WEEKLY UPDATES: LOVING THE CALM AFTER THE MOVE…

 

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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 move is done!  My granddaughter and her partner worked quickly and had everything moved out and over to the new place by noon!  Then they helped arrange some things…and set up my Internet and TV!  These two are rock stars!!

I must admit I was tired at the end of the day, even though I did no heavy lifting at all…just directed things, lol.  But after they left, I emptied some boxes, rearranged a few things, and collected some empties to take out to the trash and recycling.  I had very little to eat all day, as I had cleared out the fridge…and didn’t want to stop moving until we were done.  Today I’m putting in a big order with Instacart, to fill my GIANT new fridge.  I am LOVING this new space.  So many cabinets, among other things!

Meanwhile, I did read and review two books this week, but only wrote three blog posts. 

Now I am eager to settle into my New Normal, and couldn’t wait to dust off the stench of that old place, LOL.  No good Yelp reviews for them!

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

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Count the Ways”

Books to Love…

Another Forgotten Treasure…

Review:  Kill All Your Darlings, by David Bell

Review:  The Stranger in the Mirror, by Liv Constantine

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Such a Quiet Place, by Megan Miranda

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CURRENTLY READING:

Still reading and LOVING Count the Ways, by Joyce Maynard

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That was my week. What did yours look like? Last Tuesday, I had dinner with my #2 son and his three adult children…and my daughter. It was a wonderful break from the hectic packing!

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WEEKLY UPDATES: MOVING DAY COMING!

 

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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 delightful week filled with moving day plans and activities.  I will be vacating this residence for my new apartment on July 23rd, and the week has been spent with paperwork, packing, etc.  And I’ve loved the good times I’ve had with my granddaughter Fiona and her boyfriend, who have been a big help.  We collected boxes and other supplies, went to the bank, and even sent off my forwarding address notification.  Then we enjoyed lunch at Mimi’s.

While Fiona and her boyfriend packed, I spent time on the phone trying to set up Internet and TV services, and realized that everything has changed since the last time I had them installed.  We will get our modem in the mail and hook everything up ourselves.  That will be a first for me.

During the week, I also read and reviewed three wonderful books and wrote six posts.  I enjoyed another episode of The Good Fight.

I am eager to return to something resembling a normal life in the midst of the chaos, knowing that within days I will finally be in a place I believe I can enjoy.

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

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Skye Falling”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Book Love…

WWW Reading…

Exploring My Shelves for Forgotten Books…

Bookish Friday:  “The Stranger in the Mirror”

Friday Thoughts…

Review:  Surviving the Night, by Riley Sager

Review:  Skye Falling, by Mia McKenzie (NG -6/22/21)

Dark Roads, by Chevy Stevens (NG – 8/3/21)

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Count the Ways, by Joyce Maynard

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CURRENTLY READING:

Kill All Your Darlings, by David Bell

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That was my week. What did yours look like? Below is my #2 son and his three grown children, finally all together after two years apart. Aubrey, on the right, was in New Zealand through most of the Pandemic. We’ll be spending time together this week, too.

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WEEKLY UPDATES…GOOD THINGS!

 

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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.

This week was a good one.  I enjoyed reading two books and I’m halfway through a really intense third one.  I started watching Season 3 of Virgin River, and I can tell there will be some binge-watching this weekend.  I viewed another episode of The Good Fight and I wrote seven blog posts.

I had an outing this week that I am excited about.  I signed paperwork to get my new apartment, which is ready now and which I can move into by the 23rd…or sooner.  First I have to be approved, but I don’t anticipate a problem with that.  I am hopeful.

Now that I am eagerly anticipating this move, I am having a hard time sleeping, since I’m writing lists and planning things.  My granddaughter will help with the move, and will start by bringing some boxes to me so I can pack.  But after I’ve been approved, of course.

