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Hello friends, and happy Sunday! I wasn't able to prepare my Sunday Salon in advance this week, so here I sit, slightly groggy and headachy early in the morning trying to remember my activities over the last seven days. Since Friday, actually, I've not even been home but to sleep, so I am hoping maybe I can get caught up with my blog-visiting today!
After a less than stellar week last week, I am back on my game. I was able to get caught up on yard duties. I was able to get my Christmas cards done (including picture and letter) and ready for shipping the day after Thanksgiving. I was able to hit my walking goal of 20 miles, bringing me just 4 miles short of the 100 mile goal. (I'm hoping to eventually hit 150 or 200 miles by year end!) I squeezed in some golf despite a little wind and rain. I had a book club meeting. I was a very productive girl!
My son has decided to play tackle football (versus flag) next year, so on Monday afternoon, at a local park, I had to go stand in line to get his name on the very coveted list for his weight class. I knew I might be sitting there for awhile, so I brought my current read "Run at Destruction", a true crime ARC that I am scheduled to review in a couple of weeks. I got distracted by attempting to keep my place in line from over-eager parents, however, and left my book at the park on a bench. When I realized what I had done a couple of hours later, and went back to find it, it was gone! The nerve! I was really into the book, so I was temporarily flustered. I'm hoping to get another copy from the author soon so I can continue my reading! This is only the second time in my life I have lost a book, and I don't like it! Does this ever happen to you?
Another fun little story (boy I am chatty for having a headache!) that I have to share is the fact that a sick raccoon wandered onto our property early this week and hid in our bushes outside our garage and DIED. Of course, we had no knowledge of his demise until we started to smell him. Neither my husband nor I really want to remove him now, with nature's activities in full swing (ugh), so we are resigned to keeping the windows closed on that side of the house, and not spending any quality time outside in our driveway. Lovely, huh?
Book club this week was pretty disappointing. Only three people, out of about fifteen, showed up. We were happy to get out of the house, have a glass of wine, and chat about the book, but with only three opinions, the discussion didn't last long. Not only that, but the girl in charge of selecting a book for December wasn't there, so we have no book to read, and no date scheduled for our next meeting. My friend Marianne and I, who only joined this club three months ago, are mulling over the idea of starting our own, but haven't made any decisions yet.
On the reading front, I'm very close to finishing The House at Riverton by Kate Morton on audio. It isn't a rip-roaring experience, but I've been well-entertained. The kids and I are still plugging through the Goblet of Fire on audio as well, but 17 discs takes awhile to get through when you only listen in the car. I just received Catching Fire on audio from the library after being on the wait list forever, so we are motivated to get to that! After I lost my ARC earlier this week, I decided to start reading my Shelf Discovery Challenge books. In fact, I think I'm going to have myself a Shelf Discovery-O-Rama or Rampage or something in December, and read all 10 on my list by the end of the year. So of course I read Are You There God, It's Me Margaret first. I really love that book. Then I turned to A Wrinkle in Time. Am I a bad person if I say I'm not liking it AT ALL? I just can't get through it quick enough. I need to move on, but I'm going on four days with a book that is only 200-ish pages long. Grrr.
I just received my Secret Santa Book Swap name yesterday, so I will soon be working on the perfect gift for them. My person lives in London, so I need to get it mailed soon! This is going to be so much fun!
I guess I'd better shut up and get on with it, huh? Hope you all have a wonderful Sunday!
27 comments:
I'm sorry to hear that you are having problems with your book group. I really hope that you manage to work things out and get things back on track.
How horrible about the raccoon! I hope you find a way to get him (or her) out of there.
You have amazing energy - not only have you been walking like crazy, but getting the Christmas cards done? And reading? And blogging? And going off on cruises? wow!
You've been a very active grrl indeed! I am really excited about the holiday swap too -- it's fun thinking about a special present!
Isn't there anything like a government service that might pick up the raccoon???
