Tag Archives: Sunday Salon

The Sunday Salon: Staycation

The Sunday Salon

We plan a vacation every year, but this year, the family business is just steps away from closing, so we are staying in town and taking some day trips. I’m sort of blue about the whole thing. The good news, is that the Otter Pup has been left alone (twice now), outside of her crate and she seems to be okay with it.
This means that we can take slightly longer day trips. She just sits in the sun and waits for us to get back.

What trips do we have planned? Well, some museums (hopefully), a couple of beach trips and maybe we’ll spend some time in Santa Barbara, Ventura or Ojai. I love Ojai. I know The Hub has plans to take The Girl and Boy to Six Flags. I may or may not go on that trip.  I am not a fan of our Six Flags since they stopped doing business with The Hub’s company and decided to go overseas. Don’t even get me going on that.

As for today, I just got back from taking The Girl shopping for back-to-school stuff. She is a spender! She has very rich tastes for my modest budget.We shopped with coupons and got 40% off where we could but a t-shirt does not cost $36!!! Please! I won’t mention the store but I HATE when stores mark-up prices and then take them down to make it look like you are getting a good bargain.

I guess I am a bit touchy today. I apologize.  I am going to mix-up an Arnold Palmer and take a chill-pill while reading Before I Fall (which is absolutely riveting!) Just what I need to brighten this blue mood of mine.

BTW, Carmageddon was no big deal. In fact, the freeway opened a day before it was supposed to. People said it was kind of nice because it forced them to stay at home and relax. Isn’t that sad? That we need a major freeway to close to keep us at home?

Anyway, happy Sunday to you!

The Sunday Salon: Library Love

Canyon Country Library
Our libraries were county-run  and were recently taken over by the city. During this process, they were closed for about three months. The new, city run facilities opened last week and I can’t tell you how happy I am!

They created “teen” centers in each one, added a slew of new computers and they are in the process of adding additional titles. This is all great, but what we missed before, what was sorely needed, was staff who cared about the patrons. We have that now. I’ve been to two libraries out of the three and so far, everyone has been extremely helpful and seems to really enjoy reading. Seems like such a simple thing but being a reader makes a huge difference.

What did I pick up?

Before I Fall, by Lauren Oliver
Caribou Island, by David Vann
Full Dark, No Stars, by Stephen King
How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, by Charles Yu
The Upright Piano Player, by David Abbott

I don’t know how I will get through these in addition to everything I have been sent, and everything I’ve chosen to read this summer but it’s the kind of stress that I’m willing to live with.

The Sunday Salon

As for the rest of the day…

I just finished my errands. Can you believe that the Halloween stuff is being loaded into stores right now? Are they crazy? It’s bad enough with the back-to-school stuff but Halloween??

For dinner, I’ve got gluten-free chili cooking in the crock-pot and I am about to enjoy a cold glass of something and sit down with Duma Key. I am 400 pages in and loving every minute of it. What are you up to today?