Sunday Salon: March 15, 2015

The Scene: 8:33 am, Sunday: on couch with my trusty sidekick, Prince. He is back from vacation in Florida (he has been down there with my parents since I went to South Africa after the holidays).  They have taken great care of him but I am so happy to have him back.

Reading: While in Florida last week, I was drawn to books with a beach setting so I started reading Silver Girl by Elin Hildebrand.  The book has been on my shelf for a few years and it seemed like a perfect choice for the beach.  I am tearing through the book and glad I picked it up. Prior to that, I finished The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah (review coming soon). It is a historical fiction set in France during WW2 and tells the story of two sisters  - one who fights for the resistance and one who lives in the country and tries to survive wartime while her husband is at the front. I loved this book - I even cried twice while reading it. 

Listening: For a while now, I have been listening to Love, Nina by Nina Stibbe - it is the letters of a British nanny in the 80's (Nina) to her sister. The book was lauded as a best book of 2014 but so far I have not seen (or heard) the magic. The re-telling of her mundane days is not capturing my attention but I am nearly done with it and we will see if there is a revelation before the end!  Have you read or listened to this one? 

 Blogging: Last week a blogger and tweeter that I follow, Lisa Adams (@adamslisa) died of metastatic breast cancer. If you follow me on twitter, you may have noticed that I have been re-tweeting the many articles written about this impressive woman. Lisa was first diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at the age of 37 and, following a number of years with a status of NED (no evidence of disease), she was diagnosed with metastatic disease in 2012.  When she died last week at the age of 45 she left behind her husband and three young children. 

Photo credit: Lisa Adams

Lisa wrote beautifully on her blog about living with breast cancer and her fears about leaving her children at such a young age. Her posts were poignant, direct and moving and articulated difficult emotions so well. Her tweets were a mix of pithy insights into the grind of constant treatment for her disease, observations about her children and commentary on the last show she was catching up via Netflix while trying to regain her energy following a treatment. I found myself looking for her tweets everyday and hoping to see that she was getting some relief and evidence that her latest treatment was working to give her a little more precious time.

Lisa's bio on twitter includes the statement: "Doing as much as I can for as long as I can" which I think perfectly demonstrates the way in which she lived her life with incurable breast cancer - she eschewed any notions of "battling" cancer or outsmarting cellular biology but intelligently developed treatment plans with her oncologist to control her disease as much as possible so she could spend precious time with her young children. She focused on the present and encouraged people to "Make the most of this day. Whatever that means to you, whatever you can do, no matter how small it seems" and urged on twitter "Find a bit a beauty in the world today. Share it. If you can't find it, create it. Some days this may be hard to do. Persevere." Persevere she did and took us along in an effort to educate about metastatic breast cancer, living with the disease and in an effort, I think, to connect and fend off isolation. She will be missed.

You can read her most popular posts here (including one about what to say and not to say to someone with cancer) and also see a collection of the remembrances that have been posted since her death including one by Bethanne Patrick (aka "The Book Maven") and Katherine Rosman of the New York Times. Lisa established a fund at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to fund research into metastatic breast cancer. 

This picture below from my visit to Florida last week is my "bit of beauty" today in honor of Lisa. 

Sunday Salon: December 21, 2014

The Scene: 9:45 am  - sitting on couch, coffee in hand, surveying the apartment and trying to remember what I have forgotten to pack. Prince is lounging next to me - he is down for the count after getting vaccinations on Friday.  The pics below sum up the before and after pretty accurately.

 Reading: I have a few books in progress right now (which is rare for me but it has to do with all the formats). In print, I am reading The Way Life Should Be by Christina Baker Kline - I am really enjoying it.  I never read her most famous novel - The Orphan Train - but likely will after this one.  On my reader, I am reading a Christmas book - Christmas at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan.  It is set in London, light and fluffy and perfect for this time of year! Finally, on audio, I am also transported to England by Jo Jo Moyes's One Plus One. I read The Girl You Left Behind (my review) by the author and loved it.  This book is also shaping up to be quite good!

