spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I had the morning off of ‘mom-duty’ because of appointments. I told my sister S I’d be there by noon definitely, but would try to get there earlier, just so I didn’t have to rush. I got there around 11:30am.

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning (to go over results of last week’s tests and an adjustment) followed by a pedicure (I cancelled the last appointment because mom was still in the hospital so I really need it as I have an ingrown toe nail issue that needs addressing almost every visit). I chose a pretty lilac purple for my toes. I also got in a walk around the park.

I was also relieved early because my one sister has ‘summer hours’ and gets out early, and since she wasn’t staying the night, she bridged me and our other sister. I was home early enough to grill baby back ribs for Pip’s supper (saving the frozen GF pizza for another night). I also did a load of laundry, emptied the dishwasher, hand-washed dishes, and scooped kitty litter.

I started the second Lily Adler book, watched an HGTV program, and showered.

Temps started out at 66.7(F) and reached 84.4 that I saw. It was beautiful today, hot but not humid and there was a lovely breeze. A perfect day, really.


Mom Update:

Mom was up and sitting at the table with my sister, who was putting together a puzzle, when I got there. Mom didn’t seem that interested in the puzzle, but she was eating a yogurt. She later got on her tablet and then ate some rice krispies. I turned on Matlock while I was eating lunch, but it was a bust because it was two eps that my mom didn't like to watch (with Matlock being locked inside a prison to solve a crime).

I asked my sister S about scheduling for Friday and she was like, I can barely think about Thursday. *rolls eyes* I told my sister A (can't recall if I mentioned it to S) that I want to have a meal free to cook something for the holiday, either lunch or supper. I'm happy to spend the day there as long as I can get off early enough to grill (and it better not rain). We'll see what happens.
just_ann_now: (Reading: Weekends are for reading)
Two heat waves, and two sets of storms to break them. Pleasant this morning and a sunny and warm weekend predicted (so I can cut my grass.)

What I've Just Finished Reading

An interesting reading week! A selection (but not everything):

A Garden's Purpose: Cultivating Our Connection with the Natural World, by Felix de Rosen. A very pleasant read inside in the AC when it's too outside hot to garden. Not a garden how-to but a garden think-about, with lots of really nice photos.

Bad Badger: A Love Story, by Maryrose Wood, illustrated by Guila Ghigini. Charming middle-grade novel; if the illustrations has been in color it would have been breathtaking. For Monthly Keyword: Story.

The Last Murder at the End of the World, by Stuart Turton. Whhhhhhhaaaaaaat was this even. Postapocalyptic, twisty, confusing. I had The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle, by the same author,on my To-Read list, based on [personal profile] rachelmanija's review (Summary: "It was weird"), but now, nope. It wasn't horrible, just too - something, and I don't quite know what. For a Goodreads "Poolside Puzzlers" challenge.

On the other hand, Arboreality, by Rebecca Campbell, climate-change distopia, but also hopeful and lovely. Interrelated stories joined to novella-length, lovely characterization.

Saving the best for last: Orbital, by Samantha Harvey. Not a plotty book - 24 hours in the lives of an international group of astronauts on the ISS. Gorgous prose, introspective characters, passing mention of things happening outside their metal cocoon. [A spoiler, but a worthwhile one, so no apologies: NO horrible crisis pops in from nowhere, so you don't have to be on tenterhooks, as I was.] Very short, barely 200 pages, won the Booker Prize last year, which usuallly makes me go "Uh-oh, this will be too thinky for me", but what I think is that I'll buy my own copy for when I need soothing. For Monthly Motif: Single Day Story.

What I Am Currently Reading

Just this morning started The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue, by V.E. Schwab, also for a Goodreads challenge.

What I Am Reading Next

I'm planning my holiday weekend around Somewhere Beyond the Sea, by T.J. Klune!

Question of the Day: I don't have one. Do you?
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I finished five books this week! That's what happens when you spend the days at your mom's and have so much time to read.


What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: The Ape Who Guards the Balance (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters, The Prince and the Apocalypse by Kara McDowell, Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries) by Martha Wells, Where Memories Lie (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie, and All Mortal Flesh (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) by Julia Spencer-Fleming.


