Deb Nance at Readerbuzz runs The Sunday Salon.
What I've been reading:
- The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
- News of the World by Paulette Jiles
- Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender
I should really give up on this entry. Last weekend it was gorgeous and mid-70s here in southern California. The rest of the week, including Christmas was high-60s. This meant our annual beach walk was absolutely lovely.
What I've been watching:
We finished Boys over Flowers and my current treadmill show is another Korean drama called Start Up, which my daughter has already watched so it's fun to talk about it with her each day. Together we've started one called What is Wrong with Secretary Kim? This one is really funny.
What going on in my life:
I finally got into the holiday spirit on Tuesday of this week when we got out our new Liberty puzzle, started playing music from St. Martin's in the Field and the King's Choir. Wednesday we built a fire, worked on the puzzle and had a lovely evening, which also included listening to Dylan Thomas read A Child's Christmas in Wales. We have 2 Christmas trees in our house: the one on the left is real and in my parents' great room while the one on the right is fake and in the living room in my part of the house.
Here are some Christmas reflections from a non-religious household. I realize that for me, Christmas is twinkle lights, some gifts, and being with family. I feel fortunate this year that I live with my daughter and parents so we were able to celebrate with one another.
- Christmas eve we drove around looking at lights around town. Our favorite is a house on the east side of Santa Barbara that is over. the. top. Sadly, this year, they only had one set of lights; I hope it doesn't mean they have fallen on hard times or are sick.
- Christmas day ran as it usually does: my daughter and I sat on my parents' bed and opened our stockings (yes, we each get one and we talk as if Santa brought the gifts). Stockings in our house always include a scratch off lottery ticket (we never win) and chocolate.
- Next comes opening the presents under the tree. There really don't seem to be any surprises anymore: books and clothing for all of us. Not original, but much appreciated.
- We also face timed with various family groups in the UK and Austria.
- My parents had beef and potatoes while my daughter and I ate a pearl couscous dish, which is one of our favorites. Of course, there was lots of broccoli. There is always lot of broccoli in our house. And Christmas crackers with silly jokes and paper crowns.
Bookish thoughts this week:
I scored big time this year in the book department:
- Dry by Jane Harper (#TBRTBSanta)
- White Supremacy and Me by X (#TBTBSanta)
- The Girl with Seven Names: A North Korean Defector’s Story by Hyeosenseo Lee
- The Prize: Who's in Charge of America's Schools? by Dale Russakoff
- Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo (winner of 2019 Booker Prize)
- The Book Collectors by Delphine Minoui
- Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee
- The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Vallavicencio
- A Time for Mercy by John Grisham
- Big Summer Book Challenge--5 books total (completed)
- Literary Escapes Challenge--29 states and 30 countries total
- Mount TBR Challenge--83 books total (completed)
- Popsugar reading challenge--38 books total
- Social Justice Challenge--15 books total (completed)
- YA Award Winners--10 books total
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