Happy late Sunday afternoon friends! I'm rolling in at this hour because I have to wait for my weekly dog pictures which are the last ones I will get before we to pick him up next Saturday. I love the one of him reading. And when I say I love our breeder, I mean, she and the puppy nanny are amazing. They take the puppies on field trips, make sure they have exposure to other dogs, cats and people, and they read to them and play music. They potty train and crate train them, and get them used to the leash. This week I got to Face Time with Brody for the second time, so I could see him running around doing his thing.
It has been a full week. Mid-week my back felt better, and I was able to go back to the trainer but I did spend many hours on the heating pad! I should be close to 100% when I go tomorrow. I'm really happy with these people, they aren't messing around. I'm walking around like I've been riding a horse and can barely get in and out of a chair! Haha!
I had a book club meeting to discuss "Me Before You" (my choice because I want as many people to love this book as I did). Did you know it was going to be a movie late this summer? A friend's son had confirmation. Did some work in the yard - the weather has been gorgeous. We attended a wine and food tasting with silent auction on Saturday night, which was hosted by my friend that owns a wine store. That was fun. I had hoped today to relax, read a little, take a nap, but in fact it was opposite. I've been on the move all day, so after I finish this post, it is the shower and the comfy chair for me for a little bit. My husband and my dad are out right now riding in an old B-17 bomber, so in the back of my mind I will be saying a few safe flying prayers. Sheesh!
I continue to read a few pages here and there on "Where All the Light Tends To Go", which really has a wonderful voice of a 19 year old boy in Appalachia. Dark and murky but also with a tiny bit of hope. And I HOPE I can finish it this week. On audio I finished "Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Krueger, a coming-of-age tale set in a small Minnesota town in 1961. Incredible literary voice and story. I had my quibbles, but still a fantastic listen. I'm now a couple of hours into "A Man Called Ove" by Fredrick Backman, and it is funny and sweet about a curmudgeonly old man.
Hope everybody has a great Sunday, what is left of it. After I shower, I will be roaming around on the blogs a bit. See you there!
Good evening...little late today. I wanted to wait until I got the latest pictures of the puppy. Of course. He is 6 weeks old now, and we will pick him up in two weeks. It is like we are anticipating a baby. We are crazy. Last weekend we actually got to FaceTime with Brody and his nanny. We have the best breeder ever. He is definitely on the heavier side of a six week PON. The cats are just going to LOOOOOVE him.
So the week started out good, or normal at least. I was doing my thing, running here and there, going to the new trainer. Then on Wednesday I casually picked up a small weight and completely threw my back out. Man, it sucks being old. So I've been laid up a bit...two trips to the chiropractor, lots of moaning and groaning, a heating pad and Advil. Blah. I'm going to try to get back to the gym tomorrow. We will see how that goes.
Now that the Oscar contenders have been announced, we (primarily defined as my mom and I) are on a mission to see as many of the movies as possible. This week we saw "The Imitation Game", "Ida" (nominated for Best Foreign Film and is Polish) and "American Sniper". All great movies but "American Sniper" kinda blew us away.
On the reading front? Eh. I did start reading "Where All the Light Tends To Go", and is a troubling but easy read. I am hoping to make some progress on it next week if I can stay away from that damned Wordbrain game. On audio I finished "Lock In" by John Scalzi. It was genius as far as world-building but the plot was a bit convoluted. It still was pleasant to listen to Wil Wheaton narrating. I'm now about halfway through "Ordinary Grace" by William Kent Krueger. I intentionally didn't read the synopsis, so I have no idea where it is going, but I'm enjoying it so far as a coming-of-age tale.
Tonight we are eating food that is bad for us and watching playoff football games. Go Colts. The kids have tomorrow off, so that takes some of the Sunday night pressure off the table. What has everyone been up to today?
Howdy guys! What do you know, I'm up and on my game this morning. I was thinking about my week, and decided it was definitely a good one. I read a post yesterday (OK I read A LOT of posts yesterday as I've been really slacking and had to catch up) that reminded me to shut the hell up about being busy. It isn't about being busy, it is about managing my time more wisely. I have plenty of time to sit down and read or chill out, but I don't because that is the way I am. In fact, I'm thinking that my word of the year should be something along these lines...CHILL. Lest I give myself heart failure.
Lots of "beginnings" to the new year this week. I had my first Polish class of the year on Wednesday evening. It was nice to see some of my new friends again, and I'm hoping with the arrival of the puppy in a few weeks, I can keep this up. It is good for my brain. Speaking of the puppy, gratuitous weekly photo:
The puppy "nanny" who helps the breeder texted me this picture on Friday afternoon. Made my day. I love these women. He is getting bigger by the day, and is so precious - look at that expression. Makes my heart swell. I should have my Sunday update pictures soon, and when I get those I'll post on FB.
