Before we get too far into June, I'd like to take a quick look back at May. It was our first full month of immunity... and I tried to make the most of every day. We ate at our favorite restaurants (still outdoors since the weather is so nice), visited with fully-vaccinated friends, shopped in stores I haven't visited in over a year, and even managed an overnight getaway to Key Largo.
May highlights include//
- beautiful flowers for Mother's Day
- Trees bursting with colorful blooms all over the island
- Nesting owls (and fledglings!) on the beach path
- Overnight trip to Key Largo
- Bedroom furniture finally delivered, I unpacked my suitcase
- Gorgeous sunsets on the beach
- Visits with friends
Books Read in May//
I didn't really stick with my list of reading possibilities last month, only reading one of them. But I still read five good books and, in the process, rediscovered historical fiction.
- The Rose Code by Kate Quinn, historical fiction 4/5
- Fifty Words for Rain by Asha Lemmie, historical fiction 4/5
- The Secret Lives of Church Ladies by Deesha Philyaw, short stories 3.5/5
- Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny, fiction 3.5/5
- Good Morning, Monster by Catherine Gildiner, nonfiction 4.5/5
My favorite May book//
June Reading Possibilities//
- Good Company by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney - new fiction, from the library
- Whereabouts by Jhumpa Lahiri - new fiction, in translation (currently reading)
- Bilgewater by Jane Gardam - backlist fiction, on my shelf
- What Kind of Woman by Kate Baer - new poetry (currently reading)
- Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston - nonfiction, classic
- My final Shelf Subscription selection, a new release
- any library holds that become available
How did your May reading go? What was your favorite book last month?
Key Largo, May 2021
Sounds like you had a great May with some goods reads and a mini getaway as well. I am happy libraries and life is getting back to normal. I love that picture and your longer hair is very flattering. Have a great June.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane. After not going to the hair salon for so long, I decided I liked having longer hair... a big plus to be able to put it in a pony tail when I walk!
DeleteWhat a cute picture of you guys! What a great month you had with so many steps to get back to normalcy. It's a strange feeling but so good right? Here's to many more good times with family and friends in June!
ReplyDeleteIliana - The series of small steps toward normalcy has made the adjustment easier... and it really does feel great to go places and do things again. Looking forward to more in June!
DeleteVicki - May was a really good reading month! Glad you're coming out of the slump... Ti at Book Chatter had lots of good things to day about The Invisible Man of Frick Island, too. I should add it to my list!
ReplyDeleteI love that you got to do so much during May! Hope your June is just as great!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angela. Hope you're able to start doing more again, too!
DeleteHappy June to you! Taking advantage of being vaccinated is definitely the thing to do. Eating out, seeing friends, taking trips...we missed so much and now can savor the everyday pleasures.
ReplyDeleteYour list of potential reads looks great--some wonderful authors in there. I'll be eager to see what you like so that I can continue reading in your wake :)
I ended up giving The Rose Code 5 stars--loved it so much. Thanks for the recommendation.
JaneGS - I'm still thinking about The Rose Code, so maybe my 4 stars isn't quite high enough. I had such a hard time narrowing down my choices for June... there are just so many books I want to read right away. The library hold list will dictate some of it, too.
DeleteHope your June is off to a great start... are you still in Maine? I would love to get up there this year. Maybe after Labor Day and before we start back to FL.
That's a dynamite photo of you and your husband! Makes me want to go to the hairdresser!
ReplyDeleteSome of my favorite books in May were Lost Souls by Jenny O'Brien as I am loving the Welsh detective series and Normal People by sally Rooney.
Tina - My first trip to the hair salon did wonders for my mood, lol! I decided to embrace the gray and added blond highlights instead of coloring everything. I really liked Normal People, too... the audio was fabulous.
DeleteIt's really great that things are so steadily getting closer to normal now. When I heard someone on television say that we are all going through an experience right now that is akin to having just survived a war, I didn't take it very seriously. But just today, on the way to have breakfast with a couple of friends I haven't seen in over a year, I realized how true that statement really is. There is a shared feeling of relief in the air that I've never before experienced.
