Blah. Monday. It rained here all weekend, and we ended up scrapping some plans I was really excited about. On Saturday I’d intended to run a 10K but bailed when I woke up exhausted, with a wobbly ankle, and to a forecast of driving rain and 40 mph wind gusts. Then, of course, I beat myself up over bailing. In the afternoon, we had planned to attend the Roycroft Art Festival with our friends Zan and Paul, and then have a picnic, but with rain steadily pouring down, by 2:00 I had to admit to Zan (and myself) that it wasn’t going to happen. It’s an outdoor festival, rain or shine, and it was just too nasty to take Nugget out. We did get a surprise dinner invitation from my inlaws, which was delightful, but I was still in a bad mood – mad at myself over the 10K and bummed about the loss of the festival and picnic. We really needed a fun weekend, too. Hubby, Peanut and I are all nursing summer colds, and Nugget is going through the dreaded four month sleep regression. It had been a week of coughing and lost sleep, making us all tired and snappish, and I was counting on two days of fun to restore our equilibrium. Alas, it was not to be.
Although the weekend was mainly a dud, I did get some reading in – mostly on Sunday, while Nugget made up for a Saturday nap strike by snoozing on my lap most of the afternoon. I finished Gretchen Rubin’s newest book, Better Than Before, and while I liked it, I didn’t think it was quite as inspiring as her Happiness Project books. More on this to come on Wednesday, when I post my June reading round-up, and next week as well. I wrapped up Better Than Before last night and am now moving on to The Elephant Whisperer, which my mom recommended to me after her entire book club adored it.
Of course, the sun is out now. I’m trying not to be annoyed that it waited until Monday to show its face. At least I can get Nugget out for a nice stroll, and when Peanut gets home from school I think the evening light will be perfect for a photo shoot for her third (!) birthday party invitations. Happy new week, my friends!
What are you reading today?
covered in flour 
I paused reading A Discovery of Witches to read my new book that arrived called Z for Zachariah which I read Saturday and finished yesterday. I loved it. I’m back to A Discovery of Witches.
This weekend WAS “meh”, what’s up with that. Hope next weekend pans out better for your family.
Do you like “A Discovery of Witches”? I read it when it first came out and thought it was silly but strangely addictive, haha.
Good description. Funny I read it when it was new as well and thought the same. It was entertaining and an easy sort of addictive read but very silly. The romance was so corny that when I finished I never picked up the rest of the series as those came out. I like the historical aspect of the novel and the spooky stuff. I’m re-reading now and then going to try and finish the series. It’s summer but Autumn will be here before we know it and I’m in the mood for anything that reminds me of Halloween.
Have you read The Historian? It’s an incredible novel….so I think. It’s much more serious than A Discovery of Witches but still has a supernatural aspect and even more historical stuff. It’s one of my very favorites. It’s a bit long and some people have had a hard time getting through it because of that. http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10692.The_Historian
I did find that the All Souls trilogy improved as it went on. The second book was better – and lots more historical stuff – and the third even better than the second. I’d be interested to hear if you have the same impression after finishing the trilogy, if indeed you do.
I’ve never read THE HISTORIAN but it’s been on my to-read list for ages. I’m really intrigued by it and definitely need to make time to get to it!
Someone told me the third was the best so I’m looking forward to that. I just cringe when Diana says things like “Oh, Matthew!” ugh!
The Historian is so perfect to start around September leading up to Halloween. It will make you want to travel too.
Good call! I’ll save it for fall. After four years without a real vacation, everything makes me want to travel, haha!
Oh boy! You need one SOON!
If you could go anywhere on your next real vacation all-inclusive and worry free where would you go?
I’d love to visit some of the locations in the novel especially Turkey to eat eat eat. The food descriptions in the book were short but mouthwatering for me.
I was lucky because I started the book coincidentally a month before I went to Romania and it really helped me because I ended up in some of the places mentioned like Snagov Island (“Dracula’s” tomb).
It’s funny you should ask that, because I was just talking to my husband about travel tonight at dinner! At the moment I’m reading THE ELEPHANT WHISPERER, so I’m currently obsessed with the idea of going on an African safari. I want to go to the Thula Thula wildlife reserve from the book! But I’d also love to go to Ireland, to Austria and Switzerland, to Croatia, and to Japan. I’d love to visit my brother and SIL in Colorado and road trip with them to Moab, and I want to visit the Pacific Northwest and to take an Alaskan cruise. And I always want to go back to England and France. I know, I know, you asked for one place and I just rattled off about twenty, haha! The good news is we have a family beach trip booked for later this summer. It’s not an African safari but it’s going to feel soooooooo good.
How could you pick just one place, there’s so much to see. I’ve had a bear cam from Katmai National Park in Alaska up on my computer screen for a while today and it makes me want to go so badly. It looks like fresh air.
I put The Elephant Whisperer on my wishlist. Looks like something I’d enjoy. I’ve read a few books about animals and if it makes me want to travel too then it’s a bonus. A wildlife reserve in an African country is the trip of a lifetime. I hope you go someday!
Good news that you’re doing a beach trip soon. Have a much needed amazing break.
PS A blogger friend of mine is in Croatia right now. On a two week trip I think! She might have some beautiful photos coming.