Show Us Your Books - April 2020

SUYB, Quarantine edition -- after a kind of slow start to the year, especially compared to last year, I think my reading mojo is coming back.  The first part of this quarantine I could not focus on anything, and I'm still reading slower than usual but, still reading.





Untamed by Glennon Doyle -- Definitely my favorite book of the year so far, probably in my top 5 favorite books ever. Ever ever.  As soon as I finished it I order a copy for my mom.  As with most things, different pieces will resonant more closely to some people than others, but there are just so many stunning, universal truths to be found in this book. I cannot wait to read it again.
Hard copy from a local, independently-owned, women-run bookseller (literally days before they closed until the COVID closures are over).

                                   

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett  -- This one was just okay for me.  I started it in a Barnes & Noble one day and it did seem interesting in the beginning so I was excited to read it, even after my mom told me she didn't enjoy it that much.  She was right, it was just okay.  It definitely took me a while to get through, I wasn't rushing to get back to it.  The characters were okay... maybe it was a tough follow after Untamed, even though they're two separate categories with fiction and non-fiction, I was a little like, what's the point of this?  Sometimes the point is just to get lost in the world, but this just didn't take me there.

Library e-book

Know My Name by Chanel Miller -- Should be required reading, female or male, not sure what else to say about it.
Library e-book

Also if you're not following her on Instagram, you're missing out on delightful gems like this.







The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy -- This came recommended from a podcast I've been enjoying (A Beautiful Mess podcast, they did a whole episode on self-help books), and this is the first one from their recommended list that I read.  It comes with lots of resources and sheets you can download, which is helpful.  I might report back later once I've actually implemented some of the tips and give an update on how it's going.  Also, if you get the kindle edition, ignore the reviews about how you can't read the charts or graphics, that was from an old edition and that has since been fixed, I could read everything fine.  
Kindle purchase



The Institute by Stephen King --  It's been a while since I read any Stephen King (maybe Mr. Mercedes was the last one, a few years ago?), and I enjoyed this.  I thought the concept was fascinating and, as usual, amazing storytelling.  If you like King you'd probably like this.  References to some of his other books which made me chuckle.  Not my favorite book of the year but a solid 4 stars. 

Library e-book

Open Book by Jessica Simpson -- Not the kind of book I'd normally read (celebrity memoir/auto-biography), but it came recommended and I can't remember exactly from where. Maybe the Popcast?  Like a lot of people thought that read this, there is way more to her than what you (I) thought.  She went through some rough stuff.  And she spills allll the tea and then some.  Great read. 

Library e-book

Weekend 4/25 & things

Friday I woke up early to take Bob in to work since he's on call all weekend.  We stopped at the City Market and he went in to get the R.O. water refills we can't get at our co-op, and some other food for me to have this weekend.  Back home by 9:00-ish, fed Wrigley, took a shower, hooked up the Switch to charge, measured the garden bed for Bob (where the people before us had a playhouse), so Bob could start ordering wood.  

Big plans to do not much today.  It's sunny and supposed to be close to 60, so probably open the windows, finish The Institute and start another book.  TBD.   Found a huge stack of TBR when I was unpacking.  Also got "Open Book" in from hold on library.  (follow-up, did finish The Institute, did start Open Book). 

Saturday afternoon we drove down to the wildlife viewing area, walked around a little bit and enjoyed the sun.  There were a ton of people out driving around, I think because the weather was so nice, and lots of people on motorcycles.  When we got back I opened the windows for a little bit, it was the first time since we moved in and it was delightful.

The sunset was nothing short of spectacular.

Sunday morning walked Wrigley a couple of times since it was supposed to rain.  It wound up not raining until the evening, but we got a couple walks in the nonetheless. 

          

Saturday night I made CYL Chicken from the Lazy Genius, vegetables were roasted but not completely burned like I sometimes enjoy them.  Just enough burned to get some really good flavor though.  Did some work stuff, made this spread from the Pioneer Woman, and watched a few episodes of The Crown.  I think I have started this show 2 or 3 times and never made it much past her coronation. Maybe this time it will stick?  Also re: recipe... I saw the original on an IG story she posted.  It called for salted butter and 1 t. salt.  This recipe doesn't specify the butter and used 1/2 t. salt.  I wound up using unsalted butter which is what we always have, and 1 t. salt.  I think 3/4 t. salt is probably a nice happy medium.  I didn't really have anything to put on top after, so I put some sea salt on part of it before it cooled, and left the other half plain.  In bed by 10 and fell asleep before I barely got a chance to read anything.

