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.