Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - September 20, 2026: Another Great Weekend

I expect this title could serve for this weekend and next, and next weekend I won't be posting. This weekend I'm home alone, while the boys have won a trophy at a driving event - YAY! I had my Quiet Reading Party with some company over yesterday afternoon/evening, and we all had a good time. Today I'm chilling, blogging, visiting blogs, and maybe watching some shows/movies, while feasting on leftover chicken dip and oatmeal scotchies. Next weekend we're headed north to see our daughter/sister in Come From Away. No time off work for this trip, so we're driving up Saturday, seeing the show then staying in an AirBNB Saturday night, and driving back Sunday. A bit of a whirlwind, but not too hectic. Really looking forward to another great weekend.

For this morning's me time, I'm posting a few words about my week and plans, and linking up with the Sunday Post with Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer, and Sunday Salon with Deb at Readerbuzz.

What I'm Reading This Week:

Let's see, what am I reading? Last week I ended up starting Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova as a print book. I hadn't realized it's an ARC that doesn't publish til mid-October, and it's been a while since I actually read something before publication. I'm really liking it as a perfect spooky season book. While it's written with some of the same characters (I think?) as a previous book, it is unnoticeable and reads like a standalone for me. My book club has agreed we're all going to read Mad Mabel and discuss, but no strict timeline, so I got on the waiting list for the audio book.

On my kindle, I'm still reading A Spell for Midwinter's Heart by Morgan Lockhart. I'm really enjoying its portrayal of witchcraft and it's ethical rules. I just finished The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches and especially loved the ending. I'm starting Best Offer Wins by Marisa Kashino, which was recommended on audio book by someone in the blog linkies last Sunday.

Three Good Things:

1. It may seem like low-hanging fruit here, but I hustled yesterday. Got all my goal steps in puttering, shopping, and getting the house ready for my party last night. So today I really just need to empty the dishwasher. I can relax in a peaceful house that's already straightened/cleaned. While relaxation shouldn't be considered a reward for activities done, it is easier to relax without looking at things you wish were done.
2. All around wins for the boys - they took 3rd place (and got a trophy) for their class of cars, and 4th place overall!! And they get to come home to a clean house. Super happy for them!
3. The Lizzie Bordon story is out on Netflix! I'm looking forward to watching it today. A friend says she knows someone who researched and wrote a book about the tragedy (I think as YA?), and the researcher does not think she did it. Hmmm.....

Three Goals for This Week/Month/Whatever:

1. Empty the dishwasher, of course! Hahahaha
2. Take another swing at my home office. Straightening downstairs yesterday meant a few more things landed in there. And by 'landed,' I mean set gently down just far enough in the room so the door will still close. Sometimes the truth ain't pretty. Gonna have to - at the least - clear a path sooner rather than later.
3. A fun one! Continue selecting and placing items on the new corner shelf in the family room. I've got a few books from the shelf it's replacing (and the rest in two tubs to go to basement storage), a couple of trinkets or LEGO, and the plant that was there before. Still two completely empty shelves, and a couple with nothing on half. So that will be enjoyable, but really can't be rushed much either.

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - September 13, 2026: Planning, Planning, Planning

While I'm still not getting the month right on things that require dates, we're already half way through September! My son is definitely picking up my vibe lately - we have SO MUCH to look forward to! His first high school theatre production ended yesterday (well, except for strike on Monday), he and his dad are going to a hill climb event up north together next weekend, we're going to see Come From Away and visit the weekend after that, then it's his birthday! And for his birthday, he and I are going to a video game symphony performance the weekend after that. Then he's in driver's education classes for October! I'm also so happy that he is enjoying high school so far :)

I definitely meant to post a book review (hopefully in the next day or so?!), but I've got yet another back-to-back Sunday Salon and Sunday Post with Readerbuzz and Caffeinated Reviewer. Off on a tangent, I still remember the people who were on a writing site I was on leading up to  9/11/01. I don't think I had ever actually 'met' any of them in person, but the site was suddenly abuzz with checking in on all the other writers we knew there. The site disbanded later, and now the peeps from Sunday Salon & Sunday Post are my online family. Thanks to you all!

What I'm Reading This Week:

I'm between books a bit right now, I'll be starting a new print book tomorrow (I'm between Mystery Play by Elizabeth Kostova or Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth. Your vote?

On my kindle, I'm reading A Spell for Midwinter's Heart by Morgan Lockhart, and on audiobook I've got The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna.

Three Good Things:

1. My daughter had callbacks from auditions for all of her university's holiday/spring shows! So she was completely exhausted last night (it all ended with headshots for the show she's currently in at like 8:30 last night!), but cast lists should be coming out next week. I'm excited to see the lists, as I've come to know or know of several of her friends at her home-away-from-home too.
2. I've decided to host a Quiet Reading Party next week! The boys are going up north, so I'll have the house to myself. For a few hours Saturday afternoon, I'm saying folks can bring an appetizer or dessert to share - or don't (if everyone brought something, it would be way too much), any books they want to pass along, and whatever they're reading (or pick from what other people are passing along!). We can hang out, read, just enjoy some time to ourselves, more or less. I was thinking about making some red/green coasters like they use at the Brazillian steakhouse? If you want conversation, flip it to green, or if you want to be left alone, display the red side. What do you think?
3. Since I already listed lots of things my family is looking forward to, I'm delighted to use this last 'good thing' to brag. Several people commented to me yesterday about how genuinely kind my son is as a friend of their child or someone they know through school or theater. Whether it's the boy-ness or just a different personality, I don't hear as much about his social relationships as I do from my daughter. It is heartwarming to hear that he has many people who also care about and appreciate his goodness.