Monday picked Bob up at 7, back home by 8:30, fed Wrigley, showered and started working. Bob worked on sorting stuff out in the basement and getting things set up so we can start seeds growing.  Still haven't heard about the chicks... the warmer plate did come today, but not sure if we'll get chicks this year? TBD.

Bob went to the store Monday morning to get a few more things for the week.  Leftovers for lunch and pizza for dinner.  We've been using this recipe and it's pretty foolproof.  We have a cast iron stone that we bake it on, and have found it works best pre-heating the cast iron with the stove, rolling out the dough, transferring it to the hot pan, and then quickly building the pizza directly on the pan.  We've found if we build it first and then transfer, it's too weighed down with all the ingredients and hard to smoothly transfer, even with flour or cornmeal underneath.  We also tried building it without pre-heating the pan first, but the crust isn't nearly as crispy that way.  We've found this to be the best combination.   

Also hung the Tibetan prayer flags we have had... at least 5 years and never hung up.  Can't remember if we got them in Sante Fe or California.  Either way it's been way too long.  We finally found a good place outside, they'll get lots of movement with the wind there and are kind of in an entryway.  And there's a family of birds nesting up there above the firewood, so they can bless the birds too.

 

Sunday night... Bob watched Westworld, I worked on this and read. R+F zoom call at 8:00 to learn more about that. Currently not even 8:00 and ready for bed.  Goodnight, Monday.

Thursday thoughts and things

Chuck roast using this recipe -- added parsnips, potatoes (used russet since that's what we had), one giant sweet potato, carrots, diced garlic. Used 2 cups of beef broth called for (probably closer to 2 1/2 since I used way more vegetables than called for, by the time it was done I'd actually added the whole container, probably around 3 cups total).  Also mixed in some mushroom bouillion, maybe 1/2 - 1 T, into the beef broth before I poured it in.  Also added some additional salt, pepper and thyme over everything after it was in the slow cooker.  Cooking for a minimum of 8 hours. 

                                         




Walked Wrigley, 20 minutes in the morning and another 10-15 in the evening. The weather was infinitely better today, it was cold but the sun helped immensely. 

Started the first episode of the Innocence Files thanks to the rec from the Popcast and Jamie Golden.


Picked up Bob from work since it was a good excuse to get out of the house.


Made these rolls to go with the roast.  


Thursday night I was super irritable for seemingly no reason, which made me more irritable given there wasn't any specific reason I could identify for it.  Chalked it up to quarantine and monthly times and just letting myself feel it.  The roast was delicious, the rolls didn't rise like they normally do (also contributing to my irritation).  My hunch was that it was to do with the hard water we have now (well water), and a little googling proved that out.  Didn't stop me from eating and enjoying them though.  Will have to figure out the water situation for next time.

Random Wednesday thoughts...

Wednesday thoughts and some present and past-tense verbs from the past few days... 




-- Woke up to snow on the ground (not a lot, but still, it's almost the end of April). 


-- Tried to walk Wrigley this morning but between the cold AF temperature and the godforsaken wind, we only made it about 8 minutes.  Went out again closer to lunchtime and made it closer to 20 minutes, and did the hill behind the house.

-- Horrified at the people in Raleigh (among other places) protesting the stay-at-home orders, and very glad we don't live there anymore. 


-- Recommending this Change Your Life Chicken Shawarma from the Lazy Genius.  Also a huge fan of the CYL "regular" chicken which I've made a couple of times before and brought me to the realization that I basically love roasted vegetables charred almost beyond recognition.  Anyone else?  We did the Shawarma with the roasted option on the recipe page, threw some bell pepper chunks into the marinade right before we put it on the pan, and served it over some rice.  Winner winner chicken dinner.  We only marinated it for about an hour since it was kind of last-minute, but the flavor was delicious nonetheless. 

-- Needing to order a bunch of stuff for the house (a desk, desk chair, hooks, CURTAINS,  and a million other things), but I need to prioritize them in some kind of logical order.  





-- Learning that it's not advisable to plant anything here until after Memorial Day.  I am itching to put up hanging plants and brighten up the outside of the house, but it's still freezing too much.  Bob started digging and outlining where the raised garden beds will go, at least a few to get started this season, and the soil came last week.  It's a lot of work but at least we can do it in phases (and by "we" I mean mostly him :D ).



-- Watching season 3 of Westworld.  Losing interest.  Season 1 was good but it just lost me after that... it's mostly Bob watching and me doing other stuff.  Aaron Paul is always a nice addition, I'm just finding I really don't care what happens.  Just finished seasons 2 and 3 of Ozark and, while some dark shit, I enjoyed it a lot more.

-- Reading The Institute by Stephen King (speaking of some dark shit).  Started my SUYB April post yesterday so I won't have to do it at the last minute.

