Rainy Day Ramblings

The Sunday Post 281st Edition

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

Spring Break 2019 is in the books. The kids went back to school this week, they dragged their feet, but I think they were happy to be back into their routine and happy to see their friends and catch up. As I mentioned last week, spring break was rather boring since we were home bound because Risa was under the weather. She is back to normal and all is good. 

I got a lot done this week having them back in school. Caught up on blogging, got my errands run and some house cleaning. 

The weather this week has been on and off rainy, with heavy rain storms expected all weekend. At least it is warmer. Temps are in the fifties and sixties which makes a world of difference. Spring is definitely in the air. The trees are leafing out and the flowers are blooming. Always a lovely sight. 

How was your week? I hope productive!

Here is what happened on the blog last week:

Monday: Review: An American Princess by Stephanie Thornton

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: How do you feel about author’s throwing big, obscure words into their books?

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Beartown by Frederic Bachman

 

Thursday: Audiobook Review: Us Against Them by Frederic Bachman

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review:

 

Next week:

Monday: Audiobook Review: 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: What are some of your favorite series you would like to see revisited or a spin off?

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Everlasting Rose by Dhonielle Clayton

 

Thursday: Review: Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

That's the report from Oregon. Now get out and enjoy your weekend!

 

The Sunday Post #280th Edition

Spring Break is winding down here in Oregon. I wish I could say that we had a fantastic week. It was a quiet week, and we had to stick close to home as Risa wasn’t feeling well. I took her to the doctor and she was backed up. So this week has been about the colon cleanse for Risa and staying home. She is feeling much better, and I am relieved that she can go back to school on Monday feeling good. 

We hung out, watched several movies, read books and I stitched. I am making great progress on my large cross stitch piece. Here is a picture:

At least we are getting warmer weather, some sunshine and everything is turning green and starting to leaf out. Spring is definitely in the air, which makes you feel good, right?

I hope you all are experiencing sunshine and nice weather. 

 

Here is what happened on the blog last week:

Monday: Audiobook Review: Watcher in the Woods by Kelley Armstrong

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Topics I Avoid in Books

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday: Review: A Summer of New Beginnings by Lisa Hobman

Thursday: Audiobook Review: The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review:

 

Next week:

Monday: Review: An American Princess by Stephanie Thornton

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: How do you feel about author’s throwing big, obscure words into their books? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Beartown by Frederic Bachman

 

Thursday: Audiobook Review: Us Against Them by Frederic Bachman

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

That’s the report from Oregon. Go enjoy some sunshine. 

The Sunday Post 279th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

What a week! I have been off the blog most of the week again. I caught some kind of a bug. At first I thought it was allergies or a minor cold, but then I was so congested and I was having trouble getting deep breaths. So I made a trip to the doctor. There were so many people in the doctor's office who were sick. I guess the flu is going around big time. Anyway, I likely have a nasty respiratory infection. Thankfully, after a couple of days on the antibiotics, I am feeling much much better. I tell you, it has been winter for us. At least we are having some spring like weather, and it is finally warming up. I think, fingers crossed, knock on wood, we are done with the snow! Especially since Spring Break starts next Thursday!

I hope you are all staying well out there. Let's see what I featured on the blog last week:

Monday: Review: A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: To Tour or Not To Tour

Wednesday: Review: The Lake House by Kate Morton

Thursday: Review: Fire Devil by J.L. Bryan

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review:

Next week on the blog:

Monday: Review: The Outsider by Stephen King

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: What personality traits do you love/hate in a character? (Courtesy of Roberta@ Offbeat YA

Wednesday: Review: Now That It's You by Tawna Fenske 

Thursday: Review: He Wrote Her Every Day by Gail Lindberg

Friday: Friday Forecast:

 

Have a wonderful weekend. I hope you are getting some sunshine!