Three Goals for This Week/Month/Whatever:

1. I did get the corner shelf that was in my plans - and it went awry from the start. LOL The shelf as it came in had apparently had a few mirror image photos in the post, so the short side was longer than I wanted. Hubby was gracious (and smart!) enough to help me modify it, but whatever we did still wasn't enough. We went to a lot of trouble with drills and such during assembly, and the 'short' side still covers part of the window frame. But life is an adventure, and it will be fine. He's getting a couple more supports today to give the shelves a bit more strength since they didn't line up with all the intended supports due to our modifications. This evening I can start moving from the old shelf and decorating that corner - yay!
2. Today's errands include getting black thread to stitch a button on to my son's cosplay robe, and sew up the unfortunate decayed seams on our couch. I'll be getting a new couch soon, but not before my party next weekend or my son's birthday celebrations. 
3. I also got some cute trinket and serving dishes from my mom last weekend, but they need a home. They've been on our kitchen island so far, but part of planning my party will include eliminating the clutter. Not an entire other item or anything, but I think I'll start getting out Halloween decorations too :)

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - September 6, 2026: Doing the Things

Right now feels like an average week, and just how great that can be. I'm really enjoying the extra time at home, since I'm not working overtime (we'll talk again when I see the lesser paycheck!). It's also an average week with lots to look forward to - a trip to visit and see our daughter in a performance near the end of the month, our son's 15th birthday, and in just a couple days more than a month, our son and I are going to a concert of sorts that he has really been looking forward. Actually, we spent yesterday working on our cosplay outfits, since the show is based on a video game we enjoy. A three-day weekend and only four days of work next week also don't bum me out at all! I'm also ready for spooky season (put on Haunted Mansion while I write this).

I'm happy to be joining in with Caffeinated Reviewer for the Sunday Post, and Readerbuzz for the Sunday Salon. If you'd enjoy some pleasant check-ins with a variety of interesting people, you might check out the lists for yourself - it's a great way to spend some time (especially if you'd be doomscrolling on your phone anyway!).

What I'm Reading This Week:

On print books, I'm planning to finish up Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast this morning, and hopefully Little Thieves by Margaret Owen in the first half of the week. In audiobook, I'm a little more than halfway through The Housemaid by Freida McFadden. I'll admit, I did google the ending. I just knew it was going to be surprising and didn't want to wait any longer! LOL

For my current kindle read, I've started A Spell for Midwinter's Eve by Morgan Lockhart. It's an interesting blend of a witchy story and a holiday read, and I'm enjoying it so far. 

Three Good Things:

1. 
   I finished my jigsaw puzzle last night! Now to decide on another table project. So far it's usually been jigsaw puzzles or LEGO (with one attempted painting...). Maybe I should try a diamond painting next? The LEGO sets I want are a little pricey for me to invest in right now, and we'll have a birthday party in a month and need to clear the table, so...
2. My daughter got another job at school! She already has a school job, but there's not a lot of hours, and it's kind of involved, so hard to work, then leave work with time to study or rehearse... The new job is serving at a restaurant, and it's a restaurant close to home too, so hopefully she can work at this location when she's home for the holidays and such. We'll see. For now, she's making a bit more reliable money when she's there (which is most of the time).
3. It's show week for my son! So excited to go see the high school's summer production of Pride and Prejudice this week. He's Mr. Collins. I actually haven't read the book, but he and I went to a different theatre's production of it last year (or the year before?).

Three Goals for This Week/Month/Whatever:

1. I think I may be able to find the new corner shelf for our family room while I'm out running around today. That, and a new storage box, will help me move the bigger shelves out of the family room. I would LOVE to have my redesign done before company comes for the birthday party, but it seems unlikely. I'll keep asking the universe to show me how to make it happen - we'll see!
2. I know I say it a lot, but I've got to get some more book reviews written. I've got one party done, but there's still probably five more on my list. I think one is for this blog, but the rest will be headed to BooksIThinkYouShouldRead.
3. While I like to put measurably productive things here, I do want to be more physically active. But I don't want to be too specific, because that is not only a benchmark to meet, but also a potential goal to miss, which would be a bummer. So I want to spend some time each day either getting extra steps, or working out my arms or another body area. Vague, but decidedly achieveable.  

Hope this week has moments of peace and joy for you. 

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - August 30, 2026: Where Has the Year Gone??

While I know it's been a great, productive year so far (I could post about just that!), working with dated documents has me picking the wrong month on a regular basis. Last week, it was June. Almost September, and I'm trying to put a '6' for the month. Maybe because I see it as the start month on a few cases and just lock in? Boy, do I wish summer was just starting. Hahahaha

But it is part of my life philosophy to not wish time away, so August it is! And while living in the present moment also sounds intriguing, my life is a to-do list at most times. Today will be finishing some shopping with my son - his challenge for the last week or so has been cleaning his room. As I told him, not just cleaning it to make me happy, but cleaning it so it's a useful, pleasant, and safe space for him as he goes into high school. We did the professional closet organizer things a couple summers back, because his room is on the small side. I want him to have a space he likes, where he can find what he wants to, and have room to do what he wants in there without clutter or distractions. His reward for finishing at my request before he starts high school next week is new shoes - his choice. So today we get some under bed organizers to complete the project, and new shoes. And I drag him along for groceries, because I can and he doesn't argue too loudly. ;)

First, I'm up early again, and made this blog post my first priority! Because I like to write, and I'm trying to get into the habit more. I do tend to write a lot in my head, but I'm trying to get it to paper in a journal, or to the computer usually here. Now I'm joining in with some long time peeps on Sunday Salon with Readerbuzz, and Sunday Post with Caffeinated Reviewer. Last week I admittedly read a lot of other posts for enjoyment, while not feeling up to posting for myself. We had driven up to my daughter's college (about six and a half hours north) to drop stuff off, and then back again on the same day, on Saturday. Sunday was all recovery for us. 

What I'm Reading This Week:

On my kindle, I'm about halfway through The Witches Orchard by Archer Sullivan. I've gotta say, I'm sure I picked it from Netgalley because of the 'witch' in the title, but it's actually the first in a series about an Appalachian, Air Force special investigator turned private investigator, Annie Gore. I'm really liking it, even though she does not seem to be a witch.

In print, I'm still plugging away with Little Thieves by Margaret Owen, and Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant by Roz Chast. These were both part of the Battle of the Books. My other team member ended up with a sick cat that week, so we dropped out. I had already finished one of the books, and I'm still working on these other two because I'm enjoying them. I returned the hardcover non-fiction to the book store after having read the first 50 pages or so. 

In audiobook, I started The Housemaid by Freida McFadden a few days ago. I'm enjoying the book, and admittedly have no idea where it's going. The prologue (?) was a pretty serious future moment, without identifying who was who. I'm never big on figuring it all out in advance - I tend to just go along for the ride. With that said, I do want to spare an acronym for the last audiobook I finished - Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. The acronym is WTAF. While most of that book progressed along the given summary (although I actually hated her husband more than her), the ending was a lot. I'm excited to see what the do for the movie.

