Sunday morning. The month is flying, but the week has been long. Our air conditioning was finally repaired on Tuesday (after FIVE service calls), so my mood is much improved. Our daughters managed the move into their new apartment in Manhattan with only one or two frantic texts to Mom. This is a milestone... the first time we have not been present for a move. I guess that means they've got the hang of this 'adulting' thing!
We're leaving for vacation on Tuesday, so I'll be taking a blogging break for the rest of the month. I've wrapped things up here with a series of mini-reviews for my recent reads. They'll never get done if I wait until next month, plus it will be nice to come back with a clean slate.
Finished this week//
Nobody's Fool by Richard Russo
This started off as a read/listen combination, but I ended up just listening. I won't have time for a review before we leave, so I'll just share what I wrote on Litsy and goodreads:Nobody tells a story like Richard Russo. Set in rural upstate NY in the 1980s, this IS small-town blue-collar life, with all the rough edges and political incorrectness. I loved every page of this book and will read the sequel, Everybody's Fool soon. The audiobook, narrated by Ron McLarty, is my favorite so far this year.I'll have to make a decision on the next audio before we leave. Should I go straight to Everybody's Fool or take a brief detour to Belgravia by Julian Fellowes?
Shelter by Jung Yun
Simply amazing! I stayed up way too late Friday night to finish this book. I'm posting a book brief tomorrow, but go ahead and get on your library hold list right now.Current listening//
by Alexandra Fuller, narrated by Lisette Lecat
This memoir, subtitled An African childhood, is our August book club selection. It tells Fuller's story of growing up in rural white Rhodesia as it is becoming Zimbabwe. It's unlike anything I've read and the narration is wonderful.Up next//
They May Not Mean to But They Do by Cathleen Schine
This book is ready to be picked up at the library, but I don't think I'll start it before we leave. Who want to take a library hardcover on vacation?My kindle is loaded , so there are plenty of other options. The problem will be choosing which one to read first.
On the blog//
Book Brief: The Children Act by Ian McEwan
Book Brief: Summer House with Swimming Pool by Herman Koch
Six in Six: 2016 Edition
Tuesday Intro: Shelter by Jung Yun
In the kitchen//
Have you tried Cauliflower Fried Rice yet? I finally made some this week and it was delicious... not exactly rice, but you'd never know it was cauliflower either. My cousin sent me a recipe (not sure of the source), but here is one from skinnytaste that looks similar. Wegmans even sells it already 'riced' and ready to prepare at the fresh veggie bar.
The week ahead//
Vacation starts Tuesday! We're flying to Santa Fe, then driving up to the Denver area for a family wedding, and on to the mountains for a little relaxation. We'll fly back to NYC to spend some time with our daughters and check out the new apartment... and eventually take the train home. It's a lot of ground to cover, but that's how we roll.
I'll see you back here next month... and will be around on twitter, instagram, and litsy in the meantime.
This post will link to It's Monday, What Are You Reading? hosted by Kathryn at Book Date.
We had trouble with our downstairs a/c but our guy came out right away. Because of the store, we have a relationship with a HVAC guy. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I hope you have a great vacation!
ReplyDeleteKathy - Hmm, that may not be a good thing ;-)
DeleteOh, your vacation sounds wonderful! And I love that you also have the Cathleen Schine book.
ReplyDeleteI really must read Nobody's Fool, as I enjoyed the movie.
Enjoy your time away...and here are MY WEEKLY UPDATES
Laurel-Rain Snow - And I still need to watch the movie... I'm sure Paul Newman is a great Sully! The Cathleen Schine book looks so good, but I know I can't finish before we leave. Better save it for when we get home :)
DeleteYay for your daughters and you not having to move them! We're not there yet but hopefully those days aren't too far off. I've seen Don't Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight around but haven't seen much about it so I look forward to your thoughts. I'm definitely interested. I'm curious about the cauliflower rice. I'm not sure I could make it as my husband has issues with things not looking like what they are (there's some childhood trauma there :) ) but I'm so curious! I'll have to check and see if my grocery store has it already riced and maybe make it for my lunch one day. Have a great week and a great vacation!
ReplyDeleteKatherine - My plan was to go down and at least supervise the move, but they couldn't coordinate the movers and the building elevator (the super has control over that) with a time I could be there. I think it gave them both confidence to do it on their own.
DeleteHave a wonderful trip! As for the cauliflower rice, I think I'll try it! (And I don't esp. like cauliflower, so I will feel very virtuous...)
ReplyDeleteAudrey - Thanks, I'm really looking forward to the trip. We'll get to see family in both Santa Fe and Denver, then recover in the mountains before more family time in NYC ;-) I may be ready for a vacation by the time I get home!
DeleteI hope you have an excellent vacation! My grocery store has the cauliflower "rice" in little bags. I thought about trying it because I do like cauliflower. I just don't know how to cook it deyond steaming it, which isn't very exciting.
ReplyDeleteLisa - If you can buy the cauliflower already 'riced', the prep is much easier. I used a low-sodium soy sauce, but think it would have tasted even better with the real stuff. There are some good cauliflower soup recipes our there, and I've also made a cauliflower mac and cheese that my picky daughter likes.
