WEEKLY UPDATES: MY WEEK SLID BY…

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 week slid by when I wasn’t looking.  My head has been buried in my books…and I read and reviewed three.  I was also alert to the knocking on my door with a staff person leaving still another Amazon package.  Am I obsessed?  Or do I just love the idea of my current shopping routine?  A little of both.  I received books, some ordinary items that I used to buy in the supermarket or drug store, and I’ve also ordered clothes.  Yes, shirts or tops, usually.

My evenings have kept me glued to the TV,  binge-watching the Mary Tyler Moore show on Amazon Prime, lost in the 70s.  While I vividly recall the characters and many of the situations, the episodes feel almost new.  As if I haven’t seen them before.  That’s because I hadn’t watched them over and over like I’ve done with other shows.  I loved Mary and Rhoda’s apartments in that quaint old house, though, and the TV station and newsroom.

 

 

 

 

 

So…let’s look closer at my week, while enjoying another cup of coffee:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Potpourri:  A Splash of Color, Etc.

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Favorite Daughter”

Coffee Chat:  Nesting, Binge-Watching, Etc.

Review:  The Last Widow, by Karin SlaughterReview:  Lady in the Lake, by Laura LippmanReview:  Nanaville, by Anna Quindlen

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Two books came in the mailbox (Amazon deliveries!), and I downloaded three e-books:

Home Sweet Home:  A Journey Through Mary’s Dream Home, by Mary Engelbreit

Nanaville:  Adventures in Grandparenting, by Anna Quindlen

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Downloads:

The Testaments:  The Sequel to The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood

The Nanny, by Gilly Macmillan

The Murder List, by Hank Phillippi Ryan

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CURRENTLY READING:

I’m enjoying The Favorite Daughter, by Patti Callahan Henry

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Bookshop at Water’s End, here is a lush, heart-wrenching novel about the power of memory, the meaning of family, and learning to forgive.

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Here is a glimpse of my New Normal, with healthy breakfast choices.  I loved the egg white veggie casserole in the left corner.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: GOOD 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.

 

 

Another week has slipped by, and while I only read and reviewed two books, I am halfway finished with a third.  I also wrote five blog posts.  On Tuesday, I had my “purple” refreshed, so I’m feeling energized.

As I spend more time on the computer, my “click to buy” action has increased, but I justify the purchases by saying that, if not ordering on Amazon, I would have to pay for a Lyft ride to a store.  LOL.  It’s more fun to see the packages arrive. 

I just had several cups of coffee in the dining room.  Join me with another cup, and let’s take a closer look at my week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

August Bites the Dust!  Hello, September…

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Seven Letters”

Hump Day Potpourri:  Books, Tidbits, Etc.

Coffee Chat:  Waiting for Fall…

Bookish Friday:  “Secrets of the Tulip Sisters”

Review:  My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding, by Wendy WaxReview:  California Girls, by Susan Mallery

***

INCOMING BOOKS: 

Empty mailbox!  I did download one e-book.

The Grammerians, by Cathleen Schine

A playful and joyful celebration of the interplay of language and life. A dazzling comedy of sisterly and linguistic manners, a revelation of the delights and stresses of intimacy…

***

CURRENTLY READING:

The Last Widow, by Karin Slaughter

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That was my week.  What did yours look like? I had no special treats this week, so I pulled this one out of my files….great memories of apple pie!

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WEEKLY UPDATES: READING, BLOGGING, & ROCK ‘N’ ROLL…

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!  It started out with tedious medical tests that turned out well…and then it all improved significantly.  I read and reviewed three books and wrote four blog posts.  On Thursday night, I had a fabulous time at the “Elvis show” here…

On Friday, I spent the day with my granddaughter Fiona, running errands and having a delightful lunch at one of my favorite places.

Now let’s take a closer look at my week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “29  Seconds”

Looking at My Reading Progress for 2019…

Coffee Chat:  A Good Week So Far…

Bookish Friday:  “My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding”

Review:  The Long Call, by Ann Cleeves – NG- 9/3Review:  The Perfect Son, by Lauren NorthReview:  29 Seconds, by T. M. Logan – NG-9/10

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox…but I downloaded one e-book.

The Favorite Daughter, by Patti Callahan Henry

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CURRENTLY READING:  Since I have finished my NetGalley ARCs for September, I grabbed a relatively new book off my stack:

My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding, by Wendy Wax

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Since fall is coming soon, I am dreaming about treats I’ve enjoyed in the past…like pumpkin pie!