-- Sewing my Swoon Sixteen that I got as a kit on sale something like 5 years ago and I am just now starting.  I found the packing slip in the kit and it was 3 houses ago, one that we rented in Morrisville, NC.  Screwed up the first block (on the piecing), set it aside, started and finished a second block, now on to the third.  

-- Waiting for the chicks to come in that we ordered... and hoping it's a little delayed.  We thought it was next week, slacked off and didn't order the brooder plate (like a warming stand they huddle under to keep warm), so it won't be here until Monday or Tuesday next week.  They are supposed to come in the 22nd or 23rd and then we have 2 days to pick them up.  Bob is on call tonight and all this weekend, so hoping they don't come in until later so can figure all this out together. The last thing I need is 6 baby chicks dying on my watch.  I can keep them alive though, right? Right.

-- Loving the feature on the Overdrive app (where I get library ebooks from) that now allows you to postpone a held book.  So if a book comes in and you know you won't have time to read it right now, or 4 books come in all at once, which frequently happens, you can push them back to be delivered in 7 days, 14 days, I think maybe up to 60 days?  I'm sure I lost track of countless books I wanted to read because they came in, I couldn't read them right then, and then forgot all about them. 

-- Eating - Breakfast & Lunch was a small bowl of leftover chicken shawarma (will also have for dinner but will make more rice), garlic and parm pita chips, nature's bakery fig bar (wondering where they have been all my life), water and the never-ending cup of iced coffee. 

Exercise - walking Wrigley. We walked a total of about 40 minutes today, but with the wind it  felt like twice that long.  Does looking at weight sets on Amazon count?  

Peace out, Wednesday.

Edited to add: tonight's sunset, because after a cold, windy, gray day, sunset decided to show off and I was here for every minute of it.

June Goals 2018

Health...

    -- Average at least 10,000 steps per day (minimum 70,000 steps per week) 

    -- Walk Wrigley EVERY morning (even weekends and Bob's days off).  Was successful in doing this the last week in May... let's see if I can continue through June, shall we?  Getting up earlier actually does help... I had been getting up and walking him around 6:45 / 7:00, but honestly at this point in the summer the sun is already hot by then, and there are people already out walking.  Getting up and going an hour earlier is definitely the way to go... much cooler and hardly anyone else around, walking or in cars.

    -- Incorporate some kind of muscle-building into the exercise routine now that the walking / sometimes jogging routine has been established.  Sit-ups, push-ups, use the kettlebells... SOMETHING.

   -- Lose 5 more pounds by the end of June.  See above.

Home...

    -- Purge closet and drawers, especially socks and underwear in drawers, and clothes I'm just not wearing (haven't worn or won't wear) in the closet.

   -- Hang the pictures sitting in the bedroom. 

   -- Start figuring out better storage for the pantry... it might be a July goal, but I want to start figuring out lazy susan's for the awkward corners and bins for some things that would be better kept together.

Try...

   -- more recipes from the Laura Lea cookbook (or her website).  The chocolate avocado mousse sounds amazing, and I know there are more things in the cookbook I want to try

   -- a new bread or pastry recipe... on the third season of the Great British Baking show and now I want to bake all the things.  All. The. Things.

Buy...

   -- On my wishlist to buy this month...
               Make-up removal cloths
            Emani primer
            Fenty matchstix contour in Amber

   -- very little else other than essentials.  Maybe a few more of these 3/4 length shirts from LL Bean and these capri pants from Amazon.  Steph recommended them and they're so comfy and the pockets are a bonus.

   -- plants for the empty planter on the back porch.  Everything else is planted and looking good except for that.  I'm thinking more of these million bells that are doing so well in the hanging baskets out front and have been super easy to care for and keep looking good.

Do...

    -- finish the Stars and Stripes quilt -- goal was for a quick finish that I could get done by July 4th.  Flags are about halfway put together, and sashing, backing and binding fabric has been ordered. Definitely do-able. 

   -- finish Bob's Star Wars quilt.  Just need to sort out the backing and if I have enough, piece it together, then it just needs quilting and binding!

   -- keep up with all the yard work and watering.  Everything is looking so good right now and the bare spot in the front yard has completely filled over.  Now just to keep everything alive and looking good through the summer!

More...

   -- reading - now that I joined the Durham County library (whose e-book selection is surprisingly better than Wake County's), I have at least 3 library books on the kindle and more on hold.  I also went back and cataloged all my books on Goodreads for 2018, and set a very achievable goal of 30 books to read for the year.  I'm happy I met and exceeded the 50-book goal last year, but it got to the point where I felt like I HAD to read instead of reading for enjoyment.  Hence the lowered goal this year.  Also need to get back to linking up my books with Stephanie and Jana for Show Us Your Books!

