Monday, October 21, 2024

Three Beautiful Things 10-20-2024: My Reading Gone Barbados, Autumn Themed Family Dinner, Former Oregon Duck Sparks the NY Liberty

 1. I have started reading another book on the Leah Sottile list. Entitled Washington Black, written by Esi Edugyan, so far it's the story of a teenaged slave in Barbados named George Washington "Wash" Black. He works the sugar cane fields on a plantation named Faith. The aged master of the plantation dies and a horribly cruel nephew of the original cruel master inherits the plantation and imposes a reign of ultra authoritarian terror. This new master's brother visits Faith and the brother takes Wash into his care to work as his assistant in his scientific explorations, observations, and experiments. 

The brother, named Titch, is benevolent and so, at least in the book's early chapters, Wash's life takes a turn for the better, much better. 

2. Tonight Christy, Carol, Paul, Debbie, and I met at the Roberts' home for a proper autumn dinner. Well, I'm not sure the appetizer I brought, smoked salmon bits atop a lemon chive cheese spread over a rice cracker was much of a fall offering, but Carol's pot roast and vegetables, her gluten free biscuits, and Christy'a autumn salad were all befitting the change in season. 

Our discussions roamed all over the place:  television programs, stereotypes, the upcoming World Series, life at Pinehurst Elementary School, and more. 

It was a delicious, comforting dinner with good vibes all around the table. 

3. While we ate dinner, the NY Liberty and the Minnesota Lynx were playing the deciding game of their best 3 out of 5 championship series in Brooklyn. 

I quietly checked the score from time to time, but as the only person genuinely interested, I kept my yap shut about the game, even as it went into overtime. I didn't say anything when the Liberty triumphed either. 

Trust me, if you were a follower of women's basketball and couldn't check in on this game and I told you the Liberty's 67-62 victory was significantly fueled by a player who played for the Oregon Ducks, you would surely, for very good reason, assume I was talking about Sabrina Ionescu.

But, no! 

Ionescu had a terrible night shooting -- but contributed solid assists and rebounds -- and the former Duck who sparked the Liberty's victory, off the bench, was Nyara Sabally. Injuries riddled Sabally's playing days at Oregon and, hurt, she sat out her first seaaon in the WNBA. She played limited minutes this season for the Liberty, but tonight she more than rose to the occasion of this championship game, scoring 13 points and snaring 7 rebounds and had a key steal, a crucial blocked shot, and a significant rebound in the overtime period.

I didn't see the game, but I read all about it and, within myself, not out loud, I let loose with a great big GO DUCKS!

I hope Nyara Sabally can build upon her great contribution tonight and get more playing time, stay healthy, and become a solid player in the WNBA.

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