Weekly Wrap-Up #143 – November 12th, 2023

Last Sunday started with an “early” Chiefs game at 8:30 am as they were playing in Germany! Fortunately they won again, although the second half of the game didn’t look like it would happen. It was also the day we turned the clocks back, so it was nice to sleep that extra hour, kind of. It was also a pretty warm day, so I mowed the yard, hopefully for the last time this year. Had Sunday dinner at my mom’s house with my brother’s family.

Monday was not a great day. I feel like every time things with my stepdad start to seem better, there’s another step back. He and my mom were supposed to go to their Branson cabin but he got up and felt sick. Then when my mom was asking what was wrong, he just got quiet. So she let him sit and rest and when she went down later he’d just been sleeping and his answers were confused. So she took him to the ER. No stroke, but his temp was up, and he definitely had confused answers about what day and year it was. So he was admitted overnight waiting for a consult from the oncology doctor. I guess one good thing for the day was that I got my No-Shave November or mustache display finished.

Tuesday we had professional development all day with no students. We talked with a district person about a new way with career path priority that the district is going to try next year. Then we had a couple hours of the Trauma Smart training. But this time it was about self-care so that was nice. Then we had training for the SOS day next week. A day that we kind of check in with kids to see if they are feeling depressed/suicidal, or maybe they have friends they are worried about. The last hour of the day was “collaboration” time. Although I’m guessing most teachers went back to their rooms and worked. Found out my step-dad is having issues having to deal with his immune system, things that are common to people who have chemotherapy.

All I could think on Wednesday is that I’m so glad I didn’t plan a lot of blog tours for November. While I do have a few planned for review, I have a lot of open days on my calendar, and those reviews are mostly e-galleys and ARCs with no set blog tour date, so I can post as I get to it. My stepdad tested positive for C.diff, which means he had to be in isolation in the hospital. So we can visit if we wear a mask and surgical gown and gloves. But then when the doctor finally stopped by after 3 pm on Wednesday, they said he might get to go home on Thursday. Which we really hoped, because that way he could be with their dog and just more comfortable. Walk around the house, the yard, etc.

My stepdad got to go home on Thursday. It was such a nice thing to have that happen. My mom also said she won’t be taking him to that hospital again in the future. I was happy to have a night to just go home and relax, do some blogging, reading, hang out with the dogs. Immediately put my pjs on like I like to do and ordered Chipotle for dinner, then relaxed all night.

Friday was kind of busy in the library, not a ton for me to do, just lots of kids as I had a teacher who brought her classes down almost every hour just for a different place to work and read. My library clerk was gone. Also, I noticed I had some blood in my eye, which of course freaked me out. But then I read it was just a subconjunctival hemorrhage, and that it isn’t anything bad. It’s crazy though, because I wear contacts and didn’t notice it last night taking them out, or this morning putting them in, and I remember a girl saying something to me yesterday about something red on my eye.

Saturday was nice for sleeping in! I had a lazy morning around the house. Although I am now doing laundry and all that when I’m home on the weekends instead of evenings because of how the electric company now charges more for “peak” hours, which of course are 4-8 pm, when I’m home from work and not in bed or getting ready to go to bed. Then I met my dad and stepmom and sister for our Saturday “coffee” date. Did a bit of shopping, then came home and hung out with the dogs.

Books Finished

The first and third are ARCs and I got the reviews posted this past week. Second is a picture book that I won and I read it before putting it in my school’s collection. Fourth is an audiobook I was listening to for the Gateway award.

New Additions to My Library

ARCs:

None

Audiobooks:

Downloaded this from the library. It is another one for the Gateway finalists. Of course I’ll take a break from listening starting Thursday when the Ho-Ho-Ho Readathon starts so I can listen to my holiday audiobook.

Bookish Stuff:

None

E-galleys:

First is for a blog tour in January. Second is for a blog tour in December I believe, but they sent it now so I plan to go ahead and get it read as soon as I finish my current read.

Free E-books:

None

Physical books:

The two in the back of the first picture were both Book of the Month options I wanted and couldn’t decide. So I got both, because you get a discount on the second book. And then I saw the third one in that picture as a cheap option as well, and so bought it since I enjoyed that too. The second picture was a surprise. I am I think the lowest level of supporter for Avery Flynn’s Patreon. So I was a little surprised, but I guess with that level you get two paperbacks a year! So that was a fun surprise! The last picture was a spur of the moment purchase Saturday night. I’d done a bunch of commenting Saturday and read a review of The Ex-Mas Holidays, and was concerned I might not like that one of the characters has a girlfriend for most of the book. I don’t like those types of stories usually. So I was looking for the Tessa Bailey holiday book that is out but the Target I was at didn’t seem to have any copies, so this was about the only holiday book they had. I hope I like it!

What I’m Watching

So I discovered that I just couldn’t watch all the new Creepshow episodes right away, they are still coming out week by week, old fashioned style, so I am getting those watched along with my usual Survivor, The Amazing Race, and AHS: Delicate. And of course my comfort show on the nights my brain is too busy worrying about family I put on Outlander episodes to rewatch. I also started on Friday night watching The Fall of the House of Usher. Kinda crazy so far like everyone has said!

Coming Up Next Week on My Blog

First is for an author, an e-galley review I should be posting by Thursday of this week. Second is an e-galley I plan to post on Saturday.

I’ve got a couple promos coming up, and I’m going to host a challenge for the Ho-Ho-Ho Read-a-thon too. Mine will have to do with trivia about my favorite Christmas movies! It has a giveaway for $10 Amazon gift card, but you have to be participating in the challenge.

Giveaways

Don’t forget that I do now have the nice little box on the right hand sidebar so you can check out giveaways all the time!

My current monthly giveaway is HERE! Remember if I get over 100 entries in the monthly giveaway I add more winners, and so far this year I’ve had over 100 entries every month. And for September I had over 700 entries, so I picked 7 winners! I’m switching to $5 Amazon GC instead of $10 for now since I’m giving so many away. The new one started last Wednesday and runs till the end of the month.

I also started a Fall Seasons of Books Giveaway in September, so be sure to go enter that HERE. It runs till later this year.

Final Thoughts

How is November going for you so far? Have you decorated for Christmas yet, if you do that? What kind of weather are you having? Are you meeting your reading goals for the year?