What I am Currently Reading: I haven’t had time to start another book, but my plan is for it to be the second Lily Adler book.


What I Plan to Read Next: I have the next Amelia Peabody at the library, so probably that one.




Book 48 of 2025: The Ape Who Guards the Balance (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) (Elizabeth Peters)

It was slow-going getting into this book, but once I did I really enjoyed it. Expandspoilers )

I enjoyed this book and have requested the next. I'm giving this book four hearts only because of how difficult it was to get into.

♥♥♥♥



Book 49 of 2025: The Prince and the Apocalypse (Kara McDowell)

This was so good! I can't recall who posted about this book, but thank you! Expandspoilers )

I highly enjoyed this book and have already requested the next from my library. I'm giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥



Book 50 of 2025: Fugitive Telemetry (The Murderbot Diaries) (Martha Wells)

I really enjoyed this! Though I'm glad I was warned to read it out of order as it would have been weird to read this one then System Collapse. Expandspoilers )

I enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next one to be released. (I heard there *is* a new one coming out, but I haven't seen a release date for it.) I'm giving this one five hearts. And have the urge to re-read the entire series.

♥♥♥♥♥



Book 51 of 2025: Where Memories Lie (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)

I really enjoyed this book! Expandspoilers )

This book was very good and I'm giving it five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥



Book 52 of 2025: All Mortal Flesh (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Julia Spencer-Fleming)

This book was so good! Expandspoilers )

I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading the next in the series. I'm giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I was at mom’s by 6:45am so I didn't have much time to get things done before I left. I did manage to fold a load of laundry, hand-wash some dishes, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, scoop kitty litter, pack my own lunch, and dropped Grant at the garage. Whew!

My sister called to tell me she got out of work at 2:30pm and could relieve me early, so I was able to get home in time to actually cook supper! I planned to grill something, but it started to pour the moment I got inside the house, so instead I got sauce out of the freezer to defrost and we had spaghetti. I also baked chicken for the dogs, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and did a load in the dishwasher.

I started and finished reading the next Clare Fergusson book and watched the rest of the Hannah Swensen movie.

Temps started out at 72.1(F) and it was only 73 when I got home ~3pm since the storm was moving in, but it had to have broken 80.


Mom Update:

In mom’s own words, today she was ‘whooped’! Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: created by tarlan (misc: tv talk by tarlan)
Murderbot: Good ep. Expandspoilers )


Resident Alien: Good ep. Expandspoilers )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I arrived at mom’s at 6:15am, so, as you might imagine, I didn’t get a lot done before I left. Mom agreed that she would like to get out of the house and go for a ride, so I was able to get my shopping done at Price Chopper while she people-watched in the parking lot. (We also took the groceries to my house so I could put the cold stuff away, and stopped to fill her gas tank and for me to pick up a book at the library on the way back to her house.)

I was relieved at 5pm. I stopped at the library again to return a book I finished reading this afternoon. After I got home I did a load of laundry (washed and dried), hand-washed dishes, scooped kitty litter, and took a shower.

I finished the Duncan Kincaid book I was reading and watched the first half of the new Hannah Swenson movie.

Temps started out at 54.1(F) and reached 89.2 (at 5pm when I got home; Pip said it had gotten up to 93). I’m really glad I wore shorts even though it was a cool morning, because it heated up quickly.


Mom Update:

Mom felt alright today. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I didn’t have to be to mom’s until 9am this morning, so I was able to get some chores done before I left: I dried and folded yesterday’s load of laundry, washed another load and got it in the dryer, did some hand-washing of dishes, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, paid some bills online, swept the hallway, laundry area and kitchen, returned another book to the library, and scooped kitty litter.

I had scheduled it so I would be relieved at ~3pm so I could actually make supper, so when I got home I did more dishes, emptied the dishwasher, made supper, did even more dishes, shaved, tossed a load of bath towels into the washer and remembered to also put them in the dryer.

I finished Fugitive Telemetry and started the next Duncan Kincaid book, and watched the current ep of Resident Alien.

Temps started out at 61.5(F) and reached 78.2 (that I saw at 3:30pm), but 85 according to Pip. It was cool in the morning, but sunny with a nice breeze in the afternoon.