Three Good Things:

1. My son has always mostly looked forward to entering our huge high school, which I'm so glad about. I've continually told both of my kids that your elementary school friends are friends of convenience - neighbors, and the people randomly in your class. As you get older, in bigger populations and making more of your own choices, you will find more of 'your' tribe. He has already met more high schoolers through his work on the summer theatre production, and after freshman first day (our district busses in the people new to the building a week before the rest of the 2000+ students on the first day), he came home even more convinced he will like it more than previous school years. Well, except the waking up every day early and having homework shenanigans. ;)
2. My office overtime is, well, over! I can do overtime tomorrow (since it's still August), but then it's eight-hour-days. Hubs predicts this will last til we get behind at the holidays, but for now, I'll take it and be home shortly after 3pm each day. I can read, write, working my jigsaw puzzle, get some new LEGO. Even make dinner! I'll certainly miss the extra income, but it is traded for time, and I'm focusing on that.
3. Gosh, I'm having a hard time picking just one good thing to talk about! I am so, so grateful to my best friend (who lives out of state) for telling me on our girls' weekend in the spring that I was so different. I told her I'd tried Xanax for my anxiety, but it didn't help much, and here I was. She said then that I needed a pill, every day, to adjust my brain so I could enjoy my life again. While I did wait for a much bigger breakdown a month or so later, I remembered what she said. Now I take my lil pill every day, and my life is indeed so. much. better. That is the start of all my good things now.

Three Goals for This Week/Month/Whatever:

1. Although it's probably a longer term plan, I'm ready to redecorate our family room. The sleeper sofa has two actually ripped cushion. I'm picturing some definite dopamine decorating. Either a bright couch and some print side chairs, or the opposite. I already told hubs I want the tv hung on the wall, since the table underneath it just holds it, and otherwise wastes floor space. And I want a cool curvy corner shelf to replace the nine-cube shelf that is on that wall now. So instead of a two-seat loveseat, we can have two splashy side chairs and a lil table between them. Yes, I do know this makes little sense since you are not actually sitting with me looking at this view. But it is still my plan.
2. The living room at the other corner of the house will also be getting a redo. Hubs arranged to get the neighbor's old piano delivered in a couple weeks, so things will have to move around in there. We're putting it in a space that currently has a roll top desk. I don't want to get rid of the desk (they're too uncommon now), but it will be emptied and moved into storage until we decide to turn one of the kids' rooms into a guest room? We'll see.
3. Super short term, I need to make a grocery list and plan some dinners for this week. I'm home, right? Today is a rainy, blah day, so I think I'll start in the Ina Garten cookbook I got for my birthday a couple months ago and see if there's a nice cozy casserole....

Whether it feels like late summer, the beginning of fall, or a whole new year with school starting, make it a great week for you and your peeps!

Honey - Book Review

Honey by Imani Thompson
Publication: May 5, 2026
Pages: 337 pages
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: Yrsa doesn't seem to acknowledge having a lot of feelings herself, but her intellectual studies have led her to be rather decisive about who the bad men are. She seem remorseless about acting as judge and executioner, with the intention of making the world a better place.

While I'm always in for a morally righteous vigilante killer story, this was actually more about the character of Yrsa. After rather non-intentionally eliminating a man who did one of her acquaintances wrong, she decides she may have a taste for improving the world by arranging the death of bad men, one at a time. 

The back story of Yrsa's life ended up being more interesting than expected, both in contributing to her character, and her choice of men to kill While I'm not certain what it says about me, this was not the fluff, fun, murder-y book I was expecting, as much as a late in life coming of age and self-realization for Yrsa, as she hopefully heads toward completing her academic capstone and entering a more traditional adult life.

The story earned a high three out of five stars, and definitely got better further into the book and Yrsa's development. It would be enjoyed by those who appreciate an unreliable narrator and dysfunctional family story.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary electronic copy of the book. Receiving the book for free did not influence my review. 

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - August 9, 2026: Girls' Staycation!

This is the last foreseeable girls' weekend at home for my daughter and I. And now that I've put that into words, I'm kind of sad, while still trying to enjoy every moment. This weekend, hubs is on a work trip, and my son is at sleepaway camp. Next weekend, hubs and I go pick up son from camp, and daughter heads to school again, 6 1/2 hours away. So this is our last hurrah for a while. 

Yesterday we slept in, she went out for breakfast with her girlfriend, and then she and I headed on an hour road trip for her to play an extra in a small film (for CASH, thankyouverymuch). Then we took the slow way home, visited a lot, got some groceries, and re-watched Pitch Perfect for the millionth time while eating a late dinner. Today we slept in again, will have cinnamon rolls for breakfast, maybe lay out in the sun for a bit, then have a nice linner of our favorite appetizers from a neighborhood restaurant (I'll be headed to bed early, in preparation for going back to work tomorrow). She's then having one of her childhood besties over for a girls' slumber party.

Fantastic weekend, but I wish it could last longer, ya know?

This morning, while she understandably sleeps in longer than me (because she can), I'm joining in with Caffeinated Reviewer for the Sunday Post, and Readerbuzz for the Sunday Salon. I have been trying to blog more - well, write more overall - but this is where I've been showing up the longest. It's a great group of bloggers, and I always encourage you to head over and check some out!

What I'm Reading This Week:

I'm leaning heavy into my Battle of the Books list for reading now, since ideally I should finish the four books before the contest on Thursday. But reading before bed is one of my favorite times, and none of the books were available on kindle. So I started Confessions of a Grammar Queen by Eliza Knight, even though it isn't part of the Battle. For the Battle, I'm currently reading Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash, The Forgotten History of Easter Island by Mike Pitts, and Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast. I still need to make some time to hopefully zoom through (haha) Little Thieves by Margaret Owen. I was going to work some overtime this week, but maybe I should call in to create some free time in my schedule ;)

Three Good Things:

1. My daughter's tap shoes fit me! I've wanted to take tap dancing for a while now (have you seen the movie Miss Meadows? She tap dances everywhere!). Anyway, having to find and pay for a class, AND buy shoes was just another obstacle. Now, I have shoes, and I found an adult tap class through community education in October & November. So, I'm signing up for tap class!
2. I was able to buy the final book for Battle yesterday! I ordered the others on Bookshop.org a while ago, but they couldn't find the non-fiction. Probably because it actually has an insanely long title. Anyway, I went into Barnes & Noble with the screenshot yesterday, and after the booksellers exchanged a look and I told them about Battle, which explained why they had received a number of requests for an otherwise obscure book lately, they sold me the last hardcover copy.
3. I am so pleased and satisfied with the changes I've made around the house lately. I am definitely the one who spends the most time here, so I've bought a couple side tables and a table behind the couch, set up my cozy reading corner with a chair hubs bought for me on the TikTok Shop and a relocated side table, and I'm hanging some pictures on the walls that were previously waiting for frames. I've always liked being home, but having things more convenient and aesthetically pleasing just makes it even nicer.

