The entire state of California returned to the “purple tier” which is pretty locked down as far as restrictions go. The city where I live was in this tier already so not much has changed. I have noticed a bit of panic buying again, though. We aren’t having people over for Thanksgiving besides ourselves but there is still some shopping to do so I hope I can get everything I need.
Right Now:
If you are reading this on Sunday morning, then my husband and I will be out of the house because my daughter has an all day audition with Boston Conservatory at Berklee. For this, furniture is moved, equipment is arranged and the Hub and I take the dog and scram. We need to be gone from 8am-2pm at least.
Everyone here is doing the best we can do to stay positive and upbeat during what is essentially, another lockdown. We also have a curfew now which applies to restaurants and bars. This doesn’t affect us directly because 10pm is late for us. Ha! But I feel for all those young people who make a living working in the food and drink industry.
This Week:
I have this entire week off plus Monday and Tuesday of next week. Still using up that accumulated vacation time. I will do my best to finish up my grocery shopping. Still waiting to hear what the status will be for my son. New job so not sure how the holiday will work. Yes, he got another job!
I just want to watch movies and read. Christmas decor will come out but due to live auditions and our house being used as a studio for them, we can only have Christmas in one, tiny, unseen corner. It will be enough.
Reading:
Giving The Weekend a go again. I just wasn’t in the mood for it when I picked it up during all the election drama. I think I will do better with it now.
Watching:
Still haven’t picked up any new shows but come heck or high water, I plan to watch Home for the Holidays (1995) before Thanksgiving. We never did find another DVD player so we will either find one or I will buy the movie on demand. It’s the perfect movie. Directed by Jodie Foster and stars Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Dylan McDermott, and Claire Danes. It’s a gem.
Grateful for:
- My son’s new job that came through after the museum job fell through due to COVID.
- Humor and people who have a good sense of it. A good belly laugh cures a lot of things.
- You guys. I am feeling all gushy and sentimental about the people I’ve “met” through blogging. Some of you I have known for 12 years. Unbelievable. My kids were just tots. I appreciate you all and I love how we still stay connected even though some are not bogging anymore.
That’s it from me. I may be posting one review next week and probably some random things since I have the week off. I truly love this time of the year. It’s when I weed through my bookshelves while watching a good movie. What shall I watch?
Book Chatter 
Good luck to your daughter and I’m glad your son got a new job when the other fell through! My eldest son’s job is threatened, but he won’t know till January if he’s among those staying.
I don’t know how long we’ve known each other but I remember your kids being much younger. They’ve always been adorable. I appreciate all the continuing relationships with bloggers past and present, too. Enjoy your time off! Hope you fit in some terrific reading time.
Fingers crossed for your daughter’s audition and your son coming home for turkey. We unfortunately, are in quarantine as our son was exposed at work. We got tested yesterday. It’s scary!! I finished Monogamy by Sue Miller but have not picked up a new book yet. Maybe Transcendental Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. 12 years, wow!
It will just be the hubby and I for turkey, and I’m not sure if we will even make one. We usually host a big family gathering, so this year will certainly be different.
Oh no!! When will you know the results?
And we just got word yesterday that my son WILL be able to have dinner with us. We will take precautions but he’s been very good about isolating.
Purple? I have to look up what that means. Each state has different colors. A New Yorker mentioned the other day on Instagram going “orange.” Here in Pennsylvania, it was red, yellow, and green, but even within green, it wasn’t/isn’t all go. And state officials here say they aren’t going back to lockdowns, but I don’t see how that’s not going to happen with the way things are going and people being people.
Her audition is all day? Are they different components throughout the day? Good luck to her. She is so very, very talented. She’s going to be a star wherever she ends up.
I don’t know why I always forget about Home for the Holidays, but I do. I know my wife likes it. I guess I think more of Planes, Trains and Automobiles and, the last few years, Pieces of April with Katie Holmes.
Yes. All day, with different components. Right now she is learning a dance for later. Then voice, three songs I believe. Then monologues. Interviews in there somewhere. Plus, these East coast schools mean WE have to start like at 6am or 7.
I am always worried about power outages and WiFi issues. We had wind yesterday and our power company shuts down power to reduce the chance of downed lines which can cause brush fires. That would be a problem.
Hi there, I am new to your blog. I read a review on Amazon that I agreed with and here I am. I read reviews on The Weekend and it sounds rather depressing. Someone mentioned abuse of the dog so I don’t have any interest in it but I am curious to read what you think of it. I also love Home for the holidays. I was on a high after the election results but it fizzled out with reading the news daily. I am reading Confessions on the 7:45 right now. I hope your daughter’s audition goes well. I am 2 hours away from Boston. Happy thanksgiving!
