Reading | Book Chatter

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

Tell me what you are doing this weekend or what you are looking forward to. Or, if you have a great book that I have to read!

Little Library

It’s in the shadows but what I circled there is the Little Library that is in my neighborhood. The one that I walk by daily. It doesn’t appear that the new owners of that house have any interest in it but the neighborhood continues to add books to it. The books I’ve added seem to go quickly. That gives me great satisfaction. I would like to own one of my own. I have a great location for it. Maybe, someday.

Don’t let the bright blue sky fool you. It’s chilly and crisp. Very nice by mid-afternoon. I had to get out of the house for some filming, not for auditions but for school and so I sat on a wall out back with my book for a little bit and it was so nice! I’ve been doing my best to up my vitamin D levels naturally because supplements do not work for me. I think I am doing pretty well because I’ve been sleeping a lot better.

Spring break. What’s that? Between my son’s schedule, my daughter’s and my own campus, I can’t even tell you when it is. I know it’s not in sync which is probably why I didn’t bother to pay much attention to it. My son is going to meet us at a halfway point one day soon. We will bring the pup and grab food somewhere and just spend part of the day with him. With his work schedule he can’t do much more than that. So, no break plans but maybe we will try to do something for Memorial Day. It will be here before we know it!

This past Monday I reviewed Murakami’s new collection of stories, First Person Singular so check it out if you have any interest. I just finished Watching You by Lisa Jewell. That woman does not disappoint. The review will be up very soon. Now, I am picking up Andrew McCarthy’s memoir, Brat: An 80’s Story. I am an 80’s kid but who doesn’t remember all of those brat pack movies like Sixteen Candles or Pretty in Pink? SO iconic. Funny, when I mentioned the review copy on Facebook everyone gushed about Mannequin! I love that movie too. My favorite McCarthy movie is Less Than Zero. SO dark but so good with Robert Downey Jr., Jami Gertz and James Spader.

Hope the rest of the week is good for you. Hopefully I will have another review for you this Friday. See you then.