ReplyDeleteSam - That is so true! As I return to normal activities, it makes me realize how I missed even the most routine activities much more than I'd though... such a relief to be almost normal again. I just hope the vaccines continue to be effective against emerging variants and they react quickly to signs a booster may be necessary.
DeleteHi JoAnn,
ReplyDeleteI'm so interested to know that you really liked Good Morning, Monster. I'll put that on my Audible list, for sure now.
I have also been dipping into Whereabouts, after reading two books by Lahiri earlier this year. At least right now, I find it's compounding my sense of isolation, in a way, though it's really, really interesting.
We're not really "back" up here. So many, many restaurants have closed, so many trying desperately to hang on despite the horrific lack of workers. Opening up here has been really difficult, I think.
Still hoping for better days!
I love the photo of you both in Key Largo! Fantastic!
Judith - It surprised me that I liked Good Morning, Monster so much, too. Usually that kind of abuse is too much for me, but it was fascinating to see how the therapist was able to steer treatment in a direction which was so helpful. I loved Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb and was expecting this to be similar, but it was MUCH heavier.
DeleteInteresting you mention the increased isolation you feel while reading Whereabouts... I think the narrator is trying to work out her competing feelings of isolation and belonging. Plus, I don't think she's sure which one she wants. Lahiri's writing is beautiful though.
Most restaurants here are struggling with staffing, too. Yesterday we'd planned to have lunch at one that ended up being closed, according to a sign on the door, due to lack of staff. Tough times. Things do seem to be looking up though.
Nice photo of you two in Key Largo. Looks like fun! You were on a roll for reading in May. I think I need to get to the Rose Code ... if you think it's a must for Bletchley Park fans. My favorite book last month was likely Hamnet which took me a bit to get into the audio but then it was a Go. Have a great June with your reading.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Susan! As a newly minted Bletchley Park fan, I do think you'd enjoy The Rose Code. Hamnet is still on my list. Happy June!
DeleteAw it is brilliant to hear now that your fully vaccinated that you have been able to be out at restaurants, seeing friends and family, and even a night away. That is wonderful news! This week I got my 2nd jab! 😊
ReplyDeleteAs for my May, I also read five books and my favourite has to go jointly to The Lost World by Arthur Conan Doyle and a re-read of The Birds & Other Stories by Daphne du Maurier.
Take care and happy reading in June 😎
Jessica - Being fully vaccinated has made such a huge difference in our lives... and I'm so happy to hear you are less than two weeks away from being there, too! Your June reading sounds very satisfying. You can't go wrong with Daphne du Maurier. I'd like to read her collected stories one day.
DeleteYour May sounds really wonderful with just enough reading, vacationing, and outdoor time.
ReplyDeleteHelen - It was good to get back to a nearly normal balance of activities. Hoping for more in June!
DeleteMy May reading stalled a little at the end because of the long weekend, which should have allowed for MORE reading but we left town and well it's hard to read when the fam is around. My fave book in May was probably The Invisible Husband of Frick Island.
ReplyDeleteI am making up for lost time and trying to catch-up on my summer reading list by putting a dent into Summer Darlings which is so far, quite nice.
Ti _ it's always hard for me to read while on vacation or traveling, too. The Invisible Husband of Frick Island sounds like a good summer read. Hope you enjoy your summer reading!
DeleteI think we both had the same sort of wonderful days in May. Isn't it grand to be heading back to a normal life?! I find that a full day can pass and I haven't thought once about Covid! I love the photo of you and your husband. Your hair is so long and blonde! It looks beautiful. Florida suits you both very well.
ReplyDeleteLes - During the worst of the pandemic, I decided that I liked being able to put my hair in a pony tail for walks, bike rides, etc... and it's a lot cooler. This is actually the longest my hair has been since 8th grade! With the increasing gray(!), adding blond highlights seemed to make more sense than coloring it brown and touching up more frequently. So far it's a lot easier and I really like it, too.
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