We had a skunk die UNDER our deck. Needless to say, we didn't want to attempt to crawl under there and get it. When the deck stainers arrived (of course this happened when were were having work done on the deck!) I was afraid they'd pack up and leave. I tried to bribe them to get it out and the teenager in the group took me up on it. He got it after removing boards AND crawling in after it, it was hot and miserable work and I ended up paying him twice what I originally offered:)
It sounds like you've been very industrious. Sorry to hear about the dead raccoon. I remember when we lived out in the country and a deer got hit on the road a few hundred yards from our house (then moved to the ditch next to the road). All I can say is you might want to investigate a way to bury the raccoon because I seem to remember it took a very long time for nature to finish its job on the deer.
I always procrastinate on writing my Christmas cards and then go into a panic the first week of December. At least I'm consistent though. :)
"Shut up and get on with it?" You crack me up. Sandy, you are so organized and on the ball that nothing is beyond you. Sorry about that book though. Have never lost one I was reading. That must be a bummer. Hope the headache goes away with the lackluster book group. Happy reading!
I'm so impressed that you have your Christmas cards done! I'm hoping to get a picture taken when our son is home for Thanksgiving. I haven't gotten my holiday swap name yet and I'm really anxious for it.
Sounds like you had a very productive week...too bad about the raccoon though! I used to live beside a creek and the raccoons would come up every night and wander around in my yard and make quite a racket...always at about 3AM. I had a love/hate relationship with those little guys!
Hopefully the grogginess and headache will disappear quickly. It sounds like you've been extra busy all weekend.
I haven't even given much thought to Christmas cards this year. I'm honestly thinking of not doing them, except for the immediate family (my mom would be upset if I didn't at least send them one).
Congratulations on hitting your walking goal!
Oh no! I am sorry about the book. I always wonder what I would do in a situation like that--when it's a review book. I have lost books around the house before, but not really outside. At least not that I can remember. I'm sure it's bound to happen at some point though!
The smell of a decomposing body is awful, isn't it? Something died under our house a few years ago and the stench was just awful.
If I lived closer, I'd join your book club. :-)
I hope you have a good week, Sandy. I am hoping to be around more this week, but my back's giving me trouble, so we'll see. Lately it seems like the forces that be are conspiring against my being on the computer too much. LOL
Poor raccoon! And poor you and your family too. I'm glad you're finding the Morton book entertaining. After a bad experience with her earlier this year, I'm not sure if she's an author I'll be returning to :P
I'm loving all the swap excitement :D My person is quite far away from me as well, so I must get moving!
Jackie - Yeah, well, I'll give it a few more months and see how things go. This time of year is really tough. Also, most of the members of the club all work in a difficult and unpredictable field.
Jill - that was a nice boost, to be told I have amazing energy! I'm not feeling very peppy right now. I need to burrow down and recharge!
Gnoegnoe - somebody mentioned that I might call animal control. But I think at this point, the raccoon is probably not even in a solid form. Plus they would have to either dismantle my fence or rip out my jasmine...
Bookbabie - oh, that is definitely money well spent! I think we may have turned the corner on the smell factor. I'll find out for sure when I go out there in a bit to wash my car.
Alyce - The Christmas card thing has really become a matter of principal, and would lose all faith in myself if I didn't get them mailed the day after Thanksgiving.
Frances - we'll see how it goes in the near future. In the meantime, I'm going to keep my radar up for bibliophiles that are drifting, looking for a home.
Kathy - Getting out ahead of the card thing seems to help me with holiday stress. Plus people would think I had died if they didn't get my cards right after Thanksgiving!
Kathleen - we have overall raccoon issues here. They get into the cat's food, they poop in my pool, and leave muddy footprints all over everything. I have more raccoon stories...maybe sometime I will divulge.
Wendy - I'm glad to hear you are hanging in there. Take care of yourself first, and don't worry about us.
Nymeth - ooh now I'm curious about your bad Kate Morton experience. I may have to get on your blog and search for it!
I am having problems with my book group after 13 years so I just started my own! I haven't even announced it yet but I emailed a few people to see if there was any interest and poof! I have a group. I am not giving up on my other group but something needs to change there and I am not sure what. How will I manage two groups??
So sorry to hear about that raccoon but I would go out there with gloves up to my elbows and fetch it quickly or call animal control to get it for you.
