Three Things...

1. Why is a listing agreement to sell a house so complicated? I feel like there are so many steps to selling a house nowadays- it's crazy ridiculous! And exhausting. Ugh. 

2. Still rereading the Maisie Dobbs series and loving it :) I'm now on book six:

3. I was able to downsize my planners from several into one XL sized one and I am enjoying the simplicity of it. Now, I just need to downsize my journals, too. Hmm...not sure how I would work that out thought - I like keeping my writing separate from my art journaling and the different projects I work on. So, I might need more than one. 

Monday Musings...

Good morning, 

I finished the Strout book, The Things We Never Say,  and it was excellent. Her writing reminds me why I love to read and what great literature can be.  I found myself crying and laughing as I read the story of Artie Dam. I could relate to so many things and also found myself wondering about so many other things. It was truly a treat to read. I absolutely loved it. 

My sister and I spent the day with our mom for Mother's Day and it was so nice for the three of us to be together. Reunited. 

I didn't sleep the other night. I wanted to cry, because I was so tired and I just could not fall asleep. Anxiety is truly the worst. 

I'm continuing with my Maisie Dobbs reread. I just finished book #5 and am about to start Among the Mad. It's a good one with a bit more action and darkness in it. I feel like this case really tests Maisie and she rises to the challenge just like Maurice trained her to. 

And now, I'm off to run errands. Wishing you all a lovely week. Happy reading!

Three Things...

1. New book arrived and I can't wait to read it :)

2. Journaling more, which is helping me find my way back to myself and my writing. 

3. Falling back in love with Hallmark movies. I really enjoyed Kentucky Roses and I'm looking forward to All's Fair in Love & Mahjong this weekend. 

Hope you are having a lovely day. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Good morning. It's raining, which means all I want to do is stay inside reading a book. And eating a brownie or two. If only, right? 

Well, we are in May and I am hating it. T. S. Eliot was wrong, May is the cruellest month, not April. My dad passed away suddenly last May and I am just thinking about how awful May was last year. And, my dislike for May from last year seems to be carrying on into this year and most likely every year. Ugh. 

We have a realtor coming by to give us a price on our house later this week. Not sure how that's going to go, since we are planning on selling as is. Wish us luck!

I read 7 books last month. I'm finally accepting that I'm not the same reader I used to be. Meaning no more reading 5 books a week. Oh well. I'm still reading and that's all that matters. Right now I'm in the middle of: 

I love Hallett's books, they are always a treat to read. And, this one is her second one featuring the Fairway Players and I am LOVING it! It's so much fun trying to figure out the mystery's whodunit. So far, I do have a suspect, but not sure it's going to play out the way I think. Doesn't matter though, Hallett always manages to keep me on the edge of my seat as we get closer to the reveal and that is the best feeling when reading a murder mystery. 

I'm also still in the middle of rereading the Maisie Dobbs series. Currently I'm on my book 5, An Incomplete Revenge. I'm really enjoying falling back in with Maisie, Billy, Pris, and Maurice. 

Oh, and I'm still watching Tracker - love that show! Although, I'm not too thrilled that Colter's storyline about his dad is dragging out this long. The only positive was that he finally called Russell to help him - finally! Oh, and I'm still not sure we can trust Mel - what is her deal? And, Reenie - what is going on there? By the way, I'm also hooked on a show called The Hunting Party - have you seen it? 

As for creative ventures, I'm on day 4 of the Messy May challenge. Today's prompt is Opposites. Not sure what I'll come up with for that one, but I know I'm going to have fun figuring out and that's the plan - to have fun.  I'm on day 72 of the 100 Day Project and it is still such a fun one - so glad I'm participating this year. 

And, now I'm off to run some errands. Wishing you all a lovely week. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. The book comes out April 7th. It is terrific. I gobbled it up and loved every second with it. The book is clever and chock full of of absurdist humor. A definite must-read. 

2. Maisie Dobbs series. I'm thinking of rereading the whole lot of them starting this month. I'm craving a comfort read and these books fit the bill. 

3.  Bravo-sphere. Yes, I'm a Bravo fan. Yes, I try to quit watching the shows, because they are toxic. And yes, I am prone to follow the gossip surrounding these shows. So, I am definitely Team Ciara when it comes to the whole Amanda and West relationship. I mean, c'mon, how can you betray your best friend over a guy that you know broke hear heart twice. 

