Life Right Now #12

As I look outside my window: So cold, gray, and snowy! What?!?!?! It’s the middle of April; get it together Nebraska.

Right now I am: Getting ready to prep molasses rolls dough for Easter dinner. I bought a spiral ham two weeks ago on a whim and am now excited to have a more traditional Easter dinner even if I’m separated from family.

Thinking and pondering: What is the best day to hit the grocery store next week? I don’t want to wait too long, but also want to keep social distancing. Decisions, decisions.

On my bedside table: Planetfall by Emma Newman; All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace

On my tv this week: J and I started Lego Masters and Making It for some lighter tv fun. We also watched Empire Records for its 25th anniversary and the new Emma movie (so delightful).

Listening to: More music. After last week’s overdose of podcasts, I purposely tried to listen to more music this week. I did a good job. We even had a little pre-dinner dance party the other night.

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Leftovers

• Tuesday - Black Bean Soup; Tacos

• Wednesday - Cedar Salmon; Parmesan Tilapia

• Thursday - BBQ Chicken

• Friday - Pasta E Fagioli from Italy (52 Soup and Stews)

• Saturday - Balsamic Glazed Pork Roast

• Sunday - Leftovers

On my to do list: Add another coat of primer to the library/craft room walls. Put up the front window decals. Finally order my furniture from Ikea. Choose a proper paint color for library/craft room. Do a bit of actual crafting.

Happening this week: Should I just delete this prompt now? Going nowhere, doing schoolwork, trying to get a few house projects done, continuing to feed my family.

What I am creating: Nothing much. I did work on my Memory Planner this past week.

My simple pleasures: Scones, all the scones. I made Lemon Poppy Seed ones and Ham and Cheese ones this past week. I’m thinking Chocolate Chip ones and Apple Cider ones this week.

Looking around the house: Things are slowly slowly coming together.

From the camera: Not a very glamorous picture, but I put up a coat of primer in my library/craft room. So much better! We need one more coat of primer and then proper paint.

Spring Bucket List Update #1

A new season has begun! The global pandemic has really put an interesting twist on planning for the spring. We didn’t end up traveling anywhere this month and have loaded up on home activities and schedules. And due to the uncertainty of the near future, I’m shortening the Spring Bucket List to create some manageable goals. - It looks like I was very optimistic a few weeks back and thought we would be able to do more things than we can. Focusing on the home activities.

1. Read 50 books (17/50)

2. Make fun cupcakes -

3. Create an Easter Egg Hunt ✓

4. Make a planter for the front porch -

5. Find two good parks -

6. Tie Dye Shirts with the boys -

7. Create a spring Spotify playlist -

8. Mini golf family night -

9. Go berry picking -

10. Sign Arthur up for summer camps

11. Go on a hike -

12. Have a picnic -

13. Put together the littles’s room -

14. Monthly Massage -

15. Go antiquing -

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Last Debutante by Julia London

Title: The Last Debutante (The Secrets of Hadley Green #4)

Author: Julia London

Publisher: Pocket Book 2013

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 370

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Who is the captive and who is the captor? When a sexy laird holds a spirited English lady for ransom, she turns the tables and steals his heart.

The last person Daria Babcock expects to find in her grandmother’s home is a brawny, naked Highlander. She doesn’t buy Mamie’s explanation about finding the poor man shot in the woods. Nor does she trust the gorgeous laird, who insists his own memory fails him. But Daria came to Scotland looking for adventure and romance, and after the intriguing stranger kidnaps her, she gets her wish—and so much more....

A fitting end to the Hadley Green series. We get to see what happened to Lord Ashland and the jewels. We get to see Daria finally settled where she belongs. She definitely seemed out of place in the previous books. We get to see more from Charity and Captain Mackenzie. I just wish we would have had a bit more resolution instead of the usual rushed ending chapter. I always want a bit more at the end with these type of books. But I did enjoy the journey to the ending. I loved Jamie and the various inhabitants of Dundavie. Geordie was especially a favorite. Good series overall.

