Kirjahaku

This illustrated book is the story told by Bear Donnelly, a 14 year old Bouvier de Flanders, of her life in the Donnelly household. Some of Bear's stories are happy ones, and some are not. Bear's younger sisters, Nellie and Rosie, also tell a bit about their lives.

This book is about a special group of women in their 90s, who can see age 100 on the horizon. It is based on interviews as well as informal conversations with them. All reside in a senior living community. All have had wonderful lives. And, all have experienced great loss, great sorrow in their long lifetimes. They have lost their parents, a husband or two, for some a child, siblings, other relatives and friends. They have given up the homes and neighborhoods where they raised their families. They've lost a lot physically as well and they know that growing older means having even harder times. But, they are in life to live. They each have a belief in their own capacity to live life even as they carry their losses. They understand that attitude is everything. They have mostly positive attitudes and an ability to accept the reality of what is. And as they age they find they actually gain a lot. This book explains all that from their points of view.

Steady as a Rock is a fully illustrated inspiring story, told in the first person, of a group of senior citizens who find relief from the complications of Parkinson's and much more by regularly attending a boxing class entitled Rock Steady Boxing. By working out together, friendships abound and participants find they are no longer fighting alone the effects of the disease. The book documents the benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone. To quote the words of one participant, "We work out hard. And we have fun. Sometimes we work out to our favorite music-music from the 60's and 70's-and for a brief time we feel like the carefree young adults we once were before Parkinson's controlled our movement." And another, "After so many months working out together, we truly are friends, we are there for each other".

Having secured her first, real full time job, the youngest of four was leaving home to live downtown in an apartment with a school buddy. Rather than lecture her on the do's and do not's of living on her own, the author decided to cull advice from her older siblings and cousins and distill it in a short book. Written from the daughter's perspective, MY FIRST APARTMENT offers guidance to those starting out on their own.

Ozzie, a black mutt, tells his story of being adopted by the large and active Cohn family from Jack's Dog Farm and finding adventure and love there, particularly with the youngest child Julie who arrived after he did. This is a heart warming tale of life on four paws.

From the moment they met, David and Naida were in love. This fully illustrated book follows them through their first 50 years and documents the best that a marriage and committed partnership can offer.

Amy was the fourth child of five, with two older brothers and an older sister and a younger one. She and her sister Anna, 14 months her senior, had a profound impact on each other. This fully illustrated book provides glimpses into the early years of their lives together and characterizes the best that sisters can offer each other as they grow up, even as they compete and strive for independence.

As she approached age 98, Mimi wanted to create something that would touch the whole family. Since we all love to eat and to cook the idea of a cookbook that contained the family favorites made all the sense. Here are the 60 odd favorites.