Three Goals for This Week/Month/Whatever:

1. Obviously, the books. While our 'team' (me and one other friend) is not super competitive, it would be nice to get a couple answers right, and we did invest in the books... I'll try to read as much of them as possible before Thursday.
2. I'm continuing with the water challenge at work. We're tracking, and challenged to drink at least 64 oz of water, for 20 of 28 days starting July 27. I think there's only been one day so far when I drank less than that. There will be gift card giveaways for overall and weekly participation. Oddly enough, I do not win things at work. I know, I know. Words are spells, and saying that reinforces it, but it is statistically improbable that I have participated in so many things over the five + years I've worked there, and not won, while some of the same people win repeatedly. But, water is good for me anyway, so I keep going.
3. Writing more. I truly feel that writing is part of my purpose, and I want to move into something that is financially beneficial through writing. So step one is to write, right? I'm here for it, and I enjoy it. I'm sure the universe will surprise me with great results as time goes on.

Top Ten Tuesday: 4 August 2026

I really do best with following along for things like this, so while That Artsy Reader Girl says we can do any cover challenge, I will follow her lead and do 10 Books with a Body of Water on the cover. These will be books I've read, though, straight from my Goodreads list. Head over to her site to check out other peoples' posts! 

So I actually have read all of these, but they are simply in order from most recent to oldest covers I snagged showing a body of water.

Now I'm off to see others' top ten lists of probably cover anything, right? It always amazes me that after being a pretty regular reader for close to half a century, I'll still see dozens and dozens of books I haven't read...yet.

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - August 2, 2026: Fake End of the Year

This is the last weekend of the summer for my whole family together this year. Yesterday the kids and I traveled a couple hours across the state to see Our Town by the Hope Repertory Theatre. The show's lead, Emily Webb, was played by a friend from my daughter's cohort at school doing her summer stock shows. And the show was excellent! Real tears were shed. Afterward, we headed to Hopcat for an excellent linner (late lunch, early dinner).

Today we're headed around town for errands. We'll head to Best Buy first, to return the Galaxy 7 watch I bought on Friday (which does not connect well to my Pixel phone) and hopefully get a Garmin watch (if it isn't too much more costly - in which case it may need to wait a couple weeks). Then my son and I will drop my daughter off at work and head to the comic book store in town so he can window shop, then to a couple more practical stores to get the last of the things he wants/needs on hand for camp (and a couple groceries for the house like dinner for tonight).

In the meantime, I'm up a bit before most of them to start my Sunday post and join up with those doing the Sunday Salon (hosted by Readerbuzz) and Sunday Post (hosted by Caffeinated Reviewer). I'm truly looking forward to this evening, after the busy-ness and hub-bub, when I can take some quiet time to visit some of the usual participants who I enjoy following along in life with.

What I'm Reading This Week:

Last night I finished Honey by Imani Thompson. I'm figuring out what to say, as it was not what I expected from the blurb, but I am glad I read it - probably 4 out of 5 stars? I'll decide what to start next on my kindle later today. I'm thoroughly engrossed in the audiobook of Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid on my way to and from work. Loving it! (BTW, looks like there's currently a giveaway for print copies of the book on Goodreads through Aug 13 or so.) And I started the print book of Lost Lambs by Madeline Cash. It's one of the books for the Battle of the Books competition in a couple weeks.

Three Good Things:

1. Okay. The first thing that came to mind made me wonder if this is from the previous week, or looking forward? No matter. Ima list what I list. LOL I'm excited to have this coming Wednesday off of work! We're taking the boy to camp, where he'll be for 12 days. It's his first time, but it's a pretty well known camp with multiple sessions where his cousins also go (but not during the same week). He is super excited.
2. Yesterday was a really great day with the kiddos. They are fabulous road-trippers who roll with the punches. We planned to get there early and get a meal before the show, but the town was PACKED and an hour was unlikely to be enough time. We got concessions, loved the show, and went back to where we originally planned to eat afterward instead. I was worried about them being way hungry during the show, but then we all almost laughed out loud when it was MY stomach that audibly delivered practically a monologue during a quiet part of the show. I was MORTIFIED. Part way home we stopped for root beer floats at some place off the expressway that my daughter knew of, and drove by the big lake just to say we did. I'm so grateful for days like yesterday.
3. I re-gifted my Davincified dragon painting. I realized what was intended to be a distraction from stress, and something to do to free my mind and relax, was adding pressure because I wasn't really looking forward to working on it. Some things will be our jam, and some will not. And my closest co-worker was excited to receive it and says she is looking forward to the process, but would not have picked that painting, so she'll probably finish it and give it back all done!

Three Goals for This Week/Month/Whatever:

1. I'm gonna get a smart watch and get it set up! Technology is usually frustrating for me, but it sounds like the right watch that properly connects should be pretty user friendly. I'll give it one more try. If not today, in a couple weeks. Keep your fingers crossed for me!
2. Continue with my office's water challenge! Starting July 27, we're challenged and tracking how much water we consume each day. The goal of the challenge is 64 oz for 20 out of 28 days. So far so good! I got 80 oz/day on the Monday - Friday of last week. I always planned to not try yesterday (because who honestly wants to pee that often on a road trip). I'll hopefully get it done today after errands, and then tomorrow it will be back to guzzling at work. I'm taking Wednesday off again (road trip to camp). At work, I try to empty my 40oz Owala (I have a white-ish one, and a forest green one) before lunch, and again after. So far, so good!
3. I think I'm going to try my Woobles crochet kit today! I got the Yeti for a christmas gift from my kids, but was disappointed to find that the instructions are online. Now that I have my new laptop and keep it in the living room, I can hang out among my other humans as they do their activities and teach myself to crochet, more or less. And looking at the website now, there's other cute kits if I end up liking it. We'll see!