The Secrets of Hadley Green

• #1 The Year of Living Scandalously

• #1.5 The Christmas Secret

• #2 The Revenge of Lord Eberlin

• #3 The Seduction of Lady X

• #4 The Last Debutante

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sunshine and Videos

A little something to uplift people’s spirits.

MsMojo always has the best list videos…

What Culture also good videos

This has Death at a Funeral vibes to me. Definitely putting it on the list.

Another great list video

Love this version!

Archaeology from Space by Sarah Parcak

Title: Archaeology from Space: How the Future Shapes Our Past

Author: Sarah Parcak

Publisher: Henry Holt 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 283

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Goodreads Random

National Geographic Explorer and TED Prize-winner Dr. Sarah Parcak gives readers a personal tour of the evolution, major discoveries, and future potential of the young field of satellite archaeology. From surprise advancements after the declassification of spy photography, to a new map of the mythical Egyptian city of Tanis, she shares her field’s biggest discoveries, revealing why space archaeology is not only exciting, but urgently essential to the preservation of the world’s ancient treasures.

Parcak has worked in twelve countries and four continents, using multispectral and high-resolution satellite imagery to identify thousands of previously unknown settlements, roads, fortresses, palaces, tombs, and even potential pyramids. From there, her stories take us back in time and across borders, into the day-to-day lives of ancient humans whose traits and genes we share. And she shows us that if we heed the lessons of the past, we can shape a vibrant future.

I picked this one up from the library. A nice explanation of space archaeology, its growth and future. The science behind it was interesting, but I was more engaged with the passages detailing how it’s been used. I wanted the examples of discoveries and how they were found. I wanted more first hand accounts of discoveries and the process used. But overall, I really enjoyed this nonfiction book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Jane Austen Project by Kathleen Flynn

Title: The Jane Austen Project

Author: Kathleen A. Flynn

Publisher: Harper Perennial 2017

Genre:

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Random TBR Pick

London, 1815: Two travelers—Rachel Katzman and Liam Finucane—arrive in a field in rural England, disheveled and weighed down with hidden money. Turned away at a nearby inn, they are forced to travel by coach all night to London. They are not what they seem, but rather colleagues who have come back in time from a technologically advanced future, posing as wealthy West Indies planters—a doctor and his spinster sister. While Rachel and Liam aren’t the first team from the future to “go back,” their mission is by far the most audacious: meet, befriend, and steal from Jane Austen herself.

After renewing this book from the library multiple times, I had run out of time. And then, the libraries all closed due the pandemic and I got extra time to read this one. I finally dove in and was upset with myself for waiting so long. I really enjoyed this time travel story focusing on the life of Jane Austen. I do love Jane Austen and it was a treat to dive into her world even if the book was fictionalized. I loved Liam and his mystery background. Rachel was a less interesting character, but I did grow to enjoy her over the course of the book. I was fully invested in Rachel and Liam’s mission. I didn’t want to leave the world. My only issue was the rushed ending. I would have liked a bit more of an ending. But the rest of the book was great.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Currently #7

Reading: 1776 by David McCullough. Finally! It’s been sitting on my shelves for years at this point…

Watching: J and I are slowly making our way through Broadchurch S2.

Listening: I overdid it on podcasts last week, so I’m trying to listen to more music especially calming music. this week, I’ve been turning to simple piano tracks.

Making: Back to crafting a tiny bit. I’ve been working on my Memory Planner pages for February and March.

Feeling: Arguably I have more time on my hands right now. And yet, I find that I don’t have enough time to do things. I finally pinpointed my problem. My brain is having trouble focusing on tasks. I’m feeling so incredibly scattered.

Planning: We have dinners planned and supplies gathered for the next week or so. But then, I don’t know. And I don’t necessarily plan breakfasts and lunches, but thinking I should. Which leads to me to the next point…

Loving: Millard Public Schools is giving away free breakfast and lunches to students at select schools across the district. This is amazing! We don’t go every day, but have been hitting up the service a few times a week. Today we got Uncrustables, oranges, milk (chocolate and regular), muffins, string cheese, raisins, chips, and a snack (graham crackers or rice crispie treats). Such a great service to make sure the kids in our district are still being fed. This is helping my family add some variety to breakfast and lunches.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Music Monday - Bad Omens "Limits"

Can we put this one repeat?