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

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Fiancee”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Curling Up with New Books…

WWW Reading…

It is Not Monday, Nor Is It Raining

Another Forgotten Book…

Bookish Friday:  “Kill All Your Darlings”

Another Friday…

Review:  The Stepsisters, by Susan Mallery

Review:  The Fiancee, by Kate White

INCOMING BOOKS:

The Stranger in the Mirror, by Liv Constantine

Kill All Your Darlings, by David Bell

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CURRENTLY READING: Survive the Night, by Riley Sager

One of New York Times Book Review‘s “summer reads guaranteed to make your heart thump and your skin crawl”; An Amazon Best of the Month Pick; Named a must-read summer book by The Washington Post, USA Today, Vulture, BuzzFeed, Forbes, Entertainment Weekly, CNN…

I am loving this book.  It is so intense that I can’t seem to put it down.  I probably won’t get a lot of sleep this weekend!

***

So…that was my week. I also enjoyed watching some old favorite movies like You’ve Got Mail and Sleepless in Seattle… and got a new handbag, see below.

What did your week look like?

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WEEKLY UPDATES…HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

 

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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.

This week was another one for hibernating in my apartment, reading and viewing old favorite movies and a new episode of The Good Fight.  I read and reviewed three books and wrote seven blog posts.

I seem to read and write more when I have no outings, but I hope to go out more this coming week.

I am hoping to see family this weekend, but I don’t know if anything is planned that will include me.  Either way, I find things to keep me busy.

Let’s take a closer look at the past week.

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Dream Girl”

Tuesday Potpourri:  Book Love…

Monthly Wrap-Up…

Digging Deep Into My Shelves…

Dolls I Am Loving…

Bookish Friday:  “Survive the Night”

Reflections on a Friday…

Review:  The Therapist, by B.A. Paris (NG-7/13/21)

Review:  Pack up the Moon, by Kristan Higgins

Review:  Dream Girl, by Laura Lippman

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INCOMING BOOKS:

I received a new NetGalley ARC and downloaded three purchased e-books

The Last House on the Street (e-book), by Diane Chamberlain – (NG – 1/14/22)

 

Purchases:

Survive the Night, by Riley Sager

The Fiancee, by Kate White

The House Guests, by Emilie Richards

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CURRENTLY READING: The Stepsisters, by Susan Mallery

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That was my week. What did yours look like? I hope everyone has a great weekend, and Happy Fourth of July if you celebrate it.

I plan to open a bottle of Champagne tomorrow and make a mimosa or two!

***

REFLECTIONS ON A FRIDAY…

The photo above takes me back in time to happier days.  The condo where I lived for twelve years and where I surrounded myself with collections and books.  Most of which are no longer with me in my smaller space.

Today is Friday, and the Fourth of July is just ahead.  As I ponder how much time has already flown by this year, I am stunned and concerned.

Yes, the passage of time can be a good thing when we are hoping to move beyond something dark and grim, like the whole of 2020.  But this year was supposed to bring good things!

I am glad to be fully vaccinated, but not happy about the residence where I live.  Too much control has been wrested away from us, even those of us who are supposedly “independent living” residents.

How did I let this happen?  I did sign myself in here, but to be fair, I had been ill and was awaiting surgery.  But I could have done that at my former residence.  I allowed my “kids” to convince me that I couldn’t.

I have tried to cope by adding bookshelves and comfort objects, like dolls, and spending a lot of time watching movies…and blogging.

 

I have activated an application for a senior apartment nearby that is NOT “assisted living:” I laugh when I think of that label. What assistance am I receiving for the outrageous price I pay? Oh, yeah, food from the dining room which is so bad that I spend additional money buying a lot of my own food. Oh, and a housekeeper, who does very little. I maintain the place myself. And laundry. I also go upstairs to the self-service washer/dryer units and do all of my outfits.

As for the apartment nearby, there will probably be a long wait, since hardly anyone ever leaves. I don’t want someone to have to DIE before I can move in.

