What a week. The last week before vacation is always super long, and this week was painful to get through. I COULD NOT wait for it be over. We had the normal stuff going on but with the holidays approaching, I was forced to buy a few gifts and I committed to donating some things so I found myself at the MALL after my dental appointment yesterday.
Oh my.
The mall was all decked out and crowded. I do not like crowds but I managed to get a premium parking spot (good timing) which  made me want to stay there longer and for a split second, I had it in my head that I’d do my shopping, all of it. Ha! Don’t worry though, I came to my senses quickly and picked up what I went there for and took off like a bat out of hell.
Right now, on this super chilly morning, I am enjoying cheese grits and some really good coffee while listening to Bing Crosby. The Otter Pup found a ray of sunshine to bask in, and the house is nice and quiet. We don’t have anywhere to go to today as I finished all my errands yesterday so today is all about relaxing.
What am I reading?
Nadia and I decided to read Sputnik Sweetheart by Haruki Murakami this week. We were both hankering for Murakami’s writing so I put it out there for others and a few decided to drink the Kool-aid with us. We’ll be on Twitter off and on this week chatting about the book (#readingsputnik).
I just finished World War Z and will be writing up my thoughts on that one soon. Not sure what I expected exactly but I thought it was a tad tame. The Abominable by Dan Simmons is soooo good that I find myself savoring it a bit too much. It’s a library check out and I’ve already renewed it once. I have to finish it soon or risk an overdue notice. Eeep.
Do you find yourself gravitating towards certain kinds of books this time of year? The Abominable is all about Mount Everest so I am literally freezing my tush off every time I pick it up.
As some of you know I am off all this week and planning our annual Thanksgiving in PJs. BUT, this week my nephews are coming to visit. My one nephew is bringing his family which includes three sweet little girls so we will be visiting with them at some point after the holiday itself. The Girl is really looking forward to seeing them.
What am I cooking?
Another Sunday without any cooking. We are hitting a Mexican market later to pick up a Chicken Picnic which is rotisserie chicken (2), fresh tortillas, rice beans and salsa. Why cook when someone else can do it for you?
What am I watching?
Last night we watched Weird Science. It’s not the weekend around here unless we work an 80’s movie into the mix. Tonight is The Walking Dead but in between, I may watch a Christmas movie in there somewhere. Maybe, Love Actually. I ADORE that movie and isn’t Andrew Lincoln in it? Yes, he is the hunky guy with the signs, right?
I’m really in the mood to see Home for the Holidays with Holly Hunter, but I don’t own it and my DVR says it’s coming on the first week in December so I must wait. It’s the perfect movie to watch around Thanksgiving. Â Crazy family, good acting and Robert Downey, Jr.
What are you doing today?
Book Chatter 
Today I am baking cookies for Thanksgiving. Pumpkin chocolate chip and my Grandma Ida’s cookies which are essentially butter cookies. Both traditions.
On the reading front, I am listening to American Dervish and just finished Elinor Lipman ‘s new book of essays titled I Can’t Complain. Next up is Lisa Lutz and Trail of the Spellmans!
We will be making Snickerdoodles later for my son’s chemistry assignment. He has to convert the recipe to a chemical equation and then the teacher will eat and grade the cookie too. Has to be good!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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We will be making Snickerdoodles later for my son’s chemistry assignment. He has to convert the recipe to a chemical equation and then the teacher will eat and grade the cookie too. Has to be good!
Happy Thanksgiving!
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Ti, I’m super stoked about reading Murakami this week 🙂 Your idea of picking up a chicken picnic sounds smart to me – I’m definitely not in the mood for cooking today, since I will be cooking up a storm this week. I’ve finally written out my grocery shopping list for Thanksgiving, finished reading The House Girl, plan on watching The Walking Dead tonight, and am about to figure out what to eat for lunch/dinner. So far this weekend has been nice and relaxing – the perfect way rest up for this coming week and all it holiday fun.
I wrote out a grocery list and missed so many items that I had to go to the store THREE times. I hate the market!
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I’m with you on the mall. We’ve lived here a little over 6 years and I bet I’ve been to the mall a dozen times. I don’t even know my way around there.
It’s a shame really because the mall is so pretty at Christmas, but how can you enjoy it with the crowds of people everywhere? You can’t even hear the Christmas music.
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I hate the crowds as well and when I need to shop, I go for exactly what I want and then head straight to the counter, self-checkout preferably. Then I’m off that place. I usually send the husband for any kinds of shopping. He will spend all day there if he could.