4. Tracker. I'm still watching this show and loving it. However, I do wonder if we are ever going to see Colter confront his mom over her role in his dad's death. Also, will all three siblings ever be in an episode together? Oh, and what is up with Reenie's assistant - I do not trust her at all. There is just something suspicious about her. Then again, Randy did look into her background, so I'm sure he would have found her skeletons. Hmm... And, Reenie definitely needs to see a therapist - she is traumatized to the max and needs help. Plus, Colter is acting more and more like a contract killer than a tracker nowadays, so I'm not sure where that story line is headed. All I know is that I definitely want to see what happens next. 

5. Mental health is still a struggle. I'm making sure to keep writing it out, which really does help. And, I do talk it out as well. It's just frustrating that I have to keep dealing with this. However, I am grateful that I do have a better handle on it, so that is a true blessing. 

And now, I'm off to tackle my to-dos. Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Good morning! I've just finished working on my mini art journal for The 100 Day Project. It started yesterday and so far so good. LOL! I'm hoping to stick with it for the project's entirety. I'll be working on a 'scrap a day' journal - gathering 1x1 inch scraps of pretty paper and gluing them in to a tiny notebook, one scrap for each day of the project. Sounds easy, peasy, which is just what I wanted this year. I'll also be posting more frequently on my Substack. Wish me luck!

As for life in general, I'm finally going through all of my books and getting rid of so many. I've realized that there just too many for me to move with me when I move later this year. Also, why do I want so many books that I read, but didn't love. Nope. I've decided to only keep my favorites on my bookshelves and donate the rest. Wish me luck for this, too.

I've also been rethinking the way I journal. I think I got caught up in all the hype of making my journal pages pretty and using all of the things (stickers, wash tape, stamps), that I wasn't really enjoying journaling. I was forcing myself to write in my journal every day, even when I didn't want to. It just wasn't fun anymore. Plus, I was going through my old journals when I realized that I barely have notebooks from high school, college and grad school. All of my journaling seems to have happened more as I've grown older. Of course, it also shows me that when I am too depressed I don't journal at all. And yet, when I am super anxious, I journal all the time. So, yeah, I want to get back to enjoying journaling and not letting it consume me like it has been recently.

I'm currently reading a new book that just came out and it has been keeping me on the edge of my seat, which I love. 

Alright, I've got to get back to tackling my to-do list on this chilly Monday morning. Wishing you all a lovely week! Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Another chilly morning which makes coffee a pleasure. I'm about to start reading a new book by Lucy Clarke: (it's a re-release)

I'm also jotting down all the things I need to do so I can be ready for the 100 Day Project. It'll be fun to focus on something creative and simple for a few months. I'm really looking forward to it. 

I think a cake is in order this week for a Valentine's treat. Plus, I won't be able to have any sweet treats starting next week - Ash Wednesday/Lent. 

I also think I need to plan a vacation. My body is aching and crying out for rest. I haven't had a break in ages - taking care of my dad these past years took a toll on me that I hadn't even realized until now. So, yeah, a real vacation is in order this year. 

Until then, I am going to get a head start on tackling to-dos. Wishing everyone a wonderful week. Happy reading!!

My Friday Five...

1. Books. Still re-reading All My Puny Sorrows. I'm taking my time with it, because this time round the book is hitting differently in a good way. I did finish Tokyo Express and WHOA! That book had me hooked from the start and trying to figure out whodunit. I had my suspicions and was only half right. Such a great read! Up next is...

It's the sixth book in the Before The Coffee Gets Cold series and I'm excited to read it. It's also the third book I'm reading for the JLC19. I'm hoping to get two more books in before the end of the month - fingers crossed!

2. Psych. I'm on season four now and still laughing out loud. The show just cracks me up and I am really enjoying it. Not sure what I'll watch next, but I'll be looking for something fun.

3. Planner. I bought a new one - I know, I need to stop. This one starts in April. I just haven't really enjoyed using the ones I bought, so I'm going to try this one and figured Spring would be a great time to start over in a planner. Plus, I liked this cover - it looks like Spring to me. 

4. Chatted with an old friend for two hours the other day and it reminded me of how often we'd have such long chats when we were in college and grad school. It seemed like time stood still then. 

