It's been a strange week for weather but that's spring for ya! Three days of clouds, slush, rain, and cold. It felt like I was living in Portland again! But Saturday the clouds moved on and the sun shined. It's still chilly but just having that sun again is a fantastic feeling.
With all my family stuff, I've been trying to find different yet healthy ways to cope and manage the stress. I've been looking into art journaling and have been experimenting a bit this week and hope to keep it up. I am not an artist but just trying to be creative has been helpful this week.
Grateful For:
1. We made it outside before the weather hit terrible and went to our local gardens' Tulip Festival. It was a perfect end to G's Spring Break.
2. DH got his second Covid jab! He felt pretty terrible the next day with all the flu-like symptoms but the day after that he was fine!
3. Nala's seizure medicine was reduced this week and so far no seizures! I can only hope it keeps up. We can't even think about traveling again until we're sure her seizures have cleared up.
Reading Life:
I managed to finish off
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer. Gorgeous book with lots to chew on. I'll have to give it a proper review later this week. But it's a must-read!
I also picked up a picture book from the library Call Me Max by Kyle Lukoff. I read it aloud with G. It focuses on the issues Max has to face a transgender boy at school. Great illustrations and a great way to open up dialogue with G. We both really enjoyed it.
I started reading Broken Harbor by Tana French, the 4th installment of the Dublin Murder Squad. It's the only one I haven't been able to buy for cheap on my Kindle so I had to get this one from the library. So far pretty good! I started Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston for my Back to the Classics challenge. And Bridge of Souls by Victoria Schwab. It deals with supernatural stuff so I can consider this towards my Spring into Horror April challenge as well.
Still reading The Deep by Alma Katsu for my I Read Horror Year-round Challenge, the body of water prompt and The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling for the scary book cover prompt!
For my French Literature challenge I'm still plugging away at The Count of Monte Cristo! He doesn't have a lot of nice things to say about women, but overall it's a fun soapy French classic of revenge and intrigue.
G and I are reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak; we're about half way through. It's a tough one but it's done in an entertaining way with Death being the narrator. We had some tears last night (on my end) and I know there will be more.
I'm also skimming a few bullet journaling, art journaling, and doodling books to spark my creativity. If I get through one that I really enjoy I'll post about it later.
Watching Life:
I started the new TV show on HBO Max Made for Love. It's weird and funny and also disturbing. So if that is your jam, I do recommend it! lol.
And last night I was tired and just wanted something light so I turned on
The History of Swear Words on Netflix, a light docuseries hosted by Nicholas Cage featuring a slew of hilarious comedians talking about swearing and swearing. It's just what I needed. Highly recommended!
I watched some dumb horror movies over the last weekend, but I did watch the first two Insidious movies with G over the last two weeks, and he loved them! So I have raised a little horror movie fan. It's truly an exciting moment in my house. DH will not touch them with a ten-foot pole!
DH and I caught Thunder Force on Netflix with Melissa McCarthy. I know it hasn't gotten great reviews but we loved it! I need Melissa and her ad-libbing dialogue and her pratfalls. I enjoy her movies with her hubby Ben Falcone. They never get the great reviews but I love them. So there! I think we'll get around to SuperIntelligence this next weekend. Long live Melissa!
Looking Forward to:
Getting my second Covid jab this next week! I mean, I'm not looking forward to the actual flu-like symptoms the day after but after that, things will really start looking up!
It has been overcast for most of last week. When the sun does pop out (like right now!) I feel like celebrating.
ReplyDeleteDoodling, journaling, writing---all of these have been a comfort during this last year. I keep a little journal with me and I often practice drawing any time I have a moment or two.
The Tulip Festival looks wonderful. All those lovely colors.
I am eager to read Sweetgrass. I don't know if I will be able to wait until my naturalist group reads it together next year.
I love books that open up conversations. That's one of the magical abilities of books, I think. Talking. Healing.
I am not an artist so just sitting down and not quitting cuz my doodles and quick sketches are poop is really hard! But I do want to get better. I'm not changing careers but I do want to sketch for me without getting sad I can't draw a circle better! lol.
DeleteBooks are wonderful, aren't they? I hope you have a lovely week.
Thank you! So far she (Nala) is going great. And last summer they were very scary! Hoping it's passed.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great week as well!
It's been much the same here- sunny but cool. I kinda like it though! I know the hot weather is coming so I might as well enjoy the weather now. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your second shot and I hope the symptoms are mild for you!
Yep. It's nice having spring! It'll get way too hot way too soon and then I'll be whining about summer and when does fall arrive! lol.
DeleteThanks! I hope they're mild too.
The Book Thief is tough/sad all the way through! It's not easy. I hope Nala will be all right and be able to handle her medicine dosage. I so feel like traveling !
ReplyDeleteShe's been on her new low dose for almost two weeks now! So good things. I'm hoping for a one night b&b in June for my birthday and maybe a small camping trip in the summer. A gal can dream!
DeleteThe Tulip Festival looks like a great time. So many books here, too! I've got Braiding Sweetgrass on my radar and will keep an eye out for your review. Hooray for vaccination progress. My husband and I are fully vaccinated now and the daughter who lives with us just got her second. Counting down the days until she is good to go, too.
ReplyDeleteIt's been such a great feeling to get that second jab for Covid! It feels like a whole new world!
Delete