The Sunday Post 278th Edition

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

Ugh! where is spring? I shouldn't complain because we haven't gotten slammed with feet and feet of snow and brutal cold temps here on the West Coast, but still.....December and January were mild and warm, above average temps, and I was feeling good about getting through the winter, and then February hit. February brought record cold temps, several snow storms and lots of cold days. March 1st was warm and sunny, and then we were right back to the cold temps, and had snow on and off for a couple of days at the end of this week. It feels way more like January. The bright spot is that the ski resorts are thriving. Before February, the snow pack in the whole state was around 50-60% of normal, which wasn't looking good for spring and summer, but now with all the snow fall, the snow pack in the state is all above 100% in all areas. That means we shouldn't have drought conditions this summer, so I shouldn't complain, but could it at least warm up? Our daytime highs are supposed to be in the fifties, we are hovering in the upper thirties, lucky to get into the forties. Our nighttime lows are below freezing, again it is March??? I guess we will get to spring sometime.....

I am plugging along, just trying to get through the winter. Good days and not so great days, but we will get through it. 

How are you all faring? Sick of winter????

Alright let's see what I featured on the blog this past week:

Monday: Review: The Way That You Love Me by Miranda Liasson

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Spring Picks 2019

 

 

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Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Summoned to Thirteenth Grave by Darynda Jones

Thursday: Review: Parkland Speaks by Sarah Lerner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review:

Next on deck:

Monday: Review: A Dangerous Collaboration by Deanna Raybourn

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: To Tour or Not To Tour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday: Review: The Lake House by Kate Morton

Thursday: Review: Fire Devil by J.L. Bryan

Friday: Friday Forecast

If you missed my review on Thursday for Parkland Speaks by Sarah Lerner, I urge you to check it out. That book is unforgettable. 

Have a wonderful weekend. Stay warm and dry!

 

 

 

The Sunday Post 277th Edition

 

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

Happy weekend! I have to say that the groundhog definitely lied. At the beginning of February, we were experiencing mild temps, but then we got hit with snow, ice and lots of rain. Our temps for February are below normal, we are in the forties. Still, it is getting better. We are seeing more and more sun breaks, and the forest in my backyard is starting to come alive. I can feel the change in the air, so I know that spring is on the way. 

With the promise of spring, I am finally getting my mojo back. I was much more motivated this week. I wrote nine reviews this week. I was way behind, now I am caught up. I have been working like a fiend, and as a result, I have most of March prepped and ready to go. What a relief. 

This past week, I read Parkland Speaks, it is the book written by the students and staff from Marjorie Stoneman Douglas School in Florida, the scene of the horrendous Valentine’s Day shooting last year. This was an emotional, powerful, moving and sad book. I urge you to read it if you get a chance. My hope is that those students will continue to push for change and fight for gun control so we can all feel safer about our schools. I will have the review up on the blog in the next week or so. 

Anyway, let’s talk about blog stuff. This past week on the blog I featured:

Monday: The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris

Tell Me Something Tuesday: How Much Will You Pay?

Wednesday: Review:Audiobook Review: Maybe Not by Colleen Hoover

Thursday: Review: The Guests on South Battery by Karen White

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review: 

 

Next week: 

Monday: Audiobook Review: An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Keeping the TBR Pile in Check

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen McManus

Thursday: Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Friday: Friday Forecast

That’s a wrap from Oregon. Enjoy your weekend!

The Sunday Post 276th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

Happy weekend. Hope you guys had a good week. I still have been off my game, and my motivation has been severely lacking. Luckily, I finally got with it this past few days and got back to blogging. It made me feel better to get caught up. This winter has kicked me in the behind hard core. I am more than ready for spring. Unfortunately, after mild weather in December and January, February decided to bring winter’s wrath to the Northwest. Seattle got hammered with snow, and we fared a bit better here in Portland, but we still saw snow, ice and lots and lots of rain. The skies are dreary gray and it has been gloomy. We have also seen the coldest temps this month that we have seen all winter. I am relieved though because I know that it is almost March, and better weather is on the way. Just have to hold tight and get through the last of winter. 

Thanks to all of you who continued to visit my blog while I was off the blogosphere for a few days. Your comments are always much appreciated. 

I am catching up and returning comments and writing backlogged reviews. I hate when I get behind. 

Here’s hoping that you are all surviving winter. We will make it to spring. 

 

Alright, let’s see what happened on the blog last week:

Monday: Review: The Proposal by Jasmine Gullory

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Recent Favorite Romantic Reads

Wednesday: Review Cowboy Brave by Carolyn Brown

 

Thursday: Audiobook Review: Fight or Flight by Samantha Young

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review: 

 

Next up:

Monday: The Fine Art of Pretending by Rachel Harris

Tell Me Something Tuesday: How Much Will You Pay?

Wednesday: Review: A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

Thursday: Review: The Guests on South Battery by Karen White

Friday: Friday Forecast

That’s it from Oregon. Stay warm, stay safe and be happy!

 

 

That’s it from Oregon. Stay warm, stay safe and be happy!

That’s it from Oregon. Stay warm, stay safe and be happy!

The Sunday Post 275th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

Happy weekend! It is finally February. Thank goodness. I saw this meme recently, and after this January, I totally think it applies.

I am so happy that January is finally in the rear view mirror. It was a long month. I am glad it’s February and that we are inching closer and closer to Spring. I can’t complain too much about our weather here in Portland over the past week. We had several days with sunshine and warmish temps. Unlike so many of you who suffered through the Polar Vortex. I grew up in Idaho, and I have experienced cold temps like that. I am glad that I don’t have to go through that anymore. Portland may get a lot of rain in the winter, but our temps are usually pretty mild. We might get a couple of snow storms a year, but usually nothing major. We might even get a light dusting this weekend, who knows. I just know that Spring isn’t too far off now. We can get there. 

 

Are you watching the Super Bowl this Sunday? We always watch. My husband and I love football. I am not really invested in it though as I am tired of the Patriots always winning, and I don’t think the Rams will beat them. Either way, we will have fun and enjoy the game. 

 

I haven’t been reading as much lately, nothing seems to be grabbing my attention. I am hoping that will change. I have been stitching quite a bit, and I am working on a big piece. This is Phoenix Rising so far. 

 

Anyway, thanks for all your well wishes. I am beating those winter blues and finally feeling better. I hope you are all beating those pesky blues as well. 

 

Alright, here is what went down on the blog last week:

Monday: Audiobook Review: Rule by Ellen Goodlett

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: What things turn you off in a book blurb (courtesy of Roberta@ Offbeat YA)

 

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven

Thursday: Audiobook Review: The Elizas by Sara Shepherd

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

 

Received for review:

 

Next up:

Monday: Review: Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Compton

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Blogging Misconceptions

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Love a la Mode by Stephanie Kate Strohm

 

Thursday: Review: The Magnolia Inn by Carolyn Brown

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

That’s it from Oregon. Stay warm, stay safe and be happy!

The Sunday Post 274th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

It’s the weekend and we have sunshine today in Oregon. Seeing the sun does wonders for my mood. January has not been a good month for me. Last week, I had to take a couple of days for mental health days. I am feeling better now. Hopefully, the worst of the winter blues is behind me. At least, January is almost over and we have warmer, drier weather in the forecast. I hope you are all hanging in there! 

For all of you out there who are federal workers and feeling the pains of the government shutdown, my heart goes out to you. Let's hope this ends soon! 

Let’s see what happened on the blog last week:

Monday: Audiobook Review: The Reckoning by John Grisham

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Beating the Winter Blues

 

 

 

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: The Dinner List by Rebecca Serle

Thursday: Review: Angelfall by Susan Ee

Friday: Friday Forecast

 

 

 

 

 

Received for review:

 

Next week:

Monday: Audiobook Review: Rule by Ellen Goodlett

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: What things turn you off in a book blurb (courtesy of Roberta@ Offbeat YA)

 

 

 

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven

Thursday: Audiobook Review: The Elizas by Sara Shepherd

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

 

 

 

 

That’s the report from Oregon. Go out and have a great weekend and be kind to one another. 