Life Right Now #11

As I look outside my window: Very sunny outside. A bit chilly today, but better than yesterday…

Right now I am: Listening to music instead of kids fighting/playing loudly and podcasts. I needed a break from just people speaking Apple Music’s Chill playlist is really speaking to me today.

Thinking and pondering: Nothing and everything all at once. My anxiety has really run off the rails this past week. My brain does not shut off and yet I cannot focus on specific tasks.

On my bedside table: 1776 by David McCullough; The Dollhouse by Fiona Davis

On my tv this week: J and I finished The Magicians. So sad that series has ended. It got so so good! We also made some progress on Broadchurch S2 and I watched a few episodes of Below Deck. A very light TV week.

Listening to: Apple Music’s Chill playlist, Lady Antebellum’s Live in the Round EP (especially “Ocean”), podcasts like usual (although I really need a break)

On the menu for this week:

• Monday - Sausage, Potato, and Spinach Soup

• Tuesday - Cajun Chicken and Sausage Alfredo Pasta

• Wednesday - Leftovers

• Thursday - Hawaiian Pulled Pork Nachos

• Friday - Brinner featuring Sausage Crescent Rolls

• Saturday - Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Broccoli, and Spring Rolls

• Sunday - Easter Ham, Potatoes, Veggies, Rolls, Salad, and Wacky Cake

On my to do list: I really need to look at my big to-do list. We crossed off a number of tasks on our Saturday work day, but I know a few things did not get done. And I have a list of home things to find such as the rest of the art and specific important papers. I have a rough idea of where they are, but need to search through the random catch-all places. I also need to do a shopping list (non-groceries).

Happening this week: Haha… this prompt is such a joke now. We’re in the house. Hopefully we can go for walks around the neighborhood. Three of the kids have school. I will be cleaning. That’s it.

What I am creating: I hope I can get to my Memory Planner this week. And maybe pull out my Project Life supplies to assess where I stopped. I know I need to finish Arthur’s 2018 album and not one 2019 album was started. But I also have my 2019 December Daily and 2019 Week in the Life albums floating around to finish.

My simple pleasures: Good music, an engaging book, good night’s sleep

Looking around the house: The living room is almost sorted. We are still waiting on delivery of the chair, but the art is up and the random pile is smaller now. Hoping to get the craft/library room primed this week so I can paint next week.

From the camera: A cool treat after hard outdoor play last week…

Rat Queens Vol. 7

Title: Rat Queens Vol. 7: The Once and Future King

Author: Ryan Ferrier, Priscilla Petraites, Marco Lasko

Publisher: Image 2020

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 136

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme - April

A vengeful presence from the past forces the Rat Queens to face their own demons in order to save everything they've ever loved! Can the Queens hold their own legacy together when faced with their greatest challenge yet? A whole new era for the Rat Queens begins here, chronicled by a brand new creative team!

Shit got real… The Queens have always found themselves in messes before, but this volume was next level. We see the return of an old foe, the birth of a new Queen, more questions, and a wondrous reveal. I really enjoyed this collection of issues. But I think my favorite was the one-off story involving unicorns. Awesome twist on a classic story!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Redshirts by John Scalzi

Title: Redshirts

Author: John Scalzi

Publisher: Tor 2012

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 317

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library

Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It's a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship's Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn't be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that (1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces, (2) the ship's captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations, and (3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues' understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

Oh such fun! Random fun fact: Scalzi was writing this book while working on Stargate: Universe. Love that show and really really enjoyed this book. Throughout most of the book, I found myself chuckling at the references and absurd situations. I loved following Dahl and his friends as they attempt to understand just what is wrong with the Intrepid. I could have told them, but you know, characters have to figure it out for themselves. My one issue was the book was the length. I thought it was a lot longer than it was, but the main story ended a bit abruptly. I would have liked a bit more of a conclusion to the story on the Intrepid. However we did get some interesting codas involving various other characters. I did enjoy those. Fun book for science fiction fans.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Complete Phonogram

Title: The Complete Phonogram

Author: Kieron Gillen, Jamie Mckelvie

Publisher: Image 2017

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 504

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme - April

The world where Music is Magic has never looked better.

