I do not normally put a lot of my personal life on this blog – it’s all about the books.  But right now I need to make an exception to that rule.

You see my son, who is 36, has Spinal Muscular Atrophy – if you’ve ever watched the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon in the past, SMA is one of those diseases..

On December 23, 2016 (hours ago) the FDA approved Spinraza as a treatment drug for patients of all ages who suffer with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.  What that means to us out here in the world is a drug that will be taken every day for the rest of the patient’s life… that has the ability to reverse the affects of Spinal Muscular Atrophy.  It’s a treatment.  Is it a cure?  Depends on your interpretation of that word… to me the answer is YES.

For millions of people around the world – today is a very, very good day.

I’ve never sobbed such happy tears in my life as I am right now, even as I’m writing this.

Here is a link to the breaking news announcement that explains just why we’re so excited about this… FDA Approves Spinraza for SMA

I do not have adequate words to express my emotions right now.  Unbelievable joy and thankfulness is as close as I can get.

…and… that’s a wrap.

The last of the reviews I’d committed to for 2016 from NetGalley has been published, and now I can sit back for the first time in months knowing that I’m done and on time.  I still have a few review requests to put the finishing touches on but I think I can safely say that I accomplished what I intended to.

I love NetGalley.  I enjoy having the chance to read authors that I don’t know yet.  But I’ve also learned that it’s so very easy to bite off more than I should.  I’m going to be rethinking how I utilize NetGalley in 2017.  I know I do not want the forced massive readings I felt I had to do in order to accomplish this wrap up of commitments ever again.  I run Keeper Bookshelf – and my other genre specific book review blogs – because I love to read, to discover new authors and make some new friends along the way.  I don’t want to lose that, and I was in serious danger of closing down the blogs.  This is a hobby, an enjoyment and when that changes I need to rethink what I’m doing.

I’m going to take some time to enjoy “this most wonderful time of year”, do some reading (for pure enjoyment), post a few reviews, work on my holiday blog and wrap up on the other bogs for 2016.  Keeper Bookshelf and Shifter Haven will always be my babies, my review blog babies, but I may do some streamlining and revising on the others.  And to be honest, not feeling that I simply have to get reviews up because I made a commitment will give me the breathing room I need to make those other decisions.  In any event I’m going to keep a much tighter rein on my NetGalley requests in 2017 – I can always add more if time permits, it’s not possible to give them back when I’ve got too much on the plate.  And this year has proven to me that indeed “Life Happens” and it doesn’t care one little bit about what other plans you’ve made, ya know?

So – I’m proud of getting the NetGalley books read and reviewed.  It was an adventure, that’s for sure.  I’ll be around, maybe just a little less in these last days of 2016.  It’s been one helluva year.  *smile*

I should apologize.  But I’m not sure that I honestly need to – more like, I hope you won’t leave my feed when you see too many notices coming in from @keeperbookshelf over the next few days.

As the end of the year approaches I, like many people, am trying to get caught up on 2016.

There have been times this year when I’ve been away from the computer when I finished a book.  Usually I head straight to write up the review and either post or schedule it for later.  But there are times when I cannot do that, it’s then that I’ll take notes or write up a review on paper to post when I can get to the computer again.

It’s those reviews that I need to get published, so you’ll see an increase of postings across my blogs for the next few days.  It won’t last long, but it does need to get done.

So (sad puppy eyes)… please don’t leave.  But I do need to keep to my commitments.

Thanks… ((HUGS))

There are moments that stay in one’s memories.  A kitten fetching a pom-pom tiny “ball” and bringing it back to me over and over again for me to toss one more time.  The indignant glare when a water dish was dry.  The contented purr when I found just the right spot under his chin.  The constant head butting to insure that I was paying attention.  The heavy weight of a sleeping cat on my lap.

Sunday, my sweet boy left this earth for, hopefully, fields of catnip and constant sunshine.  He was over two decades old, he had lost the spring in his pounce, he was deaf, it obviously hurt to walk around and he couldn’t see us very well anymore.  But he was still our Charlie.  Defender of a young boy, comforter to that boy’s mom.

It’s too quiet here now.  We’re missing a heartbeat.  I don’t think I’m going to get much done today.  I keep staring off into space, and wiping away tears.

If you’ve ever loved a pet then you know how I’m feeling today.  My heart is broken.

Vacations are a wonderful invention, but like all good things they eventually come to a close.

Now it’s back to the books – the reviewing of novels – for me.

I had my fun, an amazing trip, a visit to the Las Vegas edition of the Titanic Exhibit – which was simply stunning and moving beyond words… but I did spend some time on the Kindle, so it’s back to the non-vacation fun stuff for me.

…and I have to admit, it’s going to be a really good feeling to sleep in my own bed tonight *grin*

Sometimes you just gotta cut  loose – so I’m heading to Vegas, baby.  Gamble?  Nah, I’m guaranteed to lose but there is more in Sin City than gambling.   Plus the surrounding area is stunningly beautiful so some day trips are happening as well.

I hope you all have a safe and fun week – and I’ll be back in touch next Wednesday.

Viva Las Vegas!   (in my poorly done imitation of Elvis.  *grin*)

On this day lives changed forever.  And on this day all those years ago I, like many Americans and other people around the world, vowed to never forget the lives that were taken, the men and women who walked into the chaos as others ran away.  Life was changed.

So today – I remember and honor those people… and the loved ones that were left behind.

I am so happy to introduce this beauty.  She doesn’t have an official name just yet – we’re going to get to know her personality a bit before giving her that forever name.  But I’ve been referring to her as Bella or Baby Girl because she is a beautiful baby girl puppy.

She’s a Shetland Sheepdog or otherwise known as a Sheltie… actually she is definitely a mini-collie. in looks  🙂

Sheltie’s are natural herders – and we have a 20 year old cat and a 3 year old cat… so this is going to be interesting.

She is the pup of championship dogs, but since she has a slight under-bite she could never be shown or expected to win.  How sad is that?  But that’s fine, it simply means that she gets to come to us for a forever loving home.

We get to pick her up tomorrow – and I cannot wait to get my hands on that fluffy bit of cuteness.

Come on – look at that face is she not adorable?  *grin*

Computers hate me.  Yeah.  They really do.  *sigh*

I was going along, working like every day and out of nowhere *BAM*  *SMACK* … *Dead*

With the help of my computer whiz son over the last week we’ve pretty much rearranged this bad boy’s innards enough to get it working again… with a brand spanking new one on order.  So, for now, I’m workable… I think.  Guess time will tell.

So, with sincere apologies I’m now back at work writing up the reviews of the books I’ve had time to read (between doing computer surgery) while I was unplugged.  It really is no fun being unplugged when it’s not for a fun thing, like a vacation.  Nope.  Not one little bit.