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.
It is time to look back at my week…and struggle once again with the uncertainty of Block Editor. I just posted a review that went very smoothly, but here I am already finding myself without the proper tricks to link the images. So I will give up that part of the process for now. I have read and reviewed three books and written seven blog posts.
On Hulu I started watching Cruel Summer, which I think I will enjoy.
On Wednesday, I had lunch with a friend at Mimi’s! An almost normal life.
So now let’s take a closer look at my reading and blogging.
LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:
Tuesday Excerpts: “The Smash-Up”
Tuesday Potpourri: Bookish Delights…
Bookish Friday: “Her Three Lives”
Review: Too Good To Be True, by Carola Lovering
Review: Thief of Souls, by Brian Klingborg – (NG-5/4/21)
Review: The Smash-Up, by Ali Benjamin
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INCOMING BOOKS:
Empty physical mailbox! I did download three e-books.
The Perfect Daughter, by D.J. Palmer
The Last Night in London, by Karen White
Her Three Lives, by Cate Holahan
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CURRENTLY READING: Cleaving, by Julie Powell – for the Nonfiction Reading Challenge
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That was my week. Maybe I will eventually master all the aspects of Block Editor, but for today, I will accept what I can do…and move on. Enjoy the week! Another new doll has joined the family (Paisley, left, next to Pippa).
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AN INTERIOR JOURNEY 
Those two dolls are so cute! They must lighten your place up. It’s nice you got out for lunch. We’ve only done take-out so far but hope to patios in the future … once the weather gets warmer here.
Are you going to check out the Academy Awards? I haven’t seen much but think I will. Enjoy your books.
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Thanks, Susan, I am very happy about the outings…we are in a good tier right now, so I hope to enjoy being out there before more shutdowns happen!
I do like watching the Oscars…but I haven’t seen a lot of movies this year.
I do enjoy the dolls. They cheer me up! LOL
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LOVE your posts! LOVED the dolls too.
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Thanks, Rae, I love the dolls, too; enjoy your books and your week!
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Busy week ahead–semester is ending
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Cruel Summer sounds good. Makes me think of the Banarama song lol.
Mimi’s sounds familiar. Have you mentioned that place before? Maybe pre- pandemic? Anyways hope it was an excellent time. 🙂
Happy reading 🙂
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Yes, Greg, Mimi’s was one of my favorite hang-outs pre-Pandemic…and now maybe again?
I have now been out to restaurants four times since our “release” from isolation…and I always felt safe with the smaller numbers in the dining rooms.
Enjoy your week and your reading!
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I’m glad you’re able to enjoy it again! :):)
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“Chugging along” is a great description of what a lot of us are doing at the moment. Getting by but with the hope of better times ahead. I hope your books help with the chugging along this week 😁
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Thanks, Cathy, I do like the expression, too, as it completely reflects my life now.
And my Block Editor efforts can best be described that way. Sometimes I sail through smoothly, with everything working out…and then I hit a hurdle. I am not sure why.
Enjoy your week!
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Other than a few hiccups with the dreaded Block Editor, it looks like a successful week of blogging for you. Well done! I am still using the ‘Classic’ block. 😏 Also how lovely you were able to have lunch out with a friend. Take care and happy reading in the coming week. 🙂
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Thanks, Jessica, I was able to use Classic method for a while…and then they slammed that door! But Block Editor does have a “classic” version, which doesn’t even begin to replicate what we once knew. Sigh.
Enjoy your week!
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That is what I mean by the ‘Classic’ block 😉
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I love the sound of ‘The Last Night in London’.
Normal life.. I can’t for those days again.
Have a great week and happy reading.
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Thanks, Maureen, I am loving my books and the glimpses I am now getting of “normal” life.
Enjoy your week.
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I have the same attitude re WP block editor. I hope you enjoy your reading this week and have more outings!
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Thanks, Mary, I don’t know why WP has had to upend our blogging life!
Meanwhile, books and outings help soothe the frustrations. Enjoy your week.
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Hi there Laurel-Rain! Your post still looks lovely!
I am so over the different platforms constantly changing things and making life difficult for us mere mortals and readers. I sometimes feel like just getting a professional person to take over my blog completely, fix everything and give me step by step instructions on how to go forward.
Luckily we still have books that bring us loads of joy!
Have a good week and I hope you will get a few great reads in your mailbox this week.
Elza Reads
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Thanks, Mareli, I have tried following instructions from WP, which don’t always work…and even found some on Google!
The unpredictability gets me!
Have a great week in spite of those who try to thwart us! LOL
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I love all your doll pics 🙂
If you are struggling too much with Block Editor, there’s a WordPress plugin you can download to disable it and revert it back to the old classic editor you are used to.
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Really? Tell me more, Marie! But aren’t plugins difficult to use?
Thanks for visiting, and my dolls do make me smile.
Enjoy your week.
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Honestly I am still not using the block editor! I have a plugin that allowed me to stay with my old WordPress …
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Thanks, Sophie, as I hear about this plugin, I am more and more intrigued. Which plugin is it?
I have mastered some of the Block Editor, but when I am doing a post with lots of images, I run into problems.
