I’m connecting up once again with Kimberly at Caffeinated Reviewer.
Last week I dedicated this post to the loss of my stepdad, thanks to all of you who stopped by and read that and left me a nice comment.
The week before that had been the last week of school, and between dealing with this and the miserable work environment I dealt with from my boss and other things at school, it is better left unremembered for future years for me.
So first I have to share about how last Saturday when I got outside to mow. The first time the little ditch in front of my house hadn’t had standing water in weeks so I could mow down in it. Afterwards I went in and showered and when I went to take the dogs back out to the backyard, I found a huge branch had fallen in the backyard off the dead tree. It’s like the branches are going to fall one by one and not the ones I think. Of course the bad weather they predicted for Saturday night seemed to have missed my area of KC. It will just go in my pile of branches from the rest of the year so far, and at some point this summer I have a guy who will come haul the pile away for me.
Sunday I actually got some sleep the night before. As I mentioned the bad weather didn’t seem to hit us where I live. It was a nice morning to sleep in. Although I’d had some dizziness the day before and was glad it was mostly gone. Did some blog visiting that I hadn’t really done the past week. Then my mom and I went to the outlet mall close to town kind of to make up for missing outlet shopping in Branson this weekend. I had hoped to find the Belle from Beauty and the Beast purses at the Vera Bradley outlet store, but alas they were not there yet. My mom and I had lunch at the Jazz New Orleans style restaurant while we were there. We decided she and I need to try to go to NOLA maybe next year together. I’ve gone three times, but each time I stayed in the little apartment over my friend’s bar. And while the first time was with a group of friends, the second and third times were by myself. And honestly I’ve always just had to do things by myself. My mom and I would have similar things we’d want to do, like ghost tours and visit all the little shops. She will need to work on being more mobile again. Which hopefully she and I can start walking more to help with that.
Monday I slept in a little compared to work mornings. But I got up a little earlier to help my mom out, and then go have breakfast with her. Got a little blogging done, but not the commenting I wanted to do. Then in the evening went to my brother’s for a little cookout with the family. I made rotel dip to bring. It was a nice evening, but still weird to not have my stepdad use the excuse of having to go home to take care of the dogs, as we all know he would make at the end of the evening.
Tuesday I had to go in for end of the year librarian meetings. We were supposed to meet at one middle school, but the power in the building was partially out from the storms over the weekend, so we ended up leaving and going to the other high school for the day. We got some good information talked about. Were supposed to get training on the new system the district will be using for grading, student data, etc., but none of the librarians were able to see anything really in the training site yet, so we logged out and did library stuff instead. Came home and just spent the evening at home with the dogs.
Wednesday I spent the morning with the librarians doing more work for things next year. I was looking at all the things the other high school librarian has from her only two years as a librarian and started feeling inadequate, or maybe just mediocre. Hoping I can get more going at my school next year. Went back to my own high school in the afternoon and spent an hour or so boxing up more of the hundreds of books we have to box for auction because my building, the only one in the district that doesn’t make the teachers do their own books. And the science department cleaned out a closet and just brought everything in it to me to do. So I was hot and tired when I got home.
I’m also taking a continuing education class on Canva and our first assignment was to create a logo with 5 things about ourselves in it. Here is my first one, it includes dachshunds, Outlander, books, blogging, and movies! I put a plaid background for Outlander before I decided to add the image. And then I decided to do it a little different, so I made it more like a bookshelf in the second one.
Thursday was the first day of summer school. It was a crazy unorganized mess, like most things have been this year. Have I mentioned that the summer school principal is my principal as opposed to the one from the other high school like we had last year? Also found out they are probably going to split my library clerk next year between that and other duties in the building, so I’m pretty much about done. I went ahead and applied for a middle school science job in the school district where my niece goes, and one that is closer to where I live. I don’t know that I’ll get it, but I’m going to at least try.