5. Sugar. I'm giving it up for Lent and so I'm trying to eat sweet treats until then, which is ridiculous. I should be eating less sweets in order to be ready for no sweets at all, right? 

And now, I'm off to Crumbl or Dunkin' for a treat. Wishing you all the loveliest weekend. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Brr...it's freezing! This crazy winter weather seems to be lining up with all the horror happening in the world lately. Yikes! Not sure that bodes well for 2026, eh? Then again, the astro-cartographers have been predicting this year to be chock full of drama. I'm keeping my fingers and toes crossed that they are all wrong. Hope springs eternal, or something like that, right? 

All this cold makes me want to eat brownies and read books. Thankfully my aunt made brownies - yum! And, I'm reading two books:

The first one is a re-read of an old favorite. I love Toews' writing and this one breaks my heart. It's such a beautiful book - the writing, dark humor, and sadness. Whoa! As for the second book, it's for the JLC19 and I am really enjoying it so far - an intriguing mystery that has me trying to guess whodunit. I love the straightforwardness of the story and the feeling that I'm reading a detective show play out 'in real time.' It's fascinating. 

I'm still watching Psych - I'm on season 3 and LOLing all of the time with it. Gus and Shawn are hilarious together and I love watching their antics. I'm also rewatching A Different World - such a great show! I'm loving Whitley and Dwayne's relationship - always my favorite. Plus, I heard that they are creating a sequel to the show that will focus on Dwayne and Whitley's daughter. So cool! I can't wait to watch it. 

And now, I'm off to journal for a bit and start the week off on the right note - leaving all of my anxieties  on the page. Here's a great week! Happy reading! Stay warm!

My Friday Five...

1. Weather. This arctic freeze is wreaking havoc on everyone. Talk about a frosty start to the year.

2. Books. I finished one book this week that raised my blood pressure- it was so tense! It's Tracy Sierra's new book, Warning Signs - it'll be released on February 10th. And, it was riveting! I found myself hooked right from the start and did not put the book down for anything - I gobbled it up all in one and go and LOVED it!

3. Psych. I'd never seen the TV show, but I remember my cousin loving it. So, after being overwhelmed with anxiety lately, I decided to give it a go. And, I am really enjoying it. It's fun and ridiculous and makes me laugh out loud every episode. 

4. Lent. I'm thinking of giving up sugar. Ugh.

5. 100 Day Project. I think I have an idea. It's easy and won't take up too much time every day. It's a scrap a day journal - basically, I would punch out a square from a paper ephemera and paste it down in a book. I've seen artists creating scrap a day journals and they look amazing. Hmm...it's an idea. We'll see. 

Anyhow, wishing you all a warm and safe weekend. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Decluttering. I've finally started. I'm going through my old journals and tearing up the ones that I don't want to keep. There are so many that I would not want to reread, because they are filled with all my anxiety and depression. So, I've been tearing them up and it feels so good. I'll probably wind up keeping one box of old journals in the end. 

2. DVDs. I've started to go through the massive collection we have - or at least it feels massive to me. I still use a DVD player, so I'm not going to get rid of all of them. However, I am getting rid of most of them. 

3. 100 Day Project starts February 22nd and I need to start thinking of what I want to work on for 100 days. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Thank you!

4. Journals. As I decluttered I put them all in piles according to the year. I could see how I started with one journal for one year and it increased to ten and then twenty based on how badly I was struggling with my anxiety and depression. Talk about eye-opening. Yikes!

5. Sleep. I need more of it. I'm hoping to sleep in this weekend. Wish me luck.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Happy reading!

Three Things...

1. Vertigo sucks. Woke up with it this morning thanks to anxiety and a night full of bad dreams. Ugh. I freaked out for a minute or five and then remembered to take a breath. I knew what was happening, so I knew what to do. That helped so much. I need to always remind myself of how far I've come, even if I still get hit with panic attacks and vertigo. I can handle it. 

2. Started a new book:

I'm a fan of the Helen Grace series and this is book #13. So far, I'm hooked! Love it!

3. Banana Bread and Brownies. I'm baking today. Banana bread for my mom and favorite aunt. Brownies for me - it was a rough morning. Plus, the winter weather calls for baked goods. 