Enjoy your week.
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I can’t figure out the block editor either, and so I’m staying away from The Classics Club until I figure it out. Very frustrating.
Oh, to have lunch with a friend. It’s now on my bucket list. Who would have thought that such a simple thing would have to be postponed for so long.
I will look for The Smash-Up. Five stars? That tells me it’s a book I should look for.
I didn’t like Cleaving like I did Julie and Julia. But let’s see what you think.
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Thanks, Deb, The Smash-Up was right up my alley, with my feelings about the last four years politically.
I am liking parts of Cleaving, but I find myself skimming over the meat butchery parts, lol. I couldn’t eat today, trying to read through it. (I am mostly a vegetarian! LOL).
I did a post with Block Editor earlier in the week, and everything went so smoothly that I thought I had nailed it! But the next time I tried to do the very same things, it didn’t work!
I loved going out to eat. So far, the restaurants have followed the protocols and everything felt safe.
Enjoy your week.
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Sounds like many of us have editing problems regardless of which service you use for blogging. I’m still trying to figure out things with Blogger and it’s so frustrating. I hope things work out for you.
Your books all look good. I’m going to check out The Perfect Daughter.
Your dolls are so cute.
Have a great week!
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Thanks, Yvonne, I am enjoying the dolls and my books. But not Block Editor. LOL
Blogging is supposed to be fun, so these changes that keep coming at us feel like hard work!
Enjoy your week, and let’s defeat the blogging issues!
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Hooray for an almost normal life!! I made progress in that direction last week, too, as I enjoyed my first restaurant meal and visit to a bookstore. I enjoyed Julie & Julia many years ago, but have not heard of Cleaving. I’ll look forward to your thoughts.
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Thanks, JoAnn, I loved my restaurant visits, although I was nervous the first time. Now it is easier, as I am seeing that the protocols are being followed.
Cleaving is very different from Julie and Julia…although I am liking her voice and some of her subjects…the meat butchery, not so much. LOL
Enjoy your week!
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I also enjoyed Thief of Souls. Hopefully you will tame the block editor soon.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
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Thanks, Anne, I like the image of “taming the block editor.”
Enjoy your week and your books.
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Yes, you can link single images, but not any in a gallery. It has been requested though, so hopefully they update it soon. I do love block editor though and have created groups of things I repeat, and it makes posting easy.
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Thanks, Kimberly, I need to figure out the steps that work in my situations. When I first started using WP, that’s how I managed it. The support team has sent some instructions, but they haven’t worked out that well. It has been a hit and miss process. Sigh.
I think I have put together some things that work, but they don’t work in every situation. Practice, practice, I guess.
Enjoy your week.
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I’m glad you got around to the Cleaving. And I’m going to try and read that London book you mentioned above. I’m so glad that you had an outing with friends. I saw many friends this week and I was so glad. I took selfies and let my ego soar. Felt great!
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Thanks, Trin, and that’s what I have forgotten to do! Take selfies. Duh.
Next time.
I hope you enjoy many more outings…and books.
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I get along fine with Block Editor (are those of you having trouble on the paid version of WordPress or the free one? I’m on the free one) but DO NOT EVEN TALK TO ME about Microsoft Office 365. We just switched over to that at work and it is a hellish situation. I’m sure it will speed up once I learn it but right now it’s a nightmare and everything takes 3 times as long to do with 5 extra steps (or so it seems).
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I have one paid version and the rest are free. But I haven’t had to do anything to the paid version, as it is a website with very few changes.
I think I have the steps figured out, but then the next situation doesn’t work out!
Thanks, Jinjer, and good luck with Microsoft!
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Good idea to move on and let the linking of images go for now until it reveals itself!! Must look into it, myself I don’t link images, only on the side bar.
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Thanks, Kathryn, sometimes I can link images, but it doesn’t usually work when I have several images to do. I haven’t yet figured that out, but meanwhile, I’m satisfied with occasional linking…and always linking the titles!
Enjoy your week and your books.
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So glad you are getting out to your favorite restaurants. Sorry you are having issues and hope you get the hang of it. It is hard when things change. Looking forward to the Karen White book. Have a great week.
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Thanks, Nise, I am eager to read my books, and I hope to keep enjoying some of my old favorite things!
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I’m still struggling with the block editor too. Sometimes strange things happen…I don’t know what I did to cause them or how to fix them. It is so frustrating! I really hope that the powers that be behind WordPress understand the difficulties they have caused. Oh well…have a great week!
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Thanks, Melinda, that has been my experience, too! Those strange things seem to come out of nowhere, right when I think I’m finally understanding things!
Somebody needs to tell the powers that be that they have messed with us too many times already! LOL
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Oh I love Mimi’s! My husband and I used to go there all the time. Its been a while since we’ve been though. I’m sorry I’m not much help with the block editor, I have a self-hosted blog so I have a plugin to go back to the classic editor…and I think I saw in my settings that I can actually revert back to it now without the plugin. I’m not familiar with non-self hosted settings though. Hope you figure that out!