Listening: See above for current audiobook. Need to queue up some others with a long flight coming up next week - any recommendations? I have been hearing a lot about Serial and will try that podcast while traveling too.

 Blogging: This week I posted my review of We Are Not Ourselves - this is easily my favorite read this year and based on feedback, it seems very popular with many of you too!  I also want to feature a post I did at last year at this time as part of the Virtual Advent series - review of Christmas on Jane Street.  I think about this story each time I walk past the tree vendors in the city.  If you are looking for a good read this time of year, I definitely recommend this! It reminds me a bit of a modern day Gift of the Magi.  And today, the ebook is only $1.99!

Watching : With holiday parties, year-end stuff at work and holiday prep miscellany, I haven't been watching much TV (which is really just fine).  But I have become fascinated by the holiday decorations on the buildings and townhouses throughout the city. I have been following a hashtag called #festivefacades on Instagram (follow me) which got me looking at all the #festivefacades in Manhattan!  Here is a sample from my wanderings while running errands yesterday.

Looking Forward To: So much to look forward to - heading to Texas to visit with family over Christmas and then on to Cape Town for New Year's (hence the packing stress right now - I am sure something will be forgotten).

Hope everyone has a relaxing Sunday!

Sunday Salon: December 7, 2014

The Scene: 10:45 am  - back home in my warm apartment after taking Prince out for a blustery Sunday morning walk.  Despite being out for 90 minutes including a romp in the dog park, he is still running around me now with a squeak toy demanding attention.

 Reading: I was on vacation (I know, again, but all my vacation somehow got put off until year end) with the family for Thanksgiving week and I got some welcome reading time.  I polished off Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - I couldn't put it down.  I enjoyed her last novel, The Husband' Secret, so was relieved that I also liked this one. I have decided to get back to some books that I put down over the course of the year but want to finish so right now I am reading The Wife, The Maid and The Mistress. 

Tortola, B.V.I

 Listening: While away,  I finished We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas and cannot say enough good things about it (review coming soon!) but I found myself looking for excuses to walk so I could get some listening in.  My cab fares are down and my Fitbit is very happy - thank you Matthew Thomas! On a serious note, I found this novel very affecting and know it will stay with me for a long time.

 Blogging: Thank you all for your comments on my last Sunday Salon post when I acknowledged that I am struggling with the blog and trying to decide whether to keep going with it.  I have recently had a writing streak and have a bunch of posts in the can ready to go so I am feeling more optimistic.  It's been fun revisiting the books I have read this year now that I am finally writing posts about them.  Last week, I posted a review of Americanah (audiobook).

Watching : Finally saw the Radio City Christmas Spectacular - I have lived in NYC practically my entire life but had never seen the iconic show with the Rockettes.  It was a wonderful 90 minutes and really put me in the Christmas spirit.  We started the evening with dinner at the Sea Grill which is on the ice at Rock Center and witnessed three proposals on ice during dinner.  The concierge told us during the season, there are up to 5 proposals each night and that there is an entire package offered by the rink that allows the proposal to take place on the ice.

 Looking Forward To: Another trip! I recently decided to go to Cape Town over New Year's - I have a friend working in South Africa right now and it just came together. I am looking forward to seeing her and seeing Cape Town again - I was there once before for work but it was a quick trip.  This time I am going to add a few days at Victoria Falls.  I love planning a trip!

Sunday Salon: October 26, 2014

The Scene: 5:45 am (Pacific Time) - am in SFO visiting friends so thought I would use the time difference making me a morning person and get some blogging done - finally!!

Reading: Lots of time to read this week with the 5+ hour flight out here so I finished most of the newest Shopaholic book by Sophie Kinsella - Shopaholic to the Stars. What an enjoyable way to spend a flight! Every time I pick up one of these books, I secretly worry that I will have outgrown Becky's antics or find it all too far fetched but the author does such a good job of making Becky loveable that I am never disappointed!

