Random Thoughts | Book Chatter

The Neighborhood

Hello friends! The above photo is a quick shot I grabbed on my walk with the pup. If you look closely you can see her ears in the lower right corner. This photo doesn’t do this planter justice. It’s drought-tolerant and filled with fiery reds and oranges. We call this the “long” walk because it’s up a hill and longer than our normal walk around the neighborhood. Sometimes the pup is not in the mood for this walk but on this day, she was in her element and happily sniffing at everything.

As you might recall, my first vaccine appointment isn’t until 4/6 but my work has been encouraging employees to get it so I think pretty soon there will be discussions about returning to campus. I am a little nervous about it if I am being honest. I’ve been home for so long and with my daughter heading back to school on 3/29, I’m feeling a tad anxious.

The flip side to all of this is the ability to do some of the things I love again. We went to dinner as a family the other night. It was outside but with heat lamps and it was just nice to enjoy a meal in a normal way and not from the inside of a car. Although, I am the queen of car eating. Ha!

Movies will be nice again, too. We have a brand new theatre that finished construction right before the shutdown and it never had a chance to open. I hope it still will. Watching a movie on our big screen is fun, and I like not having to deal with talking people and cell phone users but for big blockbuster films only a theatre will do.

Remember how I mentioned towels last week and how I needed to shop for some? I didn’t but we bought new couches for the family room! They should arrive tomorrow! I’ve never purchased something so quickly. We walked in, they were what we wanted, they were on sale and then when they weren’t in stock we bought the floor model for a discount. Done.

Now, on the reading front. My review of Brat: An 80’s Story posted this past Monday. This Friday, I have a review posting for a book that I want everyone to read, The Beauty of What Remains. I finished When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain so that review will be up soon too. What to read next? Possibly Outlawed by Anna North.

That’s all I have. I hope you are having a good week and that you have something really good to read.

Sunday Matters

I always struggle with the title for these posts. Each week it seems like the days drag but then here we are, it’s Sunday again. How are you? As the world starts to ramp up again, we are finally winding down here. My daughter is taking a breather before in-person classes start. They are shooting for March 29th.

I just heard that we are moving out of the red tier, which is pretty restrictive so indoor dining, museums and the like may be opening up again soon. I have been dying to go to the museum. I never realized how much art played a role in my happiness. I kind of did but not really. Isn’t that how it is? We don’t really know until it’s gone.

Right Now:

As you read this, I am at church attending the big service and then youth group follows right after. I am double-masking. Last week seemed to go pretty well. I am actually really glad about youth group going back to mornings. My Sunday evenings are free again!

This Week:

Not a whole lot going on this week. Work, as usual but then mid-week there is a virtual publishing conference I signed-up for. I am eager to see which books they discuss.

One thing I need to do this week is shop for towels. It’s such a domestic thing to look for but I like a good towel and ours are on their last leg. Let’s just say they have served their purpose. Fun! I already went to look at towels last week and was not impressed. Funny how I expect to be impressed by towels. I like the Turkish towels I have seen around but they would get destroyed in this house. One swipe of mascara and they’d be done for.

Reading:

I just finished Good Company by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney. I should have the review up next week. I liked it better than her other book, The Nest.

I have two reviews coming up this week that you won’t want to miss. BRAT: An 80’s Story and The Beauty of What Remains.

Now that those reviews are scheduled, I am diving into When the Stars Go Dark by Paula McLain.

Watching:

I fear the end of Schitt’s Creek might happen this week. We have just a few episodes left. It will be a sad, sad day when that series ends for us.

The Walking Dead has gone rogue again. Starts off good. Falls apart. This season is only six episodes due to their COVID shooting scheduled and it’s not going anywhere.

I did catch the Oprah interview after-the-fact. I don’t doubt that they have had a tough run of it and that Meghan has been treated differently but why, why sign-up for such a high-profile interview AND a reality TV show? I am not hinting at the money aspect. I just feel that if they want out, get out. Out of the spotlight. Out of the public eye as much as possible anyway.

I got sidetracked.

My son wants me to watch WandaVision. It doesn’t seem to be my kind of show but I told him I would watch so I will start this week.

Grateful for:

I’m glad that double-masking doesn’t add more fog to my glasses. Ha! I feared it would but it actually prevents it! I am using a paper mask and then a fabric one and it seems to cut down on the fog.
Happy scents. I am such a scent person. The smell of citrus or a really good candle puts me in the best mood. I just repurchased a perfume that I often wear and just one spritz takes me away from this working-at-home vortex I am in. Before, I was like, why bother? But now, I am more of the school of why not.
Soon we get to visit with my son. We will meet in Solvang. It’s known as a “little slice of Denmark” and touristy as heck but it’s fun. I will try to take a photo of the pup in a wooden shoe.

On a special note:

Remember that news that I said I could not discuss? Well, my daughter entered a competition through Spotlight (The Music Center) and was chosen as a semi-finalist for the Non-Classical Voice category!

Sadly, she did not move forward to finals but what an experience. We are so proud of her. She did this in the middle of college auditions so it was just one more thing added to her plate but she ought to be very proud. Here is a snap of the semi-finalists:

Spotlight