Here’s my The Sunday Post: https://www.mollysbooknook.com/the-sunday-post-blog-issues-then-a-blog-revamp/
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I am curious about that plugin, Molly; I’ve seen it on regular WP, but I don’t know what, if anything, it does.
I used to go to Mimi’s once or twice a month, since I lived around the corner. I miss those days!
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I’m currently in a running spat with WordPress in regards to images. The image block editor does not work how they claim it should on my iPad and it’s so frustrating, so I’m mainly using the Classic block still.
Cleaving looks interesting, I look forward to reading your review.
Wishing you a great reading week
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Thanks, Shelleyrae, how are you able to use Classic block? Do you mean the “classic” block available among the blocks? For me, that doesn’t do much regarding images. Some have mentioned a plugin.
Enjoy your week and your books!
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Yes the classic block available among the blocks. I find it works pretty much as it always has with regards to inserting images. I can send you a couple of screen shots if you like?
The plug in is only available for paid accounts.
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Thanks, that might be helpful! Today I actually got my images to work by putting the images in first and linking them, and then changing to the Classic Block for text.
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I’m enjoying Cruel Summer too! I wonder if the next episode will be from another POV or if we will alternate btwn the two girls. Lots of interesting ways the story can unfold!
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I’m curious about that, too, Victoria. I love discovering new shows!
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I’m glad I use Blogger. WordPress sounds like too much work for me. It is nice that things are getting more normal where you are. I know how much you enjoy going out to eat. Come see my week here. Happy reading!
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Thanks, Kathy, I do love when things seem more normal, although I worry that it will be a back and forth process for a while. Enjoy your week!
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All your books sound interesting to me, especially Her Three Lives.
Have a good week and good luck with the editor!
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I like the look of that one, too, Kay.
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My husband and I went out for dinner on Friday night to celebrate the day he proposed to me. It was so nice to linger over a glass of wine and a nice meal outside. Even if we were in a blocked off parking-space with the occasional noisy car driving by. 😀 We felt more normal than we’ve felt in a long time.
I hope you get your WordPress woes sorted out soon.
Enjoy your week!
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Thanks, Jen, your night out does sound wonderful!
I am also hoping to sort out the WP woes!
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Gorgeous dolls, so sweet. I hope you get to grips with the block editor soon – I stick with the free version of wordpress so don’t tend to have many issues but it is very limited on what it offers.
I still haven’t read any non-fiction this year, I do want to but just don’t have the motivation at the moment.
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Thanks, Louise, I think some have found plugins to deal with Block Editor, but I plan to struggle to master it before I take that step.
Enjoy your week, and I love my books and dolls.
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Good luck with block editor! Blogger changed their editor months ago, and I still haven’t figured everything out. I hope you have a great week!
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Thanks, AJ, I do hope to finally master Block Editor, and in the meantime, enjoy my books. Have a great week!
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I feel your pain with Block Editor. I struggle at MM. Initially, I found the screen to adjust the book cover images but the last two times I have been unable to find the tool screen to make the adjustments. I have learned to work around using HTML.
I hope you have a good week and Happy Reading!
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Thanks, Martha, when writing a post with lots of images last week, I accidentally found that screen where image adjusting and linking can be done…and then was never able to find it again!
Oh, well. Some images will just remain unlinked!
Enjoy your week.
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I DNF’d Cleaving, so I hope you like it better than I did. I really liked Julie & Julia, so I was expecting to like Cleaving but the author got on my nerves! I always add links to my images, but I don’t know if I should bother, because I don’t know if anyone ever clicks on them!
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Thanks, Laurie, I have been checking other bloggers’ posts to see how many who use WP are linking their images…and not that many! I am finding it easier to link the images if I only have one in a post.
I skimmed parts of Cleaving…the gore really got to me! But I did finish it enough to review it. I shared my disappointment, while mentioning how much I loved her first book.
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‘The Perfect Daughter’ sounds very intriguing, I’m definitely going to look that one up! And I feel you on the struggle of getting used to changes in your usual editing and writing process, it can be the worst! I hope you have a lovely week and do drop by my Monday post if you have the time! – Juli @ A Universe in Words
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Thanks, Juli, I am slowly learning the process, and have discovered that I can maneuver my way through a simple post, like a review. I still struggle when I have lots of images to add.
Enjoy your books and your week, and I am so looking forward to The Perfect Daughter.
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I am sorry that you are having trouble getting your blog to do what you want. How frustrating! I am glad that you were able to go out and enjoy lunch! Have a great week and enjoy your new books!
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Thanks, Carole, and yesterday, I actually figured out a few tricks to make things easier!
I will be going out to lunch again on Saturday, as my granddaughter is leaving for the summer…that will be a bittersweet event.
Enjoy your week!
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Aw those dolls are adorable!! And I am so glad to hear that you got out and had lunch with a friend!
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Thanks, Erin, outings make everything better!
Enjoy your week.
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Love the dolls!
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Thanks, RAnn, so do I!
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Glad to see you are getting some time out with friends. The perfect Daughter is on my wish list. Enjoy your books!
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Thanks, Veronica, I am loving the outings…and looking forward to The Perfect Daughter.
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