WEEKLY UPDATES: A GREAT BIRTHDAY WEEK…

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.

A birthday week can be such fun.  Amazon packages arriving almost daily; birthday cards showing up; and I am enjoying birthday lunches.  I’m feeling spoiled!

I’ve only read and reviewed two books but I have written seven blog posts.  I’m halfway finished with my third book.

Prime movies and new DVDs have kept me busy in the evenings.

In two more weeks, I go to Oakland for my surgery.  The anxiety is descending, and I’m trying not to think about it.  I’ve realized that the anticipation of an event is often the worst part, so I must remind myself that I can do this!

Let’s take a closer look at my week…and if you like, grab a cup of virtual coffee.

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LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Sparks:  Family Connections in the Past…

Sunday Photos Spark Memories…

Tuesday Excerpts:  “If You Only Knew”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Another Day of Book Buying…

Curling up on a Hump Day…

Coffee Chat:  Birthday Bounty, Etc.

Bookish Friday:  “The Poison Garden”

Review:  Good Girl, Bad Girl, by Michael RobothamReview:  Queen Meryl, by Erin Carlson

INCOMING BOOKS:

Four books came in my mailbox!  Then I downloaded one e-book.

The Book of Gutsy Women, by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton

The Family, by Louise Jensen

All the Flowers in Paris, by Sarah Jio

Touched by the Sun, by Carly Simon

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Downloaded:

The Poison Garden, by A. J. Banner

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Currently Reading:  Just After Midnight, by Catherine Ryan Hyde; a book that has been on my Kindle since December 2018.

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  I had some cake and ice cream after one of my dinners this week.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: GOOD BOOKS, GOOD BUYS, & HAPPY HOUR!

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 for another Weekly Update!  How did this week fly by so fast?  Yes, I say that every week.  I did finish reading and reviewing three books, though, and I’m halfway through a fourth one.  Five blog posts seemingly flew out of my fingertips and onto my blogs.  I also created a new blog header for Snow Sparks…and here it is.  I featured a close-up of my two little Madeline Hatter dolls.  Check out two versions:  one of my laptop view, and the other of the “header.”

Creating blog headers is fun for me, but it is also a time-consuming task.  I must have worked on it for a couple of hours, trying out different photos, etc.

So…now, back to other activities.  I’ve started going to Happy Hour on Friday nights in the dining hall…something I avoided for a while.  I’m not sure why.  Oh, yeah, some of the music was not to my taste, but lately, it has improved!  Also, our little treats now include some cocktails.  Last night brought Mudslides.  LOL

My other activities this week included boot shopping, which I featured on my Coffee Chat post.  Check it out.

Now let’s grab some coffee and take a closer look at the week.

 

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Good Girl, Bad Girl”

Coffee Chat:  Books, Dolls, Etc.

Bookish Friday:  “The Heart Goes Last”

Friday Sparks:  Blog Stuff, Books, Etc.

Saturday Sparks:  Spotlighting My Spaces…

Review:  Lifelines, by Heidi Diehl – Amazon Vine ReviewReview:  The Lying Room, by Nicci FrenchReview:  Inside Out, by Demi Moore

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!  But I did download one e-book.

One Little Secret, by Cate Holahan

Everyone has a secret. For some, it’s worth dying to protect. For others, it’s worth killing.

***

CURRENTLY READING:

Good Girl, Bad Girl, by Michael Robotham

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That was my week. What did yours look like?  Oh, and here comes one of my favorite desserts from this week.  The pound cake was covered with berries!

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WEEKLY UPDATES: THE GOOD & THE BAD OF MY WEEK…

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.

Another great week has passed, with three books read and reviewed and six blog posts written.  I also enjoyed a hair styling on Friday.  What I am not enjoying this week are the antics of my laptop, with my cursor leaping crazily from one spot to another, and none of my efforts are paying off.  Sigh.

Meanwhile…I’m happy to have had some time on the weekends to catch up on movies and shows that are streaming on Prime and Netflix.  Last Sunday I enjoyed viewing Blonde, a movie based on a book of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates.

On Netflix, there are several shows with additional episodes to watch, so I’ll keep busy with those.

