Once Upon a Time… at the Stuart Public Library
by Lisa Sherman, Director
Open Monday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. For more information, visit www.stuartlibrary.orgor call 515-523-2152.
Cribbage players gather Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon, and Chair Yoga is offered Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 to 10:45 a.m.
New Books
Grand Expectations: The Joys and Dilemmas of Being a Grandparent by Celia Dodd. The wise guide to navigating family life as a grandparent Grandparents are more important in families than ever before, with millions providing free childcare. But while the joys of being a grandparent are widely celebrated, the challenges and dilemmas are often overlooked. What should you do if you don’t agree with your daughter-in-law’s parenting? Is it possible to build a close relationship with grandchildren when you live far apart? And above all, how do you juggle your own ambitions with your family’s needs? Celia Dodd speaks to grandmothers, grandfathers and adult children and draws on the latest research to help both generations negotiate what can at times be an emotional minefield. Grand Expectations shows how grandparents can harvest their wisdom and experience in nurturing these precious relationships.
A Life so True by Tracie Peterson. When Evie and Max meet, a connection spark between them. Then a suspicious fire sets Minneapolis ablaze, and Max and Evie fear the worst. Even amid the ashes of deception, can they build a life together?
More Rules for Aging: Making the Most of Your Ridiculous, Wondrous Life by Roger Rosenblatt. The key to enjoying this book is a willingness to turn every commonly held supposition on its head. A rule such as “Don’t use common sense” is useful if one realizes how little people prize common sense. “Screw it up royally” speaks to the indispensable value of making mistakes.
Song of the Saltings by Rachael King. On the isolated island of Brack, the people live by an ancient bargain: every year, a sacrifice must be made to the Glimm, the creature that haunts the salt marshes. Once, it demanded children. Eight years ago, it should have taken Lotta. Instead, the monster spared her and claimed her pony, shattering tradition and anointing her both folk hero and object of suspicion.
Until Midnight by Luanne Rice. When lies and betrayals are exposed, the perfect wedding becomes a nightmare. Rhode Island’s picturesque Ocean House is the perfect setting for Kate Woodward and Conor Reid’s fairy-tale wedding weekend. But there may not be a happily ever after.
What Would Maggie Do? A Triumph of Love on a Journey Through Dementia by Michael Maslinski. Michael’s charismatic and highly successful wife Maggie showed the first signs of dementia in her mid-fifties. His experience of caring for her is quite exceptional: he lived with her in a care home for nine years, overseeing every aspect of her care and medical treatment. Michael chose to do this as an act of love, not wanting to be separated from his wife nor to leave her alone. But the result was that a highly experienced business consultant lived inside the care system for nine years, observing, guiding and negotiating care and medical treatment on Maggie’s behalf, and is now able to share that story. In the experience of care professionals, this is unique.