Stonington, CT
This is it, the calm before the storm. The shopping is done, the presents are wrapped, the menus are planned, the cards are mailed, and today is for relaxation. After I finish this post I plan to make a cup of tea and read by the Christmas tree... for at least for an hour ;-)
One daughter and son-in-law arrived yesterday. Our other NYC daughter and son-in-law will arrive later today with the grandpup, Winnie the Whippet, plus their friend's dog, Moonie (short for Moonshine). I'm so happy we can all spend the holiday together!
Recent Reading//
The Wedding People by Alison Espach
I loved this book and flew through it in just a few days! The cover makes it look light, but there is some real depth here both in terms of subject matter and character development. The Newport, RI setting is pretty great, too. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Current reading//
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
I bought this book at a library book sale last summer, or maybe summer before. At the halfway point, I really like it and suspect it will be my final book of the year.
The week ahead//
After Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, I'm hoping to just relax for a couple of days. Here on the blog I will post my list of 2024 favorites and 2025 reading intentions, take a week or two off, and catch up with you all again from Florida.
Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz.
Have a merry Christmas with your family! And, I hope you get some quiet time, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Joy. I did get some time to read before the rest of the kids and dogs arrived yesterday. Merry Christmas!
DeleteI've got all my 2024 wrap up posts and looking forward to 2025 post ready to go as well. I do love seeing everyone's reflections on the year.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Helen - The year end blog posts, along with resolutions are always my favorites. Merry Christmas!
DeleteJoAnn, don't think I've ever seen a lobster trap tree - curious and really pretty! Hope you and yours have a good week and a Merry Christmas! Not sure how many more books I'll get read - maybe 2? I'm trying to decide whether to join a couple of reading challenges - I never seem to do too well with those. Anyway, we'll see. I've got a few fresh food things to get at the store for Wednesday, but otherwise gifts are ready...take care!
ReplyDeleteKay - The lobster trap tree is something that small town tried a few years ago. It was such a hit that it's quickly become an annual tradition. Last year there were even a few marriage proposals inside the tree!
DeleteI'll probably forgo the challenges again, but I've got a couple of other ideas to keep my reading fun while stretching boundaries, too. Merry Christmas!
Sounds like a great way to spend the next few weeks. Enjoy! Merry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteCindy - Thins are a little tight with everyone here, but it sure is a lot of fun. Merry Christmas!
DeleteLove that lobster trap Christmas tree! I've heard good things about The Wedding People. I need to reserve a copy at the library. Hope you enjoy your Christmas with family!
ReplyDeleteRachel- I'm starting to see The Wedding People pop up on a lot of favorites lists and it will likely be on mine, too. Merry Christmas!
DeleteMerry Christmas! I hope you have a beautiful holiday!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Yvonne. Merry Christmas to you and your, too!
DeleteHave a wonderful Christmas with your family!
ReplyDeleteJinjer - Merry Christmas to you , too!
DeleteI've got to move the two books you're currently reading farther up on my TBR. I'm never ready early for Christmas, and this year is no exception, but I'm trying not to stress about it. It's going to be all adults this year, so as long as there's food and drink and the house is semi-tidy, we'll be fine! We're actually doing a Christmas-in-NYC weekend after the holiday with our daughter who lives there, driving her back on Thursday, so it'll be something a little different this year, as this holiday is kind of a sad one for us. I have so much planned for our two days that there's no way we can fit it all in!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your upcoming days! They sound wonderful!
Laurie - A Christmas in NYC weekend sounds like a lot of fun... and so many activity possibilities! I'm sorry your Christmas will be on the sad side this year, and this sounds like a good way to change things up. I didn't realize your daughter is in NYC! Enjoy your time together :)
DeleteWishing you the best for Christmas and the New Year.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mystica. Happy 2025 to you and your family!
DeleteI need to read Black Cake, since I just made one for Christmas. :) Merry Christmas! My son came in from Seattle last night (we live in MN) and our daughter is already here, so everyone together!
ReplyDeleteAmy - Wow, that's great that you made a black cake! I'd never even heard of it before this book... I'm sure it's going to be delicious! Enjoy the time with your family. Merry Christmas!