Wishing you all lovely day. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

I would like to sleep in on the weekends. It seems like no morning is a good morning to just sleep, sleep, sleep. Then again, if I'm honest, I just want good sleep - the kind that is deep and you wake up not knowing where you are, because you slept so damn hard. Sometimes I think about booking a hotel room for the night and ordering room service and just sleeping in until it's time to check out. Maybe that's something I'll gift myself this year. 

I'm meant to be packing, but I can't seem to start. I want to pare down and only keep what I truly love, but I can't seem to figure out how to begin that culling process. Ugh. Procrastination is the worst. Mind you, we haven't sold our home or bought a new one, and yet we want to get a head start on the packing. Oh my.

I'm reading The Surf House by Lucy Clarke - how did I miss this one? I normally gobble her books up straightaway - they're mystery thrillers, which I love. Oh, and I'm also reading The Village Beyond The Mist by Sachiko Ashiwaba - it's such a fun one. Its the first book for JLC19 and I'm happy I chose that one to start off with. 

Alright, I'd better get started on one of my tasks on that never-ending to-do list. Wish me luck! Hope you all have a wonderful week. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. The Burbs. I love that Tom Hanks film. It's always been a favorite and just cracks me up. He's on vacation and becomes fixated with the new neighbors that moved into the dilapidated looking house on the street. He thinks they are murderers. The other neighbors are also convinced that something isn't right with the new neighbors, so they do a bit of sleuthing. It's pretty crazy, but definitely a fun movie. Have you seen it? Well, they are doing a remake on Peacock TV. It's a new TV show and stars Keke Palmer. She's moved into a new neighborhood with her husband and baby. There's a creepy looking house that she is wondering about. Some people have just moved in, but no one ever sees them. So, of course the her and her neighbors get together to do a bit of sleuthing to find out what is going on with that house and the owners. Looks like it'll be fun one to watch. Comes out February 8th. 

2. My sister told me to get rid of the wooden signs with positive phrases on them. Of course, if it were up to her I would get rid of pretty much everything. I have these four prints of The Beatles that I framed - they take up a pretty good amount of space, but I love them. I bought them at the Ohio County Fair decades ago - they also had one of those copycat Beatles bands playing at the fairgrounds. Anyhow, it reminds me of that time - my dad and I watched them perform (he got me into The Beatles) and I bought those prints there. And now that he's gone, well, it's a nice memento to keep. Suffice it to say, I am getting rid of the majority of the signs and keeping two. Decluttering to move is hard, but also cathartic. 

3. I'm still reading the Lily King book, because I am LOVING it. She's a wonderful writer and her short stories are ace. What a treat! I don't want it to end. 

4. I pre-ordered the new Chanel Miller book, The Moon Without Stars. I loved her memoir, Know My Name - it was excellent. And, I love that she's now writing children's books. Talk about a talented writer. 

5.  I finally watched Taylor Swift's docu-series, The End of an Era. It was fun and fascinating to get the behind the scenes details of such an epic tour. Plus, it reminded me of how much I do enjoy her music. I need to listen to it again. 

And now, I'm off to run some errands before the weekend. Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend. Enjoy and happy reading!

Three Things...

 1. Nightwatching. OMG! What a riveting story! I was hooked right from the start and I could not figure out who the Corner man was, or if there really was a Corner man. I just found myself swept  away and enjoying the ride - so many things happened that kept my jaw dropping each time. The story was fantastic! A woman is at home with her children. She's in her son's room when she hears a noise downstairs. There's an intruder in her house. WTF! She needs to be quick and decisive - run for help or hide. It's nighttime and  heavy snow is in the forecast. Plus, her neighbors don't exactly live right next door. And will her kids be able to hand that kind of trek? Then again, where can she hide and keep her kids safe? Yikes! And, that is all I will share, because this book is most definitely a MUST-READ!! I absolutely LOVED it! I'd definitely recommend to everyone - pick up a copy ASAP!

2. Book buying ban. I need to ban myself, because I wind up with books that I just don't like. Ugh. I'll see something on social media that sounds like a great read and I'll grab a copy and then it's a dud. Also, I need to just read what is already on my shelves. This was supposed to be a bookish resolution - stop buying books and I've already broken it. LOL!