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - July 26, 2026: Happy Birthday!

Hello! I always see people with little kids saying they want to 'stop time' to enjoy their little one. Personally, I've made it sort of one of my word goals not to say anything like that. We all know people for whom time has stopped, when their child is sick, or gods-forbid, dies. Time has to progress and proceed. And words are spells (this is a huge one for me). Every moment is so precious, and never to be repeated.

This week, we're celebrating my first child's 19th birthday. One of my great sources of joy and satisfaction is seeing others appreciate my amazing daughter. I love to watch how much her friends and family care for her, how she elicits notice and laughs or admiration from audiences and people she interacts with, and the reactions she gets just being her fun, kind, and unique self out and about with those she cares about. As I said when she was being ridiculous at an event with friends and family a few weeks ago, "I made that." Hahahaha....

I'm taking a few minutes to join in with Caffeinated Reviewer for Sunday Post, and  Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon, before I take a quick shower and run out for breakfast treats, before the girl needs to go to work. Ugh. Then she'll take her quick shower after work, before more family comes over to celebrate her special day. Our summer is rapidly heading to a close. This will be our last week all together, as the week after has camp for my son, another business trip for hubs, and then it ends with my daughter heading back to college. So just a couple weeks to go, really.

What I'm reading this week:

I'm about half-way through the kindle edition of Honey by Imani Thompson (which I may be enjoying more than I should, with the murdering and all...). In print, I'm hoping to wrap up The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wacker later today, so I can start on my Battle of the Books books before the event on August 13. For audio books, I just finished Bookshops and Bonedust by Travis Baldree (really enjoyed, and may pick up the later books in the series another time), and Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson (loved, and his passion for the subject makes it great, even if I didn't understand most of it - would listen again). 

I just unsuspended my hold and will start Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid on Monday. I've somehow not read any of this author's books before, and what caught my attention for this one was the Audio Award Winner for the audio book narration by Kristen DiMercurio. I actually first watched a lot of Tik Toks by this voice actor, as they pick animated characters they don't know, then reads about them and 'guesses' at their voice. They're usually pretty close! When I saw them winning the award for narrating this book, I really wanted to hear/read it.

Three Good Things:

1. I did a good something for myself! I mean, it didn't work out, but I initiated something. I was talking to a friend a couple weeks ago who recommended a breath studio in town. I scheduled a consultation! I went in last Monday for a tour of the place, and talked with my guide for a few minutes about the whole 9D breathing therapy thing. It sounded ah-mazing. But they do the intro class on a Monday - Wednesday from 7 - 9 or 9:30pm. I've become a big fan of doing what works for me. Being in bed by 7 on nights before work is a win for me. I get up at 4:20am, so not being home until almost 10pm would be bad. Especially the first three days of the work week. I'd never catch up if I had to do that for a month (the intro period). So I had to pass. And never even found out how much it would actually cost. But my 'good thing' is that I did schedule and go see about something just for me.
2. I finally started my Davincified painting! Just a couple spots so far, and I accidentally left a paint pot open when I walked away the first time... But progress is progress!
3. I got more furniture for the family room. Not sure if mentioned the awesome skinny table behind my couch (that hides remotes, phone chargers, and the like), but now I also got a side table with built in outlets/chargers next to the lounger chair in the family room and the one in the living room. We had actually been using a cat climber/scratcher next to the chair in the family room, so when the cats scratched, a drink was often spilled! LOL

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Keep working on my painting! I meant to yesterday, but got drawn into the appeal of laundry (just kidding, the only appeal is trying to stay ahead of the panic of dirty laundry we need to be clean...)
2. Work some overtime this week. The kids and I are going to a theater a few hours away to see Our Town next Saturday, but I don't have any time off during the week. So I can make some overtime, but it will have to be Monday - Friday.
3. I almost wrote menu plan, but I think I need to do it a little less traditionally. Since schedules around here change unexpectedly, I get way too frustrated when I have dinner planned, and not enough people are here to eat it. So by 'menu plan,' I think I need to essentially be ready for a few dinners at home by having ingredients thawed and on hand, that I can use within a few days. When people are here and ready to eat, I can make what is next on the plan. I really like planning, so this is sort of uncomfortable for me to do so loosey goosey. Hahahaha....

Throwback Thursday - December 2004

Here's an oldie. Today, I tried to find an old picture of just me, instead of picking up my phone to ask if anyone else cared if they were in the picture, but getting distracted by my games, and getting back in a half hour to have forgotten which picture I meant... I'm sure that description shows just how easily that would have happened. LOL

This is a picture taken by hubs, of me in Garmish-Partenkirchen. It's in Bavaria, Germany, and is where the 1936 Winter Olympics were held. The photo was taken in 2004 during a two week trip while hubs was working in North Rhine-Westfalia for BHTC. While I'm a homebody, hubs has always loved checking out all the touristy stuff he can find on his work trips.

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - July 12, 2026: Turning It Around

So, I didn't say anything last week, since I was still trying to ignore my bad luck and wait for it to turn. I'm feeling way more optimistic now! (and I may or may not have gotten the kids to both do a spell to end bad luck with me yesterday) 

Here's a consolidated list since July 1: 

• Daughter got a nail in her car's tire - no point in fixing, since she has a portable air compressor, and her vehicle is getting new tires this month
• Our mailbox got knocked down/backed over by son's ride to theater practice
• Daughter dropped her phone off due to a cracked screen a year ago, so insurance could replace the phone (repair not available) - replacement phone also didn't work...
• The whisper touch bracket on the master bath toilet seat broke
• Our air conditioner died during the hottest week of the year
• The wind in a crazy storm took out a third of a tree across my front garden and walkway
• Attempt to re-seat new mailbox finds a CONCRETE SLAB one foot deep
• While digging a hole for the mailbox on the other side of the driveway, a sprinkler line is accidentally broken
• Sprinkler company (after awesomely talking daughter through how to turn off the water) reschedules our next day appointment to next week (so mailbox is still in a Home Depot bucket at the street)
• Last night, hubby's first flight (of three) to get home was delayed, which caused all of his two weeks' worth of luggage not to make it to the second flight, then the third flight was delayed by a couple more hours - he ended up getting a Lyft home instead of having me stay up til 4am to go pick him up

But now? This is all out of the way (okay, still some clean up work to get done) and GREAT THINGS are coming our way!

