Not Fall Yet...

That title is my hint to Mother Earth that it's time to get Fall into full throttle pronto. School starts when summer is barely half over. My mind immediately goes into Fall mode but it's not even close to Fall yet! But even though the temperature does not feel like it by the time September rolls around I am definitely drinking pumpkin spice lattes, baking breads, and reading all the horror, mystery, and thrillers I can get my hands on! And I may or may not start decorating my house with all things Halloween after Labor Day...

G did start school at the beginning of last week. So two full weeks back into it! He is loving and hating it all at the same time. The dreaded PE is in session and he's been running the mile and doing lots of pushups and situps! It's good for him. And the getting up really early again is also not his favorite. But he's loving his classes and talking with his friends so yeah just about right with the loving and hating. 

He also had his first school dance of the year on Friday. He was unsure if he wanted to go because a couple of his friends weren't going. But he said he would still go and when we picked him up he was laughing with other friends and said he had a great time. Yay!

Another beautiful hike last week my hiking buddies...

My mother got Covid last week along with everyone else in the house but she's the one most vulnerable even after all the shots and boosters. They had to take her into the hospital to make sure she recovered on her own. Thank goodness she was only in there for a few days and the treatments went really well. We were able to visit all masked up. I am so grateful she is doing well and that everyone else in the household is also recovering. It's been a few days but everyone is still testing positive even without symptoms. It's amazing how long people can still test positive. Grateful for these small favors.

Posts this week:

2 book reviews on Sundial by Catriona Ward and A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab.

Currently Reading 

I've been reading these almost all year but I am determined to finish them off eventually. I go through weeks where I'll read consistently and then weeks where I don't. Like I said one day...

Enlightenment Now: The Case for Reason, Science, Humanism, and Progress by Steven Pinker

Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington by Jamie Kirchick

I'm always trying to read a parenting book or self-help book or two...

What Do You Say? How to Talk with Kids to Build Motivation, Stress Tolerance, and a Happy Home by William Stixrud and Ned Johnson

The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure by Yascha Mounk

A Gathering of Shadows (Shades of Magic #2) by V.E. Schwab

I also just picked up The Middle Ages: A Graphic History by Eleanor Janega. It's hilarious and very informative and the cartoons are funny. I love history books make me laugh and keep me informed! 

And because spooky season is around the corner...The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by Michael Schur. I keep forgetting to put this in my posts. I've been reading/listening to this one since the start of the summer with my friend who lives out-of-state for our philosophy book club (of two). Schur created The Good Place and he shares all the moral philosophy he researched to create the TV show. The audiobook has basically the whole cast, too, reading various quotes, etc. It's fantastic. One of the best philosophy books I've read in a long time!

Read

Sundial by Catriona Ward

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab

Movies Watched:

There's always been something wrong with Esther

Orphan: First Kill (2022) Paramount+

My Thoughts:

If you enjoyed the first movie Orphan this will be a fun little prequel. Not great but fun.

No one just disappears.

Horror in the High Desert (2021) on Amazon Prime

My Thoughts:

This is one of those fake documentary-type horrors/found-footage. It was made during the Covid lockdowns so it's super simple and a bit cheesy but I liked it. Kind of weird and creepy. Just what I was looking for at the time.

The dead shall inherit the earth.

Land of the Dead (2005) watched on Shudder

My Thoughts:

This is the last in George Romero's zombie series. And it had Simon Baker from The Mentalist in it so I figured I would give it a try this weekend. Not bad. Stupid plot and the dialogue was even dumber but it was entertaining and the actors were pretty great. 

TV Watched:

I'm still watching Star Trek: TNG. Now season five! This season is really good. I forgot how many good ones they have. Like this is the first season with consistently good episodes. Well, some of the middle episodes are pretty ho-hum.

I finished off The Sandman on Netflix, which I really really enjoyed. Can't wait for the next season. And Only Murders in the Building on Hulu. I love this show. Can't wait til next season already. Seeing Martin Short and Steve Martin together again is just fantastic and it has been my little happy place this summer.

Joining up with Deb from Readerbuzz and her Sunday Salon.