Monday, November 21, 2016

Monday Musings: Happy Thanksgiving!

aloha_1

My week: I had a pretty good week! Jarrod's work schedule changed to 12-hour shifts again, so he had Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off. As much as it can be a pain, it's kinda nice to have a "weekend" in the middle of the week when everywhere is less busy. We went to the beach on Thursday and it was such a treat to have it nearly to ourselves!

Reading: I haven't done as much reading as I'd have liked this week (I blame my "Gilmore Girls" re-watch) but I did finish "Sweetbitter" (review later this week) and then I read an advance copy of "To Capture What We Cannot Keep" by Beatrice Colin (it comes out on the 29th), which is set in Paris in the late 1880s during construction of the Eiffel Tower. I liked the historic Paris atmosphere and I learned a few things about the Tower. It wasn't a flawless book, but I'd recommend it to any Francophile. Last night I read the first 100 pages of the new Stephanie Plum novel, which I'm sure I'll have done in a flash. These later books are still fun, but there's not much in the way of substance.


Check out this amazing library haul! I went to pick up my holds on Saturday and since I only had three requests in I decided to take a gander at the new books. I chose three and headed up to the checkout counter, only to discover I actually had six books in! I ended up having to leave two holds behind for later. But just look at this gorgeous pile of books! I'm excited about all of them, especially "The Fifth Season," which I've heard so many good things about!

IMG_3004

Knitting: I hardly did any knitting at all this week but I was thrilled to find the yarn kit for the Gilmore Girls mystery knit-along waiting for me in the mailbox last Thursday. I normally would never spend that much on yarn for a cowl, but I couldn't resist that birch-y yarn (it reminds me of Colorado aspens). And the yarn is soooo squishy and soft. Yarn is definitely one thing where you get what you pay for.

IMG_2995_1

Watching: We finished our binge of season 2 of the British crime drama "Broadchurch" and I'm sad that, after plowing through seasons 1 and 2, we have to wait for the third and final season. I'm going to miss David Tenant's half-indecipherable Scottish twang! I also did some more "Gilmore Girls" re-watching (I'm well into season 6 now) and since Jarrod had to work Saturday and Sunday I indulged in some Harry Potter Weekend on ABC Family (I can't bring myself to call it Freeform).

Last week I signed up for Netflix streaming so I can watch "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" and I'm excited to finally be able to watch "Stranger Things," a show I've been hearing about constantly! Have you seen it? Is it worth the hype? I'm definitely looking forward to the '80s nostalgia! We're planning to start it this week.

Eating: I finally made a yummy pumpkin dessert that had been on my Pinterest board for a while; the recipe calls it pumpkin cobbler but I'd call it pumpkin pudding cake. It's exactly like a pumpkin version of the chocolate pudding cake I make, where the cake magically forms on the top while a layer of rich sauce is on the bottom. It tasted like a spice cake with pumpkin sauce, and it was totally delish (and super quick to throw together).

Drinking: My first Starbucks holiday drink of the season! I've been wanting to go since they first came out but life conspired against me. I finally got myself a peppermint white chocolate mocha on Saturday!

Making: A chalkboard to hang on our front porch! I couldn't find what I wanted online for a reasonable price, and Hawaii doesn't have regular craft/home decor stores like Hobby Lobby or Michaels (sob!!!!!!) so I decided to make my own with wood, stain, chalkboard paint and a little help from Jarrod. It's coming along pretty well and I'll post pictures when it's done!

Buying: Gifts for my Broke and Bookish Secret Santa buddy. She likes Jane Austen, so I ordered some cute Jane Austen-themed socks that say, "I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading." I almost got a pair for myself too, but there is almost zero need for socks in Hawaii.

