WEEKLY UPDATES: MORE HEAT, TECHNOLOGICAL GLITCHES, ETC.

On By Laurel-Rain SnowIn weekly updates

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon, The Sunday Post and Stacking the Shelves, for weekly updates.

**Mailbox Monday is hosted at the home site: Mailbox Monday.

And let’s join Kathryn, our leader in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, at Book Date.

 

What a hot week!  Luckily I stayed indoors a lot, except for an early morning hose down of the patio last weekend.  I think I need to do it again today, as the gardeners were here yesterday.  Sigh.  

For some reason, my reading was slow, once I had finished my first book (I was riveted to the pages on that one!).  I finally closed the covers on a second book…and last night, hurried to the finish line by reading and reviewing the third one.  Each book was different, so my overall reading week was a good one.

On Tuesday, the AT&T technician came to fix the lines; my signal was going out way too often.  So far, I am now enjoying my viewing without losing the signal.  Knock wood.  We’re having a free Cinemax weekend, so I set the DVR to record a few things, but I realize that I actually prefer my HBO and Showtime.  Which reminds me:  Sharp Objects starts tomorrow!  I loved the book, and I’m guessing that, with Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson starring, it should be worth staying glued to the screen.  I am DVR-ing it, however; I did the same with Big Little Lies and still enjoy watching that one again and again.

Handmaid’s Tale is dark…and I’m so hoping that poor Offred will escape.  Sigh.  I guess that might happen if we have another season.

My FB app on my iPhone 7 keeps shutting down when I scroll through the feed.  I tried a number of “fixes,” (shutting off the phone, changing the settings, etc.) with nothing working for more than a minute or two.  I even deleted the app and downloaded a new one…twice!  Nada.  I guess I’m off to the phone store…unless someone out there knows of a sure-fire fix.

So…that’s my week so far.  Let’s grab more coffee and take a closer look.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Potpourri:  Weekend Tasks & Some Fun…

Rainy Day Excerpts:  “My (Not So) Perfect Life”

Hump Day Treasures:  Current, Past, & Future Reading…

Coffee Chat:  My Thoughts from the Sidelines…

Bookish Friday:  “All We Ever Wanted”

Friday Potpourri:  Random Tidbits & Family Moments…

Review:  My Girls:  A Lifetime with Carrie & Debbie, by Todd FisherReview:  Night Moves (e-book), by Jonathan KellermanReview:  My (Not So) Perfect Life (e-book), by Sophie Kinsella

***

INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Empty mailbox!  I did download a Kindle Prime Freebie…and two purchased e-books.

Beautiful Exiles (e-book), by Meg Waite Clayton (Freebie)

A riveting novel based on one of the most volatile and intoxicating real-life love affairs of the twentieth century (Ernest Hemingway and Martha Gellhorn).

***

Purchases:

Three Days Missing (e-book), by Kimberly Belle

Left:  A Love Story (e-book), by Mary Hogan

***

WHAT’S NEXT?

Current Read:  Finally I’m reading my NetGalley ARC that will be released on 7/24:  Believe Me, by J.P. Delaney.   I love this cover!

In this twisty psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Before, an actress plays both sides of a murder investigation.

“A compelling read . . . redefines the concept of an unreliable narrator . . . [a] rich, nuanced, highly literary take on the Gone Girl theme.”—Booklist (starred review)

***

And then what?  I have a stack of TBR books to read….and some more review books that I need to tackle this month!

That was my week…what did yours look like?  Last Saturday, I savored this piece of Strawberry Shortcake…sigh.

***

67 thoughts on “WEEKLY UPDATES: MORE HEAT, TECHNOLOGICAL GLITCHES, ETC.”

  2. Yvonne

    It’s been ridiculously hot here, too, but the weather finally broke today and it’s really nice.

    I’m glad they were able to fix your cable. It’s so annoying when things like that break down. I hope it stays fixed.

    The Todd Fisher book looks good. I’m going to see if I can get it on audio at the library.

    My Sunday post is here.

    Have a great week!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. I just re- upped with Hulu, they sent me an offer for a free month to come back and then promptly charged me 7.99 lol. Sigh. But now I can watch S2 of Handmaid’s (although do I WANT to might be the question- it’s SO dark). Yes Offred needs to escape for crying out loud! Sharp Objects sounds good too.

    Good luck with your connection. I have Comcast and my service has been spotty too.

    I’m not a big fan of strawberry shortcake, but even so it DOEs look good. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Greg, and it seems like the more technology we have, the more anxieties follow…LOL. Things that don’t work or things that crash. Then we had a power outage this afternoon, and I realized that I have been lucky on that front. I hadn’t had one in a while. I went to sleep for a nap and it was out when I woke up to a completely dark house. I thought it might be midnight!

      I actually love the strawberry shortcake my mom used to make…the one in the photo isn’t nearly as good.

