Long Weekending

September 5, 2017 By Carole

It’s Tuesday but it’s the Tuesday after Labor Day weekend and that sure makes it seem like Monday to me. I’m heading back to work after an awesome two weeks off and the end of those two weeks was pretty great.

On Friday I visited Jack. Dale had been going every day but I hadn’t seen him since he was moved out of the hospital and into a rehab facility. The change was remarkable and I was so happy to find him acting much more like his old self. It’s been quite a road he’s been on and he’s still recovering but considering how things were a few weeks ago I’d say his progress is nothing short of miraculous.

After Dale got out of work on Friday we headed to the Cape to spend the weekend with Doreen and Mark. It’s always wonderful to be with them and this weekend was no exception. We started things off with Friday Night Snacks on their deck. It was a relaxing way to wind down and ease into the long weekend.

Saturday was sunny but cool so we scrapped our plans to hit the beach and instead bummed around the house and eventually Doreen and I headed to Eden Hand Arts for one last shopping trip before they closed for the season. I couldn’t resist adding that bottom bracelet. It’s called the Sun and the Moon and it’s a perfect reminder of our lunar eclipse from two weeks ago.

We spent the rest of the afternoon reading (and napping) on their deck and then enjoyed some fabulous caprese salad and some wine, a delicious dinner of grilled steak tips and local corn

And peach pie for dessert! Peach pie isn’t one of my favorites but when the local peaches are ripe it’s hard to resist picking some up and baking a pie.

Sunday was rainy and windy. We shopped some of the local stores, picking up some pottery and kitchen items. We read in the afternoon and ate delicious quahog chowder and we spent the better part of the evening playing Mexican Train.

Dale and I headed home around lunch time on Monday. We took the back roads and meandered our way off Cape and, luckily hit no traffic at all! After unpacking and taking care of a few things we hit the deck for snacks and cocktails.

And oysters for dinner!

It was the perfect way to finish up not just my vacation but also the last long weekend of the summer. It’s a bittersweet time for me as I love summer but I’m learning to embrace it all – even that slight nip in the air that’s suddenly here.

How was your weekend?

Eye Candy Friday

September 1, 2017 By Carole

Today I have a beautiful sunset from our vacation last week to share with you. We’ve off for a last hurrah on the Cape before we buckle down next week and get back to regular life and routines.

Here’s to making the most of the last long weekend of summer!

Think Write Thursday

August 31, 2017 By Carole

Here’s the email that went out this week to the Think Write Thursday subscribers: I’m sure it will come as no surprise to discover that the Think Write Thursday topic for August 31, 2017 is to write a post with the title “Hello, September”. It’s become our little tradition to have this topic at the start of each month and we hope you all have a chance to write a post for this week.

Hello, September. I must admit that I have a slight sense of melancholy when I write those words. It’s not your fault that you escort in the end of summer and I’m trying not to hold it against you, especially since you also escort in many good things. Hannah’s birthday. My birthday. A baby shower.

The biggest thing, though, and probably the thing that gets me the most excited about you, is that you always feel like the real start of the new year to me. New notebooks and pencils, fresh calendars and brilliant to-do lists, I love the sense of rejuvenation that comes in September. The days are still warm but the nights have a distinct chill, sparking thoughts of organizing and purging, making and creating. September, you bring energy to my days and a return to creativity and routines that tends to fall dormant in the dog days of summer.

In other words, I am glad you’re here. Stick around for a good long while, won’t you?

If you wrote a post for this week’s topic please include a link to it below so that we can all come and read it. If you’d like to join the Think Write Thursday email list, please click here.

An InLinkz Link-up

Bingo Update: The Reviews of the Rest of the Squares

August 28, 2017 By Carole

Quite a few of you asked, and even if you hadn’t, I had every intention of updating you with reviews on the books I read for my finished Bingo card. In keeping with how I have shared these previously, here is the list of the books I read with the corresponding squares on my card and my ratings. There are a few stand outs in this list – enjoy!

Option B by Sheryl Sandberg
4 stars, Bingo Square: Originally published this year
Great advice, whether you are dealing with your own grief and loss or trying to help someone else navigate through their feelings.

Grief Cottage by Gail Godwin
5 stars, Bingo Square: Mystery
A slow paced coming of age novel centered around a young boy who has lost his mom and goes to live with his eccentric aunt on an island in South Carolina, this book is completely engaging and beautifully written. Highly recommended!

I Shall Be Near to You by Erin Lindsay McCabe
4 stars, Bingo Square: Historical fiction
A really great and very accessible story about a woman fighting with her husband during the Civil War. It brought up things I’d never considered about what this must have been like (what happens if you are a woman and you get injured and taken to the hospital?) and stayed pretty historically accurate. Recommended for those who enjoy historic novels and have an interest in the Civil War.

The Man in the High Castle by Philip K. Dick
1 star, Bingo Square: Alternate history
I finished it although I’m pretty sure that was only so I’d get my Bingo square for Alternate History. I found this mostly confusing, choppy and boring. The concept had so much potential but it just never coalesced into any plot, the characters were difficult to keep track of, and the setting was bleak and unremarkable. Ultimately, I just didn’t care what happened.

Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horwitz
3 stars, Bingo Square: Recommended by a family member
I enjoyed this book, particularly the stories and interviews with people Horwitz met while traveling throughout the south. I found the Wargasm section and the descriptions of battles and battlefields to be a bit tedious. Recommended for those who have an interest in Civil War history.

Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders
5 stars, Bingo Square: Already own
Mind blowing, outstanding, and absolutely breathtakingly good. I can’t describe it accurately so I’ll just say: read it.

Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World by Kelly Jensen
3 stars, Bingo Square: Collection of essays
Maybe I’m too old or maybe my definition of feminism comes from the 70s but I couldn’t relate to most of the essays in this book. Still, it’s important to discuss feminism, to be inclusive of all ideas, and to keep the conversation going for the next generation of women.

Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin
5 stars, Bingo Square: About food
Inspired by my friend Bonny’s all time favorite book, I checked this one out of the library. It’s just as wonderful as Bonny promised. Colwin’s voice is charming and confident (which is exactly what I want in a book about cooking). I took photos of a few pages so I could have the recipes to try later (potato salad, homemade curry powder and gingerbread with chocolate icing). I wish I had the whole book, though – this would be an excellent addition to anyone’s cookbook shelf.

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
4 stars, Bingo Square: Originally published in the 19th century
Boy oh boy, those Russians are wordy. But still, this is a classic for a reason and I’m glad I finally read it.

If you’re still working on your Summer Book Bingo I wish you well – there’s plenty of time left to read another book or three!

All The Bingos!

August 24, 2017 By Carole

I was pretty up front about my goal to achieve a coverall for Summer Book Bingo again this year. What I didn’t tell you was that I wanted to have said coverall before we went on vacation. And I did it! I finished Anna Karenina last Friday morning and that was my last square.

Hooray for accomplishing goals!