Mom Update:

Mom was tired today. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
Another long day. Hopefully the final one. Today was Ian’s graduation party. Thankfully I did not have to be to mom’s as early as I feared so sister A could leave to get set up for the party. She said I could get there between 9 – 10am, so I split the difference and got there at 9:30am. Then I took mom to the party. Sister S relieved me at 7:30pm.

I did manage to get stuff done before I left the house: two loads of laundry (one dried and folded), hand-washed some dishes and did a load in the dishwasher, scooped kitty litter, took the dogs for a short-ish walk, and dropped a book in the library return box on my way to mom’s. I did more hand-washing of dishes when I got home and tossed some laundry into the dryer.

I watched the current ep of Murderbot, finished my book and started another (Fugitive Telemetry, finally). And, of course, attended Ian’s graduation party.

Temps started out at 64.4(F) and reached 87 (according to Pip). He couldn’t have been far off because it got HOT. (It was still 79.2 when I got home after 7:30pm.) My sister had moved Ian’s party from a tent at her house to the local fire house because we were supposed to have scattered thunderstorms all day, but we didn’t get any.


Mom Update:

Mom did well yesterday. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
This was another long day. I had to be at mom’s by 7:30am so my sister S could go to work. My sister A had to decorate for Ian’s graduation party tomorrow, and S attended the graduation of her step-grandson. (Not as long a day as yesterday, though – sister A showed up at 5:30pm to relieve me.) As I’ve said, I don’t mind BEING there, because I can be on my computer or read, but it gives me anxiety to not be home where I can get chores done, or go shopping. Thankfully, I did get some stuff done before I left the house today.

I stopped at Stewart’s for milk after dropping Grant off at the garage. I threw a load of laundry into the washer, hand-washed dishes, cooked hot dogs for Pip to heat up for supper, stirred together two cabbage salads for Ian’s graduation party (one with pineapple and one without to put on pulled pork sandwich if they want to do so) and scooped kitty litter. (I also had to cut up chicken for the dogs’ supper and pack my ‘lunch bag’.) (As you might imagine, it felt like I was running a race to get all of this done before I left to relieve my sister.) When I got home I tossed the wet clothes into the dryer, did up more dishes, and took a shower before I sat on the bed with a towel wrapped around my hair to decompress a bit.

I finished the current Amelia Peabody and started a new book, and took a short nap (which was just enough to reinvigorate me, rather than leave me lethargic).

Temps started out at 58.8(F) and reached an unknown high; it was 66.4 at 6pm when I got home. It was overcast all day, but I felt lucky we hadn’t had the forecasted rain, which then came in late afternoon. Thankfully it had finished before I needed to carry all my bags out to the car.


Mom Update:

Mom seemed tired when I arrived. I think yesterday’s activity took a lot out of her. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I had to be at mom’s by 7am so my sister A could get to work. I was not looking forward to today because it was going to be a long one. (As will the next two days.) Ian’s graduation was tonight. I didn’t originally plan to attend because I thought families would be limited due to space in the auditorium. Also, my sister never mentioned it, which backed-up my thought. Apparently there are no limits, so since both of my other sisters are working, I stayed with mom all day and drove her there that evening. By the time I got home ~8:30pm I had “put in” over twelve hours today.

I filled my gas tank after dropping Grant off at the garage; hand-washed some dishes and scooped kitty litter before heading to mom’s. (I also cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals and packed my own ‘lunch bag’.) After I got home I threw in a load of laundry to wash while I did up the dishes in the sink and then got ready for bed. After ‘decompressing’ for a while with some games on my phone I got to bed just before 10pm, which is late for me. I slept like a rock, though.

I read more fanfic and more Amelia Peabody.

Temps started out at 66.6(F) (which is weird since the high is only supposed to be 68) and reached an unknown high, as I was never home to check. It was much cooler than the previous 80s/90s days. Yes, I can complain when it’s too hot AND when it’s too cool! I want a nice median temperature. It’s already summer and we never got spring!


Mom Update:

Mom was feeling a malaise this morning when I arrived. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: created by tarlan (misc: tv talk by tarlan)
Getting this in just in time!