Blogging:
Monday Musings
16 Movies Based on Books I'll Probably Never Read
Yarn Along: "Sweetbitter" and a Tweed Hat (Still) in Progress
Book Review: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead (4 stars)
Book Review: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton (4.5 stars)
I Judge Books By Their Covers: The Bear and the Nightingale

Looking forward to: Gosh, how is it Thanksgiving week already?! I'm excited to gorge on our feast, which will be on Friday instead of Thursday because Jarrod has to work. But at least I have "Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life" to keep me company on Thanksgiving. AND we'll be going to see "Fantastic Beasts" today or tomorrow -- sounds like a decent week to me. Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! :)

I'm linking up with Kathryn of Book Date for It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

12 comments:

  1. I am sorry for your husband's long hours, but glad you at least have enjoyed the days you have together. I work 10 hours a day and have a set three day weekend, which is nice. Sometimes I wish I got off earlier, but having that extra day off is such a bonus. I would hate it if I had a schedule that was constantly changing as I know so many do.

    I hope you enjoy Stranger Things. I really liked it and am looking forward to the second season.

    I never was bitten by the Gilmore Girls bug like so many others. I've seen a few episodes of the show, but it hasn't hooked me. I may have to try again and see if it grows on me.

    I hope you enjoy The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them! My family surprised me by taking me yesterday to see it. I loved it.

    I'm not doing any gift exchanges this year--not of the online variety anyway. I finally used my B&N e-book credit I'd been saving and bought some physical books for myself. I haven't opened the package yet, believe it or not. Since I play Santa every year for everyone else, I'm debating whether I have the willpower or not to save them and put them under the tree for myself. LOL

    I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I had zero interest in "Gilmore Girls" when it was first airing, but a friend introduced me to the show a few years ago and I borrowed all the DVDs from her (now I have my own!). I wish I had watched it when it was actually on, because Rory is the same age and in the same grade I was throughout the show. We'd have started college and been working on journalism degrees at the same time, which would've been cool to watch as it was actually happening! The first few seasons are a bit more quirky; I especially enjoyed the years where Rory is at Yale (season 4 and on).

      I can see the downsides, but I think I'd enjoy your work schedule. Having an extra weekday off can be so helpful for appointments and stuff!

      Happy Thanksgiving to you too! :)

      Delete
  2. I loved Sweetbitter, though I know it was a hit or miss kind of book. And I just started watching the original Gilmore Girls on netflix.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I liked "Sweetbitter," but there were a few things I had trouble with. For one thing, I can see a purpose to leaving the details out but I desperately wanted to know more about Tess's background!

      Is it your first time watching "Gilmore Girls"? I had no interest in the show back when it was first airing, but a friend convinced me to give it a try a few years ago and I fell in love! The first seasons have some sort of annoyingly oddball things (the town troubador, for instance) but overall they're fun. I definitely prefer the seasons where Rory is in college, though.

      Delete
  3. Nice bunch of library books. I just got The Invisible Library but don't know when I'll get a chance to read it. Come see my week here. Happy reading!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "The Invisible Library" was such a fun read! It's a good, light choice for the hectic time around the holidays, I'd say.

      Delete
  4. I just adore the cover as well as the blurb for To Capture What We Cannot Keep. I'm looking forward to its release in Australia. I also look forward to your thoughts.
    Have a great week!
    Amanda @ Mrs B's Book Reviews

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It wasn't perfect, but I definitely enjoyed it! I loved the descriptions of 19th century Paris and I learned a lot about the Eiffel Tower.

      Delete
  5. I'm on a Game of Thrones binge watch and I love watching TV when I have all the episodes ready for me! I'll be looking out for Fantastic Beasts on it's dvd release as it is too expensive to go to the cinema for me. Hope you enjoy the film and have a good Thanksgiving.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Game of Thrones" is SUCH a good show to binge-watch! We watched the first couple seasons that way and it's addicting.

      If you're a Harry Potter fan, you should enjoy "Fantastic Beasts" whenever you get to see it. It was a super fun movie!

      Delete
  6. I'm all set for the new Gilmore girls and can't wait. Glad you enjoyed your mid-week weekend. I think it's some kind of rule that all library holds come in at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree -- it's feast or famine at the library!

      I actually not sure if I'm going to watch Gilmore Girls on Thanksgiving. I'm only midway through season 6 in my re-watch and I'd really like to watch season 7 too, before getting to the revival. There's so much I forgot! But... I don't know if I'll be able to resist temptation!

      Delete

Thanks for stopping by! Comments make my day, and I read and appreciate every single one!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...