I had the chance this week to attend a fun event in NYC celebrating the author and her new book - Girls Night Out with Sophie Kinsella.  The event was held at the Red Door Spa - Union Square and in addition to the author speaking and signing, they had delicious food, wine and little spa stations dotted through out where people were getting make-up applied and having custom-matched foundation mixed up.  A fun way to spend a Monday for sure!  Unfortunately, my phone died as I walked in that night so I don't have pics of the festivities but you can check them out at Random House's Facebook Page.  As you can see by the pics, Random House does an excellent job with these events - they attend to every detail.  If you are in NY in November, I recommend joining them for their Open House on Friday, November 14th.  I attended the first one a few years ago and it was a great day of books, authors and mingling.  Let me know in the comments if you plan to be there this year.

Got my book autographed!

Listening: On the recommendation of Diane (from Bookchick Di), I am listening to We Are Not Ourselves by Matthew Thomas. So far I am really enjoying it and keep trying to find excuses to settle in with it (out for walks, cleaning the apartment).

 

Blogging: Much like California, this blog has hit a dry patch.  I apologize for the long absences between posts for most of this year.  I have been reading books and following many of your blogs, but somehow haven't always been able to muster the time and energy to settle down and blog here. As many of you know, I had surgery earlier this year and used that as a catalyst to get serious about getting back into shape and losing weight.  It has been a great year and I am thrilled with the results but honestly that has taken a lot of my attention.  As I rediscovered jogging, boot camp and just generally moving a lot more, it has been hard to sit and write at times. I find myself more readily drawn to Twitter and Instagram for quick updates.   As the year comes to a close, I intend to make a decision about the blog.  I will either reinvigorate things here or decide that it is time to move on.  Thanks for staying with me through this and please stay tuned!  If you have secrets for balancing blogging and keeping things fresh, please leave them in the comments!


Watching : Not much right now - I had been on vacation to Ireland for 10 days and then just back a few days before coming out here so haven't been watching much.  I will have stuff stockpiled when I get back to TV watching.

Looking Forward To: Getting my pics from Ireland downloaded from my DSLR - I was snap happy!  We had gorgeous weather (NEVER a given in Ireland) so everything looked that bit more picturesque. I absolutely love it there and this trip we got to some sights that either I saw as a kid and don't remember or saw for this first time on this trip including the Cliffs of Moher and the Giant's Causeway. Below is an iPhone pic of each from my trip.  I have some more pics on Instagram if you are interested.

Giant's Causeway

Cliffs of Moher (with Rainbow!)

Grateful: For the chance to travel to great destinations like Ireland and San Francisco - and for the comforts of home when I return!

Sunday Salon: June 1, 2014

The Scene: 9 am - on the couch, coffee in hand. Enjoying fresh berries from yesterday's Farmer's Market with some plain greek yogurt

Reading: I am currently reading Cutting Teeth by Julie Fierro  - so far, it has provided an interesting insight into the world of the Mommy culture including one mother's paranoia and the constant anxiety that plagues her. Last week I finished The Widow's Guide to Sex and Dating by Carole Radziwill. It was very well-written but I am not sure how much I liked the characters. It was good to finally read the book after watching the drama of "bookgate" on the reality show in which the author stars  - Real Housewives of New York City (RHONY is my guilty pleasure!)  In audio,  I am still working on Americanah - it is very good but long. This week I also hope to finish The Snow Queen by Michael Cunningham - I have it on CD and listened to the first half on a drive a few weeks ago. I'll be driving again this week and plan to finish it off. 

Blogging: Oh dear, things have been slow here.  I am reading a lot but having trouble settling down to write posts.  Thanks for sticking with me - I hope to get my blog ging back on track soon!

