Even though he hasn’t got much in terms of material possessions, and neither do the families of the men who work with him, they come up with ways to help Ned and his daughter. I loved how Carlos begins to think of ways to bring back that joy. When Carlos finds out that Ned has a kid fighting cancer and that they have even less money than he does (he sends all of his to his mother and sisters in Mexico so they can get a education), he feels really bad about destroying the little bit of Christmas joy the handmade garland gave Ned and his daughter. The original reason for contact in an apartment building where people don’t really talk to each other is the popcorn garland Carlos spots on Ned’s balcony – a hazard considering the potential for animals like bugs or mice to be attracted to the openly displayed food. Set in Houston (so no snow anywhere!), it tells the story of Carlos and how he finds out about Ned, his new neighbor, and his struggle with everything from his five-year-old daughter’s chemotherapy and fight against leukemia to the dire financial straits that has left him in. This story is both heartbreaking and uplifting, showing exactly what Christmas should be about.
When she isn’t writing, knitting, or poking at her orchids, she spends her time marveling at her two teenagers, who never cease to amaze her with their capacity for love and acceptance and sports-they certainly didn’t get that from her!-and their refusal to accept injustice of any kind-she hopes they got that from her. Her orchid collection has outgrown her office and spilled over into the rest of her house (much to her children’s dismay), but that hasn’t stopped her from adding to her collection or from resuscitating any unhappy ones she finds. Her passion for yarn has resulted in an overflowing stash and more projects than she’ll probably finish in a lifetime, but that has yet to stop her from buying more. The rich history and culture of France, the flavors and scents of India, and the sunrise over Machu Picchu in particular have left indelible impressions and show up regularly in her writing. She has explored 45 states and 13 countries.
Ariel Tachna is a polyglot linguaphile with a passion for travel, yarn, orchids, and romance.
0 kommentar(er)