No one likes lines of people but I am usually okay getting what I need during this busy time, but this past Saturday, I could not tolerate it. I got what I needed and my daughter asked to visit the Disney store and they were having a buy one, get one for a $1 sale and it was so freakin’ crowded, I was getting twitchy. Strollers, crying babies, bratty kids. I had to leave.
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As I’ve mentioned elsewhere to you, this week is a down week for me too. I’m down with getting down basically, except for a few hours tomorrow at the library and being on call Thanksgiving for another job, for which I may or may not be called out. Other than that, I’m planning on reading. Number 1 on the list: Ace of Skulls by Chris Wooding. Other than that, we’ll see.
Happy Anniversary to you and your wife! I saw the post about the award she received. Congrats to her! Glad you guys got to celebrate. My plan for today is hole up with a book or two. I am reading Murakami’s Sputnik Sweetheart for an impromptu read along and I had to force myself to stop reading as I was getting too far ahead. I am also reading The Abominable which is getting to be really good now that I passed the 200 page mark. As soon as the kids head out to school I am turning the news off and listening to Yo Yo Ma.
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Your Thanksgiving sounds amazing – both the food and the PJ’s. I’m so jealous!!
I can’t tell you how fun Thanksgiving in PJs is. We all love it. Makes the day so much fun and we still use the good china and all that which makes it funny too.
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I needed to run errands today, but after a baptism and a play we attended, I just could not subject myself to the mall or Target. I knew it was going to be packed. Ugh! I am guessing it will be like that from now until Christmas. I am so going to have to online shop. That is the only way I think I can handle it. Enjoy your relaxing Thanksgiving.
From here on out, shopping on the weekends will be difficult. I just do not like crowds and I hate that everything will be picked over after Thursday and Friday. My husband and I try to do a little shopping on the Saturday after Thanksgiving but he probably won’t want to go if it’s still crazy. Before, you knew to avoid stores on a given day but now with these extended door busters, it just goes on and on!
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We never left the house today, and I enjoyed every minute indoors. Spent a lot of time browsing cookbooks for new Thanksgiving ideas.
Have a Happy PJ Thanksgiving
I am going to play around with some gluten free roll recipes. Last year’s rolls were good right out of the oven, but horrible the next day. The four is too expensive to goof up too many times. All I need is one good roll with the meal.
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What page did the Abominable start picking up? I feel like seeing Love Actually again too. I’m going to the OC for Thanksgiving! wow
The Abominable picks up at around page 200.
OC for Thanksgiving! It is supposed to rain a little but probably not that close to the shore.
I dont think my reading changes this time of year other than the fact that I have more time to read this time of year which is always a “yay”!
Sounds like you are a busy bee, as usual. I hope that all is well. I haven’t even started holiday shopping, but I think we may just end up doing things for the little one and maybe one Christmas-y outing as a family with grandparents who visit this year. That way we won’t have to buy gifts.
I really do not care for the gift buying. Of course, the kids think differently. We are definitely buying less this year.
I’m reading Divergent series knowing my family will have to see the movie(s), and AWP is reading it. Gives us something to discuss and look forward to. 🙂
I have a good dent on gifts for Christmas, my husband is VERY difficult to shop for… can’t think of anything he wants/needs. We have company coming for December rather than staying through January so I’m looking forward to getting ready for the holiday’s.
Have a great week – enjoy PJ turkey day!
You sound good, Ti. I hope you had the relaxing day you were looking forward to yesterday. And this week sounds like a good one, too.
I hoped to join you for Sputnik but didn’t get my act together. I’ve actually read part of it but it was a library book and my husband returned it by accident. I waiting for it to be returned by another reader!
I adore Love Actually and get teased about it by that same husband! Home for the Holidays is a fantastic movie, such a great cast, too. I love the dinner scene…
Stay away from the Mall…..lolol
I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful week, filled with lots of relaxation!!
I have never seen Home for the Holidays, but now you have me adding it to my list to check for at the library!!
You MUST see Home For the Holidays! The dinner scene is classic.
You get the whole week off? I work Monday and Tuesday and it feels a bit painful knowing so many others are lolly-gagging around home 🙂
I just finished Allegiant and have picked up a non-fiction book about United Flight 93
CSUN is open but I didn’t take a vacation this summer and ending up hitting my cap. The big boss said use it or lose it, so I am taking 48 hours before January and then another 40 after!
Thee kids are still in school and I am still plying chauffeur but I’ll take it. I needed a break.