This week was BEA and I loved reading about all the signings, sightings, etc over at the Javits.  Unfortunately, due to some work commitments, I wasn't able to make it over there this week. I  did make it to one party in the evening - Harper Collins hosted us at their offices and provided a review of their Fall books and then a happy hour with bloggers and authors. It was great to see so many familiar faces and to catch up.  Thanks to Diane at Book Chick Di for this picture of me with author Adriana Trigiani.

Shannon at River City Reading posted part 1 of her BEA wrap-up today if you are interested in hearing what went on. 

Watching : Not much other than my guilty pleasure of RHONY! 

Looking Forward To: Week 2 of the Couch to 5 K program - I am so excited to be back running (well, jogging as this article so aptly differentiated the two!) I tried a running class about two months ago but found it as too much jostling for my abdomen post surgery and had to drop out.  But now I can run without issue and am glad to be on the road again. 

Grateful: For the ability to get out and move in this gorgeous weather. Planning to milk it before it gets hot and humid in the city! 

Sunday Salon: April 27, 2014

The Scene: Post Readathon - on the couch, coffee in hand. Yesterday was the readathon - here is my post event summary (I didn't answer all the meme questions):

1. Which hour was most daunting for you? I got tired at about hour 14 but it wasn't very daunting because I just went to bed :)
2. Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year? Maybe a mini-challenge focused on comments/interactions among participants?
3. What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon? Balancing movement with reading - I got my 10K steps in and think it helped with energy
4. How many books did you read? Finished one and read part of a 2nd plus part of an audiobook
5. How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? Assuming my schedule permits, definitely! 

Stats:

pages read: 165
minutes listened: 120
books finished: 1
steps walked: 10258
$$ raised for ASPCA ($.10/page or minutes read + $.25 for every comment) = $29.75 (I will round to $30 and my company will match for a total of $60)

Prince - my trusty readathon buddy! 

Reading: I spent most of the readathon enjoying Delicious! by Ruth Reichl - I am about halfway through and the book is excellent! Part celebration of food and NY and part historical fiction - the books has so much to offer! This week I finally gave up on my last audiobook - Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen. It just wasn't holding my attention and I found myself listening to anything else while I walked. I am disappointed because I know so many like her books but it just wasn't working for me.  I have moved on to Americanah

Blogging: This week I posted my review of The Last Testament of Mary by Colm Toibin. I listened to this last year but had not reviewed yet. I was reminded of it as I listened to story of Easter at Mass on Sunday.

Watching : I am hoping to catch a film as part of the Tribeca Film Festival today.  I say I am going to see something every year but somehow it never works out.  Hoping to change that today! 

Looking Forward To: Continued good weather - after getting a taste of sunshine and warmth in Florida last week, I am ready for summer! 

Grateful: For the chance to see my parents last weekend in Florida and spend some time catching up and relaxing. 

Sunday Salon: April 13, 2014

The scene: Noon on Sunday morning reviewing pictures from a trip to New York Botanical Gardens yesterday.  It was the PERFECT day - the weather was amazing and the flowers were gorgeous. The orchid show is featured there now and they were stunning.

Reading: On the Rocks by Erin Duffy  - I really enjoyed this author's first book - Bond Girl so I am glad to  be reading her second book. It also has a beautiful beachy cover which is very appealing these days.
Earlier this week, I heard a review on NPR of Family Life by Akhil Sharma. I was very excited to see that the author will be at Center for Fiction tomorrow night - I will definitely be picking up a copy of this book there to read soon!

Blogging: This week I posted my review of Four Friends by Robyn Carr . Although not all the women resonated for me, it was still an enjoyable read and had more substance that I expected.

Watching : I am looking forward to the season premiere of Nurse Jackie tonight. I love Jackie's flawed but down to earth character and am glad the show is back.

Looking Forward To: The trip to Florida later this week - after the winter we have had and being cooped up while recovering from surgery, I am ready for some warm weather and sustained sunshine. The beach - here I come!