      I think there are only one or two more episodes of S2…so if she escapes, it will have to happen soon. Or…maybe there will be a third season in which that happens.

      Enjoy your weekend!

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    1. Thanks, Anna, I am frustrated with the phone! I headed to the Apple Store, found a parking space and everything (big mall!), and then hoofed it to the store and discovered it was closed, crawling with police after a break-in! What a mess! We only have the one store.

      Spent time on the phone with tech support, tried everything…and now the app stays on for two or three minutes before crashing. Sigh.

      So now I’m just reading and fuming. LOL. Enjoy your week!

      Liked by 1 person

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    1. I guess I’m sort of used to the extreme heat, Kathryn; we’ve had days of 110 and more in the past, and when that happens, I try to go to the coast.

      Luckily, Believe Me is a very engaging read that has stunning twists. So far it is keeping my mind off the heat…and my phone issues, still unresolved.

      Enjoy your week!

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  7. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten strawberry shortcake? It does look good! Weren’t they a pop band in the 80s?
    I hope you get your phone sorted soon. I’m thinking about upgrading my old Wildfire S, but trying to decide on a new one is exhausting!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. I spent too much time yesterday on the phone issues, still unresolved, Stephanie Jane. The AT&T people said it’s an Apple issue, the Apple people say it’s a Facebook issue…boy, pass the blame along, guys! LOL.

      I did get a few suggestions from each…and now the app stays on for three or four minutes before crashing. LOL

      Luckily, I can get to FB via my computer, but that doesn’t serve me well when I’m not at home. Sigh.

      I think there might have been a pop band…but the dessert is one of my summer favorites from childhood. Enjoy your week!

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  8. Yum! Those strawberries look absolutely delicious with strawberries and cream – though my father now swears they are wonderful with black pepper after having had them served up like that in a Paris cafe. I haven’t yet tried it – perhaps I will today! In the meantime, I hope the weather isn’t too unbearable. We are currently baking with a heatwave that I’m personally enjoying – but then I am mostly working at home. The classrooms at college are like saunas… Have a great week, Laurel.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Sarah, and I shudder to think of those “sauna” classrooms. No AC, I guess. I can’t imagine pepper on strawberries, but sometimes these things are surprisingly good.

      Enjoy your week! I am trying to stay indoors today.

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  10. Love the strawberry shortcake. Some great covers. I’ll have to check them out. I’ve been in a huge mystery/thriller binge lately. It’s been surprisingly keeping my head straight. #8Sunday Not having a wordpress account had made it hard to comment on your blog today…sigh

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Trin, and sometimes visitors without an account set up a “dummy” WP account, in which they don’t blog, but it helps with commenting.

      Have a great week! I am trying to mix my thrillers with other genres…it helps with the head spinning.

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  11. I can’t help laughing when I see news reports that people are experiencing temps in the 90’s. That’s our normal summer weather!

    I wish I could stop by and get your phone going. I’m good with things like that. The Apple Store folks can help you.

    Enjoy your week.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks, Deb, I wish you could stop by, too! I can’t believe the day I had…the Apple Store here (the only one) is at a huge mall, but I found parking and everything, only to discover that the store was closed and crawling with police due to a big robbery!

      At home, I called tech support. We tried a few things, but nothing worked. They’re saying it’s a “third party” issue with FB. I also tried FB support, which involves leaving remarks and waiting for a response. Sigh.

      So far, the app stays on (before crashing) for about three minutes. Maybe we could e-mail? If you are interested, of course. LOL

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  13. The Cue Card

    Thanks for letting me know about Sharp Objects on HBO, wow! Should be good with Amy Adams & Patricia Clarkson, such great actresses. I can’t believe that Beautiful Exiles is on the exact topic as Paula McLain’s novel Love & Ruin. How crazy is that?! Both books on the same thing? Almost at the same time too. Hope your week goes well — stay out of the heat. We arrived home from our overseas trip and now are organizing. cheers!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. You’re welcome, Susan, and I’m excited about Sharp Objects.

      At first when I saw Beautiful Exiles, I thought “huh?” I had Love & Ruin from the library, but at a time when I already had too many library books…so I sent it back. I guess I’ll read this one first. I saw an Amazon Prime movie about Hemingway and Gellhorn, and loved it. Nicole Kidman played Gellhorn, and Clive Owen was Hemingway.

      I’m glad you had a good trip! Enjoy your week.

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  15. Patty

    It’s fun to have books coming in from everywhere. It continues to be so exciting for me. I never get tired of it! I am glad it’s cooler for you now…it is cooler here, too! You should run under the sprinkler again!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Ha-ha! Running through the sprinkler reminds me of childhood summers when we didn’t have swimming pools…or even air conditioning. It was fun!

      I am loving the book Believe Me…it is so twisty that I’m never sure who is doing what to whom! But I am rooting for the first person narrator, which I tend to do.

      Enjoy your week, Patty.