3. Wooden signs with positive messages. Are they a 'keep' or 'donate' - I'm decluttering as I'm about to start slowly packing up my office. I'm at my desk and I am looking at all the framed art and photos I have on the walls. I noticed that I have quite a few of those wooden signs with "Just Breathe" or "Believe" written on them. I'm wondering if I should get rid of them. I'm looking toward this new beginning (when we actually do move) as motivation to decorate differently. A more minimal, but cozy vibe. So, I'm thinking of getting rid of those signs. Hmm...what do you think? Or should I keep one or two? 

Alright, I'm off to tackle some to-dos. Hope you all have a lovely day. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Good morning! Wishing you all a lovely start to the week. I just finished reading another short story from my new favorite book:

Since Tracker won't be back until March, I started watching the new season of The Pitt and I'm loving it. I also fell back into my favorite reality TV shows - RHOBH, RHOSLC, Southern Charm, and The Valley Persian Style (a new Shahs of Sunset) - and I am LOLing at all the craziness. 

It's been seven months since my dad passed away and it's been a hard time. My sister lives six hours away and that just feels too far now. So, my mom and I have decided that we both want to move so that the three of use are near one another. Feels scary, but exciting. A new start. Wish me luck, because my anxiety has been ramping up. Yikes!

Moving means a huge declutter - whoa! I'm finally going to figure out what I really want to bring with me into the future - Ack!

And now, I'm off to journal and write a huge to-do list. 

Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Planners. Ugh. I have way too many. I need to simply my system and yet, I ordered another planner. Ack! What is wrong with me? I posted a photo of all the planners/journals and a dear friend responded that after years of struggling to figure out which system worked for her she decided to use what she had used in the 80s, 90s, and early 00s - a composition notebook. Yep, one book for it all. Like she said, "if it worked then, why wouldn't it still work now?" Simple is always the answer, eh? 

2. My reading is slow to start this year. I've only read two books so far. I'm about to choose the next one and it's a toss up between:

Hmm...which one should I go with? 

3. Stranger Things. I already miss it. Such a great show. I cried a few times watching the final season. Loved the music. And of course, loved the characters and their stories. 

4. Grief. It still hits me hard at times. Seven months later and I still find myself crying over the smallest reminders. Yeah, I miss my dad. 

5.  Journaling. I'm continuing to 'write it out' and I really do think it helps. Plus, I'm finally using all those lovely notebooks I've been buying over the years. It's a win-win. 

Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy reading!

Monday Musings...

Christmas is nearly here and I am just not feeling it. In spite of the decorations I see everywhere when I'm out running errands and all the Hallmark Christmas films being advertised, it just doesn't feel like the holidays. I guess grief is continuing to show up and it's hitting me hard right now. Oh well, I'll just grab a book and read on Thursday. Or maybe, I'll finally start rewatching Stranger Things...hmm...

Anyhow, I do wish you all a lovely holiday. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. Feeling off-kilter lately and it's stressing me out. Ugh. Anxiety really does suck.

2. I'm watching the new season of Emily in Paris and it's been fun so far. Although I'm not enjoying the BFF drama that is about to happen - Mindy and Emily and Alfie?

3. Tracker winter finale - how did I not know this? Now I have to wait until March to find out what happens to Colter and Keaton. 

4. The Pitt's season 2 trailer was awesome. So excited for the show to start in January. Woo hoo!

5. Still reading The Correspondent and LOVING it. Such a wonderful book. 

Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy reading!

My Friday Five...

1. I'm still reading this book.

2. I'm feeling exhausted lately. Not sure if it's my anemia or my depression. Or it could be lack of sleep. Ugh. 

3. I'm still participating in some of the art journal advents I signed up for. I'm really enjoying two of them the most. One is a daily doodle and the other is a bible study. I'm hoping to focus on my creativity in the new year, which is why I chose the doodle one. 

4. I'm itching to get a new pen for Christmas. I spotted it online at shop called Topdrawer. The pen is a Romeo No.3 ballpoint. I just love the classic look it has - black and gold vintage. 

5. The ten dollar tree I bought has 4 ornaments on it. I'm just not in the mood to decorate. I'm going to make Christmas cookies next week in the hopes that it will cheer me up and put me in the holiday spirit. However, grief has me looking the other way, so who knows. 

And now, I'm off to read that book that I can't seem to finish. Wishing you all a lovely weekend. Happy reading!