On My Nightstand June 29, 2025

summer flowers are starting to take over

How was everyone’s June reading month? Despite everything going on I was able to lose myself in some really good books. Yay summer reading! I’ll post some reviews next week.

Quote of the Week

“Surviving in remote places is all about setting up contingencies. If one thing goes, there’s another option to take its place.”

— Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

Weekend Goals

On My Nightstand This Week

Paper Book - Marilla of Green Gables by Sarah McCoy - Marilla’s back story - just what I needed!

Kindle - Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq - Still working on these short stories!

Audiobook - In A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson - I’ve been wanting to re-read this Australia travel memoir and last week’s heat wave inspired me to start.

Backyard reading

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

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On My Nightstand June 21, 2025

reading before a summer league game

It’s officially summer now, but I’m already planning for fall. We’ve got some book lists, uniform needs, sports physical forms, and SAT dates ready. It’s going to be too hot this week to be outside much anyway. Might as well get something done.

We had a tree fall in the yard this week during a big storm. That’ll be this weekend’s project.

Quote of the Week

“It was a June morning, and as early as it was, the room was full of sunny warmth and light.”

— Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

The cat’s summer hangout- there’s no ac in this room so that’s where they go

On My Nightstand This Week

Paper Book - Murder by Cheesecake by Rachel Ekstrom Courage - I needed something simple to read when it’s hot outside and this fits the bill. I have to say the author got the voices/attitudes just right.

Kindle - Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq - I love having a book of short stories on my kindle for when I’m on the go.

Audiobook - I’d Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman - Not my favorite Lippman but it’s a good listen while I’m doing yard work.

at least we got some rainbows after the storms

This post is linked to The Sunday Post on Caffeinated Reviewer.

Note: Links to bookstore.org are affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Walking Wednesday August 30, 2023

Another week of walks by the soccer field! I also started going back to the gym some mornings, but there’s nothing worth taking pictures of there.

My listen this week is Day of Fire: A Novel of Pompeii. It’s a bit out of my comfort zone, but I like that it’s written by six different authors.

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Walking Wednesday August 23, 2023

School is back in session, and a lot of my walks are now taking place during various sports practices. As the kids get older the practices get later, and that works so much better for my schedule. Who are the people available to drive across town to drop their kids at soccer at 4 pm on a random weekday?

I’ve been listening to Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. This book gets a lot of hype, but it’s a little long for my tastes. Grateful that my library had it on audio so I wasn’t tempted to buy it.

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My Back To School Reading Routine

When the school board announced that we would be full time remote this fall at least I knew a little bit what I was in for. I have learned so much about my kids and their work habits in the last seven months, and I wasn’t about to kid myself about what kind of time on my part supporting their learning would take. However, unlike the spring I was not about to let myself go this time.

I really wanted to find a way to get back into my reading projects, primarily my non-fiction interests. In before times I used to read non-fiction on the metro while commuting into work.

I NEVER KNEW HOW MUCH I WOULD MISS A COMMUTE I COMPLAINED CONSTANTLY ABOUT.

So I made the decision that I would get up even earlier and do what I could to recreate commuting conditions in a more sanitary way. It wasn’t easy to trade sleep for me time, but after a few weeks I’ve settled in. When I first wake up I replace my walk to the bus with stretching, strength training, and basic yoga. Then for 45 glorious and silent minutes I read non-fiction. It has made a huge difference to my mental health to spend that time in the morning when my thinking is clear learning about things that have absolutely nothing to do with my kids or my job.

This is what’s working for me right now. Someday I’m sure life will change again, and I’ll need to find some other way!