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    1. Thanks, Nicci, I do love strawberry shortcake, although the portion they serve at that restaurant is HUGE. And it is hard to take home in a doggie bag because of the ice cream. LOL.

      Enjoy your week!

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  18. Strawberry Shortcake says pure summer to me. Love it! Your new books look like good reads. Hope your temps drop a few degrees so you can enjoy some outdoors time. I love to have my morning coffee on the patio.

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Thanks, Mary, I think I’ll start having my coffee out on the patio, now that I’ve cleaned it up a bit. LOL.

      I just finished Believe Me…and loved it! I couldn’t stop reading.

      Enjoy your week.

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    1. I grumble about the heat, but I’ve lived a lot of years in Central California…and I guess I’m used to it. I prefer having hot summers and mild winters instead of blizzards in the winter.

      Enjoy your reading, Sherry, and thanks for visiting.

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  21. I’m glad that you had a good reading week. I hope you get your phone problems sorted out.
    I like the look of Left: A Love Story.
    And of course the strawberry shortcake looks yummy. Happy Reading!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Martha, I’ve done everything I can for the phone…just have to wait until FB “debugs” the app. I’m sort of working around the fact that the app crashes regularly. LOL.

      I am looking forward to Left, and just finished Believe Me, which I loved.

      Enjoy your week!

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  22. I don’t think I’ve had strawberry shortcake before but that looks so delicious. I totally forgot to set my DVR for Sharp Objects so after reading your post, I immediately went to record it. I haven’t read the book yet but I’ve been on the waiting list for it at the library. I’m hoping it becomes available soon. I don’t know what the issue could be when it comes to the FB app. I haven’t had that issue before so I don’t know what to tell you but I hope you are able to solve it soon.

    I hope you have a wonderful week!

    Tina @ As Told By Tina

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks for visiting, Tina, and I’ve been told by other users that sometimes an app gets bugs, and they remain until the company does an update. That should happen soon, I hope. With my various “fixes,” I’ve noticed that it stays on a little longer. But not long enough…sigh.

      I loved the first episode of Sharp Objects…looking forward to more. Enjoy your week!

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    1. I loved Believe Me, Harvee. And the strawberry shortcake…lol.

      Yesterday I had a chocolate cake after my soup…you might have seen it on FB. I’m having difficulty with my FB app on my iPhone, and one of the Millennials who works there was trying to help me with it. The final diagnosis: a bug in the app that will have to wait for the FB “fix” this week…she thinks. LOL

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  26. I read The Handmaid’s Tale when it was released back in the 80s and keep thinking I’m going to reread it before finally watching the series. Not sure how much longer I can hold out! Beautiful Exiles sounds good… fiction about Ernest Hemingway is irresistible. I’m shocked when I see the temps you’re having in California. Hope you get some relief soon!

    Liked by 1 person

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    1. Oh, I first read The Handmaid’s Tale in the 80s…and then again after I started blogging. I think your first reading should be enough…the story will draw you in, JoAnn.

      I love Ernest Hemingway fiction, too. The Paris Wife was a favorite. I saw an Amazon Prime movie about Hemingway and Gellhorn, so I’m fascinated.

      Yes, our heat is horrendous…but after living in this valley for forty-some years, I should be used to it. My eldest son lives in Europe, and when he last visited (in 2015), he was appalled by the heat. Acted like he’d never experienced it before, but he grew up with it. LOL. You forget what it’s like when you’re away.

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  28. Sounds like you had a good reading week! And it looks like you have a nice variety of books coming up, too.

    It’s been horrendously hot here, too, and I have likewise been hibernating indoors. We got a nice break of cooler, drier weather this weekend, which was lovely, but now the temps are heading back toward the 90’s and humid again – oh well, at least we got a nice weekend!

    Enjoy your week – and your books!

    Sue

    2018 Big Book Summer Challenge

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Sarah, I have tried several things, and so far, the phone app only stays on for short periods. The latest I’ve heard: it’s a bug that needs fixing, and I’ll just have to wait until that happens. That doesn’t sound very satisfactory, does it? LOL

      Meanwhile, I go on FB from my laptop. Enjoy your trip…and your books.

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  31. It was hot here last week, but Tropical Storm Chris is making it comfortable around here. Luckily it will stay offshore, but no swimming on the Outer Banks this week. I’ve been wanting to read Beautiful Exiles. I’ve had issues with apps closing on my phone lately too. let me know if you figure it out.

    Hope you have a great week. Thanks for visiting The Book Connection.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. Thanks, Cheryl, storms like you’re describing scare me…probably because I’ve never experienced them. Good luck with it!

      I hesitate to say that my phone app is okay now, but it worked last night. I had gone through a variety of “fixes,” with no luck. I had interacted with FB Support, after Apple said it was “their problem.” And then someone said FB periodically debugs these things, and that they might be doing it any day now (they do it every week?). Now, watch, I’ll try to use it later and it won’t work. LOL

      Enjoy your week!

      Like

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