Let’s take a closer look at my week…but first, grab some coffee or tea.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Potpourri:  Coffee, Books, & Movies…

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Lying Room”

Tuesday Potpourri: Additions…and Losses…

Reading:  For Rainy Days, Mondays, & Hump Days…

Coffee Chat:  Ramblings…

Bookish Friday:  “What Happens in Paradise”

Review:  The Testaments, by Margaret AtwoodReview:  The Grammarians, by Cathleen SchineReview:  The Nanny, by Gilly Macmillan

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Two books came in my mailbox! One, a purchase, and the other, a review book.  I also downloaded two e-books.

The Life of John F. Kennedy:  America’s Reluctant Prince, by Steven M. Gilion

 

Lifelines, by Heidi Diehl (Amazon Vine Review)

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Downloads:

What Happens in Paradise, by Elin Hilderbrand

Good Girl, Bad Girl, by Michael Robotham

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CURRENTLY READING:

Lifelines, by Heidi Diehl

The Lying Room, by Nicci French

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?  This delicious cranberry apple tart came with dinner this week.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: A BUSY WEEK…

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 busy week!  It seemingly flew by, and while I did read and review two books and write five blog posts, I also kept to my scheduled appointments.  Some were doctor/dental appointments, and some were fun (mani-pedi and lunch out with my granddaughter). On the side, I revamped the look of some of my blogs.  Like conducting my personal “bloggiesta,” since there has been no official event in quite a while.  This site has had its makeover, along with several others.

My Amazon packages continue to arrive as I just keep “adding to my carts.”  Soon I will finally have everything I need.  LOL

I’m back on my morning coffee, so let’s grab a cup and take a closer look at my week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Revamping My Pages…

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Murder List”

Tuesday Potpourri:  A Day To Celebrate

Coffee Chat:  A Busy Week…

Bookish Friday:  “The Testaments”

Review:  Without a Doubt, by Marcia ClarkReview:  The Stranger Inside, by Lisa Unger

***

INCOMING BOOKS:

Two books came in my mailbox…and I downloaded one e-book.

Queen Meryl, by Erin Carlson

Inside Out, by Demi Moore

Download:

The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett

***

Currently Reading:  The Murder List, by Hank Phillippi Ryan.

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That was my week…what did yours look like?  Check out my delicious dessert from this week:  Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with a Scoop of Ice Cream.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: DISTRACTED BY BOOKS & MOVIES…

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.

 

The week felt long and sad, with the loss of a friend’s daughter in a car accident.  Reading helped, though, and the two books I finished were great.  I’m halfway through the third one, but decided to post this anyway.  Yesterday was a day of pampering, with a mani-pedi and a freshening of the “purple” in my hairstyle.

 

 

 

 

 

I spent the week changing up some blog headers.  I do that when I need a distraction.  I also enjoyed some Amazon Prime movies, like Destroyer, with Nicole Kidman (about an undercover cop who gets too deep under).

Let’s grab another cup of coffee and peek at the details of the week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Creating Spaces…and Blog Headers

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Here’s to Us”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Books, Books, & More Books…

Books Purchased in 2019…and Those Read

My WWW Post…

Coffee Chat:  The Fierce Storms of Life…

Bookish Friday:  “Someone Knows”

Serendipitous Friday:  Images from the Past…and the Present

Review:  The Night Visitors, by Carol GoodmanReview:  The Editor, by Steven Rowley

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!  I did download three purchases…

Someone Knows, by Lisa Scottoline

My Lovely Wife, by Samantha Downing

The Girl He Used to Know, by Tracey Garvis Graves

***

UP NEXT:

Currently Reading:  The Perfect Girlfriend, by Karen Hamilton

I have a list of “up next” books to choose from…

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Yesterday, I took a slice of this pie home with me…after my pampering at the salon.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: BOOKS, BLOGS, & MOVIES….ETC.

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 great week of books, movies, and some good and bad outings.  Coffee with a friend on Monday; an outing with my daughter on Tuesday to look at apartments I don’t want to move into…yet; a dental appointment on Wednesday; and hair styling on Friday.  Followed by an appointment with ATT to install a new modem.  Yay!

I read and reviewed three books, all of them excellent from favorite authors.  I finished viewing Catastrophe on Amazon Prime; saw On the Basis of Sex, also on Prime; and watched more episodes of The Act on Hulu.  Thursday brought more of The Good Fight, on CBS-All Access.  Despite my spotty Internet throughout the week, I was able to spend good viewing time.

Now I hope to spend more time testing my new modem by viewing streaming shows (so far, so good), and perhaps I’ll start reading another book.