      Currently reading: The Murder House by James Patterson & David Ellis.
      Up Next: A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena & Let Me Lie by Clare Mackintosh

   -- evening walking.  A couple weeks ago I was doing really well walking Wrigley both morning and evening, but last week I just got tired and mainly only walked him in the morning.  Especially since the weather is pretty mild this week, I need to get back in the routine of doing both.

   -- blogging - mainly as a tool to hold myself accountable and journal.

Less...

   -- time mindlessly scrolling Instagram.  It's really the only social media I partake in, but it can be a huge time suck.  Time to cut back.  Last night I left my phone upstairs in the closet while I was changing clothes after work, and when I realized that's where it was I decided to just leave it up there.  It wasn't until after 9:00 when I was getting ready for bed that I picked it up again, and I can't say I missed having it during those few hours.  If I'd had it, I would have been on it mindlessly, but having it so far away was extremely freeing.


   -- Starbucks.  I'd gotten out of the habit for most of May, but somehow the last week have gotten sucked back in.  I think maybe I need to delete the app on my phone, as it makes it way to order through the app and reload from my card without feeling the pain of spending the money.  I did it way less when I had cash in my wallet and was using that.  The allure of using the app though is to build up points to a free drink, which I don't get when I use cash.  I see you Starbucks marketing gurus, I see you.

Bloglovin'

<a href="https://www.bloglovin.com/blog/19462559/?claim=6nwthg6zdtt">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

One year of Wrigley!

It's been almost a year since this little bundle of love found us (yes, I firmly believe HE found US).  It will be one year tomorrow since our little fighter, our little survivor fought to stay alive when the rest of his litter didn't make it.  March 20th he came into this world, and then on May 4th he came to us.

We would have no idea at the time how much he would mean to us.  How much we would all need each other in the year ahead.  In some ways it's been a whirlwind year and feels like he just got here, in other ways it's hard to remember life before him.  It sounds cliche to say that he's taught me so much about myself, but cliches are usually true for a reason.  Through the tears, the laughter, the frustration, the joy, the guilt, the regret, the hope, the sorrow, and the unconditional love of the past year... there were and are lessons to be learned. 

Nothing juxtaposes the agonizing pain of losing one beloved fur-baby like the unabated joy of a puppy.  He lives in the moment.  He starts each day ready to go and eager to explore the world.  He loves stopping to smell the roses (and everything else) on our walks.  He doesn't hold a grudge.  He would rather nap in front of the fire than anywhere else.  He loves peanut butter and plays with carrots.  He likes to play with two toys at once.  Sometimes he thinks the rug is one of those toys.  He sighs really deep and heavy when he's tired.  He drops his butt when he runs and is really excited.  He stamps his front feet when he's sitting and impatient.  He got the hiccups four or five times a day as a puppy.  He actually watches what's on T.V.  He won't let us cut his nails.  The position of his ears constantly changes throughout the day.  He loves to eat crabgrass in the yard.  He loves to pick at seams and threads on toys (or anything else if given the chance).  His ears are the softest things on earth but he doesn't really like them touched.  He has light-colored angel wings on his back.  His sense of smell is amazing.  After we go outside he runs back into the room he just left to see if anything has changed.  He's tall enough to put his feet on the counter and the table.  He loves the smell of butter.  He fast-trots in the house when he has to go out.  He squeaks when he yawns.  He's the best car-rider, he lays down and doesn't fuss.  He's been in the car through North Carolina, Virginia, D.C., Maryland and Delaware.  He Christmased in Delaware for the first time in 2017.  He likes to chase the cats.  He doesn't back down from a fight with Pippin.  He likes to share the heated binky with Mao.  He's super motivated by treats and is terrified of squirt bottles.  He doesn't mind his harness but hates collars.  His fur has seams and swirls where his hair comes together in weird places.  He has resource guarding issues that we don't understand but are working on.  He knows "come", "sit", "down", "fist bump", "off", drop it", and struggles with "stay".  He loves puppacinos.  He's really good about being in his crate.  He was named "Camden" before we even knew him, but we'd already decided to name our next dog "Wrigley"; he was destined to be named after a baseball stadium. He tries really hard to get his stuck toys out on his own before looking to us for help.  He doesn't like the rain.  He absolutely loves the snow... running in it, biting at it, playing in it.  He goes with the flow but likes routine.  

He plays hard, sleeps hard, and loves hard.  We couldn't love him more if we tried.  Here's to another year of discovering more about him and more about ourselves through him and his unique personality.  We're so glad he found us!