Funny story - I'm looking into freelance writing, and a recommendation said to start a blog for practice. Umm... okay. Did that more than 20 years ago. What's next? LOL But I am going to post a bit more regularly, and my favorite post for a long time is the Sunday Salon with Readerbuzz, and the Sunday Post with Caffeinated Reviewer. Check em out, and meet more excellent bloggers :)

What I'm reading this week:

And I plan to start the audiobook of 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think by Brianna West tomorrow. I like to start my day with an audio book that is self-improvement, or inspirational (without a downer part), or a good memoir, to start my work day with positive vibes. Any recommendations? Also, non-religious, please.

Three Good Things:

1. While the first night was a rainout, my son did get to perform his parts Friday and Saturday night for the musical version of Freaky Friday. I'm always so proud of him, and I love seeing live shows. We had gone to see a friend of his from school in Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief junior musical earlier yesterday, and he ended his day after his show by jumping in the lake with friends from the cast.
2. Honestly, being on the other side of all the messes that have happened in the last week or so is fabulous news! LOL
3. I'm super excited to have this coming Thursday off work, so I can be here to get our new doorwall installed! We've had a doorwall with no screen since our deck was replaced a few years ago. This is a doorwall with the built-in blinds, and a screen. And it shouldn't take all day, so I'll have some me time away from work too!

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Start my Davincified painting! Hahahahaha
2. 
   Finish The Golem and the Jinni so I can read the four books for my community's adult Battle of the Books before the event on August 13. Any opinions on the books I've got to read/process? I bought everything except the non-fiction, since the friend from work who I'm doing the battle with said she bought that one and we'll share. No one ever wants to keep the non-fiction book! LOL
3. It's been a few since I've listed this goal - I should try to straighten up my home office. It's slipped way down the priority list since I've made a really great sitting area in the family room, where I use my laptop on my, well, lap. I'll get back to it. I've been rather determinedly working eight-hour-days lately, which gets me home earlier and with a bit more energy, so I should use that well. 
   
   

Portrait of a Witch Undone - Book Review

Portrait of a Witch Undone by K.S. Shay
Publication: August 25, 2026
Pages: 368 pages
Rating:4 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: Maeve tries to do the right thing, but she truly doesn't think there's anyone who could understand her unique situation and help.

Maeve and her best friend Ash attempted a spell to reach the Lady of the Fens. They'd been told never to do such a thing, and it turns out it was indeed a very bad idea. Now 'unbound' magic is threatening what's left of Maeve's real magic. If it wins, Maeve would be completely insane and outcast. So her goal is to eliminate all of the magic from her, so she can just go on being herself, even without her lifetime of magic.

Maeve is pretty sold on her plan, until Ash unexpectedly finds her way into the 'Other Marsh' and in a conflict with some pretty bad stuff. Now the calls for Maeve and her originally strong magic are relentless - everyone expects her to save Ash and their legendary coven.

The story is told with an intriguing almost magical realism - the way the coven history and unbound magic work are common knowledge. If you don't already know, it's of course because you are not a witch. Maeve's research into the history, the Lady of the Fens, and what she may need to do save Ash and potentially still end the loss of herself to the unbound magic leads to some surprising meetings and conclusions.

Overall, the story and worldbuilding were unique and earned 4 out of 5 stars. This could definitely be the start of a series, with so much more history of the coven and future for Maeve and Ash left to tell. Readers who like witch stories and family drama won't want to miss this one.

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

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - July 5, 2026: Independent Energy!

What. A. Weekend! I can't remember the last time I felt so good about a three-day-weekend. I wish it never had to end! I did a whole lot of 'what I wanted,' without being mean about it to anyone else, and actually feel positive and refreshed. Friday I woke up earlier than the kids (per usual...) so I sunbathed first. Once everyone woke up, I ended up home alone most of the day, as the girls took my car, and I had them drop off my son at his friend's on the way. While they were gone, I had a tasty lunch, watched an inspirational manifestation zoom, took a nap, and just generally chilled. They were gone longer than expected, so they picked up my son and his friends on their way back, and the house was FULL for an hour or so. Saturday, my daughter had to work. I watched Independence Day while my son slept in, then he and I shared lunch while I read and we watched other summer-vibe movies, and eventually picked up groceries for the coming week. Today, I'll drive my daughter to work, then chill a bit more, until I pick her up and take both kids shopping for some needed clothing. I told them afterward we can bring something home for dinner. All in all, a great weekend.

And I can think of no better way to start my Sunday off right than posting with Caffeinated Reviewer for Sunday Post, and Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon. Be sure to check out some of the other blogs on these great lists; it is truly a bright spot for me each week.

What I'm reading this week:

Well, I'm reading the same things I was last week! Hahahaha....

Three Good Things:

1. I finally bagged up the random donation piles around the house (need to add all the cups/tumblers from the front porch box). While I forgot them when I left the house yesterday, they are going out today!
2. My sliding back doorwall is scheduled for installation! Yay!! Just another week and a half....
3. My son's musical is next weekend - Thursday - Sunday. He's double cast as Louis and Welles in Freaky Friday the Musical. So we've got a heck of a week, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Start my Davincified paint by numbers! I'm such a perfectionist, I'm worried it won't be perfect. LOL But of course it won't be! The goal is for it to be fun and funky!
2. Pick up my cross-stitch again! It's been a bit since I've worked on it, but it always relaxes me, and the end project eventually will be so cute and rewarding.
3. Continue increasing my water intake. I did a pretty good job this weekend, alternating a glass of water with my other beverages, but I want to keep that up at work, which is of course different than being at home.

