Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - May 25, 2025: Three-Day Weekend for Memorial Day!

A three-day weekend is always what I need. While we were originally hoping to join hubs at the Indianapolis 500 today, the plan for that didn't work out. I'm not entirely bummed about that, because crowds. Ugh. The next plan was to say home in my PJs all weekend. Hahahaha... Also didn't happen. Yesterday the kids and I went to my parents' house to visit a small bookstore in their town (so cool!) and have lunch with them, before heading to iFly for some indoor skydiving. It was the second time for our son, and the first time for our daughter. They both loved it, and I may get them some private lessons to learn more tricks. Today our daughter picked up a shift at work, so our son wanted to check out a sale at Hot Topic, and then I need to do grocery shopping. Hubs expects to be home late tonight, and tomorrow is the local Memorial Day parade.

I've pulled my usual trick and just gotten out of bed and ready for the day when I first wake up, well before the two teenagers. LOL I'm joining Kimber for this week's Sunday Post, and Deb with the Sunday Salon.

What I'm reading this week:

I'm currently reading When Canaries Die by Luis Figueredo in print. It's got everything - a post-COVID pandemic, immoral politicians, and top-notch brilliant litigators. On my kindle is Dear Future Me by Deborah O'Connor. It's about a woman trying to untangle a crime from school after her best friend commits suicide possibly because of what a letter written in school and mailed to her more than a decade later contains. Especially odd since yesterday our daughter received a letter in the mail that she wrote to herself in school four years ago. But in real life, no one died. Yay!

Three Good Things:

1. While the kiddos did have fun in the pool a couple weeks ago, we're back to hoping for 60 degrees F here. At least the rain seems to have let up. Glad the track season is over for our son. The last meet was 50 degrees and a constant drizzle of rain. Not ideal.
2. I finally did some hardcore adulting last week and went in to get my Real ID so I can make the trip to Toronto with hubs in July. My license was expiring anyway, but you have to go to the Secretary of State with either your passport or a bunch of other proof of existence and pay extra for the driver's license upgrade. I did the things, and now I'm just waiting for it to arrive (sort of bummed they couldn't get a decent picture with my awesome glasses on though - they're kind of my trademark this year).
3. I've gotten really stubborn about working my scheduled eight hour shifts, and taking time off for the kids' things. And while being at work still isn't very pleasant, having more time away is a marked improvement.

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. 
   I finally finished my Lucky Bamboo LEGO yesterday, and went to hubs home office to find his 3-in-1 that I got him for Christmas. I'll be putting that one together probably later today. It's a bird, or a frog, or a fish. I had a similar set and did the bird, so I think I'll do the fish with his set.
2. I was looking at an awesome angel I did in counted cross-stitch for my mom (in 2006) at her house yesterday, and I really want to pack up the super cross-stitch organizer she made for me and get to stitching.
3. I also really want to get pictures of our daughter in her graduation gown (we've got the gown, and graduation is June 4). The goal is to get the pictures ASAP, so we can design and order thank you cards ASAP. She's already gotten one check from someone who said they can't make it to her party!

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - May 11, 2025: Mothers' Day Edition

Happy Mothers' Day indeed. My kids left me the sweetest momentos. My daughter printed a picture I LOVE of her and me on our first family trip to Disney, where she was giving me the BIGGEST hug. She matted it and wrote a whole page letter on the back about my awesomeness.  My son made me a card that explained how much more than 'good' I am. His has a pocket that says 'Here is the greatest mom in the world...and the little one,' and holds a picture of him and me at the Detroit Pistons basketball game last month (he's a couple inches taller than me, for reference).

Anyway, I took Friday off of work originally to go to the Lavender Labrynthe, but then decided I'm just too beat to put much effort into anything right now. So I stayed home, and got my nails done, finished mailing graduation open house invites, paid the bills, and grocery shopped. And a three-day weekend is always a win.

I'm wrapping up the long (for me) weekend before brunch at my brother's, by joining in with Sunday Salon (does anyone else accidentally type a 'g' at the end of Salon almost every time?) and Sunday Post. Check out some other blogs! We all appreciate the love :)

What I'm reading this week:

Still finishing up The Woke and the Dead in print, but reviewed January Thaw yesterday on my blog. 

The giveaway on my review of See How They Fall ends today! Interesting surprise ending to that one.

Next up, I'll be starting When Canaries Die by Luis Figueredo in print, and maybe Dear Writer by Maggie Smith on kindle. We'll see.

Three Good Things:

1. We finally have some warmer weather! My brother says they opened the pool, so the kids are invited to bring their suits and dive in (not sure if it's actually 'adult' warm yet. LOL). I'll wear shorts, anyway. 
2. I have an appointment to get my 'real ID' on Wednesday. My drivers' license is expiring anyway, so I'll bring my birth certificate, marriage license to support my name change, and two bills/statements addressed to me at our Michigan address to prove my residency. Seems like a lot, but I'm a rule follower, so I'll do it.
3. Hubs stopped home to surprise us today! He was originally using his day off to go to a race and drive with friends, but the race teams blew up both cars yesterday. 

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Actually progress being made on the office, so I'll keep going with that.
   
2. Next LEGO set is the Lucky Bamboo, so I'll probably get started on that this afternoon. 
3. Still striving to be as quiet as possible at work. Funny story - a couple weeks ago my manager pulled me in and said, "You've been really quiet - everything okay?" Fast forward to last week when she pulled me in to say that someone complained about my singing. So I'm striving to be less. I suppose the good news portion is that I just have a few more years. Retirement is closer than when I started working, right?

