The Five

A little green is needed on a gray Minnesota day.

Here's what my five senses have been experiencing.

Sight

Oxygen by Carol Casella

I expected this book to be a fluff read. You know, a good book to read on a beach. Well, since it's winter here in Minnesota, maybe I should just say, a good book to curl up by the fireplace with. It was definitely much more than that. I request books from my library that I've read reviews of or heard about from friends. This one had so many requests. I've been waiting so long, I've forgotten where I heard about it.

Dr. Marie Heaton is a dedicated anesthesiologist. She loves the technical aspect of her job, yet it's her compassion that makes her an excellent physician. Jolene is a young girl under her care in the operating room for a relatively routine surgery. She's mentally retarded and the daughter of a single mother. Something goes terribly wrong during Jolene's surgery and she dies. All sharply pointing fingers of blame are aimed at Marie.

During the course of the investigation of Jolene's death, much comes out about Dr. Heaton. Her almost estranged relationship with her father is detailed as is her relationship with her friend and former lover. Dr. Heaton goes over and over every detail in an attempt to figure out just what went wrong during that surgery. While the ending wasn't surprising to me, I would imagine anyone without medical experience would miss the give away at the beginning. And, though not surprising, it was still cleverly presented.

Casella is clearly an excellent writer. She's able to convey her medical expertise, blending her technical skill with a talent for mixing words. I hope we will see much more from her.

Sound

Rock Ferry by Duffy

I just love this girl, her voice, her attitude. She's got it all goin' on. I downloaded this from iTunes as a reward for losing some weight. Those little goal gifts really help! She's soulful, her ballads are amazing, and if you don't sing along to Mercy, then there's just something wrong with you.

Scent

It's Not Banana Bread Snack Cake--I made it as cupcakes this time. 24 cupcakes, 3 WW Points each. Young One and his friends love these.

Taste

BBQ Chicken Legs. Chicken legs were on sale last week. Since they come in at about 1 Weight Watchers Point each, if skinless, they're a great option for me. I just drizzled with a little honey BBQ sauce, covered and baked for about an hour with some potatoes. Simple, kid friendly, and delicious. You must allow for the BBQ sauce when you count your Points.

Touch

The new kitchen light switch. We had horrible lighting in the kitchen. D ripped it out this week, creating much more of a mess than anyone should be allowed to make. But, I love the new lighting. Too bad the ceiling isn't finished yet, but I'm so thankful I have a husband that can do these things. I'm very lucky.