Friday I woke up thinking maybe I could do this. Maybe I can make it and was overreacting. Of course it wasn’t long into the day that I was again ready to get a new job. But if I do leave for a teaching job, it feels like I gave up on what I love, or that I failed. So who knows. Will just keep going for now. It was a rainy day, and a little cooler, so that was nice. In the evening one of my cousins who now lives in Georgia came into town to visit with my mom since she wasn’t able to make the funeral or the celebration of life we have coming up. So she came over along with my aunts to my mom’s house for a bit. While we were looking around at my dad’s stuff, showing my cousin all his guitars and also back in his tool room, we opened up a drawer and found a box my dad had labeled as a project for him and my nephew, it said: “Bubbs and Papa Project”. Needless to say there were a lot of tears at that.
Saturday was lovely for sleeping in. I got some laundry done, some blogging done, and then went to see a movie. My niece’s dance studio divides up into 5 different shows over the weekend to make it not be as long of one show. So she had one performance on Saturday and one on Sunday. Since she is not going to do dance anymore after this year, we had decided to go to both. So the first one was Saturday night.
Books Finished
Over the last two weeks these are the books I finished. First was an audiobook I fit in between the last White Trash Zombie book before I started the final one for June. Second was for a blog tour review, the rest were e-galleys either I’d requested or the publisher had sent me for review. All should have been posted this past week. I’d hoped to fit in some Beat the Backlist titles, but did not get that done.
New Additions to My Library
ARCs:
All of these I got the week before this past week. The first I think came from a Shelf Awareness contest and I’m so excited to have a physical copy of it. The second picture was books from Sourcebooks Fire. Hopefully I can get to all of them. I know I want to read the Bryce Moore one for sure since I loved the last one I read by that author!
Audiobooks:
Finally my loan from the library for this one lined up in between when I would be listening to the WTZ series. Hoping to finish this one before I start the final one in that series.
Bookish Stuff:
None
E-galleys:
I finally got approved for an e-galley of this final book in the trilogy on Friday. It comes out on the 4th, so don’t know that I’ll get it read before then, but will probably start it after I finish my current read.
Free E-books:
The first one I get every year when they put them out! All of these were free on Amazon.
Physical Books:
First was the special edition I pre-ordered of one of my favorite books as soon as I saw it was going to be available. And while it’s cool, I don’t know that I’ll order the rest of the series because it’s not anything that exciting. Second is the final book in the latest BTVS series that I didn’t get an early review copy of, so bought it with gift cards won from the WTZ giveaways on Books of My Heart. Hope to get to it soon!
What I’m Watching
First of all that season finale to Survivor two weeks ago was crazy! This will go down as one of my favorite seasons and I was so happy with the winner! No new shows on right now really. Waiting till the next half of the third season of Bridgerton. So mad when it was pointed out that the last season of Stranger Things won’t be out until sometime in 2025. I can’t believe I can’t find a meme about how old the actors will be trying to play younger characters. This is the closest I could find:
Looked through Amazon Prime to find a movie last Sunday night, and found this one from 2016 that wasn’t too bad.
And when things just got disappointing at work again, even though I’d finally finished my rewatch of the 7 seasons available of Outlander last week, I started up again from the very first episode on Wednesday night.
Thursday I decided to go ahead and check out the series a bunch of my favorite authors have been talking about on Netflix called Maxton Hall. And based on the first couple of episodes, I was hooked!
I’d forgotten about the new movie The Fall Guy, until I went to see what movie to see this weekend when I had some free time. When it popped up on the AMC app, I decided to go see it. I also saw an author post on Facebook on Saturday morning that they’d really liked it. I ended up really enjoying it too! Go see it if you get a chance, or watch it when it’s streaming, but it was fun!
Coming Up Next Week on My Blog
First is an ARC that should be posted review on Monday. Second is an e-galley the publisher finally approved my request, so I hope to read and post a review sometime during the week. Third is an e-galley the publisher sent me that I hoped to get done this past week but I did not. And since I haven’t finished the first one in that series that I own yet, I may or may not actually read it. I hope to also get some Beat the Backlist books read if I have time, but if I do, those reviews won’t get posted till probably the L-L-L post.
