Well – here we go again.  Another round.  I always feel like it’s only been a second since I sat down to write the last Monday post, and another one is upon me.  Last week was busy, and the weekend was busy, and next week will be busy – and I’m burnt out.  I’m hoping that all this running around will mean I can actually take a real break between Christmas and New Year’s.  We’ll see.  Anyway – not much to report about the weekend.  Both Saturday and Sunday I got up early – before 5:00 a.m. – to work, and I still didn’t get through everything I needed to do.  I probably should have bit the bullet and gone into the office all weekend, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.  So instead, I watched the kids’ swim lessons on Saturday, then took Nugget out to run errands (our usual library and market circuit).  On Sunday, I snuck off for brunch with my friend Vanessa, then came home to plug away at more work in the afternoon.  Probably because I am really burnt out and exhausted after my marathon October – and because stress over one of the cases that had me working so many hours in October still has not let up – I was slower than usual.  Really should have kept working on Sunday evening, but I was just too tired, and wound up on the couch with my book.  I’ll be up against it this week, that’s for sure, but I’m only human.

Reading.  The fact that I only read one book all week – and didn’t even finish it – should tell you all you need to know about where my expected November reprieve has gone.  Granted, Wives and Daughters is a Victorian chunkster; they’re not exactly quick reads.  And I got through almost the entire 650-odd pages over the course of the week, reading fifty pages here, eighty pages there of an evening.  (My copy is a big Folio Society hardcover – gorgeous, but not exactly Metro material, both because it’s too heavy and because I don’t want it to get dirty or nicked, as tends to happen to the books I commute with.)  I am absolutely loving it – so far, I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by Elizabeth Gaskell, but Wives and Daughters is my favorite.  And I expect I’ll finish it tonight, and be on to my next read, which will be The Shadow King, since I’m contending with a library deadline.  Even with my diligence, that’s probably going to be overdue when I return it – I have book club this week and am, fingers crossed, wrapping up a major project at work.  But at least I’ll be toting The Shadow King on the Metro, which does wonders for reading progress during the week.

Watching.  It feels weird to not be watching baseball playoffs, but I got quite a bit of time back this week.  Steve and I watched one episode of The Great British Bake-Off (I refuse to say “Baking Show”) but we’re still well behind.  It’s kind of nice to watch them slowly and savor them, though.  And on Sunday, we had a family movie night and watched Rogue One – Nugget’s choice.  I thought it was a little dark for him (although I confess to loving it and to finding Jyn Erso alarmingly relatable) but he had a grand time.

Listening.  I’m pleased to report that I made good use of my commuting time, even if it wasn’t for reading, and finished up The Great Courses: History of Medieval England from the Romans to the Wars of the Roses (or something, I can’t remember the exact title, but that’s the time period it covers).  All nineteen hours, done!  And it’s a mark of how good the series was, that I was sad when it ended.  Since wrapping up my audiobook, I’ve just listened to a podcast here and a podcast there.  My co-worker Anne insisted that I listen to an episode of The Daily on the Kentucky governor’s race and how the possible impeachment of the Orange Pretender factored into the result, so that we could discuss it.  I listened obligingly, reported to her office, and we proceeded to get really depressed together.  Good times.

Making.  While I’m still busy and burnt out and pretty unhappy about it all, things must be looking up, because I did actually make a couple of things this week – beyond work product, that is.  On Sunday, I had a sudden urge to bake what I call a “family cake” – just a quick, tossed together, informal and rustic-looking tea cake.  I started with a Dorie Greenspan recipe and added ground almonds, coconut, and dried sour cherries, and it came out pretty well.  I thought it was a little too sweet (despite cutting the sugar in the recipe by nearly half) but Steve disagreed and polished off half the cake by himself.  I’m leaving him one more slice and taking the rest to the office today.  And for Sunday dinner I made one of my favorite meals – bolognese.  Impossible burger ground and six dollar Sangiovese for the win!  (I know, I know, you should never cook with wine you wouldn’t drink.  Don’t worry, friends.  I also had two glasses of the six dollar Sangiovese and it was completely decent.)  Photographic evidence above.

Blogging.  I have a treat in store for you this week – a new blog series that I’ve decided to make a regular thing.  I’m introducing it on Wednesday, and the first official post will be Friday.  Check in with me then!

Loving.  Important announcement, you guys!  It is CRANBERRY GINGER SHANDY season again!  I really like Leinenkugel shandies – the summer shandy is absolutely respectably, the grapefruit shandy is superior, but the seasonal cranberry ginger shandy is the BEST.  (Do not talk to me about pumpkin spice shandy.  Rebecca.  Do NOT.)  I only have it between November and the end of January – sometimes it’s in stores into February, but at that point I think it’s only right to move on to grapefruit shandy.  I’ve been on a big sour beer kick for a year now, but I will never abandon the beloved cranberry ginger shandy.

Asking.  What are you reading this week?