Murderbot: Good ep. Expandspoilers )


Resident Alien: Good ep. Expandspoilers )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I had a chiropractic appointment this morning. It was my annual exam in addition to an adjustment. I don’t recall if I mentioned it, but my lower back, left side, has been hurting me for a couple of weeks. I figured it was spending more time in the car driving to the hospital, sitting in those uncomfortable chairs in mom’s room, etc. Today when he did one of the scans, bright red lines appeared indicating trouble on the left side low back region. I was like, I knew something not-good was happening there! One of the comments the chiropractor has made in the past is that he needs to adjust something different on me every time; I never come in with quite the same issue. One week, sacrum, another week, mid-back. I keep him hopping.

I hit Walmart, Price Chopper and the Pharmacy while I was downtown and got in a longer walk around the park. Before I left the house I heated up a ham steak on the stove and frozen peas in the microwave for Pip to heat up for supper tonight. I also did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes and scooped kitty litter.

I read some fanfic and more Amelia Peabody.

Temps started out at 75.6(F) and reached at least 88.0. That was the temp when I left the house for mom’s just before 11am, but Pip said it got to 92. Less stifling than yesterday and there was a breeze that had a coolness to it. I still wouldn’t have wanted to be out there all day. Just walking to the mailbox was uncomfortable.


Mom Update:

Mom is doing okay; no major ups or downs today. Expandmore back here )
just_ann_now: (Reading: Weekends are for reading)
Hot hot HOT so good for staying inside reading. (See also: February, Cold cold COLD, good for staying in reading). Gardening, walking, yoga, all happening early in the day; housework, food organizing and preparing, etc, interspersed with reading time.)


What I Just Finished Reading

real ones, by Katherena Vermette. An engrossing read, most of the emphasis was on emotional abuse of children by a narcissistic parent, also topical re: "pretendinans" who fake an Indigenous background. I remember being shocked a few years back by the revelation that Buffy Sainte-Marie was actually Italian-American, from Massachusetts, and I didn't even have a dog in that fight. For Read Broader-Indigenous Author.

Bee Speaker, by Adrian Tchikovsky. If there is a bad AT book, I haven't read it yet, though there are some I love more than others. This was an enjoyable completion to the Dogs of War trilogy, again with that intriguing mix of scifi and epic fantasy elements. Not for any challenge other than maybe the "Keep with AT!" one I should invent for myself *grin*

Nine Pints: A Journey Through the Money, Medicine, and Mysteries of Blood, by Rose George. This was really fascinating, selected on a whim for A to Z Titles. I'm glad I read it.

Jazz, by Toni Morrison, also picked up on a whim for A to Z Titles, dreamlike prose, nonlinear storytelling.

When I'm Gone, Look for Me in the East, by Quan Barry. A reread for Read Broader: AAPI Author. I bought this one right away after reading it from the library. Unique plot and setting, memorable characters, very transporting.

Empires of the Steppes: A History of the Nomadic Tribes Who Shaped Civilization, by Kenneth Harl. I read this immediately after the Quan Barry book because I was curious as to why Tibetan Buddhism has such a strong influence in Mongolia. I did not really get any answers from this book, all names and dates and battles. (Note to self: look for more contemporary information about Mongolia.)

Aunty Lee's Delights, by Ovidia Yu. I needed something light and fairly frothy after Empires of the Steppes, and this filled that requirement easily.

The Six: The Extraordinary Story of the Grit and Daring of America's First Women Astronauts, by Loren Grush. For A to Z Titles. [personal profile] cairistiona, I think this would be right up your alley!

What I Am Currently Reading

Zero at the Bone, by Mary Willis Walker. NOT a cozy mystery but an engrossing one, with an unusual main setting. There are some bits that make me go "Whaaaaa?", so it probably could have used a bit more editing, but I'm enjoying it. A to Z Authors.

What I Am Reading Next

I have two more books to finish up Read Broader, and they are both on my Kindle, so I don't even have to venture to the library. And oh, look, here comes July, and two more monthly challenges! So I'm all set.