Also had my first Heathrow Literary Society meeting of the year on Wednesday as well, discussing "Orphan Train". That was such a good book but I read it so long ago. I brought my mom with me, and I think she enjoyed it. This group always reads the book and has lots to say.
I also think I found a new trainer to replace Andre. I was a little bereft at the beginning of the week without my regular flogging, but tried a new place on Friday with a couple of my workout ladies, and we had our asses kicked thoroughly. As in, I can't move, even today. This is a good thing. I'm going to give it a month and see how I do.
I'll need to do some extra working out next week because we went to a seafood buffet Friday night and out for my hubby's birthday last night. Today will require bread and water I think.
I'd love to tell you that I did all kinds of reading, but I did not, at least in print. I am totally addicted to a game on my phone called "Wordbrain", and until I conquer it, which will take awhile, I may be on a reading hiatus. Ha! (If you see me posting about the game on FB, it is because I am pimping myself out for hints to help me in the game.) However, I did finish "Amy and Roger's Epic Detour" by Morgan Matson and in a word? Perfect. I claim to have started "Where All the Light Tends To Go" by David Joy but I haven't really started it in earnest.
On audio, I finished "Blue Lily, Lily Blue" by Maggie Stiefvater, the third installment in the Raven Cycle series, and it was very good. Love this series, and I'm totally hyped for the fourth and final book. This is a minor miracle, considering my general attitude towards YA. I'm now about halfway through "Lock In" by John Scalzi (and narrated by Wil Wheaton - woo!). Apparently Audible has a corner on this audiobook. Even libraries aren't getting it, which is annoying, so I nabbed it with an Audible promotion. It is good - creatively genius - but not the easiest thing to understand. I'm wondering if this is going to be a series? It could be.
I'm not sure what is on the agenda for today. I'm afraid to speculate reading, because while that would be great, I'm usually offered other suggestions. Sundays are for family. It will be a surprise! See, I'm chill.
Good evening friends! I actually missed last Sunday...first time in so long. The day just got away from me! Holidays are a tough business. I need a vacation from the holidays. But I'm back in business now. The kids go back to school tomorrow (woo hoo!) and I can go about starting my new year.
The first major change is that Andre the Trainer...you know, the one I've been going to for over three years...has shut his doors, as his building is being sold. He doesn't seem to have any plan of when or if he will be back in business, so I'm going to have to find an alternative plan. This is equivalent to finding a new OB-Gyn or hairdresser, and it is distressing. I'm on a mad search.
And I better search quickly because my Lord, the eating and drinking that has been happening lately. None of my clothes fit. Something must be done soon.
We DID have a nice Christmas and New Year celebration. It was dialed down a bit from earlier years but that didn't really seem to bother anyone. Just having the time off (except from the cooking!) and spending it with family and friends was all that was needed.
And the new puppy! The highlight of my life at the moment. We are naming him Brody and have selected him from the litter of four. Here he is at four weeks:
We will pick him up on January 31st in North Carolina. For those that weren't around when I originally talked about him, he is a Polish Lowland Sheepdog. Prepare to be barraged with pictures forever.
Reading was pretty slow. I'm not sure why I think I'll get all this reading done when everyone is underfoot! I did finally finish the true crime novel "Monster" by Steve Jackson, and it was really what true crime should be. Horrifying, fascinating stuff. I'm now about halfway through "Amy & Roger's Epic Detour" by Morgan Matson, a YA recommendation from Jill. A little sneak peek on my opinion of this one...simply wonderful. Maybe not totally groundbreaking material, but a balm for the soul.
Audio! Not sure where I left off two weeks ago (and I'm too lazy to look) but I finished "Empty Mansions" by Bill Dedman for a February book club meeting, and I enjoyed it. This is a true story about a very wealthy, eccentric heiress and her disappearing millions. I also blew through a quick one called "Detroit: An American Autopsy" by Charlie LeDuff. Again, more good non-fiction from a investigative journalist who sets out to poke around the ashes of a once-great city to learn where it all went wrong. I decided it was time for something not-real so I'm listening to installment three of the amazing Raven Cycle series by Maggie Stiefvater called "Blue Lily, Lily Blue". Such an escape for me, with incredible narration.
This upcoming week will bring the start of new Polish classes, as well as a book club meeting on "Orphan Train". Back to the damned doctor appointments. And to golf or not to golf? I'll have to see how everything works out. Happy Sunday, what's left of it!
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