February 15, 2008. Canyon Lake, Tx. Books.

"No Angel" is the name of the book given to me for Christmas from my friend Wendy. The author is Penny Vincenzi. It is one on a trilogy, the others being "Something Dangerous" and "Into Temptation". I am loving the book for many reasons, not the least being the position of women in the 20TH Century, something that has been a major interest to me over my life. The Family involved is also interesting and not trivial, beginning from 1904 onward. Of course, I have not read the third book, so do not know when into the Century the novels end, but the time period is certainly within my memory bank of that time. My Mother was born in 1902 and I very often discussed with my Mother her upbringing and her education and the position of women in the world. I often heard her say "This is a man's world", from the architecture of houses to the choices of professions. For example, The Salvation Army was ahead of it's time, and required the women to be Officers also in the organization in order to be married. That having said, it was the man who received the new job, and the woman just went along to find something else to do in that area. My Mother and Father were very happily married and my Father was an able person, but Mother commented about other couples that the wife was so much more able than the husband, but they were stuck ih the husband's job due to his lack of expertise. She would complain about carrying the laundry down two flights of floors to the basement, then hauling the clean clothes outside to the clothesline on the basement level. then trudging the clothes up the three floors back up to the bedrooms. Her comment would always be to allow the women to design the houses where the laundry would be close to the bedrooms. She would love to be here to see the options open to women today. The Houghton Family, her family, had five children. three boys and two girls and I have always been interested to realize that all three boys were educated well with degrees from University, but neither of the girls went beyond high school. My Aunt Miriam went to nursing school, after she became a Salvation Army Officer while my Mother, prior going to The Salvation Army Training College and becoming an officer, worked as a telephone switchboard operator. So I was early on indirectly been exposed to the rights and opportunities of women in the twentieth century. This book, 'No Angel', deals with these issues along with lots of other themes. It is a book worth reading. Now I must read quickly so I can pass it on to Suzanne. She will love reading about these people.

The crew will be arriving any time now, to spend the weekend here at the lake. I am not sure what there is to do at the lake in the winter, but we will soon find out. Last evening Ken and I went to a new restaurant in Canyon Lake, so perhaps we will go there for lunch. The food was great, the service was quick and the cost was under fifteen dollars total. Of course they do not have their liquor license but the place was full. Evidently you bring your own wine or beer. It was interesting in that at least five men, all in their forty's, were waiting on tables. We think they own it. All the Winter Texans are arriving and they eat out a lot. Certainly last night was full when we left. It is one of the pleasures of life to find a new restaurant, especially when it is inexpensive. You never really get over being brought up without many financial resources, for good or ill. The young people are really stressed out because they have always lived with affluence. They are learning. Now I hear the car arriving so the fun will begin.