January Thaw - Book Review

January Thaw (Murder by Month RomCom Mystery #9) by Jess Lourey
Publication:  January 1, 2014
Pages: 267 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: Mira James is a magnet for criminal activity, but she and Mrs. Berns are always up for justice!

While I haven't read all the books in this fun series, and certainly not in order, what I've read have been great, quick moving cozy mysteries in an engaging voice. I know I've still got more in my TBR list, and I look forward to them.

In this book, Mira and Mrs. Berns are back home in Battle Lake and are attacked in an alley after a strange noise lures Mira to check it out. They avoid harm when the attackers are re-directed by another newcomer to town who has been hanging out in the library sometimes while Mira is at work there. Suspension of disbelief will serve readers well, as this sounds like a crime unlikely to occur in their exceptionally small town, but I digress.

When Mira recognizes their would-be rescuer the next day, it's unfortunately by finding the man - dead - under the ice while skating. Of course she now feels compelled to solve this heinous crime!

In Mira's world, weird things happen in multiples, so she soon finds herself trying to solve the murder of the victim she saw in the lake and chasing down a returned local for a local private investigator. Could the two be related? To wrap them up in just a few hours of reading, undoubtedly. 

This was an intriguing story that earned 4 out of 5 stars. It would be recommended to those who enjoy midwest U.S. contemporary stories and small-town quirky mysteries.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my free electronic copy of this book. Receiving the book for free did not influence my review.

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - May 4, 2025: Quatro de Mayo!

Wow. Why is every week, 'what a week!' - am I doing something to bring this all on myself? Granted, I'm trying to lay low, as it really is an amazing spring/summer for our daughter. The musical is done, and this week is her last day anchoring the school news show. Guys, she was awarded/named BEST ANCHOR in the state at a competition for broadcasting programs. AH-MAZING! I am so proud of this girl every single day. I've watched some of her broadcasts as they're available streaming after they're broadcast, but for her last day, their excellent teacher invites families in to watch from behind the scenes. And daughter-who-is-thoughtful-of-everyone said their class likes to eat, so I'm baking Tollhouse chocolate chip and oatmeal scotchies cookies today to take in on Tuesday.

Welcome to my Sunday weekly re-cap/planning post, in which I link up and read as many other posts as I can with Sunday Post and Sunday Salon (does anyone else always try to type an extra 'g' on the end of Salon?). And while I may have some regulars' attention, I'll be in Toronto in early July - sort of alone when hubs works during the day. Anyone nearby to meet up? I know there's some Canadian posters. Or previous visitors with recommendations? He said I'm in the middle of the city somewhere, so if I don't hear otherwise, I'll walk around and see what there is to see, bring a book, sit down where it's comfy, and enjoy some me time.

What I'm reading this week:

Working on reviews now! Books I Think You Should Read has two giveaways ending early this week on books I've reviewed. Glory Daze ends 5/7/25, and At the Island's Edge ends 5/8/25.

Now I'm reading January Thaw by Jess Lourey on my kindle, and The Woke and the Dead in print. The Jess Lourey gook is part of a fun series, 'Murder by Month,' about Mira James and her sidekick, the octagenarian Mrs. Berns. While some of Jess Lourey's other books are kind of heavy nostalgic 1980s thrillers, this series has fun with solving murders. The print book is a somewhat accidental read, as I usually don't accept anything that isn't a stand alone or the first in a series. But I'm not lost and enjoying this murder mystery based in a theme park type city based on the 1970s or so, Nostalgia City.

Three Good Things:

1. Well, my team reportedly picked me as one of the best drafters (writing the actual text of a complaint response). I should hope so; my favorite part of this job is actual writing. Anyway, the 'prize' apparently is being able to train four team members who need to start drafting. There are three people training, and I'm fine with one of the others, but the third is a vindictive know-it-all who actually doesn't know very much, and writes lousy drafts. I'm tempted to say, 'Thanks, but no thanks,' but I'll stick it out for now. Wait, was that really good news? The part about people appreciating my writing, anyway.
2. In follow-up to last weeks' anticipation of getting a bid for the house repairs we need, a little contemplation let me to the conclusion that I just can't afford that now. Which means instead of tightening my belt past recognition, I will continue getting my nails done, and ordered a couple cool shirts for summer. I decided I deserve a few splurges, and a life without disposable income isn't worth an intact house. LOL
   
3. I got a new phone! And an adorable dinosaur case! My phone was a few years old, and locking  up a few times a day. Hubs said it was the oldest in the family, so he switched me over to the Google Fi account they're on and got me a Google Pixel 9 PRO. So far, so good, but I'm sure you all know the level of inconvenience of suddenly having to verify again everything in my life. Hubs and our daughter have been so helpful in getting me all set up again. But, I got a phone call on Friday and was unable to get it off speaker phone (luckily the guy called back after I hung up on him), and the brightness keeps turning itself down (why is there not an 'old' setting that just leaves everything bright and silent for me?).
   

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Make the cookies referenced above, duh. I went down to the kitchen first thing this morning and got the butter and eggs out to be room temperature when I start (cuz baking is science). 
2. Keep working on my home office. There's a full bag of trash leaving at the door! Go, me!
3. Start cross-stitching! I'm following a couple cross-stitch pages on Facebook and feeling inspired. I was always pretty good at it, and look forward to doing it again.