Sunday Post: Catching Up & Doing Things Backwards

It is time for Nuts and Bolts, hot cocoa, and curling up on the couch under an afghan in front of the fireplace and enjoying a cupcake my daughter made. I thought maybe I would spend a little time with you as well. 

New to My Shelves: I splurged on a few e-books this past week, deciding to use a fraction of my hoarded Amazon gift cards. I especially wanted to get earlier books in series for which I have later books. 

Talon (Talon #1) by Julie Kagawa

The Obsession by Nora Roberts

Flight From Death (Fly by Night #1) by Yasmine Galenorn

Autumn Thorns (Whisper Hollow #1) by Yasmine Galenorn

City of Light (Outcast #1) by Keri Arthur

Half-Resurrection Blues (Bone Street Rumba #2) by Daniel José Older

Midnight Taxi Tango (Bone Street Rumba #2) by Daniel José Older

Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think?

What I Am Reading: The purpose of the TBR List Poll is to have you help me choose at least one of my  reads in any given month, and normally I am good about starting with the winning book before I start any of the runner ups. I seem to have started with the one that got the least amount of votes  this time though. I blame those two days in a row I forgot to bring my book to work and had to settle for reading on my Kindle during my lunch break. I immediately went to Lazaretto by Diane McKinney-Whetstone, which I am nearly finished with. Set in post-Civil war Philadelphia, after Lincoln's assassination, the novel spans over many years, following the lives of several different characters. I am enjoying it so far.

The Unit by Ninni Holmqvist has kind of fell by the wayside for the time being. I'm sure I will get back to it, but Lazaretto is my go to book right now. I hope to start the actual winner of my November TBR List Poll, Nicola Yoon's The Sun is Also a Star in the next day or so.

What I Am Listening To: It just so happens I have a print and audio copy of the second runner up in my November TBR poll and being that I was ready to start a new audio book, Nicole Dennis-Denn's Here Comes the Sun instantly came to mind. This is my first audiobook narrated by Bahni Turpin, and so far I think she's amazing. So is Here Comes the Sun. I do not know how much listening I will get to do this next week since I am home on vacation for the holiday, but maybe I will get to sneak in a chapter here and there.

What I Am Watching: Mouse and I went to see the movie Trolls on Veteran's Day, and enjoyed it. I loved the music and the movie's message is very uplifting. Kind of something I needed right about now. I am enjoying the television show Timeless a bit more after a couple of really good episodes, one featuring Lincoln's assassination and the other set around the time of Nixon's scandal. I am caught up on The Walking Dead, but admit I am not feeling it as much this season so far. We'll see. I read an article on Facebook the other day about a theory that Daryl was using eye blinks to signal Rick during last week's episode.  Wouldn't that be something?

I really want to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them while it is in the theater. I am not sure that will be possible, but I will do my best to make it happen. 

What's Going On Off the Blog: Work, work and more work. I attended a training last week put on by a human trafficking survivor. It was very interesting, I thought. I am very close to having the holiday scheduling done for the center. It is very time consuming, especially as I try to accommodate everyone's vacation requests all the while ensuring we have adequate coverage 24/7. I also have been putting together this next year's calendar. It is tedious, but necessary work.

Mouse's last soccer game was last weekend, and her team's pizza party was Saturday. She received her very first trophy, which she came home and put on display on one of the bookshelves. Our Girl Scouts meeting on Monday was unfortunately cancelled. Both myself and my other co-leader were feeling under the weather and decided to put it off until after Thanksgiving. GirlDerness was this past weekend, and the girls who were able to attend had a blast. We got to go hiking, learn First Aid, sing songs, and do arts and crafts. It was a full day.

Do you remember the woman at my daughter's after school program I praised so highly? Her last day was Monday. I am so sad to see her go. She got a better job offer elsewhere, and so I can't blame her. Hopefully her replacement will be just as wonderful. I confess I'm not completely smitten with the person whose standing in for her right now. It was very telling this week when I went to pick Mouse up and she gave all the subbing staff hugs goodbye, but shouted out a goodbye to the regular guy only when I reminded her as we were walking out the door. He doesn't seem inappropriate at all--I don't mean to imply that. I'm sure he's very capable and good with the children. Maybe he'll grow on us.

What I Am Thinking About: My Christmas letter. I wrote a rough draft and am waiting for my husband's feedback. I still am not sure I will send it out. I am trying to find the right balance given my overall state of mind right now, which isn't exactly hopeful. I am also thinking about how I wish the cooler weather meant rain would come with it, but no such luck.

What I Am Enjoying: The start of my vacation. A much needed vacation at that. I am also enjoying a lazy weekend--our first with no scheduled activities. I really need to clean the house . . .

How I Am Feeling: I am still coughing. I ended up taking a day off of work because the coughing was so bad. It's better now. Not keeping me up at night anyway. I also am feeling a little better about my blogging again. I had a chance to schedule some of my review posts for the upcoming weeks and prepare skeleton posts. Hopefully I can find time to visit everyone's blogs--that's my biggest regret right now. I don't mind the impromptu blogging breaks, but I do feel bad that I haven't even been by to say hi to many of you who have taken the time to leave me a comment or two.

What I Am Planning and Looking Forward to: I need to get more of my Christmas shopping done. We're planning a quiet Thanksgiving just the three of us this year, but have invited everyone here again for Christmas. It's just easier for us to have it here at our house with hour work schedules. My photo Christmas cards should be coming in the mail this next week and I will need to get those addressed and ready to mail. I just remembered that I need to get stamps!

This Tuesday I will be attending the service for one of my employee's whose mother passed away this past week. I want to offer her my support. Mouse will be coming with me since we have the week off. I plan to take her coloring journal and some extra paper with us to keep her occupied.


Tell me about what you have been up to! What are you reading, listening to and watching? How was your week? Do you have anything planned for this coming week?

Whatever you do, I hope those of you in the U.S. have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday. If you plan to join the throngs of shoppers on Black Friday, I wish you the best of luck and may everyone be kind and neighborly.  And for the rest of you, I wish you a great week as well.

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Every Friday Coffee Addicted Writer from Coffee Addicted Writer poses a question which participants respond on their own blogs within the week (Friday through Thursday). They then share their links at the main site and visit other participants blogs.

Would you take a book with you when you go to your family's Thanksgiving gathering/dinner?

Absolutely. Of course, I rarely go anywhere without a book (or at least my e-reader--and I always have my phone with me). Growing up, I often would sneak off to read while the grown-ups would talk or cook. A common refrain from my father was that I should come out and join the family more. Being that my brother and I were the only children in the family, however, reading was much more preferable than fighting with my brother or pretending to care about adult conversation. As an adult, I'm not really supposed to do that anymore, I suppose--sneak away and read, I mean. And I would be lying if I said I didn't sometimes do just that. I tend to dread family gatherings more than I welcome them, sad to say.

What about you? Do you take a book with you for family gatherings like Thanksgiving or Christmas?

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The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimba, the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, and gives us all a chance to recap our week, talk about what we are reading, share any new books that have come our way, and whatever else we want to talk about. 

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© 2016, Wendy Runyon of Musings of a Bookish Kitty. All Rights Reserved. If you're reading this on a site other than Musings of a Bookish Kitty or Wendy's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.