I loved Gillen and Mckelvie’s more recent comic series The Wicked + The Divine so I picked this one up to see if it had the same magic. Almost, but not quite. I enjoyed the overall storyline and many of the characters. Unfortunately, the focus on the main character (an arrogant white male) turned me off a bit. I enjoy series that have a much more varied cast of characters. So not my favorite, but I did love the invention of gods and goddesses involved in the music scene. Definitely a more high-brow comic full of obscure music references.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Vagina Bible by Jen Gunter

Title: The Vagina Bible: The Vulva and the Vagina - Separating the Myth from the Medicine

Author: Jen Gunter

Publisher: Citadel 2019

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 420

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Library; Monthly Theme - March

So many important questions, so much convincing, confusing, contradictory misinformation! In this age of click bait, pseudoscience, and celebrity-endorsed products, it’s easy to be overwhelmed—whether it’s websites, advice from well-meaning friends, uneducated partners, and even healthcare providers. So how do you separate facts from fiction? OB-GYN Jen Gunter, an expert on women’s health—and the internet’s most popular go-to doc—comes to the rescue with a book that debunks the myths and educates and empowers women. From reproductive health to the impact of antibiotics and probiotics, and the latest trends, including vaginal steaming, vaginal marijuana products, and jade eggs, Gunter takes us on a factual, fun-filled journey.

Wow! How I wish I had this book when going through puberty as a teen. This textbook like guide covers all the information you need to understand your body. Gunter dispels so many myths while imparting great advice. While I knew a lot of the factual information (I have learned a lot since I was 14), reading some of those sections was a great refresher. I really enjoyed the sections dealing with dispelling myths including the dangers of Toxic Shock Syndrome and the use of cranberry juice to stave off UTIs. This would be a great book to read once and then keep as reference for your shelf.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Odds and Ends

Here's my randomness for the week:

• Quarantining is hard, but the weather has at least been cooperating this week.

• I need to go grocery shopping tomorrow or Saturday. Dreading it greatly…

• I loved our outing to the Wildlife Safari yesterday even if the boys were grumpy. (Don’t worry, no one can get out of their cards. Just fun to see the animals.)

• #teamcake anyone?

• I keep waiting for more restrictions to come from our governor, but so far, they have been “suggestions.”

Next up on the TBR pile:

April 2020 Life Goals

Let’s check in on March''s goals and my progress.

• Read 20 books ✓

• Put in my Ikea house order - Fail. With all the changes this past month, I never got around to this.

• Get the Reading Retreat attendance set - Put on hold indefinitely…

• Secure Reading Retreat lodging - Ditto

• MPS move - Things got a little lost in the shuffle.

• Get the craft/library prepped for furniture and decor - Fail. I did make progress, just not ready to move things in yet.

April’s Goals:

• Read 20 books - Going for another big month.

• Paint the craft/library room - Getting so close!

• Make Easter baskets for the boys - I had bought things before we went into lockdown. Just need to get a bit creative for the last pieces.

• Clean up the yard - There are some dead plants and lots of leaves laying around. Hoping to get things cleaned up before everything really gets growing.

• Get supplies for a small vegetable garden - Arthur is really excited to grow some things especially tomatoes and zucchini.

• Every-other-day neighborhood walks - I would say every day but I know the weather will not cooperate some days. We are hoping to explore more of our neighborhood.

• Go on an Easter Egg hunt - The entire city of Omaha has gotten into doing a city-wide easter egg hunt. People have printed and colored easter eggs to hang in windows and doors. There’s a giant Google map filled with pins for houses with eggs. We are going to try and go out Friday and then again next week.

Next up on the TBR list: