I hit CVS and Price Chopper while I was downtown (both in order to pick up things for mom), got in a walk around the park, and hit the farm stand on the way home. I’ve been thinking about tomato sandwiches with fresh tomatoes.

I folded last night’s load of laundry, got another washed, and hand-washed some dishes before I left the house this morning. When I got home from downtown I baked a berry cobbler to use some of those berries we’d picked (and put the rest in the freezer), tossed the laundry into the dryer and another load into the washer, hand-washed more dishes, and mixed up some tuna with a nice fresh cucumber (and mayo) for my lunch.

I got to mom’s ~11am and left ~3pm. On the way home I filled my gas tank. At home I put away a load of laundry and tossed the other into the dryer, scooped kitty litter, made an easy supper (Pip had leftover meatloaf I pulled out of the freezer and I made myself open-faced tomato and melted cheese sandwiches with the fresh tomatoes I purchased today), and showered.

I read more in Amelia Peabody and also started and finished another Kindle cozy.

Temps started out at 70.0(F) and reached 92.4.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay today. ( more back here )

I went downtown as usual today and hit Walmart, Price Chopper and the Feedbag. (The first time I’ve been to the Feed Bag since before mom’s surgery! Pip has been having to do the bird seed run.) I also got in a walk around the park and picked up Chinese for lunch.

I was up an hour before Pip, so before I left the house I did a load of laundry, hand-washed dishes, and scooped kitty litter. After I got home I did another load of laundry (both loads got washed and dried, one got folded), hand-washed more dishes, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, grilled country style pork ribs for Pip’s supper, ran a load in the dishwasher, and shaved.

I finished the Kindle cozy and read more in Amelia Peabody. Hold onto your hats, folks, because I also managed to write ~500 words on a new fic for smallfandomfest!!

Temps started out at 70.7(F) and reached 93. We didn’t get the forecasted rain last night, so I didn’t mow the lawn today. It was hot. Hot. Pip wanted to show me where he’d found more berry bushes, so I went for a walk with him and the dogs after lunch. He hadn’t exaggerated, the bramble was huge! So many berries. We picked about two cups, but could’ve been there much longer just to get the ones we could reach. I was ready to die when we got back from that short walk. I had to splash my face with cold water and sit in the AC’d bedroom for a while to cool back down. So HOT. And that was just a short walk, including a bit through the shaded orchard.


( 4 photos I took on that walk )


Mom Update:

Mom had the appointment with her oncologist today. ( more back here )

I left for mom’s a little before 10am; but before I left I did a load of laundry (Pip’s uniforms; washed, dried and hung in the closet), hand-washed dishes, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, and scooped kitty litter.

I stayed until my new usual time of 3pm and stopped at Stewart's on the way home. I didn’t have to make supper because, again, Pip didn’t want anything hot, so he had leftover steak, cold. I hand-washed more dishes and showered.

I watched the current ep of Countdown, read more in Amelia Peabody, and started a different cozy on my Kindle app.

Temps started out at 70.0(F) and reached 93. It was hot. Thankfully I didn’t have to deal with it because I was inside at mom’s the hottest part of the day, until I got home.


Mom Update:

I left for mom’s a little early to help her stir up cookies for my brother’s birthday because I didn’t think she could do it on her own. Spoiler alert: she did it on her own. ( more )

I got in a walk around the park and a walk with the dogs at home, during which I picked some black raspberries! There were a ton on this one bush, but I didn’t feel like getting all scratched up, so I just picked what I could reach easily. (About a cup and a half, I’m guessing.)

I also did two loads of laundry (both washed, dried AND folded), hand-washed some dishes, made egg salad, and scooped kitty litter before I left for mom’s a little before 11am. I picked up some books at the library on the way there. I left at 3pm as has become the norm and did another load of laundry (mom’s, washed, dried and folded since I have to return it today) and hand-washed more dishes. I didn’t have to make Pip’s supper because it was too hot for him to have anything hot, so he snacked on an egg salad sandwich (open-faced) and hard salami.

I read fanfic, the new Murderbot novella and another Holiday Bay cozy, and watched two eps of Smoke.

If you haven’t had a chance to read the new Murderbot novelette Rapport (which is one of those ‘takes place in the Murderbot Diaries ‘verse’ stories) you can find it for free at Reactor Magazine or purchase it from Amazon (on Kindle for $1.99). Or both.

Temps started out at 71.8(F) and reached 92. We had two rounds of thunderstorms during which it rained very heavily and ended up with an inch of rain.


Mom Update:

Mom is finding it easier to get going in the morning, but then she gets tuckered out. ( more back here )

Good season finale! ( spoilers )

As it says on the tin: Good news, stupid humans: Murderbot has been renewed (avclub.com) [The big question is, who is going to play ART?!!]

Mom suggested I not get to her house super early so I can get some stuff done, and we agreed that I’d stop in after my visit to my aunt. I returned home after I dropped Grant off at the garage and did two loads of laundry (even got one dried and folded!), hand-washed dishes, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, vacuumed the bedroom rug, and changed kitty litter. Whew! That’s a full days worth of work for me!

I visited my aunt (she was awake! I showed her some pics of Midnight and Baby A – who is not a baby anymore! She starts pre-K this fall!) and hit the Price Chopper down there because the one I went to yesterday had zero bananas and none of the red grapes I like. I have them now. I got to mom’s about 10:15am and left at 3pm.

I stopped at the library on the way home to return a book (and talked to the librarian about it and the other series she recommended) and hit the bank drive-thru. I baked salmon for Pip’s supper, dried and folded the second load of laundry, hand-washed more dishes, and showered.

I finished the Duncan Kincaid book and read the next Inn at Holiday Bay cozy. (They’re very easy reads and kind of short.)

Temps started out at 62.6(F) and reached 86.4. It was warm out, but not as horrible as when the temps hit the 90s. We were originally supposed to have scattered thunderstorms but they never materialized.


Mom Update:

Mom was sitting on the porch for the second time when I got there. ( more back here )

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning, so I didn’t get to mom’s until 9:20am. I took advantage of the fact that I needed to go downtown for that appointment to do some shopping; I got in Walmart and Price Chopper before my appointment, and the Pharmacy after. I also got in a walk around the park before my appointment.

I then had to go home and unload the car and put away groceries. I was home in time to make supper (Pip requested grilled cheese). I also hand-wash dishes, scooped kitty litter, and placed an online order.

I started the next Duncan Kincaid book and watched the current ep of Resident Alien and an HGTV program.

Temps started out at 65.5(F) and reached 84.2.


Mom Update:

Mom was sitting on her porch when I got there this morning. ( more back here )

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Silence in the Library (A Lily Adler Mystery) by Katharine Schellman, The Falcon at the Portal (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters, I Shall Not Want (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) by Julia Spencer-Fleming, and Portent in the Pages & Poison in the Pudding (The Inn at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley.


What I am Currently Reading: I just finished reading the last book last evening, but today I’m going to start Necessary as Blood (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie.


What I Plan to Read Next: Heir, Apparently by Kara McDowell, unless something else comes in at the library that eclipses it.

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Book 53 of 2025: Silence in the Library (A Lily Adler Mystery) (Katharine Schellman)

I enjoyed this book! ( spoilers )

This was a good book and I've already requested the next in the series. I'm giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 54 of 2025: The Falcon at the Portal (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) (Elizabeth Peters)

Good book! ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book and have requested the next in the series. I'm giving this book five hearts, despite my one disappointment.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 55 of 2025: I Shall Not Want (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Julia Spencer-Fleming)

Good book! ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book and have already requested the next. I'm giving this book five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

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Book 56 of 2025: Portent in the Pages (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

It’s been a while since I’ve read anything in this series, but I was looking for something easy to read after I finished the last book, so I looked through my Kindle library and chose this one. (Technically, I chose a different one that I DNF’d before I got more than a dozen pages into it, so this was my second choice.) This is the sixteenth in the series, to my surprise!

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick comfort read. I was happy to be reintroduced to the characters again. ( spoilers )

There wasn't a whole lot of suspense or concern for the characters, but it did what I wanted it to, which was help me kill a couple hours in an enjoyable fashion. I’m giving it four hearts, and I might even go on and read the next in the series.

♥♥♥♥

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Book 57 of 2025: Poison in the Pudding (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

After reading the other book, I decided to keep on with the series. This one was an enjoyable story, but a predictable mystery. Thankfully I read this series more for the characters and location than I do the mysteries. ( spoilers )

I'm giving this book four hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

I decided to watch this show because of Taron Egerton. I’ve seen the first two eps and enjoyed them. ( spoilers )

I decided to give this show a try mainly because of Jensen Ackles. It's pretty good, though I don't think I'll get fannish about it. And so far I don't have any deep comments about it, but watching the first four eps was a good way to spend some time. ( spoilers )