I will hide out in my apartment for most of the weekend…unless my granddaughter surprises me with an outing. Or perhaps a friend will do so.

I am grateful for friends and family, and I love reading books and watching movies. So my focus will turn to these activities as a tried and true way of coping.

***

I am still frustrated by Block Editor, but managing to work with it most of the time. How are the rest of you handling this year as it slips by? Happy Fourth of July!

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WEEKLY UPDATES: FINDING HOPE…

 

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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.

This week took me away from the apartment again a few times.  I did manage to read two books and write six blog posts.  I am still struggling with the change in dining at this place:  buffet style for two meals, with no flexibility in food choices, which really doesn’t work for me.  Sigh. I need to make some changes!

I enjoyed viewing some old movies…and finished watching the final season of Younger.

Now that my granddaughter Fiona is back in town, we have gone out to lunch, done some shopping, and looked at a new apartment I am hoping to move into!  I’m on a waiting list, so it could be a while.  But I like feeling HOPE again.

Speaking of “hope,” I hope to find more shows to binge this week, but I also plan to do more reading and blogging.

LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WEEK:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Therapist”

Tuesday Potpourri…Happy Books!

WWW Reading…

Digging for Hidden Treasure…

Coffee Chat:  Catching Up…

Bookish Friday:  “The Things We Cannot Say”

Review:  My Lies, Your Lies, by Susan Lewis

Review:  Sycamore, by Bryn Chancellor

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Dream Girl, by Laura Lippman

Following up on her acclaimed and wildly successful New York Times bestseller Lady in the Lake, Laura Lippman returns with a dark, complex tale of psychological suspense with echoes of Misery involving a novelist, incapacitated by injury, who is plagued by mysterious phone calls.

***

CURRENTLY READING: The Therapist, by B. A. Paris – NG ARC to be released on July 13

***

That was my week. What did yours look like? As I scrolled through my photos, I found this one of my son from when he came to town recently. We both had a delicious salmon dish from Mad Duck.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: OUT AND ABOUT…

 

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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.

This week took me away from the apartment several times for outings, meetings, and a doctor’s appointment.  By Friday, I felt like I hadn’t even been around.  But I did manage to read and review three wonderful books.  I only wrote four blog posts, however.

I enjoyed viewing some old movies…and finished watching a show on Hulu called Cruel Summer.  I also started the final season of Younger.

My granddaughter Fiona is back in town, having decided to leave Wyoming for now.  She had some health issues and needed to see her regular doctor and use her insurance…but she isn’t really ill.  I think she just missed us.  LOL.  We plan to get together next week.

I hope to find more shows to binge this week, but I also plan to do more reading and blogging.

***

LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WEEK:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Pack Up the Moon”

WWW Reading…

An Unremembered Book…

Bookish Friday: “Six Weeks to Live”

Review: The Newcomer, by Mary Kay Andrews

Review: The Photographer, by Mary Dixie Carter

Six Weeks to Live, by Catherine McKenzie

INCOMING BOOKS:

The Downstairs Neighbor, by Helen Cooper

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The Stepsisters, by Susan Mallery

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CURRENTLY READING:

Today I have pulled a book from my backlog, and hope to love it:

My Lies, Your Lies, by Susan Lewis

***

What a week! Instead of hibernating in my apartment, I had something going on outside the residence every day…until Friday. I don’t know how I still managed to read three books, but my blogging did suffer. One night I made a microwaved dinner in my apartment and enjoyed a mimosa (below).

What did your week look like?

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WEEKLY UPDATES: A BETTER WEEK…

 

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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.

This week brought a better variety of activities, beginning with a lunch outing, some movies and shows to watch, and three books read and reviewed!  I only wrote three blog posts, however, but I guess that is part of the variety of the week.

I am fighting the flies today, seemingly appearing from nowhere, as I don’t have any open windows.  But people do come in and out of the apartment throughout the day, another annoying feature of this place, so they are probably bringing the pests with them!

