It’s that time of year again: BACK-TO-SCHOOL.

Have you noticed all the special deals and sales retailers have going? I decided I’d better jump on that bandwagon, too.

Here’s my 99¢ special deal, in case you missed it the first time around:
Going All In On Love

My granddaughters aren’t all that excited about starting a new school year, but I remember being thrilled to return to elementary school, meeting a new teacher, seeing all my friends.

Of course, summers were longer waaaay back then. Classes didn’t start until after Labor Day. Now, it’s mid-August for my girls.

So, Paul and I decided to squeeze in one last outing with them. This time to: Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad near the little mountain town of Fish Camp on Highway 41. (We even talked big sister Daisy and her friend Rylee Paige into joining us.)

We almost gave the actual “logger” car a try, but the sun was hot, so we joined the multitude in the shady “covered carriages” instead.

Our engine was #402. Our conductor shared a lot of interesting facts about the logging that went on in years past.

It was a fun little trip, and since the RR is just a few miles from Yosemite National Park’s south entrance, we decided to enjoy our picnic (sushi for the girls and a deli sandwich for us) on the lawn of the old Wawona Hotel.

The girls are all back in school, now. I can’t believe how fast these years are zooming past.

Paul and I played hooky for a few days with our friends, Fred and Colleen, at Bagby State Campground. We enjoyed the high water and—what we hoped—was the last of the summer heat.

Our family joined us on Saturday for Paul’s birthday. We played in the water, laughed a lot, and gathered around for dinner and cake. What nobody planned for was a surprise squall that felt like a mini-hurricane!

A few minutes after the photo above was shot, a gale-force wind blew in carrying a boatload of loose sand with it. Everything went flying: tents, canopies, water toys, life preservers, clothes and towels. People tried to save our dinner by tossing dishes of food to me inside the RV…quickly followed by every body (many blinking and nearly blinded by sand in their eyes).

It wasn’t the meal anyone planned, but, hey, we were safe, a few dishes were sand-free (a couple of others were extra crunchy), and we were together.

FYI: we ate the cake for breakfast!

As promised, here’s my review for SMALL TOWN BIG MAGIC. This completes August’s ToBeRead books. I hope you enjoyed one or two…or more.

Here are my picks for September.

THE STARFISH SISTERS by Barbara O'Neal

THERE'S NO COMING BACK FROM THIS by Ann Garvin

TWO SIDES OF A SECRET by Kelly Cain

ONCE AND AGAIN by Barbara McMahon, Linda Barrett, Kathryn Shay, Rogenna Brewer, Debra Salonen, Lisa Mondello, Karen Sandler, Day & Dre Leclaire

This month, I want to try something new… If you send me a link to your review/s (good, bad, or otherwise) at debsalonen@gmail.com, your name will be entered into a drawing for a $20 Amazon gift card. (Winner announced in the first newsletter of October.)

Happy reading, my friends!

Deb

Coming Next:

9/7: Cover Reveal: a new look for an old favorite and upcoming RV travel plans.