Question of the Day (Jeopardy version): Mine was 101.8, late yesterday afternoon. Yours?
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Water Like a Stone (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie and To Darkness and to Death (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) by Julia Spencer-Fleming.


What I am Currently Reading: The Ape Who Guards the Balance (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters.


What I Plan to Read Next: Still a variety of library books out, so one of those.




Book 46 of 2025: Water Like a Stone (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) (Deborah Crombie)

Good book! Expandspoilers )

I enjoyed this book and have already requested the next. I'm giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥




Book 47 of 2025: To Darkness and to Death (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Julia Spencer-Fleming)

I enjoyed this book, but even as I was reading it I was thinking it was a very weird mystery. With so many bad choices. It felt like a comedy of errors. Expandspoilers )

Still enjoy the main characters and plan on reading more, but only giving this book three hearts.

♥♥♥
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I didn’t have to be to mom’s until 10am, so I got some chores done before I left the house. I did two loads of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, emptied the dishwasher, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, and changed kitty litter.

I read fanfic and more Amelia Peabody, and finally watched the current ep of Resident Alien. Pip suggested I stop at Dairyland on the way home from mom’s so I picked up soft vanilla ice cream in a dish for him and a milkshake for myself.

Temps started out at 77.9(F) and reached 94.7 (that I’m aware of). I made a couple trips outside (to check mom’s mail and other errands) and it was stifling. There was a breeze, but it was a hot breeze and didn’t help much. The temps are supposed to drop a tiny bit today and be 69 on Thursday, which made both mom and me go o_O.


Mom Update:

Mom is showing more improvement physically; she stayed awake almost all morning and we chit chatted a bit. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I did a load of laundry, paid some bills online, placed an order online, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, ran a load in the dishwasher, and scooped kitty litter. I also hit a different Price Chopper than usual (closer to Mom’s) when her friend visited her to give me a couple hours to run errands in the afternoon.

I read fanfic and re-watched the current ep of Murderbot.

Temps started out at 79.9(F) (and already humid) and reached 99.1. It was SOOO hot.


Mom Update:

Mom slept most of the morning. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I did a load of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, emptied the dishwasher, scooped kitty litter, and stopped at Stewart’s on the way home for milk. I dropped off a book at the library, started the next Amelia Peabody book, and finally got to see the current Murderbot. My brother and his GF were visiting mom when I arrived, so I got to see them.

Temps started out at 67.8(F) and reached high 80s. (Again, I wasn’t home to check.) Thunderstorms rolled in around 4am, which woke everyone up, and dropped quite a bit of rain between then and 8am. It didn’t rain again, and remained overcast, but it was hot and humid.


Mom Update:

Mom continues to do well. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I hit the Bakery while I was downtown and got in a walk around the park. (I got in two additional walks later for a total of 1 mile!) I hit the library to pick up more books, did two loads of laundry, the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. I finished the book I started yesterday and spent most of the day with mom.

Temps started out at 61.3(F) and reached 87 (according to Pip, since I didn’t get home until after the temps hit the high). It was hot, but I luckily spent most of the day inside an air conditioned house.


Mom Update:

She is doing well. Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I got a lot done before I left to go visit mom. I did a load of laundry, baked chicken for the dogs, boiled eggs for egg salad, put a chuck roast in the crock pot for supper, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter. For fun stuff I started a new book.

Temps started out at 59.4(F) (and windy) and reached 74 (that I saw at 6pm, though Pip said it got to 78). The day started off windy and cool, but the sun came out so it was really nice, if still windy.


Mom Update:

Mom is home! Expandmore back here )
spikedluv: (summer: sunflowers by candi)
I hit Price Chopper while I was downtown and got in a longer walk around the park. I did a load of laundry, visited my aunt, filled my gas tank, mowed the lawn, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and scooped kitty litter.

I finished reading a book, watched an HGTV program, talked to mom on the phone twice, and took a nap. (The heat and humidity did me in, I think,)

Temps started out at 70.0(F) (and was already humid) and reached 91.4. The only saving grace was that there was a breeze. We had on/off rain later in the evening, which netted us a double rainbow! And lowered the temps.


Mom Update:

Mom did not come home today. Expandmore back here )

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