COFFEE CHAT: CELEBRATIONS, ETC.

Good morning!  Let’s gather around with our caffeinated beverages to chat about our weeks, our books, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous to see what others are sharing.

Another great week!  I’ve been reading and blogging…and even mailed off my ballot for the Primary Election.  Friday is my other granddaughter’s birthday, and we’re planning a dinner out on Saturday.  A friend’s birthday is Saturday, and we will have lunch on Monday.    Twenty three years ago, Fiona was born on a Friday, on the same day as a lunch for my friend whose birthday we’ll celebrate on Monday.  I was at the hospital nearby for Fiona’s scheduled C-section birth, waiting to meet her.  That was quite a day!  The photo below was taken a few days later.

• Two books read and reviewed this week so far.  You Are Not Alone, by Greer Hendricks/Sarah Pekkanen; and Perfect Little Children, by Sophie Hannah.  Next I’ll be starting in on The Wives, which I have in print format.
• Last night we had another party in the dining room…and I forgot to take photos!  It was Italian Night with food and wine to match.  I had Spaghetti and Meatballs, which I was worried about, followed by Tiramisu.  And yes, I did get a little sick later.  Sigh.  Usually I don’t have any after effects if I have only bits of one offending item.  Will I never learn?  Well, I wanted to feel normal.  I think it was worth it, since the food was delicious.  So was the wine.  Here are images from the DiCicco’s page:

• I’m still savoring the delicious flavors…lol
• This morning, I stayed in my apartment…not ready to try food again.  I spent the time sipping tea and reading my book.
• Today I’m expecting some Amazon packages…another replacement book:  White Oleander, by Janet Fitch; and a couple of kitchen items.

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This has been my week so far.  What does yours look like?

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COFFEE CHAT: FEBRUARY THOUGHTS & MEMORIES…

Good morning!  Let’s gather around with our caffeinated beverages to chat about our weeks, our books, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous to see what others are sharing.

What a week!  I’ve been slogging along with tedious tasks.  I’m reading two books that are good, but for whatever reason, they are taking a long time to finish!  I did read and review one book so far:  Losing You, by Nicci French.  Very good!

• Yesterday was my appointment with the tax accountant…and I don’t owe additional money!  That’s always good news.
• Today is my granddaughter Aubrey’s 23rd birthday!  The other granddaughter, Fiona, has her 23rd birthday on the 21st!  Here they are at age seven, in a February in 2004.

• Here are some more recent photos of them: (Aubrey, a year ago…not so recent!  And Fiona here in town)…

• As I scrolled through my photo files, I realized that these girls have been almost too busy to take photos!  Aubrey has been spending the year in New Zealand, and Fiona is working long hours as a massage therapist.
• A few days ago, my daughter and son-in-law enjoyed a cruise to Mexico…

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So…that was my week so far.  What did yours look like?

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COFFEE CHAT: COLLECTIONS, BOOKS, & MY INTERIORS…

Good morning!  Let’s gather around with our caffeinated beverages to chat about our weeks, our books, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous to see what others are sharing.

Another week of reading and blogging, and a sad but not unexpected end to the so-called Impeachment Trial.  But we shall move on, still hopeful about the future and what might come in the next few months.

• This week I read and reviewed The Country Guesthouse, by Robyn Carr, another visit to Sullivan’s Crossing.  I am currently reading Deep State, by Chris Hauty, and hope to finish it today.
• Books continue to arrive in packages from Amazon, like Blind Spot, by Sue Miller, and The Wives, by Tarryn Fisher.
• More mugs have been added to my collection, and I am placing them in various spots, trying to find the perfect places for each of them.  Here are a couple of them on my desk.

• Then I posed the newest RBG with my “fanciful” one:

• Earlier in the week, I wrote about “finding the light” when I realized I needed to turn on the desk lamp to see the keyboard better…LOL.  Well, I also realized that I needed to reposition the desk chair so I could type better. Previously, my chair was placed at an angle to the desk (left).  Why?  Who knows?  But now it is much better (right).

• It apparently takes a few months for me to sort out my surroundings.  LOL.

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?

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COFFEE CHAT: GOOD THINGS IN UNEXPECTED PLACES…

Good morning!  Let’s gather around with our caffeinated beverages to chat about our weeks, our books, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous to see what others are sharing.

Another great week of reading, blogging, and messing around with my apartment.  I made some changes with my bookshelves, adding a little one across from the main one, where I plan the books to flow after I fill up the primary shelf.  Right now it contains the unread nonfiction/fiction books.  It is tucked away beneath the entry table.

• A cute mug came in my mailbox this week, and I have filled it with extra pens.

• Then I stood back to spotlight the whole desk area with its new look.

• I finished reading and reviewing America’s Reluctant Prince, and now I am immersed in The Vanishing.
• In my mailbox came the new Nicci French book, Losing You.  I can’t wait to dive into it.
• More mugs are headed my way…I should soon have a really nice collection of them.  Now…where to put them?
• An interesting thing has been happening in the dining room.  At our big table we have added more compatible residents…we sometimes “close down” the dining room in the evenings.  Yes, we enjoy some wine, some conversation, and laughter.  Good things.  Who knew?

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Looking forward to more good things.  What did your week look like?

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COFFEE CHAT: SIDETRACKED & JUMBLED UP…

Good morning!  Let’s gather around with our caffeinated beverages to chat about our weeks, our books, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous to see what others are sharing.

I am not sure what happened this week, and while I am loving Book Two of the Virgin River Series, Shelter Mountain, I have not yet finished it.  I did read and review The Edible Woman, by Margaret Atwood, but then I have been fussing about rearranging things…so that’s it…so far.

• Note some changes in the photos on my chest of drawers.  An old photo of my maternal grandparents on the right; my own little family in 1979, left; and a photo of me in the early 1980s, center.  Oh, and front and center is my personalized license plate that my daughter grabbed just before I turned over ownership of the car.

• Today I am off to my daughter’s salon to finally have my hair trimmed.  It is too long and getting in my way!
• This morning, I am writing this at 4:48 a..m.  I got up shortly after 4:00, and I’ve been reading e-mails, visiting Facebook, and trying to figure out how to watch my favorite soaps…in light of how the daytime shows have been preempted for the Impeachment hearings, most of which we don’t even see since they continue late into the night!  Don’t even get me started on the hint of a “cover-up” that lurks in the background.
• My computer issues continue…leaping cursor, mouse that doesn’t follow my lead…so frustrating!  And I know that I need to have a session with the Geek Squad.  Sigh. 

• Now you can see why I have not yet finished my second book of the week!  I get sidetracked and jumbled up with issues!

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That’s a signal for me to fix things or accept that they won’t change.  LOL.  How is your week so far?

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COFFEE CHAT: ADVENTURES IN THE INTERIOR, ETC.

Here we are again, rambling on about our thoughts, our feelings, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous,  to see what others are chatting about.  Let’s grab some coffee and share.

As usual, I am reading, blogging, and ordering packages from Amazon.  I am determined to fill out more of my shelves with both hardcovers and paperbacks, just so I will feel as though I have a library again.  I’ve even ordered some I once owned and loved.  Below, note how I’ve rearranged the shelves to allow for more books to join my photos.

• My blogs are also undergoing my rearranging obsession, with some new headers…and a cute little image to capture my thoughts on my reviews.  Below:  an image for this blog’s reviews.

• I finished reading and reviewing Regretting You, by Colleen Hoover; (click for review).  I am almost finished with The Daughter, by Jane Shemilt (a paperback that will go on my shelf).
• On Netflix, I started watching Season 6 of Grace and Frankie, and I am beyond excited!  I’ve only watched three of the thirteen episodes, but I have decided to savor them a bit.  It doesn’t take long to binge-watch a whole season.  Sigh.
• As I read my fiction books, I am also making a little progress on The Reluctant Prince, about John F. Kennedy, Jr.
• Here is a glimpse of Aubrey in New Zealand…you can see Hobbit Village in the background.
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• Meanwhile, in my apartment, I used my little step stool and rescued my Chez Raine sign from the top shelf in the closet.  Now it lives on the bathroom wall. It was once above the front door of my foothill house, and then spent time in my condo dining room.

 

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How are you spending your Thursday?  Reading, blogging, or adventures?  Come on by and let’s chat.

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COFFEE CHAT: SETTLING INTO THE NEW YEAR…

Here we are again, rambling on about our thoughts, our feelings, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous,  to see what others are chatting about.  Let’s grab some coffee and share.

Throughout my week, I have been relaxing with reading, movies, and binge-watching Virgin River on Netflix.  I’ve signed up for the Goodreads Challenge, and I’ve read three books so far since January 1.  I wish I had not spent so much time on a book I would rather not have read.  Normal People had some interesting aspects, but I didn’t like the writing style.

• Right now, I’m enjoying The Playground, by Jane Shemilt.  I’m also doing something unusual for me:  reading another book at the same time, but since it’s nonfiction, it works.  America’s Reluctant Prince, by Steven M. Gillon, is the life of John F. Kennedy, Jr.
• My second son and his wife are in New Zealand, and also will be visiting Australia this week.  His daughter Aubrey will be living in New Zealand for a year.  Here are a couple of photos of their Hobbit Village adventure.

• I’m envious of their time together, and also, it’s summer there, which I have a hard time wrapping my mind around. 
• In my Weekly Updates this week, I wrote about how I added another little chest of drawers to my apartment, and I am loving how much easier it is to deal with my clothes!

• Who knew that my tiny little “distressed” chest of drawers could make my life easier.  Below, left, see the white dresser.  Between the two pieces, I can store everything I own here. With the help of my little cubby (on the right) that mimics a closet, of course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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This is how my New Year is shaping up; what does yours look like?

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COFFEE CHAT: A NEW YEAR FOR ALL OF US!

Here we are again, rambling on about our thoughts, our feelings, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous,  to see what others are chatting about.  Let’s grab some coffee and share.

Wow, what a week it has been!  After the Christmas holidays, I was very excited about the New Year and our First Book of 2020 event. I started another book on New Year’s Eve day, a NetGalley ARC that kept me glued to the pages and watching the clock, since I knew I needed to switch over to my First Book right after midnight…which I did. 

• Both books have been awesome, and I’ll be finishing them today.
• The Look-Alike, by Erica Spindler, is the ARC that will be released on 1/28/20.
• And, of course, Kiss the Girls and Make Them Cry, by Mary Higgins Clark, was my official First Book.

• Since I was reading the ARC and getting ready for my First Book, I stayed up past the ball drop!  Amazing, right?
• I got this photo in a text from my second son and his wife, depicting them celebrating at their Irish Pub in Toluca Lake.

• My daughter sent funny videos of her and hubby celebrating via an app on the phone called Marco Polo.
• For the first time in years, especially since 2019 was not my best year ever, I felt truly alive and energized as the New Year began.

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How is 2020 going for you so far?  What are your plans and what is keeping you excited about the newness of it all?

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COFFEE CHAT: A WEEK OF ODDS & ENDS…

Here we are again, rambling on about our thoughts, our feelings, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous,  to see what others are chatting about.  Let’s grab some coffee and share.

Another busy week just flew by, with mostly holiday stuff clamoring for my attention.  I had a lovely luncheon planned for Tuesday with my daughter and friends…and then I got sick from something I ate!  Will it never end?  Just when I think I’ve licked it and know what I can avoid, I’m stymied.  I was fine the next day, Christmas Day, and enjoyed a healthy dinner. 

• I finished two books this week so far:  Meg and Jo, by Virginia Kantra; and Delusions of Grandma, by Carrie Fisher.  (Click titles for reviews).
• Yesterday, I played around on my computer and changed blog headers and buttons at two of my sites:  Serendipity and Rainy Days and Mondays.

• I found this sweet little photo of my grand-niece Margaret on Facebook.  She is holding a doll that belonged to her mother when she was a child.  They made a replica of the dress the doll wore back then.

• Last night I watched an old movie from 1978, a rather gloomy flick called Interiors, from Woody Allen.  The stars:  Diane Keaton, Mary Beth Hurt, Maureen Stapleton, and Sam Waterston…among others.

 

 

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That was my week, full of odds and ends, books, and movies that I haven’t watched in a while.  What was your week like?

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COFFEE CHAT: MY LIFE THESE DAYS…

Here we are again, rambling on about our thoughts, our feelings, and our perspectives.  Join our host at Bookishly Boisterous,  to see what others are chatting about.  Let’s grab some coffee and share.

My week has been a good one…again.  On Saturday, I grabbed a Lyft and went back to my old neighborhood to enjoy lunch at California Pizza Kitchen, followed by shopping at a nearby clothing store.  Fun!

• It has also been a better week in the dining room.  I am discovering which foods I can eat and what to avoid…and at our dining table, we now have a nice mix of interesting people.  Surprise, right?  A couple of times we have all stayed to talk and laugh after we eat. 
• My reading has been good, but slower.  Perhaps because I’m getting out more.  I read and reviewed Marilyn Monroe:  The Private Life of a Public Icon, by Charles Casillo.  I loved his writing style and learned a few things about Marilyn that I hadn’t already known.
• I’m currently reading Amy Hatvany’s Tell Me Everything, an unusual story from this author, I think.  A couple finds unique ways to deal with their marital slump. Definitely racy and steamy.
• In between reading, I’ve changed up a few blog headers, (Curl up and Read):

• I also tweaked this blog header a little. Then I borrowed from my archives here to re-post something from a year ago:  From My Interiors to Yours.
• On Netflix, I watched Marriage Story.  Interesting but a little predictable.

• I’ve been rediscovering old favorite movies on Amazon Prime, and enjoyed watching Barbra Streisand and Jeff Bridges in The Mirror Has Two Faces.  I have Prince of Tides in my queue.  Both were movies I owned on DVD, but couldn’t bring here…since I had to limit the number due to space issues.  Sigh.
• So…I guess I can say that finally, after living here for almost seven months, I have adjusted.  As well as I can, given that I still miss many aspects of my former place.  But that’s the way it is.  I do enjoy having a housekeeper to clean, and someone else does the laundry.  I may start using the residents’ laundry room, though, as I have a few things I don’t want to send out.

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?

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