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WEEKLY UPDATES: SOME PAMPERING & SOME READING/BLOGGING…

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 good reading and blogging week…three books read and reviewed, and five blog posts written.  Today I woke up to a day of pampering, beginning with a mani and a hairstyling at my daughter’s salon.  A mimosa kept me hydrated while I awaited my turn for the styling wands.

 

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT MY WEEK:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Killman Creek”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Happy Reading…

Renovating My Blogs…and My Shelves…

Coffee Chat:  More Settling In…

Bookish Friday:  “The Last Widow”

Review:  Object of My Affection, by Stephen McCauleyReview:  Good Luck with That, by Kristan HigginsReview:  Best Beach Ever, by Wendy Wax

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INCOMING BOOKS:

One book came in my mailbox…and another came via NetGalley:

Old Baggage, by Lissa Evans

The Look-Alike, by Erica Spindler – (NG-1/28/20)

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Purchased Downloads:

The Last Widow, by Karin Slaughter

My Ex-Best Friend’s Wedding, by Wendy Wax

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CURRENTLY READING:

The Long Call, by Ann Cleeves (NG – 9/3)

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That was my week.  What did yours look like?  No sweet desserts this week, but I found this lovely Red Velvet Cake from the past…

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WEEKLY UPDATES: ANOTHER ENGAGING 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.

Here we are, halfway through August, and my reading and blogging are almost up to normal.  I read and reviewed three books, and I’m halfway through a fourth one. I wrote four posts.  I had no doctor appointments, but did need to go downtown for a business matter.  On Friday, my #2 son came for dinner on his way to Sacramento…and will come back through on Sunday.  I’m eating some yogurt as I type this, since my granddaughter just took me to the grocery store.  I didn’t feel like going to the dining room, so for those times, I needed to stock up on the items that I can enjoy here.

It’s too late in the day for coffee, but in anticipation of my first cup tomorrow morning, let’s take a peek at some…and at my blog details.  The photo below is a nice reminder of my previous residence…I do miss it.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Long Call”

Tuesday Potpourri:  New & Eagerly Anticipated Books

Coffee Chat:  Reorganizing My Topsy-Turvy Life…

Bookish Friday:  “Good Luck with That”

Review:  The Comforts of Home, by Susan HillReview:  My Ex-Life, by Stephen McCauleyReview:  Telephone Line, by Julie Mulhern (Country Club Murders #9)

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INCOMING BOOKS:

One book came in my mailbox…and I received one NetGalley ARC.  I also downloaded three e-books.

At Home in the World, by Joyce Maynard, a book that somehow slipped away from me during the move…so I had to replace it.  It is definitely a  reread kind of memoir.

Synopsis:  In the spring of 1972, Joyce Maynard, a freshman at Yale, published a cover story in The New York Times Magazine about life in the sixties. Among the many letters of praise, offers for writing assignments, and request for interviews was a one-page letter from the famously reclusive author, J.D. Salinger.

Don’t Go Away Sad is the story of a girl who loved and lived with J.D. Salinger, and the woman she became. A crucial turning point in Joyce Maynard’s life occurred when her own daughter turned eighteen–the age Maynard was when Salinger first approached her. Breaking a twenty-five year silence, Joyce Maynard addresses her relationship with Salinger for the first time, as well as the complicated , troubled and yet creative nature of her youth and family. She vividly describes the details of the times and her life with the finesse of a natural storyteller.

***

Big Lies in a Small Town, by Diane Chamberlain – NG – 1/14/20

***

Downloads:

The Perfect Son, by Lauren North

Telephone Line, by Julie Mulhern (#9 – Country Club Murders)

The Object of My Affection, by Stephen McCauley

***

I’m halfway through The Object of My Affection...and then will tackle some September NetGalley ARCs.

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Last night, I enjoyed a delicious meal of salmon with family.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: MOVING ALONG…

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 finally happening!  A week with NO doctor appointments and some extra reading and blogging time.  I read and reviewed THREE BOOKS, and actually enjoyed some time on the computer.  My hand seems almost back to normal…I don’t want to speak too soon, though.  Also, I’m still waiting for my surgery, which might not be scheduled for a couple of months.