Today I have been hiding out in my apartment in order to finish the third book of the week, which is my fifth book for my Nonfiction Reading Challenge.

I plan to find more movies to watch tonight.  Meanwhile, I will fix dinner in my apartment and enjoy a Mimosa!

***

NOW LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WEEK:

Tuesday Excerpts:  “The Newcomer”

Neglected Book…

Bookish Friday: “The Photographer”

Review:  You Will Remember Me, by Hannah Mary McKinnon

Review:  The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig

Review:  Brat:  An 80s Story, by Andrew McCarthy

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INCOMING BOOKS:

Pack Up the Moon, by Kristan Higgins

 

The Photographer, by Mary Dixie Carter

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CURRENTLY READING: This week has been one of picking up first one book and then another. I finally settled on and finished three, but I am still uncertain about what is next!

Perhaps I will start reading The Newcomer, by Mary Kay Andrews.

***

That was my week. What did yours look like? Here is a photo of a delicious yogurt lemon cake.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: MOVING ALONG SLOWLY…

 

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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 has been another week of hanging out in my apartment, reading and watching movies.  I finished The Kominsky Method and viewed a few old favorites, too.  I binge-watched Dirty John:  Betty Broderick, and Mare of Easttown.  I only read and reviewed two books…sigh, and I only managed five blog posts.

You know how you think you’ve handled something challenging, like the Word Press Block Editor?  Well, just when I think I’ve got it, something else comes along to thwart me.  Firefox brought out a new browser that is so different from the previous one that I am struggling along, trying to find the things that used to work…and having to Google how to copy and paste, for example!

Now I just want to curl up and sleep!  LOL

I am not ready for more big changes!  But I guess I will flounder along until I sort it all out.

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LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Excerpts: “My Lies, Your Lies”

Goodbye to May!

WWW Reading…

Rediscovering Neglected Books…

Bookish Friday:  “Home Fires”

Review:  The Break-Up Book Club, by Wendy Wax

Review:  Before She Disappeared, by Lisa Gardner

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EMPTY MAILBOX!!

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CURRENTLY READING: I have picked up a handful of books and set them aside.  I am having a minor slump!  But I think I might start reading You Will Remember Me, by Hannah Mary McKinnon.

***

Now I want to just watch movies all day!  But I might go to the dining room for dinner, since  I missed all the meals yesterday.  It has been that kind of week.

What did your week look like?  Here is my newest doll, Payton, curled up in my bookshelf.

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WEEKLY UPDATES: GREAT READING, ETC.

 

Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon and The Sunday Post 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 has been a week of hanging out in my apartment, reading and watching movies.  This weekend, I will watch Season 3 of The Kominsky Method.  I read and loved three books, and wrote five blog posts. I had no outings this week, but did enjoy some dinners at my table in the dining room.  Chatting, sipping wine, and occasionally enjoying the food. 

My youngest grandson graduated from high school in a virtual ceremony that I enjoyed from my laptop.  How is it possible that he is already grown?  Soon he will be off to the marines!

Here he is as a new graduate, with his mom (my daughter).

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LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Old and New Favorites…

Tuesday Excerpts:  “Local Woman Missing”

Book Release Tuesday…

Backlog Book…

Bookish Friday:  “You Will Remember Me”

Review:  Find You First, by Linwood Barclay

Review:  Local Woman Missing, by Mary Kubica

Review:  Family Reunion, by Nancy Thayer

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INCOMING BOOKS: (One e-book)

You Will Remember Me, by Hannah Mary McKinnon

An unputdownable amnesia thriller that begs the question: how can you trust anyone when you can’t even trust yourself?

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CURRENTLY READING:

The Break-Up Book Club, by Wendy Wax

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That was my week. What did yours look like? Here is a new doll named Piper, perched on my newest shelf.

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