Sunday, August 24, 2014

Life: It Goes On - August 24

I'm not sure how I thought I was going to find enough time to get a lot of reading done for Bout of Books this week, other than The Big Guy being gone and less television distraction. Apparently I hadn't looked at my calendar at all! It's been a busy week, full of fun things (mom/daughter evening, book club, book event, dinner with friends, anniversary party) but not nearly as much reading time as I had anticipated.

I signed up for the A More Diverse Universe event (hosted by Aarti of Book Lust) which calls on readers to read one book written by a person of color in the last two weeks of September. Silly me, I initially misread the details and thought it was for the last two weeks of August which would have fit in perfectly with my reading of Thrity Umrigar's latest, The Story Hour. Ah well, I know I have plenty of other choices when the time comes.

This Week I'm:

Listening To: I'm on the last disc of M. C. Beaton's Death of a Cad. Embarrassingly, I realized, about disc 2, that I've listened to this one before. I knew I should have bought the other Hamish McBeth audiobook they had at the library sale instead!

Watching:  It was another "Orange Is The New Black" evening for Miss H and I the other night.

Reading: I'll finish The Story Hour today then I'll start Liar Temptress Soldier Spy: Four Women Undercover In The Civil War by Karen Abbott for an upcoming TLC Book Tours review. I also got almost 70 pages read in Rainbow Rowell's Landline while I was waiting for her book event to start and later while I waiting more than an hour in line to have it signed. More later this week about what she had to say about writing, reading, and what she's got coming up.

Making: Homemade salsa that was hot enough it impressed the boys, blackberry banana bread, peach crisp, white bean dip, and caprese salad twice (one of my favorite summer foods!). I've enjoyed creating in the kitchen this week.

Planning: The menu for our football season kickoff party next week. Stuffed banana peppers have been requested but that's the only definite at this point. If you do football parties, what do you like to serve?

Grateful for: Friends I can be with "as is," who make me laugh so hard the worries of the world drop away, who care about me and my family as though they were their own. Our dinner Friday night was just the thing I needed.

Enjoying: We went to an anniversary party last night at a "cabin." What a lovely way to spend an evening, out on their deck, looking out over their part of the lake as the sun began to set. On the way home, we stopped for ice cream in a town where my grandparents used to live. When my siblings and I stayed with them, they often put us in their 1963 Mercury and took us for ice cream at Zesto. They still have the same sign!

Feeling: Excited about both football and volleyball seasons starting. I'm thinking some high school football is on the agenda for Friday night.

Looking forward to: Getting to be Mama Shepp again Saturday. I miss having a house full of "my" kids!


9 comments:

  1. So glad that you got to see Rainbow Rowell! I'm still waiting for my hold to arrive from the library. The cabin sounds great! We are heading to one this weekend and are just excited about it!

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  2. Sounds like you're having a lovely week! I hate when I start reading a book and realize sometime in the middle that I've already read it. It happens more frequently than it should! Your food sounds yummy! We're kind of the opposite when it comes to spice here. I really enjoy spicy food but the kids - especially Paul - can't stand it. Love that the ice cream place still has the same sign. Makes it extra fun. Have a great week!

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  3. No one in this house gets into football much, but football parties sound fun. Maybe I should push the issue? :)

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  4. Miss H is still at home, isn't she? My mom just lost her last baby to University of Arkansas this past week but my sister is building a house so she'll end up gaining her and her husband and daughter. Ha! Though it sounds like all you need to do is offer up the food for your boys to come running! ;)

    You are a busy lady Ms Lisa! I look forward to hearing what you have to say about the Rowell event.

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  5. I really like this post format. Now you have me coveting your homemade salsa and blackberry banana bread. :-)

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  6. I'm really looking forward to college football season! We usually order wings with a few different sauces and pick them up before the game. I think this year we might try making our own though, especially since I've seen some tempting recipes online.

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  7. Strawberry ice cream at Zesto's next weekend! My husband can't wait. :)

    Looking forward to hearing all about Rainbow Rowell's signing.

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  8. Liar Temptress Soldier Spy sounds wonderful! Must definitely check that out.

    Everything you listed in the kitchen made my mouth water. I planted my garden late, so haven't made my first salsa of the summer yet...but that's in the cards for later this week.

    Our house got a lot emptier this week, with my son going back to NY for his sophomore year of college, my older daughter headed off to San Francisco for her 9-month internship, and my younger daughter starting cooking school (at least she's still living at home during her course). It was nice this summer when everyone was home.

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  9. It's taken years for me to get excited about football but I am! I think high school football is what got me going. I love going to the game and now, the NFL is appealing to me! Amazing, really.

    Sounds like you've made some good stuff. I am not cooking all that much. I haven't been in the mood but once the weather cools... ha, I plan to kick off the season with soup and more soup. My fave thing.

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