Coffee is back on the menu for me, but morning only.  So let’s grab another cup and take a peek at my week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Careful What You Wish For”

Tuesday Potpourri: How Things Have Changed

Coffee Chat:  Ongoing Journey

Bookish Friday:  “My Ex-Life”

Review:  Dear Wife, by Kimberly BelleReview:  Someone We Know, by Shari LapenaReview:  Careful What You Wish For, by Hallie Ephron

***

INCOMING BOOKS:

One book came in my mailbox!   I also downloaded an e-book.

The Kennedy Heirs, by J. Randy Taraborrelli

 

A unique burden was inherited by the children of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy and his celebrated siblings, Senators Robert and Ted Kennedy. Raised in a world of enormous privilege against the backdrop of American history, this third generation of Kennedys often veered between towering accomplishment and devastating defeat. In his revelatory new book, acclaimed Kennedy historian J. Randy Taraborrelli draws back the curtain on the next generation of America’s most famous family.

***

Careful What You Wish For, by Hallie Ephron

***

Currently Reading:  The Comforts of Home, by Susan Hill

A book that has been languishing on my shelves since November 2018:

Susan Hill—the Man Booker Prize nominee and winner of the Whitbread, Somerset Maugham, and John Llewellyn Rhys awards—returns with a hair-raising new novel, the ninth book in one of the most acclaimed mystery series of our time. Featuring the enigmatic and brooding chief police inspector Simon Serrailler, this intricate and pulse-pounding series follows a collection of grisly crimes plaguing the city of Lafferton—and The Comforts of Home is the most chilling and unputdownable installment yet.In this gripping new thriller, Simon, eager to be back at work after recovering from a near-fatal injury, takes on a cold-case review for the Lafferton police about a girl who disappeared some years before. Meanwhile, his family adjusts to changes of its own; namely his sister’s marriage to Chief Constable Kieron Bright. But when events take an unfavorable turn for the Chief Constable and an arsonist goes on a deadly rampage in Lafferton, Simon’s personal and professional lives intertwine in more complex and devastating ways than ever before.In the tradition of the fabulous mysteries of Ruth Rendell and P.D. James, The Comforts of Home is Susan Hill’s best work yet—a heart-pounding new addition to a highly-applauded and “elegant†? (The New York Times) series.

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?  I am sharing a favorite cocktail and soup from days gone by:  A margarita with Tortilla Soup:

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WEEKLY UPDATES: STILL SLOGGING ALONG…

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.

Here I am, late again with my post.  I spent most of the weekend binge-watching Season 7 of Orange Is the New Black (the final season!)  And then I watched half of Season 7 of Wentworth.  Another happy fact:  the newest season of Aurora Teagarden started last night, too.

This week was another series of days reading, not much blogging, and trying to find just the right foods to eat.  Then the arthritis in my left hand flared up and one of the nurses came by to help wrap and ice it.  Sigh.

I did enjoy two books this week, and wrote one blog post.  Let’s take a peek:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Monthly Wrap-Up

Review:  The Missing Years, by Lexie ElliottReview:  Our Little Lies, by Sue Watson

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox, but I downloaded one e-book.

Someone We Know, by Shari Lapena

“No-one does suburban paranoia like Shari Lapena–this slowly unfurling nightmare will have you biting your nails until the end.”
–Ruth Ware, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin 10

 

***

Currently I’m reading Dear Wife, by Kimberly Belle.

 

A riveting new novel of suspense about a woman who, in a fight for survival, must decide just how far she’ll go to escape the person she once loved

Beth Murphy is on the run…

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?

***

WEEKLY UPDATES: DISAPPOINTMENTS, 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 week!  First of all, I’m late to the party.  But the week was supposed to begin with a gall bladder surgery, only that didn’t happen.  A laparoscope inserted along with a camera revealed inflammation (still!), even though all indications were that the antibiotics had done their tricks earlier.  So…I continue to have the gall bladder, but also had anesthesia, a breathing tube, and now have four incisions that still hurt!  I’m now very much afraid of what the actual surgery will feel like.  If they ever do it!

As you might guess, I didn’t get a lot of reading or blogging done…and as I type this, I realize that I’m long overdue for a manicure, as my nails are hitting all the wrong keys!  LOL.

I’m also off coffee for a couple of weeks, so I won’t tempt us with a cup of Joe as we discuss the week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Potpourri:  Changes…

Coffee Chat:  Back to the Drawing Board…

Review:  The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi WaxmanReview:  Things You Save in a Fire, by Katherine Center – (NG-8/13)

***

INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox! 

I did download one e-book.