Five Things for Friday - July 3, 2026

 

1. OMG. I've been looking at TikTok a bit more again lately, and I got to see the 'Every little cell inside my body is happy and well' song today (in probably five different videos). I LOVE IT. Super catchy, and what great news, amiright?
2. It's a holiday weekend in the U.S., and I'm making it for me. Hahahaha... I told the kids that my goal is to do nothing, or at least leave the house as little as possible. I am the younger one's ride so I may take him somewhere, and probably do a grocery run. Other than that, I can read, write, paint, maybe work on my crossstitch, and just chill. YAY!
3. Groceries. Ugh. I am possibly the opposite of a foodie and regularly skip meals. For two weeks, my husband is working out of the country, and my son has rehearsals three nights/week. And about half of those nights, my daughter is at work. So I usually skip dinner. Which is why, for next week, I splurged on two Home Chef boxes that will feed me and have good lunch leftovers. I'm getting chicken enchiladas, and what was a chicken & orzo, but I substituted shrimp for the chicken in that one. YUM!!
4. We had three days with dangerously hot weather this week. By the end of the second day, our air conditioning said - Peace, out! Not a choice I agreed with, obviously. The next morning before I had time to deal with it at work, my husband got the ball rolling since he was seven hours ahead of us, and had his cousin who could fix it call me at work (where I can't get calls). Luckily I didn't get in trouble this time, but had to wake my kids up to deal with it. They were sleeping in the basement, where it was a few degrees cooler. I ordered them donuts and tipped the driver outrageously to go around to the back of the house and wake them up at the basement walk out. The driver instead indicated he did not speak English and left them on the front porch. Not helpful, but I hope his family can enjoy the extra tip. Kids finally woke up, and the cousin did end up fixing the air. This was all yesterday, and now it's all good.
5. My nails seem to be giving up. My last gel fill was someone different than Chloe who usually does them, and they were lifting within a couple weeks. I've had other priorities with my paychecks, so it now looks like I'm sort of letting them fall off. Huh. I also quit wearing make-up at the end of May, but literally no one has noticed (or said anything, anyway...). 

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - June 28, 2026: New Me :)

Hello! I'm back and feeling better. My name is Becki and anxiety was ruining my life. (Hi, Becki) I'm finally doing something about it. Since starting an ongoing anti-anxiety prescription a month or so ago, my outlook is more positive and I don't consistently feel physically ill for the first time I can remember. It was bad. But now I'm on the mend. Hopefully the trend can continue.

This morning I'm joining with Readerbuzz for Sunday Salon, and Caffeinated Reviewer for Sunday Post. Lots of great peeps post with these linkies, and I've missed them! Excited to spend my afternoon doing a lot of things I'm looking forward to accomplishing, interspersed with visiting blogs!

What I'm reading this week:

I just started Ten Incarnations of Rebellion on my kindle. I'm a little worried that I don't have enough history background to truly understand the alternative history of this book, but I'm enjoying it as it's written so far. In print, I'm reading The Golem and the Jinni, which was recommended to me years ago. I bought it then, and it's sat on my shelf waiting since then. I'm liking this one too. 

One of the audiobooks I'm reading, I'm not super sure I'll finish. My best friend recommended Lights Out, but it's very much focused on sex, which just isn't my jam. Hoping some more plot points emerge and take some emphasis. LOL My other amusing audio book for my morning commute is The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck. The subtitle on that is 'How to Stop Spending Time You Don't Have with People You Don't Like Doing Things You Don't Want to Do.'

Three Good Things:

1. I worked more than 20 hours of overtime over the last two weeks, so my check this coming weekend will be quite nice. I'm doing so much better mentally this year with finances. Money is made to flow, not hoard. I'm grateful that my income and the ability to pay for the things I (and the kids) need. My abundance only grows!
2. Davincified let me pick out a paint by number picture to share with ya'll, and I'm totally starting that today! My daughter is a cinematographer when she's at school, so I've asked for her help in creating a video, but we're both busy people who keep chilling when we're together instead of working! A co-worker said the picture reminded her of the diamond painting things. I haven't tried one of those yet, but I bet I'd enjoy it too!
3. A short work week! This Friday (July 3) we have off, so I won't bother doing extra hours for straight time, since overtime is based on 'working' more than 40 hours. Four short (8 hour) days followed by a three-day weekend? Yes, please!

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Bag up all the donation piles around the stuff and drop them off. I've got the usual pile at the end of my dresser that everyone adds old clothes to, a pair of nice dress shoes my son grew out of sitting by the front door (tried to give them away on buy nothing, but no one wanted them), and a box of water cups/bottles on the front porch (see buy nothing comment previously....). And now I can add a pile of books that my daughter is giving away to the list. I'll probably share the list and see if buy nothing wants any first...
2. Menu plan! It's just the kids and I this week, and my son has rehearsal for Freaky Friday three days over dinnertime (but he usually makes his own dinner anyway). I've got a whole list for today, but I'd like to post my menu plan for the week tomorrow.
3. Today: Get a new mailbox post and quikcrete to secure it (the hole is still there, but my son's ride backed into the mailbox post and knocked everything over - fabulous kid, still need rides, no hard feelings). Make a grocery list & shop. Make our last HomeChef meal for dinner today. 

Top Ten Tuesday: 26 May 2026

I have wanted to join in with that artsy reader girl for Top Ten Tuesday for so long. I'm finally taking a swing at it for this week's 'favorite books by favorite authors.' Be sure to visit her site to see others' picks too!

I'm purposely sharing mine before I go visiting, as I'm sure ya'll will show me more I forgot!

In no particular order:

When Women were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

God on a Harley by Joan Brady

The Witches of Moonshyne Manor by Bianca Marais

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix

Calico by Lee Goldberg

Death of a Messenger by Robert McCaw

Law and Addiction by Mike Papantonio

The Ghostwing's Lie by Rebecca Mix

Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

I reserve the right to change this list as needed - weekly, daily, even hourly. Going back into Goodreads for the links reminded me of different books/authors I may have wanted to include, but the graphic is made, and that's the hard part for me.

With that said, happy to chat more about any of these books - any time!

Sunday Post/Sunday Salon - May 24, 2026: Rushing in to Summer

WOW! I feel like I've spent my first full week not on vacation, trying desperately to organize the rest of our summer. But it's okay, since I think I've almost been successful. LOL Things I've added to my calendar for my family for this summer (most added this week): band concert, 8th grade ceremony & celebration, two business trips, Freaky Friday performances, Pride and Prejudice auditions, no-PTO allowed days (per management), a mini bookcase craft class, Blue Lake performing arts camp, almost tickets to Jagged Little Pill (to be finalized this afternoon), leaving to return to college, graduation parties, theatre booster meeting, and payment schedules for so much of the above. Hahahaha.... The mental load is real.