DeleteEnjoy your time with your family and the opportunities to relax!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas 🎄
Thank you, Shelleyrae. Merry Christmas to you and yours, too!
DeleteI enjoyed Wedding People and Black Cake.
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful that you get to spend your holidays with family! Enjoy your time together.
Deb - I think Wedding People will end up on my list of favorites. Glad yo enjoyed it, too. Merry Christmas to you and your family!
DeleteI still can't believe Christmas is 2 days away. Maybe because we had a late Thanksgiving so it crept up on me. We have mailed the gifts to Nebraska and we really don't do much otherwise. It's a good excuse to cook a good meal and get creative! That will be fun to enjoy some family time.
ReplyDeleteThe Wedding People was a surprise to me as well. I wasn't considering reading it because I thought it might be too fluffy but deeper issues are certainly explore. Loved the setting and caharcter development too. Looking forward to your thoughts on Black Cake and see if I need to add yet anither title to my 2025 reading goal! Looking forward to our buddy read in February.
Merry Christmas and safe travels to Florida if we don't chat beforehand.
Tina - Christmas always seems to sneak up on me when Thanksgiving is so late. I'm enjoying Black Cake, but probably not doing the book any favors by reading it when I'm so distracted. One set of kids are leaving Thursday, so I may get some more undisturbed reading time late this week and weekend. Hope you and Doug enjoy a peaceful holiday and a happy New Year!
DeleteI love these days leading up to Christmas. Shopping and wrapping are finished, meals are planned and shopped for, laundry is done, and now it's time to sit back and relax. I, too, am hoping to read this afternoon for an hour or so. My brother and niece arrive later today and will be here until Friday. I wish more relatives were coming, but we're happy to have some this year for a change!
ReplyDeleteI agree that The Wedding People has more depth than the cover reveals. My book club might read it in 2025.
Looking forward to reading your list of 2024 and 2025 reading intentions. Have a very Merry Christmas, JoAnn! "See" you in the New Year!
Les- Hope you're having a wonderful time with your relatives! It's been kind of crazy having so many people and dogs here in CT (our house in FL is bigger) but we're having fun. One couple is leaving today to fly to San Diego for a bowl game, but we'll still have the other couple and dogs through the weekend. Tomorrow I get to work on the lists!
DeleteJust a quick note to let you know that I tried the Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup and it was delicious! Big hit. Thank you!
DeleteLes - Yay! So glad the soup was a hit for you, too! Thanks for letting me know :)
DeleteYay, how fun to be altogether! And that lobster trap tree is something else, lol. Good news about the Wedding People and I still hope to get to Black Cake in the new year. The author has a new novel coming in January but it might not beat Black Cake. Wishing you happy days ahead.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan - We're having a great time here. That lobster trap tree is a fairly new, and very regional, holiday tradition in CT. They even had a couple of marriage proposals there this season. I'll be curious see see what you think of The Wedding People!
DeleteMerry Christmas to you and your family! I just finished wrapping the last present, and a cup of tea and a book before dinner sounds perfect!
ReplyDeleteWedding People sounds like something I would enjoy so I will add it to the queue. I almost always jive with your recommendations. I just finished A Good Life this week and really enjoyed it.
Love the Lobster Trap Tree photo :)
JaneGS - Hope you and your family had a great Christmas! Glad to know you enjoyed A Good Life. I'm participating in a small world lit book club next year and am considering it for my selection. Wedding People will be on my list of 2024 favorites. I really didn't expect to enjoy it as much as I did!
DeleteI love the photo of the Christmas Tree Tee-pee thingy. I just read someone elses review of the Wedding People and they said basically the same thing as you. Guess I'd better make it a priority in 2025. I am finishing up a book tomorrow I hope and then will try to squeeze one more in for the year, not counting out read-every-year-Christmas books.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas/Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Anne - The Wedding People will be one of my 2024 favorites. Will be curious to see what you think! Happy New year!
DeleteHave a great Christmas!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mae. Happy New Year!
DeleteI hope you had a wonderful Christmas and are now enjoying a little post-storm calm! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katherine. One couple and the dogs are still here for another day or two. It's been a relaxing couple of days... lots of leftovers, reading, and some walks. Hope you're getting a little downtime this week, too.
Delete