I’m happy the audition went well. It seems like you have 2 awesome kids. I have 3 rescue dogs, 3 rescue guinea pigs and I rehab baby squirrels so I really hate reading about any animal abuse. Give me a good mystery where they kill off a human and I’m fine with that 😂
Haha!! All my furry friends have been rescues too. My current pup was only 5 months when we got her from the shelter but is 10 now and it pained me to read about the senior dog in The Weekend. My review of it posts tomorrow.
That makes me happy that you also rescue. It’s hard to see our animals age. Our last pup that we lost this year was 16 yr old so you could have many more years with Otter 🙂 I am looking forward to your review
Sorry to read that your son’s job fell through but, I’m wishing your daughter luck with the auditions. This Thanksgiving will be just the 2 of us which makes me sad but I am still going to cook a bird and all the fixings including (1) dessert for each of us LOL
Wishing you a happy day with your family. I’ve been blogging for 12.5 years and so happy we connected as well.
Right after his museum job fell through since they had to close down again, he got a job at Starbucks which he starts on Saturday. He will be here for the meal but not much else. I started cooking this morning but I’ve done it so many times it’s like a well oiled machine. My only challenge at the moment is that my home workstation is my dining room table. I have to move it all for the meal or eat outside maybe but it’s supposed to be very windy.
Good luck to your daughter and yay for your son!
I also need to pick up a few things for Thanksgiving. Leah comes home on Tuesday evening and will be here until at least January 16. I am praying she gets to go back to college then. She’s moving a lot of stuff home just in case. Aside from our family, it is just my mom coming over for Thanksgiving. I get the whole stay home idea, but we’ve seen my mom anyway and she would be all by herself.
I just finished up Keep The Dead Close, the nonfiction book about an unsolved Harvard murder from 1969. Now I’m trying to decide what to read next. It’s not like I don’t have choices, I just have to figure out what I’m in the mood for.
Wishing you a health and happy Thanksgiving with good food and entertainment,
The audition went very well according to my daughter. I worry about WiFi and the power going out, a lot but today went well. We had to be out of the house but close enough to help of she needed it so we took a a long hike with the pup. Was great.
My son can come for Thanksgiving. He will arrive Wednesday night or Thursday. He’s been isolating so we will take precautions and will probably eat outside.
I finished The Weekend. It was very good but I have a real issue with how a dog is treated in the story.
Have no idea what to read next. I feel like some sort of plague story or possibly the YA book one of my students dropped off for me. I need something really good.
Looks like the rest of the state is back to where we already have been.
Nothing much going on here except rest for a week…since I planned a vacation without actually planning it for why I need it. 🙂 Serendipitous timing.
I did make my first Finnish Coffee Bread this weekend, which was fun and nerve wracking.
What made the bread making nerve-wracking?
I see The Memory Police in your sidebar – are you reading that one? I loved that book.
Congratulations to your son on his new job! Hope your daughter’s audition went well.
I’ve been watching a few Christmas movies here and there. Watched Jingle Jangle with my daughter this weekend and we all loved it. I’m excited to see Dolly Parton’s Christmas movie is out so will be watching that.
The audition went well. Very well, according to my daughter.
The Memory Police was supposed to be our December club pick but now it’s January’s. I haven’t started it yet.
Jingle Jangle is on the list as well as Dolly’s Christmas musical!
This seems like a good time to say that I still read your blog, even tho I never comment and I don’t blog any more. I can’t believe how big our kids are now. Tristan has a driver’s license! Lauren is TEN! We aren’t seeing anyone but each other for Thanksgiving, South Dakota is TERRIBLE, with the numbers. We have locked down tight at our house, given that our state has ZERO restrictions.
Can’t remember my wordpress log in! Lisa (Books Lists Life)
Oh yes, I remember your blog of course. Good thing for Facebook!
My daughter got her license in September! I have a 22 year old and a 17 year old now. Goes by so fast.
Reading through the comments, I’m glad to hear that your daughter’s audition went well. Yeah, that would be a stressful situation if the power went out! Also glad your son is going to be able to join you for Thanksgiving. We aren’t planning a traditional meal since my husband will be just home from shoulder replacement surgery and I’m not sure if he’ll be up for a big meal. We’ll do something later, maybe in early December. Or just skip it all together and have turkey on Christmas Day.
I only recently started following your blog, but I’ve seen your name here and there in the comments on other people’s blogs. I’m glad I finally popped over to read your posts! Here’s to many more years of online friendships. They are our saving grace during these strange times, aren’t they?!
I’m so glad we met through blogging. It’s a wonderful community and who doesn’t love a fellow reader?
I hope the surgery goes well and you’re right, a big meal may not be in the cards but it’s about more than the meal. Just being together is good enough.
I agree, having the blogging community through this pandemic has been really wonderful. I feel connected in a way to the wider world that I wouldn’t without it. I’ll have to dig out that photo of our blogger lunch at my house all those years ago….
Yes!! That lunch was ages ago. Such a good time.