Sunday Salon: November 25, 2018

My life in books: 

 

• Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley--Adult "Upstairs, Downstairs" mystery
• Sadie by Courtney Summers--YA mystery
• National Geographic's Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips:--Super fun non-fiction

• Hey Kiddo by Jarrett J. Krosoczka--YA graphic memoir
• The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner--Fascinating adult memoir
• The Forbidden Orchid by Sharon Biggs Waller

• The Impossible Fortress by Jason Rekulak--Super fun YA set in the 1980s

Challenges progress: As we approach the end of the year, I have got to start choosing books that satisfy challenges!

• Big Book Summer Challenge (complete)--I read 5 books longer than 400 pages this summer. This challenge is now done since summer has ended.
• Non-fiction (complete)--My goal is 20 books and I've read 46! 
• Literary Voyage around the world (complete)--Read books set in as many countries as possible. I have read in 40 countries so far, and in the past two weeks added none.
• Literary Escapes--Track the US states. I have read books set in 31 states so far and in the past two weeks added none.
• Read all of the ALA YA Award Winners (complete)--I have already read all of the winners!
• Motif Reading Challenge--The November is Family and I am using Death Below Stairs by Jennifer Ashley for it.

My life outside books:

Work:

Since the last Sunday Salon I've had a week's holiday for Thanksgiving and 3 days off work so not much has happened. 

Personal:
As I said above, I took 3 sick days from work, but they bookended the 3-day Veteran's weekend so I lounged around the house with a super nasty sore throat and a fever for about 5 days. Actually, the fever went away after 3, but I was down for the count. They tested for Strep, which came back negative on the Rapid Strep test. 2 days later the doctor called to say the second, and more accurate test, says I had Strep. So, antibiotics were ordered immediately. Boy I wish the first test had been accurate and that I'd gone in sooner. Lesson learned.

But, the best news is that I spent my Thanksgiving in New York city with my daughter! It was so great to see her, catch up on her college life, and just be together.

• Wednesday we shopped: a tiny bit for me, a bit more for her, and Christmas shopping for others. I went to Uniqlo and Muji for the first time... very nice!
• On Thanksgiving and we planned to wander the city, but it was only 22 degrees so we hung out then went to dinner with her roommate's family, which was lovely. It's so nice to be welcomed into someone's home for a holiday.
• Friday we went to the Neue Gallerie, home to works by German artists such as Macke, Klimt, Klee, and Schiller, and walked around Central Park. Absolutely wonderful!
• Saturday we wandered around the city, checking out holiday window dressings, the Library (of course), people watching, and chatting. Lots of chatting.

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday with family and friends if you are in the US.