While I'm getting a later start than usual, posting to the Sunday loop today was near the top of my priority list. I'm joining in with Sunday Post at Caffeinated Reviewer, and Sunday Salon at Readerbuzz. I would encourage you as well to poke your head into a few of the other blogs participating in these great linkups.

What I'm reading this week:

Honestly really excited that I got The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler back on Libby. I'm like 70% through the audio book, but my loan ran out months ago. Now I have 14 days to actually finish it. I'm also probably finishing my print copy of The Roaring Ridleys by K.M. Colley and have started Portrait of a Witch Undone by K.S. Shay on my kindle.

(Yes, I am still working through the other two audiobooks from last week, but I don't want this section to be a page on its own.)

Three Good Things:

1. I got another great Stitch Fix box! I ordered one last month for summery stuff to wear on the Maui trip with my husband. This month I asked for a little more business-y stuff so I can have something to wear besides fun graphic tees in case I get an interview or do something remotely professional at some point. I received six items and only returned one pair of slacks. I'm keeping two blouses, another pair of slacks, and two jackets.
2. Hubby is home for a couple weeks! Not gonna lie, there are pros and cons since he travels so much, but when I'm working 40 - 50 hours/week, an extra hand can be nice with all the end-of-middle-school activities this year. Luckily, my college-aged daughter helps out now since she's home, but I'd prefer she not have to schedule things that really are not her responsibility. (She is truly a saint who willingly helps.)
3. I've implemented a new plan to help out with running the house. I suspect I'm in the minority, but I greatly prefer cleaning up to cooking. I'm not a big eater (anxiety toys with my digestion a lot), and handling raw food makes me even less hungry. So I've asked everyone else living here to pick a night and what they want to make for dinner, and I'll get the ingredients and then clean up. This week hubs will make schnitzel, and my son is making breakfast for dinner (pancakes). They're also home earlier than me usually, so not having to come home and immediately start making dinner is a huge win for me.

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. I've been encouraged to set up an 'individual development plan' at work. It is intended to focus on one's personal and professional goals, that may not be part of our performance evaluation about company goals. I would like to focus on my writing. Doing more of it, improving it, and potentially finding some sort of market (contests? side gigs?). 
2. I installed a step counter on my phone, to try and focus on my health a bit more. I'm pretty sure menopause is kicking my ass. While I don't usually check my weight, when I got on a scale last week, it read a full 10 pounds heavier than the last time I remember looking. Eek!
3. Now that I've got my new computer up and kicking, I need to get caught up on some book reviews, and hopefully post more here on my blog. Also, more Yelp! reviews. 

Sunday Salon/Sunday Post - May 17, 2026: New Computer, Who Dis?

I'm not sure if I'd mentioned it before, but my computer was a lil finicky and old. I had continued paying the bills as needed, and trying to squeeze out a few blog posts, but after a steady decline, we reached the point where it was doing n o t h i n g. So I came home from work one day just before I had set aside extra spending money for my April and May vacations and said, "Nope! I deserve more peace in my life than this. Time for a new computer." After dinner, hubby and I went to Microcenter, and I bought the new computer. Whooooo doggie. What took me so long? Well, I anticipated the expense being way more than it was. But after just a few hundred dollars, I'm back among the online living.

And one of the first things I'm doing (after only a few book reviews, Yelp! reviews, and paying some bills) is joining Readerbuzz for the Sunday Salon, and Caffeinated Reviewer for the Sunday Post. I've missed ya'll SO MUCH!!

What I'm reading this week:

In the meantime, I've developed the questionable habit of reading at least four books at a time. LOL Besides my regularly scheduled print book for review (The Roaring Ridley's by K.M. Colley) and my kindle book for review (All the Mothers by Domenica Ruta), I've now added some books solely chosen at my whim. I listen to a non-fiction/motivational/memoir on my morning drive (currently Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten) and a fiction book on my way home (about half-way through Weyward by Emilia Hart right now).

Since I listen to music all day anyway, I think it's working out. I'm starting the day on a bit more of a positive note usually, and I'm getting to pick books just for the fun of it, instead of always plugging away at my endless review list. Unfortunately, I just got notification that like three more audio books from my hold list are ready (I'm playing an ostrich and sticking my head in the sand), and I only got three quarters of the way through Parable of the Sower and have to wait MONTHS for my turn to come around again...

Three Good Things:

1. In all honesty, I should write a few separate posts for my vacations. In April, first I spent three days in Chicago taking my son to the Hatsune Miku Expo, then my best friend flew in from New Jersey and we went to Northern Michigan University (NMU) to watch my daughter perform in 9 to 5. A couple weeks later, I drove back to NMU to pick up my daughter and bring her home, then hubs and I flew to Maui for a week to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary (our anniversary was in February, but we waited til our 'adult' daughter could be at home with our son). I now have 1.66 hours of PTO left. LOL
2. My kids are already cast in their next shows! My son is part of the teen ensemble in the Freaky Friday musical in Oxford at the end of June, and my daughter is Beulah in Come from Away at NMU in the fall.
3. Oh! I got new glasses finally too! In addition to updating my lenses for the first time in a couple years, I got a Pair base, with switchable magnetic 'tops' including sunglasses so I don't have to carry a big ole glasses case in a purse. So I'll be getting a new purse, since the tops take up so little room :)

Three Goals for this week/month/whatever:

1. Review more of my trip stuff on Yelp! I've got tons of reviews up, but most are from years ago. I want to be more consistently reviewing, and all my recent travels give me lots of places to review. 
2. Complete more book reviews! I've got another half dozen or so books that I've finished reading, but need to complete my reviews and send them to Books I Think You Should Read. And then sort of the subset on this goal is to review all my emails from her and pick more books to review. Too much reading - my favorite kind of problem!
3. Order our new door wall!! For the last few years, we haven't had a screen door onto our deck (the old one got lost while hubs and his buddy tore off the old deck, and then the 'universal' replacement didn't fit). For 'just' a few grand, I can get the new fancy door with the blinds inside it, and a screen door, installed! They came and did the measurement part while hubs and I were gone, so I can order the new door and probably have it installed in a month or so as a surprise while hubs travels for work - Happy Father's Day!