The Lady in the Lake, by Laura Lippman

The revered New York Times bestselling author returns with a novel set in 1960s Baltimore that combines modern psychological insights with elements of classic noir, about a middle-aged housewife turned aspiring reporter who pursues the murder of a forgotten young woman.

***

Currently, I’m reading The Missing Years, by Lexie Elliott

The French Girl captivated readers with a twisting tale of psychological suspense. Now author Lexie Elliott heads to the foothills of the Scottish Highlands, where a woman’s tangled family history comes back to haunt her…

An eerie, old Scottish manor in the middle of nowhere that’s now hers.

***

That was my week…what did yours look like?  No interesting foods for me, since a bland diet is the new normal.  But I still dream of the goodies of the past, like this margarita:

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WEEKLY UPDATES: A LITTLE READING & A LOT OF ERRANDS…

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 went so fast that I didn’t accomplish as much reading and blogging as I wanted.   I read two books and wrote three blog posts. I did run around with my daughter and my granddaughter, getting ready for the Big Surgery Day on Monday.  Yesterday was a fun day of lunch with my daughter and grandson and dinner with my granddaughter.  My daughter brought this cute little microwave for my tiny kitchen…and some goodies for the fridge.

Here they are at the Mad Duck restaurant.  They wouldn’t let me snap a shot of them with their food.  LOL.

Let’s grab some coffee and take a peek at my week:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Bookish Life of Nina Hill”

Hump Day Reading…

Bookish Friday:  “Things You Save in a Fire”

Review:  Because You’re Mine, by Rea Frey – (NG-8/6)Review:  We Are All Good People Here, by Susan Rebecca White-(NG-8/6)

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox!

***

WHAT’S UP NEXT?

Currently Reading:  The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi Waxman.  I’m loving it!

“Meet our bookish millennial heroine—a modern-day Elizabeth Bennet, if you will… Waxman’s wit and wry humor stand out. She is funny and imaginative, and “Bookish” lands a step above run-of-the-mill romantic comedy fare.”—The Washington Post

I will also begin reading my final August ARC:  Things You Save in a Fire, by Katherine Center (NG 8/13).

***

How was your week?  What are you eagerly anticipating in the upcoming weeks?  Here are some goodies in my tiny fridge, compliments of my daughter’s shopping trip to Trader Joe’s.

***

WEEKLY UPDATES: MY ONGOING JOURNEY…

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 busy week has flown by, with numerous appointments…and great books.  I read and reviewed three books, all of them NetGalley ARCs being released on August 6, and loved them all.  Four blog posts almost brought me to my previous level of connecting with other bloggers.  Now I am in a countdown to my surgery, tentatively scheduled for July 22…but first I have to pass a couple of additional tests.

Meanwhile, my granddaughter has been helping with my interiors…and enjoying lunches, too.  Here is one of my favorite photos of her at lunch at one of our special places, California Pizza Kitchen:

Back at my little apartment, she hung the rest of my photos.  Here’s a favorite version of my entry way.  Note the Elvis handbag on the hall tree.  We emptied documents out of it in our shredding exercise, and the photos above the table were snapped by my eldest son when he was living in Ireland:

Now…let’s take a peek at my blogging while sipping an additional cup of coffee:

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Dear Wife”

Coffee Chat:  Finishing Touches and Engaging Books…

Bookish Friday:  “The Escape Room”

Review:  The Perfect Wife, by J P DelaneyReview:  Keeping Lucy, by T. GreenwoodReview:  The Escape Room, by Megan Goldin

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Empty mailbox…but I downloaded one e-book.

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, by Abbi Waxman

The author of Other People’s Houses and The Garden of Small Beginnings delivers a quirky and charming novel chronicling the life of confirmed introvert Nina Hill as she does her best to fly under everyone’s radar.
 
Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own…shell.

I love Waxman’s books…and can’t wait to meet this wonderful character.

***

My next ARC is Because You’re Mine, by Rea Frey (Release Date – 8/6)

An “insidious, suspenseful tale” (J.T. Ellison) with a “shocker of an ending you won’t see coming” (Michele Campbell), Because You’re Mine by Rea Frey, the author who “brings to mind Jodi Picoult” (Booklist) and “will appeal to readers of Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen” (Sally Hepworth) is a novel about how the truth will set you free.

But it’s the lies that keep you safe.

***

That was my week.  What did yours look like?  Last night I enjoyed Tiramisu.  Delicious!

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