Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - August 10, 2025: Dog Days of Summer

This is it. The home stretch of summer before fall and the new school year arrive. I don't remember anyone warning me about the summer between high school and college for a parent. I can't even recall for sure what happened the last three Sunday mornings, but I wasn't home or near my computer to post. I still haven't called my own mother for her birthday on July 30 - I was busy that day at work, and then she left for vacation. Daughter of the year, eh? (I did make a Facebook post for her at 4:30am before I went to work...). I'm trying to squeeze in a quick post and some blog visits this morning, and later this evening, around starting school shopping for the middle schooler, and dorm shopping for the college freshman.

Happy Weekend! I'm joining up with Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer and Deb at Readerbuzz for Sunday Post and Sunday Salon. I've missed you all, and I'm so happy to spend part of my weekend with you again.

What I'm reading this week:

Our local Battle of the Books is this week, and I'm desperately trying to get through my print copy of The Lost City of the Monkey God: A True Story. Should not have saved the non-fiction book on the list for last, but here we are. Way to go, past Becki. On my kindle, I just started A Serial Killer's Guide to Marriage, and I'm finding it really amusing so far. 

Planning to finish up my reviews for Six Weeks by the Sea (3 stars) and Sycorax: A Novel (4 stars) later today, so watch for those later this month on Books I Think You Should Read.

Three Good Things:

1. Yesterday was the performance for the Young Americans Summer Camp! My kids have done it many times and loved it every time. It's a great performing arts one-week day camp for kids aged third grade - high school graduation year. So this was the last camp my kids will do together as campers. My daughter did audition to be part of the cast (college kids run the camp), so we'll evaluate that option if an offer comes through next winter/spring. Yesterday, both kids had singing solos, and they were exhausted every evening from so much fun and dancing at camp.
2. Best. Purchase. Ever? Right before the Toronto trip (which was fun!), I got the Beats noise-cancelling wireless headphones (okay, I really don't know what they're called). I wore them at the track in Toronto, and they're what I use for my music and peace every day at work since then. I only have to take breaks cuz they hurt my squished ears after a while. But the 'pro's far outweigh the 'con's. 
3. The last step of college registration is this week. It's time to pay the piper! Student loan advice? We're applying for private loans this afternoon (plenty still due after scholarships and qualified federal aid). 

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. This week is already busy! I'm going to work overtime on Tuesday and Friday, but Monday we're going to get the middle-schoolers first debit card, Wednesday I'm taking the graduate and her girlfriend to a fancy dinner, and Thursday is Battle of the Books!
2. My office! Ugh! I get some done, and then I get busy again and it falls down the list. I've taken a break from my jigsaw puzzles and LEGO til I have a table in here to do it, but I have one of each already waiting! 
3. Computering must happen later today! I need to finish those two book reviews, some Yelp! reviews, and go through emails with new review pitches from publishers to re-stock my TBR list (just kidding, it's still HUGE, but apparently about to grow again).