Christmas Eve crowds are no less busy here than they are back home.  A universal truth, I suppose.

When they came home, I had some of our family favorites on the ready - Rye Bread Snacks and Nachos.  No better way to spend the holiday than with some cheddar cheese.  :-)

After naps, it was time to start celebrating.  Spaghetti dinner and then a series of Skype calls!  Technology is fabulous.  We called Grandma Nola and Grandpa Bud first and the girls opened their presents from them while we chatted.  Then we called Julie and Marilyn and Chuck and Sandy.  The girls were in a whirlwind of new stuff and couldn't be happier.  We are very lucky to have such great family...and nearly everything arrived on time!  There were only a few stragglers that came after Christmas.  Many thanks to all!

The girls went to bed around 9 and Scot and I watched a few more episodes of Breaking Bad, which is our latest obsession.  Julie was nice enough to feed our obsession with Seasons 3 and 4.  :-)

Santa thankfully found his way to Dedici 1, with piles of presents left for the girls sometime in the middle of the night.  In the morning, the girls opened up their presents from Santa and inhaled a few Kinder Eggs that he left in their stockings.  That evening we were invited to a friend of friend's house.  I admit, I wasn't particularly excited about spending Christmas with people I didn't know very well...but I bucked up and we all went, and ended up having a really great time.  Our Embassy friends Lika and Jack, with son David (8) were the ones who invited us and they had met this couple at an event last year and had gotten to be good friends with them over time.  Barbara and Andy are about our age - she is Croatian and he is English, and they were a riot.  They had an amazing spread of food and liquor and loud music.  The kids had a grand time playing David's new Xbox Kinect.  It wasn't like being home, of course, with family and "old" friends, but it was the next best thing.

The 26th was a Croatian Holiday and Scot's birthday.  Let the countdown to 40 begin :-)  Our friends Mica and Todd had people over for brunch that day, given that all of the Embassy staff had the day off.  We had a nice time visiting with the adults, and the kids, as usual, had a great time playing with all of their buddies.  I'm trying to remember what we did in the evening - I think it was pretty quiet.  Dinner and tv, perhaps.  Oh, and this, which in actuality may have been a few days later...but it was too great of a picture not to post.  Scot getting pampered by his two daughters and the long-awaited Orbeez Soothing Spa, which Santa left for Ava.

Vienna

After receiving our SUV in mid December, we decided to take it for a spin...to Vienna, Austria, which is a 4 hour drive from Zagreb.  We staked out a hotel on the outskirts of the city on the Danube River.  It turned out to be a great spot - it was a very nice hotel, with a friendly (English speaking) staff, beautiful decor, great amenities, and a spacious room by European standards.  Our SUV stayed parked in the lot and we used the subway to get around the city, which we all enjoyed.

Some highlights of our trip:
The Christmas Markets - they do them here in Zagreb, but not anywhere near the size and scale that they boast in Vienna.  Mulled wine, hot cocoa, warm milk...they had something for everyone.  The lights and atmosphere were incredible and there were so many beautiful things to look at.

Schönbrunn Palace - This was an enormous estate, that for many years housed the Austrian royal family.  It now belongs to the country itself.  We had fun touring the Children's Museum portion of the palace and walking around the expansive backyard grounds.  And it wouldn't be a site in Austria in December without a Christmas market of its own.  We bought several ornaments at this one.  And the usual mulled wine (Scot and me), hot cocoa (Ava) and warm milk (Reese).  :-)

The Giant Ferris Wheel (Riesenrad) - This was a subway stop between downtown Vienna and our hotel, so we hopped off to take it for a spin.  It was a pretty incredible piece of equipment, standing 200 feet high, built in 1897.  It actually was destroyed in World War II, but was rebuilt in 1945.  It offered amazing views of Vienna in all directions.  The ferris wheel was in the middle of a large amusement park, which would be fun to see again in warmer weather.

Mall - there was a mall adjacent to the subway stop by our hotel.  We stopped there for some shopping and discovered a play area with very inexpensive babysitting (not free like Zagreb but it was like $4 for 2 hours for both girls).  The girls were in heaven as the play area extended the three levels of the mall.  No, not a European historical site by any means, but a pragmatic stop.  Kids aren't necessarily entertained by all of the history, as incredible as it is to us. Gave Scot and I a good sanity check as well.  :-)

Butterfly Museum - This isn't probably something Scot and I would have seen solo, but again, we were looking to temper our adult sightseeing interests with that of the kids.  So, we ended up here and it was a really cute little greenhouse with hundreds of butterflies swarming about.  It didn't hurt that it was also warm and humid inside, against a cold and rainy Sunday morning.

St. Stephen's Cathedral (St. Stephansdom) - Wow.  Just wow.  This cathedral was amazing.  And it was even more beautiful with the lighted display for Advent.  We lit 3 candles for Diane, Gardy, and Margie.  The day we were there was actually the 8th anniversary of Margie's death, hard to believe.

Starbucks - Ah, a taste of America.  I hadn't had a supersized, sugared, chocolated coffee in 3 months.  It was delicious.