Good lord! I need to go lie down and take a nap! I'm exhausted after reading about your week. When do you find time to go to the bathroom? Type A much?
It's a good thing I'm not on your Christmas card list, 'cause I would really be "pissed off"! ;) lmao!
Ti - I tell you, if I thought I could come up with a group of five or more people, I'd do one myself too. This idea is just a little pot on the back burner, but something I'm going to let stew and see where it goes! As far as the raccoon, it is in a state of mush, filled with maggots and beetles. No way in hell I'm goin' in there!
Susan - I have no one to blame but myself. At times I will hear a SAHM say they are bored and want to go back to work. I tell them to spend a week with me, and all their boredom issues will be solved!
I just got my christmas cards in the mail from Snapfish and will start the addressing soon (we send out close to 100 cards)! r
Christmas cards?!! What's a Christmas card? You are absolutely a force of nature, Sandy--pack more into a week than most people (say, me) can do in a month. Even two. So sorry about the loss of the book, especially as it was from the author, and for the dissipation of the book group. Not fair, and no fun.
As for the raccoon, whoever wrote that you should call animal control had a really great idea--if it was diseased, best to let the experts deal with it.
Hope you feel better quickly, and have a better week this week!
I lost a book once in my life. In was at a debate meet in high school, and I'm pretty sure someone took it (although why, I have no idea). It was about a guy who had sex with the Virgin Mary or something...? Oh, no, wait--it was about a priest who had sex with a nun. And also they discovered Jesus Christ's body. Anyway, it wasn't THAT great of a book, but I still wonder what happened at the end. I suppose I'll never know....
Stephanie - ah, another kindred spirit! I don't know about you, but it takes a load off MY mind!
ds - well, my friend, I am paying the price at this point. I'm beat. The "expert" raccoon removal at this point will be the bugs. There should be nothing left of it soon.
Tasha - No WONDER they stole it! OMG, girl you were reading that stuff in high school? That ranks up there with the angel and the mermaid...
I'm still working on my Christmas cards! And I need to go shopping for the Secret Santa Holiday Swap! :P
I'm sorry to hear about the loss of your ARC. I'd get upset if I were you too.
You've been doing very well as far as the reading is concerned. I wish I'm able to read as much as you do! I read about 80+ books last year and I'm only close to 70 books this year... Anyway, can't wait to hear what you'll think of Catching Fire!
What??? Your Christmas cards are done - complete with picture and letter??? I could hardly concentrate on the rest of your post after that little revelation....you are amazing.
Girl, you did a lot! I'm tired just thinking of all that :)
That's too bad about your reading group. I used to belong to one where hardly anyone would read the book and we'd just end up talking about work, love lives, etc. I gave it a few months but it never changed so I told the girls that we should just meet for dinner and forget the whole book thing. That just got on my nerves! haha.. So hopefully your book group will get on track soon or you can start your own!
Oh no, a dead raccoon??? :( Sorry to hear that your book club meet wasn't that good this time round. Hope it'll improve in the next meeting.
You have already finished your Christmas cards? Wow, you are definitely on your game!
I am so sorry to hear that someone took your book! Is there a lost & found for the park by chance? That stinks, Sandy. I hope you can get a new ARC from the author.
I feel sorry for the racoon but also sorry for you with the smell. I hope it doesn't linger for long.
Small book club showing thias week, wow! That makes it tough to discuss the chosen book and move on to a new one. I know if you started your own with your friend Marianne, it would do really well and be better organized. It's a tough time of year to start somehting like that though.
Have a wonderful week Sandy!
(Did you really write this around 3 a.m.? No wonder you have a headache! I hope you can get some sleep! :o) )
I am in awe that you already have your Christmas cards done!!
Bummer about the lost book. I don't think I've done that before, but I'm surprised that I haven't...I always seem to be misplacing things.
Good for you for getting your Christmas cards done! Well done, Sandy!
And ICK about the raccoon. And bummer bout book club :(
Aw I love that shot of Casper on your desk!
Your holiday cards are done???? ACK! I need to get on the ball!
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