Grateful: That the weather has turned a corner here - I think we are finally out of winter - yay!.

Have a great week!

Sunday Salon: March 23, 2014

The scene: Noon on Sunday morning after a long walk with with Prince. He is recovering in his new bed.

I have been keeping his hair long as a form of insulation but he's getting scruffy - time for a cut! 

Reading: Four Friends by Robyn Carr  - this is an easy read but the jury is still out on what I think of it.  Generally I enjoy books about women's friendships but some of these women are not resonating with me. It does, however, have some witty dialogue which I am enjoying. I recently finished Five Days at Memorial - what an amazing read (or listen in my case). The pacing in the book is excellent and it almost felt like a thriller rather than non-fiction.  The book gives you so much to think about.

 Blogging: It seems I am back to having issues posting regularly - my last Sunday Salon post was a month ago and the reviews have been few and far between.  I hoped to use my time off to bank some posts but that just didn't happen so I am still limping along here.  We'll see - I might need to re-evaluate blogging and if I want to continue to prioritize it. This week, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, I posted a review of one the many reads I did for the Ireland Reading Challenge - An Irish Country Girl by Patrick Taylor. I love this series and this book actually stands alone and doesn't need to be read following the earlier ones.

 Watching: My TV time has really tapered since I returned to work - not watching much on the tube right now.  I did go to see the musical Once last weekend - it was great! The music was amazing and you felt like you were sitting in bar watching it all unfold. I definitely recommend it. We topped that off with a trip uptown to Dinosaur BBQ.  I have wanted to go for awhile -their BBQ is legendary. I am back on solid food but still with some restrictions so I had to have a burger rather than some of the other meat offerings but everything smelled amazing. I will be back!

 Looking Forward To: A quick visit to Texas to see my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew. I am really looking forward to seeing them all again.  My SIL and I are doing a 5K (I will be walking it since I only just got cleared for exercise) on Saturday - the DFW Women Rock.  It looks like a lot of fun and I am excited to be back in the running world - it is something I have really missed.  I also start my "running class" this week at Jack Rabbit Sports.  Now that the weather is getting better (or trying to!) it will be good to get outside 2 nights a week for some exercise.

 Grateful: For the body's ability to recover - I feel better every day and am more grateful for what my body CAN do than I every was before surgery.

Have a great week!

Sunday Salon: February 23, 2014

The scene: 10 AM Sunday morning after a nice walk in the warm sunshine - so nice to say that after weeks of frigid temps!

 Reading: The Wife, The Maid and The Mistress by Ariel Lawhon. I finally finished reading Winter Garden by Kristen Hannah - the story was so heartbreaking in places that I found myself in tears in a coffee shop while reading. Definitely a satisfying read and reminded me how much I like this author. My next audio pick was going to be Five Days at Memorial but I decided I needed something lighter so I listened to The Tao of Martha by Jen Lancaster. Her books always make me laugh and sure enough I was laughing in the street as I walked the dog!

Blogging: This week I posted my review of Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan - this is definitely a best read of 2014 for me and I will be gifting it to many friends. The memoir is really a tribute to Corrigan's mother (the glue in their family) and it is all the more powerful because it comes from a daughter who didn't always appreciate what her Mom had to offer and thought they had nothing in common.

Watching: I started watching House of Cards Season 2 but have dialed it back to stretch the season out a bit.  I found out from the surgeon this Friday that I will be home for two more weeks.  My recovery is going well but he wants to wait another week to progress me from liquids and I need to be off while I incorporate solid food. I may try to see a show or two while I am off - with Broadway in my backyard, I am embarrassed to say how rarely I see a show.

 
Looking Forward To: Solid food! Fortunately, I haven't been very hungry since surgery but need to get a minimum amount of protein in and I am getting tired of my limited food options at this point. I knew I was in trouble last week when I was looking forward to the crunch of my chewable vitamin! I find myself perusing Pinterest for delicious dishes or checking out the restaurants online that my friends check into on Facebook!  My progression back to all solid food will be slow but I will be prepared with my recipes and restaurant choices!

Grateful: For beautiful weather over the past few days. We got into the 50's yesterday and the sun shined and it looks to be more of the same today. I was so happy to shed my puffy winter coat and slip into something lighter weight. Prince is also relieved to shed his coat and boots. I understand cold weather (and maybe SNOW!) will return this week but right now and I thankful for this weather and living in the (sunny) moment!

Sunday Salon: February 16, 2014

The scene: 10 AM Sunday morning, inside looking out (and considering my hydrangea which has yet to fall victim to my black thumb!)

Reading: Still reading Winter Garden  - I have barely read in print this week at all - not sure what happened because I certainly have time on my hands but somehow kept getting distracted (probably by what you will see in the "watching" prompt!) I did finish Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe in audio  - this book pleasantly surprised me.  I realized I had some preconceived notions about the actor which are likely wrong. I think my next audio pick will be Five Days at Memorial by Sheri Fink - I have seen great reviews.

Blogging: This week I posted my review of While We Were Watching Downton Abbey by Wendy Wax (audio) - this was light, enjoyable listen with beloved Downton as a backdrop. I am still moving through reviews from last year but starting to get caught up. I also posted "Books with HEART" for Valentine's Day which included a sampling of books with "heart" in the title.

Watching: Probably too much TV! I gave House of Cards another try this week and now am completely sucked in!  With the arrival of Season 2 on Friday, I have had more than enough episodes to keep me going. I also went to see Gravity this weekend and was surprised by how much I liked it - it kept me on the edge of my seat for 90 minutes. Thus far, it is the only Oscar nominated film for 2014 I have seen - I am going to try to see some more before the awards. Which do you recommend?

Looking Forward To: The end of winter - desperately. Like many across the US, I am over this snow - well and truly over it. Fortunately, we are getting warmer temps this week and I can't wait to get out and take advantage of them.  A trip to the dog park is definitely in order - even Prince has a case of cabin fever! He can't wait to ditch these boots and the coat!

Planning : This may be my last week off work - I see the surgeon later this week and we will discuss whether or not I can return to work. I want to enjoy the week and take some time to set myself up for success when I do return to work. I will still have some diet restrictions and need to take better care of myself so achieving balance when I return to work is important.

Grateful: For the company of good friends. My friends have been great as I recovered - checking in, stopping by and sending good wishes. My online community has also been great -thanks for all your kind words and thoughts!

Sunday Salon: February 9, 2014

It is nice to see the sun shining this morning - we are preparing for another snowstorm (although I think it will be relatively light) but you would hardly know it looking outside right now. We got a major storm at the beginning of the week with record snow fall in Central Park.  I was able to get out for a walk two days later and caught a few pics of the Park encased in snow and ice - it was beautiful!

 Reading: This week I fininshed Glitter and Glue by Kelly Corrigan - what a great book! I found myself turning down page after page with passages that spoke to me. Kelly's mother (the "glue" to her father's "glitter" in their family) reminded me so much of my own mother and the author seemed to admire (and at times be frustrated by) many of the same things I admire and can be frustrated by in my own mother. My Mom and I had a chance this week to attend a reading by the author - Corrigan was interveiwed, took questions from the audience and then did a reading. You can see the reading in this you tube video - it gives you a great sample of her humor and her views on motherhood - keep the tissues handy!



Right now, I am back to Winter Garden (how apropos!) which I have nearly finished and then I will be on to  The Wife, The Maid and The Mistress by Ariel Lawhon. The book is set in the Jazz Age and, although that theme has been very popular of late, I have not read a book set in that era in a long time and am looking forward to it.

 Listening: Still on Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe. I haven't had much walking time (alone) to listen to my audiobook but since my parents left this morning and I will be back on dog walking duty, I expect to get some more in and finish this one off. Walking is the only exercise I am allowed until I see my surgeon so I want to walk on that more this week which will also allow for some listening time.

 Blogging: I am working through my review backlog - my goal is to have posts waiting for when I return to work so that I don't need to worry about that as I am getting back into full-time work. This week I posted my review of Love Water Memory by Jennie Shortridge and a Weekend Coooking post on the peach pie making scene from the movie Labor Day.

Watching: Olympics- I missed the Opening Ceremonies but saw some downhill moguls last night - my knees were screaming just watching them! And, of course, if it is Sunday, it has to be Downton! I am not as thrilled with this season as some of the earlier ones but I heard from friends in the UK that it is worth holding out until later in the season. With two more weeks of recovery on deck, I am looking for recommendations on shows to stream via Netflix, Hulu and Amazon so please leave any recommendations in the comments. I might try Mr. Selfridge with Jeremy Piven - have you watched it?

Planning: On getting out more this week.  It's time for me to move beyond "home only" recovery and get out a bit. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate.

Grateful: For all the uneventful to date recovery - the human body is an amazing thing!

Sunday Salon: Feburary 2, 2014

Well, it's been two weeks since my last Sunday Salon post.  In the interim, I had surgery and between the hospital and then early recovery I wasn't much up to blogging.  Or reading or much of anything it seems.  I have been surprised at just how fatigued I have been but I guess as the body heals, it zaps energy.  I am starting to feel a bit better now and glad to be getting back to some sense of normalcy.

The scene:  9 AM Sunday morning, a cup of chai tea and my trusty shot glass of meds dissolved in water at the ready. Not  what I orginially intended for the shot glass but it works!

Reading:  I am currently reading Glitter and Glue  by Kelly Corrigan - I picked this up at BEA and started reading on the bus home and was pulled in - very happy to be getting back to it.  I haven't read her first memoir (The Middle Place) but read and heard great things from others about it.  I just finished  Love, Water, Memory by Jennie Shortridge on my e-reader.  This book is affecting and reaffirmed my like of this author's writing

Listening: Still on Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe.  I started this before the hospital and was moving right along then I listened a bit in the hospital during some pain med induced fugue and have lost all track of the story - I need to get back and figure out where I was when I was lucid!

Blogging: See above - non-existent! Hoping to get some posts done this week now that I am feeling a bit better.  I have been dropping in on a few of your blogs here and there but also hope to do more of that this week.

Watching: Looking forward to Downton tonight, despite its conflict with THE BIG GAME.  We will see-  I may DVR it if my Dad and I are really into the game and don't want to switch over.  It won't be much of a party around here - I am still on a liquid/puree diet (and somehow pureed nachos doesn't do it for me!) but if you are looking for some Super Bowl snacks, Diane has a great sample on her blog.  And, OMG, this Snickers Chex Mix from Iowa Girl Eats looks divine 

Looking Forward To: Feeling more and more like my old self. Perhaps enough to enjoy some of this forced downtime.

Planning: On more organizing.  My parents hate to be idle so while they are here taking care of me, they have also been doing odd jobs around the apartment and now have set about helping me clean out closets, etc.  It's not fun but needs to be done so I am glad of the help.  And I can do pretty little so I am just in the director's role.  Yesterday, however, we tackled the books. My Dad couldn't get over how many books I had and really pushed me to evaluate which I want to keep.  I am not going to lie -there was some aruging in the guest room as he told me I wasn't cutting enough and I was protesting that I really needed these books!  It was quite a scene. But the net result is that at 1/2 way through the project, I have about 100 books to donate and I expect there will be more as we continue today. As much as I hate this, the extra space does feel freeing.

Grateful: For all the help (book arguments in the guest room notwithstanding) my parents have given me since surgery. I am an adult but it is nice to be babied a bit!


Happy Sunday!