The Sunday Post 272nd Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

Happy first weekend of 2019. How did the first week of the New Year go for you? We are still on Winter Break here in Oregon, so things haven’t settled into a normal routine for us. I am more than ready for the kids to head back to school on Monday. The break seems like it has been incredibly long this time around, I think because there was more time on the back end, after the holidays. The kids are tired of being cooped up, and I think they are ready to settle back into a normal schedule. I am! 

I at least managed to get back into my exercise routine, and I have been trying to blog this week. Things will be better next week as everything settles down. 

I hope you all are finding a good rhythm for your 2019. Be positive, have hope and be brave. We will get through these turbulent times and things will get better. 

Here is to a new year, and lots of good books. 

Here is what happened on the blog part of last week:

Monday-Tuesday New Year break.

Wednesday: Review: Eat, Pray, Die by Chelsea Field

Thursday: Audiobook Review: My Favorite Half Night Stand by Christina Lauren

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review:

 

Next week on the blog:

Monday: The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton

 

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Words to Live By

Wednesday: Audiobook Review: The Winters by Lisa Gabriele

 

Thursday: Audiobook Review: Fruit of a Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

Okay, that’s a wrap. Get out and enjoy your weekend, or stay in and snuggle up with a good book or two. 

 

The Sunday Post 271st Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

Another week has slipped by. I can’t believe we are only about ten days away from the big day. I spent a lot of time chasing around getting things done this week. It was a huge relief to get the three cross stitches I made for my sister in law and two nieces ironed, stretched and pinned ready to put into a frame. They are going to Idaho, so I had to mail them to my sister, and she will get them into the frames since it would cost me and arm and a leg to mail three framed pictures. I even survived a trip to the post office. I am so glad that is taken care of!  Here are the pictures:

This coming week will be all about the gift wrapping as the kids will be out of school on Friday. I need to have everything wrapped and organized. We won’t be putting any of the gifts under the tree until Christmas Eve as the two monsters would like have a heyday ripping open the presents. I hate to say this, but I will be glad to take the Christmas tree down on December 26th. The kitties won’t leave it alone!

I also finished up the annual Christmas ornaments for my kids, my nieces and nephews. They are a lot of work every year, but it is so fun to see their faces on the tree each year. These are this year’s ornaments:

I am almost to the finish line. My goal is to have everything pretty much wrapped up by next Friday so we can rest and relax before the big day. What about you all, how are you doing with the holiday crunch?

Next week will be my last week of blogging until 2019. My blog goes on break starting on the 22nd. I am going to use the time off to reenergize for next year and plan ahead. Luckily, I have already gotten almost all of my reviews written and posted for January, so I can definitely kick back a bit. 

 

Okay, I hope you are all staying sane and getting through the last of the holiday craze. 

Here is what happened on the blog last week:

Monday: Audiobook Review: The Christmas Train by David Baldacci

Tell Me Something Tuesday: Book Disappointments of 2018

Wednesday: Novella Reviews: Naughty but Nice by Donna Kauffman and Christmas on Cape Cod by Nan Rossister

Thursday: Audiobook Review: Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie MaComber

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review:

 

Next week on the blog:

Monday: Review: A Christmas Date by Camilla Isley

 

Tuesday: Best of 2018

Wednesday: Review: Holiday Kisses Anthology

 

Thursday: Audiobook Review: One Day in December by 

 

Friday: Friday Forecast

Two other things to note before I sign off, be sure to enter my Midwinter’s Giveaway Hop, and if you are still looking to buy books for the holidays, you can grab a great promo code on Amazon. Buy $20.00 of books and receive $5.00 off. Click here for details.

 

Have a lovely weekend, be kind to others and yourself and remember to relax and try and enjoy the holiday season. 

And because resistance is futile.... here is my stitching buddy: