First of all... : #TheSundayPost

Showing posts with label #TheSundayPost. Show all posts

Saturday, May 17, 2025

167 School Days Down, 13 to Go! The Sunday Post!

The Sunday Post is a blog news meme hosted here @ Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog and showcase books and things we have received. Share news about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. you can write about what is coming up on your blog for the week ahead. Join in weekly, bi-weekly, or for a monthly wrap-up. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.

I don't know who is more excited for school to be over, the staff or the kids. If I had to pick, I'd say the staff. I am really looking forward to summer break, especially since we had summer weather this week. Now the upcoming week is going to be standard spring weather so maybe I won't have summer fever.

I'm almost done drafting my latest book Your Mr. Brightside. Since I have already shared the cover reveal with my newsletter subscribers, I can now share it here!

I spent Saturday at a bookstore lit fest in Ottawa, Illinois. The store is called Prairie Fox Books and it is located in the quaint downtown of this town which is near the state park called Starved Rock. I had a lovely afternoon and now I can say that my books are available in store for anyone who is visiting the area! I hit some ridiculous traffic on the way home, but at least the weather was nice and I had good music to listen to.

How was your week?

Yesterday I watched the first two episodes of "Murderbot" on Apple TV and it was as good as I hoped it would be! Last week I watched the Kdrama The Trama Code: Heroes on Call. It is a great show! If you like medical shows, you practically have to add it to your list!

Next week is a 3-day weekend. We usually have crummy weather for Memorial Day Weekend, but my hope springs eternal. On Saturday, I'll be picking up my heirloom tomato seedlings!

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Happy Mother's Day 2025 The Sunday Post!

This year we get a real treat of a Mother's Day. It's going to be sunny and in the 70s (low 20s Celcius). My plan for the day is to go for a run, write 1,000 words in Your Mr. Brightside and enjoy carryout from a favorite local restaurant. Still working on dietary adjustments from having diverticulitis, I probably won't enjoy a nice crisp glass of white wine. I'm also planning to get some reading in. I won't be doing anything with the garden because I need soil and plants and someone needs to put together the new raised bed we got. That someone is not me.

Do you have any plans for this Sunday?

If you need more free books on your TBR here is the link to the small-town romance free book promo I am part of this month:
https://books.bookfunnel.com/freesmalltownromancereads/7iz7fven21

What are you streaming? I am really enjoying "Friends and Neighbors" on Apple TV. Jon Hamm, the main character, does things each week that put him closer and closer to completely imploding his entire life and it's very interesting to watch.

Here's a picture of me and the hubs with our youngest back in 2022. Since then I decided I'd rather pay to have my hair colored than to live the grey hair life. And our youngest is finishing her third year of college!

Sunday, May 4, 2025

Talk About Escalating Quickly #TheSundayPost

I've had a craptastic time since I last posted. After Easter, I took myself to the ER because I thought I might have appendicitis. I didn't have that, what they found instead was diverticulitis. I've known I had diverticulosis for years, but I've never had a diverticulitis infection. I was admitted to the hospital and put on antibiotics. The recovery after the hospital has been exhausting. I am feeling a million times better now, and I'm still not at 100 percent. I'm also feeling my way around what foods are OK to have. I'm on a low-fiber diet for now, which turns out to mean I can't eat almost all the fruits and veggies I love.

In mid-June I have to go get a colonoscopy to make sure the infection is gone and that nothing else is wrong. I guess it's good to get the follow-up and have biopsies taken and everything. However, the whole process is anxiety-producing. The weather around here has been more March than May, so at least I'm not stuck recuperating indoors while beautiful weather is outside.

I did learn that if I am stuck in the hospital, it's easy to read a 500-page book. So there is that. In fact, if I ever go to the ER again, I'm bringing at least three books. I had two books at the hospital and I could have read another one. Physical books work best in this context.

Garden update- the peas are growing!!!

How was your week? Read anything good? Stream anything interesting? I watched Last Breath which is streaming on Netflix or Hulu and was interesting. Diving stuff fascinates me because there is no way I would dive.

Saturday, April 19, 2025

The Sunday Post - Hoppy Easter!

Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates! I think I might like Easter dinner better than Thanksgiving--and I love Thanksgiving dinner. Yesterday I went to a book fair and picked up more local books to read! Yay! One is a very spicy romance and one is about labor negotiations. I also picked up some candles. Can you ever have enough candles? I say no.

Today I am hoping to be able to find the time to finish reading my latest Amnesia April book. This one is so good! Tracey Livesay writes so well!

Upcoming I am going to a big mostly all romance author and reader event. I'm getting nervous about my little giveaways. I have stickers for people who buy my books. And I have some pens to put on the table for people to take, but I need to attach my business cards with twine. Just need to actually get them ready!

On the streaming channels, I started watching North of North which is comedy on Netflix about a town in very very very Northern Canada. It starts off with a woman who wants more out of life.

In the garden, my snap peas are about an inch high. Yay! And I planted some lettuce seeds this week so we will see what happens, fingers crossed they don't freeze before they start growing and when they grow that they don't get eat by rabbits!

What are you watching or reading?

Sunday, April 13, 2025

That Funky Time Of Year - The Sunday Post

It's that time of year when you don't know what the heck to wear. The day can start off mild, and then by the time you are ready to leave work, there can be a snow shower. I'm hoping snow is done for the year. According to my weather forecast, this week should be light jacket weather. It's also time for the "Is it allergies or is it a cold?" game, which I do not like to play.

How is spring shaping up for you?

This weekend, I finished reading Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman. This is the latest installment in the very long Alex Delaware series. I read the ebook. Usually, I only do the audios. I love the narrator, and I think he enhances my enjoyment of the series. My rating for the book is four stars. A good book in my opinion.

Streamingwise I watched the first three episodes of Black Mirror. The first episode is very sad. We also watched G20 starring Viola Davis, which was fun, and "One of Them Days" starring Keke Palmer and SZA which was wonderfully funny and fun! I would watch that again, and I hope they team up and do another buddy comedy.

What have you been watching, reading, or listening to?

Saturday, March 15, 2025

Five More School Days Until Spring Break!

Yes indeed, it's the final stretch before our school district is off until April 2nd! My fingers are crossed that the weather will be free of snow. This week we had some unseasonably warm weather and I wouldn't mind that weather popping back in when I'm on break. I'll be getting some things done during my break including:

For life maintenance: Two doctor appointments (routine follow-ups)

For self-care: A facial and a massage!

For the writing life: I'm doing two boozy book fairs. One on the 23rd- to kick off my break, and one on the 29,-to wrap up my break. And a podcast recording this week as well!

I'm also looking forward to the show from Shondaland called The Residence and it looks like it is going to be fun. I love a closed-room mystery and the cast is stacked with great actors!

What are you reading this week? I'm continuing on my Alex Delaware kick. I'm currently listening to this one:

Sunday, March 2, 2025

In Like A Lion, March is Here. The Sunday Post

Well, we made it through another February and finished the month. This weekend is a three-day weekend for me. Our school district has off Casimir Pulaski Day. Casimir Pulaski is recognized for his contributions to helping America in the Revolutionary War. This is when everyone in America didn't want to be ruled by a king. Fourteen school days after Pulaski Day, we have our spring break.

I made a grievous error and scheduled an endoscopy I have to have for my day off. What was I thinking? I really, really should have used a sick day for it! I'm not looking forward to that tomorrow. I scheduled it for super early in the morning, so I will have most of the day afterward. I should spend the day in bed reading, right? Recuperate and all that?

March also means it's time for me to start drafting my next book! Your Mr. Brightside, will be out this summer (knock on wood). What plans do you have for March?

Later this month I'll be at an adult book fair! These are so fun! Will I buy more books than I sell? A distinct possibility!!!

Sunday, February 9, 2025

The Sunday Post. The Big Game, Do You Care?

I don't pay much attention to football, but my husband enjoys it. I like to watch the awards shows each year, he likes the playoffs and the Super Bowl. He mentioned something about ordering pizza and that works for me. Are you planning to watch the game? Do you have a favorite football food?

I'm currently reading:

Saturday, February 1, 2025

Happy Black History Month! The Sunday Post

Happy Black History Month! I read that the administration is trying to cancel the celebration of Black History. Now IMO, Black History is America's history and it can't be canceled. This week I'm sharing some of my favorite Black authors and their books.

Wishing you a good week in these trying times.

Saturday, January 25, 2025

Say There, Would You Like A Bunch of Free Books? The Sunday Post

On Tuesday, over 1,000 romance ebooks will be free. Some are free on Kindle and some are free on a bunch of different places, so if you don't do Kindle but you do Nook or Apple Books or Kobo, you are in luck! You can go to https://romancebooklovers.com and pick what books you want to grab on Tuesday.

My first book No Gouda Without You is free under the small-town romance section of the website. If you plan to pick up some books let me know!

I have a cold or a sinus infection--to be determined, so I've been laying around hoping to feel better and trying to read. Here is what I've been reading:

Saturday, January 4, 2025

The Sunday Post- Back To The Old Grind Tomorrow

I just remembered I signed up to bring a dish to the breakfast potluck we have at work tomorrow. It's an institute day so not only do I need to bring a dish, I start work at 8 a.m. instead of 8:45 a.m. On the plus side, we have a three-day weekend coming up. I also reviewed the school calendar and there are only 22 weeks left of the school year and only 11 of them are full five-day weeks.

This all probably sounds like I don't like my job, but I do! I love it. It can been draining so I cherish the time off to recharge. One thing I need to do to make life easier is to meal plan for dinners, and better yet, meal prep so I don't have to spend as much time cooking after work. Do you have any easy recipes you make?

This week I'm reading:

Sunday, December 29, 2024

The Sunday Post How Many Times Did I Blog in 2024?

According to my blog, I've posted 68 times this year. That doesn't include this post. All I need to do to hit 70 is to blog on Monday or Tuesday. At the moment, I'm halfway through the audiobook The Duchess Takes It All so I think I can accomplish finishing the book and a blog post before the new year is here.

Each year my goal is to post three times a week and I don't accomplish that goal each year. There is some saying about it being foolish to keep doing the same thing and failing, but I don't care. Once again, my goal for 2025 will be to blog three times a week. As I am sure many of you know, the key to consistent blogging is to work ahead so that if you have to take a break, you've already got posts lined up. Most years I manage to do that for January and by March I've fallen off.

Are you looking forward to the new year? I am not looking forward to whatever the incoming administration will cook up. I plan to focus on what I can control and the things that make me happy.

What makes you happy?

For me it's time with family and friends, preferably involving food and live music. Secondly, I enjoy reading a good book and discussing it with a book club or attending free library programs. Thirdly, being out in nature.

Books I'm reading right now:

Sunday, October 13, 2024

One Minute It's September, The Next Minute it's Mid October!

This month I have been trying better time management. I'm getting up at 5:30 or 6:00 a.m. planning to get some motif writing done, however it's not happening. The time between when I get up and when I have to leave for work passes in the blink of an eye! I'm trying to tell myself to get up, make coffee, and write for 30 minutes. What happens is I get up, go downstairs to make coffee, unload the dishwasher, feed the dog, check work emails, etc etc. I bet you can relate.

I went to a program at my local library this past week called Mourning and Spirituality in the Victorian Era. I took notes because it was very interesting and maybe someday I'll have a ghost character from the 1870s who spent most of her adulthood in full mourning. My take away about mourning in the Victorian Era is that is really sucked to be a woman. You had to be in mourning for so many people I don't know how anyone coped.

I've started drafting my four small town romance book wish me luck! My biggest problem is I procrastinate my writing and get easily distracted. How was your week? Did you read anything good? I just got a refurbished MacBook and I am learning how to use it.

When you were in full mourning you covered yourself head to toe in black and didn't wear any jewelry You had to wear a veil over your face when you were out in public and depending how you were related to the person who died you could be in mourning for 3 months to two years. Did you know people reenact this era and dress in mourning clothes? I did not. One last fact the fabric for full mourning was crepe and part of the process to dull crepe could involve dousing it with formaldehyde so these women were walking around breathing in some nasty chemicals on top of everything else!

Sunday, September 1, 2024

Can We Start Fall Now Please? The Sunday Post!

What I'm reading this weekend:

I don't know about you, but I am excited to have Monday off! A three-day weekend after a couple of weeks of school! I'd be more chill about everything, but it's been so hot we haven't even had outside recess. I am ready for sweater weather! I am also ready to break out my fall-themed shirts. Going through my closet I realized I've added four new fall t-shirts over the summer! I'm going to kick off fall by wearing my Halloween Town shirt. Do you enjoy the autumn season?

Yesterday I brainstormed with an editor for my upcoming book It App-ened One Night. The brainstorming session was very helpful; now I know I can make this book a satisfying story. I would love for you to join my newsletter. I'll share a prequel to the Marley Creek Series, doing cover and blurb reveals, and ARC sign-ups. Plus I'm commissioning some fun stickers to give to my subscribers!

Thanks so much!

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