This morning I had bloodwork done at Kaiser…and then “post-fasting” breakfast at Marie Callender’s.  Let’s have some more coffee and look into more details of the week.

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LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Hello, April: Monthly Wrap-Up

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Perfect Girlfriend”

Hump Day Reading…

Hump Day Musings…

Coffee Chat:  Books, Movies, & Vicarious Travels…

Bookish Friday:  “The Night Visitors”

Rainy Day Musings:  Spotty Weather & Internet…

Review:  Back Stabbers (e-book, No. 8), by Julie MulhernReview:  All the Wrong Places (e-book), by Joy FieldingReview:  Before She Knew Him (e-book), by Peter Swanson

***

INCOMING BOOKS: (Covers/Titles Linked to Amazon)

Empty mailbox!

One Purchased Download:

The Editor (e-book), by Steven Rowley

***

WHAT’S NEXT?

The Night Visitors (e-book), by Carol Goodman

And then…

Never Tell (e-book), by Lisa Gardner

***

That was my week…busy, crazy, and exciting, too.  Here’s a glimpse of today’s breakfast, enjoyed after I completed my routine bloodwork.  Like a little reward, after the 12 hour fasting.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: BOOKS, MOVIES, & INTERIORS…

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.

 

I launched the week with a wonderfully suspenseful and engaging book…and then was sidetracked for a few days with home interior stuff. I had bought some new bedding from Amazon, so I spent time redoing my bedroom.  I love recreating my space.  Here is the finished look at  Hump Day Potpourri.  Then I did some cleaning of the house, room by room, in between reading my next book, which I finally finished late last night.

Movies:  I watched Second Act on Prime, starring Jennifer Lopez.  A nice distraction.  Then I began The Act, a new show on Hulu.  More episodes come each Wednesday.  As always, I loved viewing another episode of The Good Fight.

I had another styling session with my daughter, followed by a nice lunch of Fish ‘n’ Chips with margaritas.  Yes, plural.  I didn’t photograph the lunch.  We were enjoying our chat and our laughs.  Later, you’ll see more seafood I savored this week.

Meanwhile…let’s grab another cup of coffee and check out more details of the week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “As You Wish”

Let’s Share Our Bookish Delights…

Hump Day Potpourri:  Books, Interiors, Etc.

Coffee Chat:  Interiors, Books, Etc…

Bookish Friday:  “All the Wrong Places”

Review:  I Invited Her In, by Adele ParksReview:  The Ash Family, by Molly Dektar – (NG-4/9)

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Empty physical mailbox!  I did download three new e-books.

The Night Visitors, by Carol Goodman

The Library of Lost & Found, by Phaedra Patrick

The Perfect Girlfriend, by Karen Hamilton

***

WHAT’S NEXT?

Currently Reading:  Back Stabbers, by Julie Mulhern (Book 8 in the Country Club Murders)

Then I plan to flip through the pages of my bookish notebook…and follow my whims.

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?  As promised (above), here is another seafood meal I enjoyed this week:  a Salmon Citrus Salad, with my ubiquitous margarita.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: BLISSFUL WEEK…

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 great week!  Nice weather, for the most part.  I read and reviewed three engaging books, watched some movies, and spent Friday in the salon getting hair and nails done.  I was totally unplugged on Friday, enjoying the pampering and finishing my third book.  Movies viewed:  Green Book and If Beale Street Could Talk.  And on CBS All Access, I enjoyed The Good Fight. So…while March Madness took over the TV screens, it didn’t ruin my viewing.

I’m still feeling the book love from last night…so let’s grab more coffee (or tea) and take a closer look at the week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Liar’s Child”

Hump Day Reading….

Coffee Chat:  Books, Movies, & Memories…

Thursday Potpourri:  A Day to Ponder…

Bookish Friday:  “The Ash Family”

Review:  I Owe You One (e-book), by Sophie KinsellaReview:  The Liar’s Child (e-book), by Carla BuckleyReview:  Her One Mistake (e-book), by Heidi Perks

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Empty mailbox!  I downloaded three e-books, though.

The Things We Cannot Say, by Kelly Rimmer

Back Stabbers (Country Club Murders #8), by Julie Mulhern

Maid, by Stephanie Land

***

WHAT’S NEXT?

Currently Reading:  I Invited Her In, by Adele Parks

An April NetGalley ARC:

The Ash Family, by Molly Dektar – (NG – 4/9)

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That was my week…what did yours look like?  Here is some comfort food I enjoyed on Friday (yummy pot roast and a glass of wine).

 

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WEEKLY UPDATES: LOST IN LOVELY MOMENTS…

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 was a great week, but I only read two books. I spent most of one day reading my second book, which was so lovely I lost myself in it.  Now my eyes are tired, but I have that satisfying feeling of time well spent.  Here I am, showing off the beautiful cover:

I enjoyed time with my granddaughter Fiona, who helped around the house while we chatted about our lives.  Here she is wearing a T-shirt I bought to show off a favorite icon (RBG):

On Amazon Prime this week:  Instant Family, and a Season 3 Episode of The Good Fight, on CBS-All Access.

Now I am ready for a nap, but instead…I’ll grab another cup of coffee and take a closer look at the week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Chasing Away the Blues…

Tuesday Excerpts:  “California Girls”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Bookish Events, Etc.

WWW Reading…

Coffee Chat:  Family Time, Etc.

Let’s Begin Our Fight Again…

Bookish Friday:  “Before She Knew Him”

Friday Serendipity:  Finding Common Ground…

Review:  The Next To Die (e-book), by Sophie HannahReview:  Night Beach, by Joanne DeMaio

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

One book came in my physical mailbox!  I then received two NetGalley ARCs via my inbox.  I downloaded two purchases.

Night Beach, by Joanne DeMaio (Click for my Review)

29 Seconds (e-book), by T. M. Logan (NG – 9/10/19)

Those People (e-book), by Louise Candlish (NG – 6/11/19)

Purchases:

The Liar’s Child (e-book), by Carla Buckley

All the Wrong Places (e-book), by Joy Fielding

***

WHAT’S NEXT?

I Owe You One (e-book), by Sophie Kinsella

***

That was my week!  What did yours look like?  This week, my comfort food was soup and a tuna melt sandwich.  With a margarita, of course.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: THIS & THAT…AND SOME BOOKS…

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.

 

 

As I sip my third cup of coffee and listen to the rain pattering on the roof, I feel good.  The world around us is still unsettled, with more chaos lurking, but I am diving into book after book.  I finished three again this week, and they all brought cheer to my life.  I wrote nine blog posts…yes, I went a little crazy.  I gave my smallest blog, Snow Sparks,  a complete facelift, and I’m loving the look of it, all sparkly and quirky.  Here, take a peek:

This week was full of movies from Amazon Prime and Netflix.  Among them were Disobedience, with Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdam; Stuck in Love,with Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Connelly; and my lovely DVD version of The Wife, with Glenn Close.  On Netflix, I saw a movie called Deadly Switch, which was just scary enough to keep me wide awake throughout.

I did a little house cleaning…not so much that I lost sight of my true pleasures, like reading and eating out, both of which I enjoyed this week.  Today I had my weekly hair styling, which was supposed to happen yesterday…but didn’t.  I also missed last week due to my daughter’s illness.  But I’ll try not to comment on how the “weekly appointment” turned to “whenever” so quickly.  LOL.

So…let’s have more coffee…as if I need it!  And take a closer look at the week.

 

 

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Potpourri:  A Dilemma — Go Out or Stay In…

Giving in to the Book Lust…

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Woman Inside”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Adding to My Shelves…

Reading on Hump Day…

Coffee Chat:  Books, Movies, Etc.

First Month of the Year:  Wrapping Up…

Bookish Friday:  “Come Find Me”

Sparking Some Memories…

Review:  The Liar’s Room (e-book), by Simon LelicReview:  The Suspect (e-book), by Fiona BartonReview:  The Woman Who Kept Everything (e-book), by Jane Gilley

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

No books in my physical mailbox!  I received one review ARC…and I did download two e-books.

Review ARC:

Not Here:  A Dina Ostica Novel, (e-book), by Genevieve Nocovo (author review request)

Purchases:

Come Find Me (e-book), by Megan Miranda

The Woman Who Kept Everything (e-book), by Jane Gilley (click title for review)

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WHAT’S NEXT?

Daisy Jones and the Six (e-book), by Taylor Jenkins Reid – (NG-3/5)

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So that was my week.  What did yours look like?  Last night I enjoyed dinner at Marie Callender’s, with comfort food: meat loaf with a glass of wine…and my book.

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