I also have a few promo posts coming up this week.
Final Thoughts
Can you believe it is now June? I’ve already had two days of Summer School. The temperatures are definitely summer like now most of the time. Trying to get used to the world without my stepdad and make sure to be there for my mom, but also let her adjust how she wants and not over-suffocate her either.
How was your May?
0
0
0
20
Sounds like a crazy week! Glad that tree branch waited until after you were done with the yard to fall! I remember one time when I was in high school and working at a grocery store bakery department, I had just finished mopping the floor when I heard a thud. I turned around and saw this pipe just laying on my clean floor. I was mostly ticked because I thought, now I have to clean that again but when I went to pick the thing up I couldn’t lift it at all and I saw that it had taken a chunk of the cement floor out. I had been in that same spot not even a minute ago when I heard the pipe fall! I had thought the thing was hallow, so yeah, close call! Sorry to hear that it sounds like your incoming school year will not be a good one with them moving your clerk wherever they feel like it. From what you describe you can get super busy and need that extra help, not sure why the higher ups don’t understand that. The Canva class sounds like fun! I have zero computer tech skills when it comes to websites and designs. That might be something to look into one of these days for myself!
Nice new reads too! I keep seeing This Ravenous Fate around and it’s getting my attention! Sounds like something I might enjoy! And ooh the latest Buffy book! I was bummed that I didn’t get a review copy either, so I had to buy that one when it came out and read it asap. Think that was one that took ages to get to me too because of this slow mail we keep having when it comes to my books! It was an amazing finale is all I’ll say! Lol. Hope you enjoy all the lovely new reads!
Here’s my StS
Have a GREAT day!
Old Follower 🙂
Wow! That pipe story is crazy scary! I can’t wait to get to the Buffy finale book, just don’t know when I’ll fit it into my reading schedule. Ugh! But I can’t wait to read it, especially since you liked it so much! Thanks for visiting!
You are having some crazy times. Take care of you. I hope you find a new job you can love. I’m just trying to fit everything in before the weather gets too hot.
Yeah, it is starting to get hot here some days, but then we have a few cooler days thrown in, which isn’t always normal for us. Usually once it gets hot it stays that way for the next two months. But I’ll take any cooler days I can!
I just added all the books for the leia stone to my wish list on amazon there in kindle unlimited so i can read them that way. I started a kindle unlimited book this week as i want to read something other then a netgalley arc which mostly what i tend to read on my kinde. i listenting to spin of fate on audiobook and it an interesting take on magic with karma as the theme to the magic system. May was good the tale end was filled with house projects i was surprised i squeezed in 17 books. The crave series is my bed time read now so i will be annotating and working my way through that series. I started the spellshop by sarah beth durst last night so good.
I really liked her books and can’t wait to get started on the 3rd one as soon as I finish my current read! I rarely read anything other than e-galleys on my Kindle. When I do read ebooks I bought on Amazon, it’s usually on my phone because I’m somewhere I can’t pull out or didn’t bring my Kindle but have time to read, lol.
I’m sorry to hear how miserable the last week of school was… and that summer school isn’t any better. I’ve been doing summer school for the last three years now, I think? And it is always a mess! I always count my blessings that I don’t have to deal with any of that, that I only have the one kid I need to take care of, but it’s hard not to notice what a disaster everything around me is. Last year it wasn’t too bad, so I’m hoping this year is better? But probably not. The school I work at is a freaking disaster, but the school where summer school will be held is apparently worse somehow, so I don’t have high hopes. Lol. 🙃 The only thing that will pull me through is that it’s only half days and four days a week 😌 After, I think I’ll just be working with my patient in her home until school starts back up, and honestly, I look forward to the days where she doesn’t have school because I don’t have to deal with any of the drama. Lol.
And I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed Fall Guy! That one is on my to-watch list!
I hope you have a better week! Remember, summer school isn’t very long. You can do this!!
Unfortunately our summer school is a full day! Ugh! And five days a week. Fortunately, even though it means I get less pay than a teacher in summer school, I am only a library clerk because high school students don’t get to use the library during summer school in this district sadly. So last summer I got my whole library rearranged by genres which was awesome. I’d hoped to get a bunch done this year too, but guessing I won’t get much as much done. We’ll see! It’s nice you only have that one student I guess. I am sure all the drama without school is so nice though!
It is really good that you’re encouraging your mom to get out and mobile after your loss. It’s not only good for her physical health, it’s good for her (and yours!) mental health. I find that my stresses are a bit easier to take when I get out for a walk or run. Something about the outdoors and activity is healing. I hope you find more peace at your current job or find it moving on to teach closer to your home. Being unhappy in your job is miserable because we spend so many hours at our jobs! Virtual hugs to you, Lisa! I need to listen to this last WTZ read and then the last one coming up. I hope to join our last chat. I wish I was as proficient with Canva as your are! I’m horrible. I feel overwhelmed when I open their site. I want to watch Fall Guy. Love Emily Blunt!
I’m hoping to do the final chat too! I missed the last one with my stepdad, and will be down at my mom’s in Branson when the next one is. But I think I’ve decided to take the Monday off from summer school to stay down there an extra day and that way I can do the chat while I’m there on Sunday. I think I saw Fall Guy is streaming on Apple+ TV already too!
It sounds like it will be a long summer for you. I hope one of the jobs you applied for pan out. I am sorry you are stuck in a bad situation and I hope it improves. Thank goodness for books and our furry companions! I hope you have a good week, Lisa. Take care!
Yep, books and our dogs make things bearable! Thanks for visiting!
I hope summer school goes smoothly. I also got a copy of The Nightmare Before Kissmas, I can’t wait to read it😁 Have a good week, Lisa!
Very excited for that one for sure!
I love Canva and use it daily! So happy that you enjoyed the class on it. Take care and have a great week Lisa.
Me too! Just starting the class, but hoping to get lots more little tips. I could play on Canva all day.
Sorry the job is leading you to question so much about what you want to do. If you want the teaching job, I hope you get it. Our neighbor has a tree that overhangs in our backyard and we keep cutting branches off of it. I wish they would just take it down. My work has been nuts as our Director suddenly put in her notice a few weeks ago but luckily the Dep. Director has been named Acting Director for now and I love her. The Mayor of Kingstown started Sunday evening so we will be watching that now. Pretty Little Liars Summer School is out and that show is one of my guilty pleasures. I also recommend Under the Bridge if you have Hulu. All the episodes are out now. Hope you have a great week!
My neighbor on one side won’t do anything about vines and plants growing on the wooden fence I have, they say it is between their chain link fence and mine, so it’s not theirs to mess with. And at one point they said I could go into their yard to clean from that side, then they changed their mind, so it’s difficult to get to it. Ooh, I didn’t know there was a new Pretty Little Liars, my sisters loved those shows so I’ll have to make sure they know!
Some great book additions..
At my son’s elementary school they have a rotation of parent volunteers that volunteer in the library everyday. I used to go in previous years but took a break this year. We check in the books, shelve them and make not of all book past due etc. I know many schools can’t manage something like that plus you need to have enough parents to volunteer but it works really well for our school.
I think at high school level we don’t get as many parent volunteers. It often isn’t a place the kids want their parents I think, sadly. I wish we could at times though!
You had a busy week. I am sorry for the loss of your stepdad. I hope you sort out your feelings about the job. It’s hard when you feel torn like that.
I’m going to interview for another job this week. Don’t know if I will take it, or even if they’ll offer it, but I figure it’s worth at least seeing!
I really want to see Fall Guy, but I’ll probably just see it on my TV once it’s streaming. What sucky news about your clerk. I hope you find another library job! My week was pretty laid back, but I was still dealing with my cold/allergies.
I see that it is streaming on Apple+ maybe? This is the time of year my allergies kick in, but more asthma than cough most of the time. Hope you are feeling better!