DeleteI never know what to do with cauliflower and think your rice dish looks yummy. I will have to give it a try. I hope you have a great time on vacation and enjoy the break from blogging.
ReplyDeleteWhitney - It seems like there are some really creative ways to use cauliflower out there now... more veggie and less carb is always a good thing!
DeleteVicki - Shelter is definitely a little darker than my usual reading, but I just couldn't put it down. Let me know what you think of the rice if you decide to try it.
ReplyDeleteJoAnn, hope you guys have a wonderful vacation. Enjoy both New Mexico and Colorado! We'll be in NM in a couple of weeks for 2 weeks. Can't wait. It will be much cooler than here and no humidity. Laughing about your daughters and their move. Yes, that first move without your help is nice. I know my husband thought he was going to move our daughter forever. It helps that she married a guy who was even bigger than her Dad and so we never have to feel bad about not helping anymore. See you on Litsy and back on the blogs in a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteKay - I've been checking the levels in Santa Fe and am drooling in anticipation of single-digit humidity! It will be bliss.. and I imagine the mountains of CO are much the same. As for the move, it was a big deal for me to finally get rid of the minivan (no more college move-in or move-out), but this is even bigger. Think my husband had the same thoughts as yours!
DeleteGorgeous pic! I love it when the clouds look like that- especially over the water. Glad the AC got fixed (five calls though?) Yikes! And have a great vacation!!!
ReplyDeleteGreg - Yeah, I've never had five service calls to fix anything before. Order a part, come back and install, comeback for second diagnosis and order a different part, part is a dud, come back with replacement. Haven't been billed yet, but if I get charged for five calls, you'll hear me screaming from there!
DeleteEnjoy your vacation! Thanks for the book reviews (I added a couple of them to my wishlist) and the recipe. Have a wonderful week ahead.
ReplyDeleteRita - It will be a lot of family time, but I'm really looking forward to the trip! Glad you found a couple of books for your wish list :)
DeleteI'd go right to the sequel. Just my two cents.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your vacation. I'm at a writing retreat out in far west Texas this week. So excited!
Deb - I'm leaning towards going straight to Everybody's Fool... such great characters. Have fun at the writing retreat!
DeleteI can't wait to try Nobody's Fool and I'm so glad you loved Shelter! I hope it gets more attention - it sure deserves it!
ReplyDeleteSarah - I hope you enjoy Nobody's Fool... it's more than a little politically incorrect by today's standards.
DeletePerfect timing for the Cauliflower Rice recipe, as I just bought a package of Trader Joe's riced cauliflower yesterday.
ReplyDeleteGlad everything went well with the move. That must be a relief.
Enjoy your books and your vacation!
Melissa - Yay! I hope you like the cauliflower rice... a very healthy alternative to fried rice. I'm very relieved the move is over. Now the girls can focus on unpacking and making the most of the limited space.
DeletePhew, bet you're super relieved the move is done and the AC is fixed. Now you can really enjoy your vacation!
ReplyDeleteShannon- Yes, two big ticks off the worry list! I'm so ready for vacation now :)
DeleteI'm totally intrigued by cauliflower fried rice--I like the veg anyway and this sounds tasty.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your vacation--I'm on mine now and finally have some downtime to catch up on blogs, but so little reading time. Hope CO is good to you--it's been really hot and dry lately, with some wildfires, but hopefully things are settling down some and you will have mild temps and blue skies (devoid of smoke).
JaneGS - Let me know what you think if you try the cauliflower fried rice. It's a nice change of pace. I'm enjoying your vacation photos on instagram. We'd love to follow the Oregon Trail one day. The temps in CO have surprised me... hope it cools down before the wedding this weekend!
DeleteEnjoy your vacation! I live in Colorado, and other than the heat and wildfires, it’s been pretty nice.
ReplyDeleteAj @ Read All The Things!
AJ - Fingers crossed we avoid both the heat and wildfires! ;-)
DeleteHave a great vacation! Come see my reading week here. Happy reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kathy!
DeleteHave a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Patty!
DeleteThe AC in my car went out on the driver's side only. What?? Makes no sense. Not good timing with it being summer and all. That's always how it happens though.
ReplyDeleteTi - That happened to me once, too... strangest thing ever!
DeleteThe temps here are soaring as is the humidity - I would be unbearable if my a/c went out! I can't believe it took 5 service calls to get yours fixed! Happy vacation!
ReplyDeleteLisa - Yeah, I was pretty cranky while it was out. Can't imagine what I would have done if we were still in FL!
DeleteI hope you have a great vacation...and enjoy your vacation reading!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melinda :)
DeleteHave a great trip! I look forward to hearing about that and the Fuller book. Hooray for Nobody's Fool and Shelter too. You're on a roll with good books.
ReplyDeleteSUsan - Thanks. I'm enjoying Fuller's book much more than expected and have already added her other book, Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness, which focuses on her mother, to my list. I just downloaded Everybody's Fool to take on vacation... will start after I finish Fuller's book. I'm definitely on a roll with good books. Sure hope this continues for a little longer!
DeleteI loved Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight!
ReplyDeleteHave fun on your trip! :)
Erin - I'm loving it ,too! Hope to finish on the plane today.
DeleteI hope you have a lovely trip :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jessica!
Delete