A Bookish Walk on the National Mall

Last Tuesday instead of taking the metro to work I took it to the Smithsonian station and had myself a field trip.

Late February can be touchy weather wise in Washington, DC, but it turned out to be a perfect day for strolling through museums. There were no lines to get in, and the exhibits weren’t crowded at all.

My initial thought was to see the Nature of the Book exhibit at the Natural History Museum. I had high hopes, but this was really just two cases of books and other artifacts. Pretty, but it took me ten minutes to see.

After looking at the rest of the Natural History Museum I went next door to the National Gallery of Art. I almost had it to myself and spent hours there. I enjoyed all the exhibits, and made sure to snap a pic of Young Girl Reading by Jean Honore Fragonard (pictured above.) The National Gallery has about three or four cafes and I was grateful to sit for a while at one of them. I ordered avocado toast and read my book. My reading choice for a day in DC? It was Rivals by Katherine McGee.

By about 2 pm I was ready to head home, but decided to duck in The American History Museum. They know what they’re doing, and put a huge gift shop right by the entrance. I didn’t buy anything, but I did add Never Panic Early by Fred Haise to my TBR.

Upstairs I hit the highlights. A new addition to the culture section was a costume from The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu.

After that it was time to head home and meet the school bus. It was only a day, but I felt like I had been away for a week. I’m adding it to my to-do list to do this kind of thing more often!

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On My Nightstand March 5, 2023

Happy weekend! I had a great week. I took a day off and took myself on a field trip to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. It’s been a long time (like 20 years) since I spent a day wandering through museums by myself like that. I went specifically to see a certain bookish display, and I’ll post more about that later this week.

This week it’s back to normal working for the man and reading as much as possible!

Have a great week everyone.

What’s on my nightstand this week:

Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King -- I’m re-reading this series in anticipation of Stephen King’s new book Holly which is coming out in September.

Travels With Charley by John Steinbeck -- I read and loved this at the suggestion of a friend a few years ago. John Steinbeck is our Author A Month on Litsy this month, and I’m looking forward to re-reading this one.

A Corpse in the Koryo -- This is for my work book club, and it’s actually not bad! Work book club can be hit or miss.

Quote of the Week:

I’ve found that while a grilled cheese won’t solve my problems for me, it makes them a bit easier to manage.

From Rivals by Katherine McGee

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

Walking Wednesday March 1, 2023

Despite snow last weekend the flowers are really starting to bloom around here now. Love to see it! I’ve been spending more and more time outside and less and less time in the gym. That’s as it should be!

I bailed on the Julia Child biography I was listening to, and have moved on to A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende.

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On My Nightstand February 24 2023

My neighbor’s cat supervised me while i read outside a few days ago

Happy weekend everyone! We’re on another wild weather roller coaster. It was 80 Thursday, and we have snow in the forecast this weekend. I hope the flowers survive.

My daughter’s party was fun last weekend, and we ate so much cake. We all gave up sweets for Lent and we were all so overloaded on sugar no one misses them yet!

This weekend I’m hoping for some quality reading time in between kid’s sports which started again last week. Work has also been a lot which makes it hard to concentrate on reading at night.

Have a great week everyone.

What’s on my nightstand this week:

What The Moon Saw by Laura Resau - I’m reading this for a book club. It’s not what I would pick out on my own, but that’s what books clubs are for!

The Women Could Fly by Megan Giddings - I’ve only listened to about the first 20 minutes of this when I was walking this morning, but wow! I am into it!

Murder With Fried Chicken and Waffles by A.L. Herbert - This cozy mystery takes place about 10 minutes from where I live otherwise I probably would have bailed. Cozies just don’t seem to be my thing any more.

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Walking Wednesday Feb 21, 2023

We had a three day weekend which meant I actually got to go walking in the mountains! I used to do that every weekend, but now that my kids are older it’s harder to get away. It was so nice to be back. I also took a few walks in the neighborhood when work wasn’t so crazy I was glued to my chair all day. Soon it will be light at night again, and it will be much easier to fit these walks in!

I just started listening to Dearie by Bob Spitz. It’s a biography of Julia Child that my library had available in the Libby app.

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On My Nightstand February 19, 2023

Good morning everyone! It’s a long weekend, but our schedules are starting to get packed with sports again. My son has lacrosse and my daughter has ice skating on Monday. I truly love watching them practice and play, but all the driving cuts into my reading time! We’re also celebrating my daughter’s birthday. It was in December, but so close to Christmas we haven’t been able to have a party until now. This is her first party in two years due to Covid, so when she wanted to order a two tier cake that feeds 46 for a party of 12 people I said yes! So it will be a rush to eat 46 servings of cake between now and Ash Wednesday. Goals!

Have a great week everyone.

What’s on my nightstand this week:

Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead - One of my kids insisted on having this at a book fair a few years ago, and then never read it. I decided I should at least read it before we give it away!

Dearie by Bob Spitz - Julia Child is so fascinating, and I’m enjoying this biography.

Diary of a Void by Emi Yagi - This just came in from the library so I haven’t started it yet, but the premise sounded so relatable. A woman in a mostly male office fakes a pregnancy so that she doesn’t get roped into all of the extra chores.

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Walking Wednesday Feb 15, 2023

Seems like we’re not going to get much of a winter this year, so I am embracing spring. Flowers are poking out on my walks, and I started putting a few seeds in. I’d prefer sledding and hot chocolate, but this is nice too.

I’ve been listening to A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier. It’s a book made for walking and puttering.

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Show Us Your Books February 2023

I’ve had a good start to my reading year, and even made some progress on clearing some space on my to be read shelf.

Here are the best of the best from last month.

Five Stars

The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue - My first five star read of the year. I absolutely loved this historical fiction set in Dublin‘s Maternity/Fever ward during the worst days of the Spanish flu. It was written in 2019, but so much of it rang true given our recent experiences since then.

Four Stars

The Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera - This little book about Sri Lanka’s civil war packed a mighty punch. I was a little confused by the characters at first, but I went with it and this book swept me away.

Annapurna: A Woman's Place by Arlene Blum - I was stranded without books and started listening to this just because it was on my phone. To my surprise it was really good! I read a lot of mountaineering books, and this one was so interesting. It was written by a woman expedition leader and she focused on logistics and leadership in a way that others usually don’t. Highly recommend (and I‘m pretty sure I got it for free on audible.)

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng - Sad and hopeful at the same time. Celeste Ng is so good.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn - Kate Quinn is so good at these historical novels. I really enjoyed this one about post WWII war criminals. My only complaint was I thought she could have ended it a bit sooner.

Three Stars

Braver Than You Think by Maggie Downs - It’s always weird rating someone’s memoirs because it’s hard to unravel the person’s life decisions from the writing. The writing here is really good- it will make you want to sell all your belongings and travel the world.

A Study In Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro - This was a fun mystery featuring the descendants of Watson and Holmes solving mysteries at a Connecticut boarding school.

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This is linked to Quick Lit on Modern Mrs. Darcy.

On My Nightstand February 12, 2023

I ended up with a stomach bug last week, so all baking was postponed to this weekend. This weekend we were supposed to go skiing, but it’s going to be warm and raining. We’re learning to be flexible! Either way I’m enjoying these last few weekends before spring sports start again and my free time starts to disappear.

Have a great week everyone.

What’s on my nightstand this week:

Ivona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley - Never got to this one last week. This is an impulse read, and it looks really fun!

A Single Thread by Tracy Chevalier - This is for a backlist reading challenge. I’m looking forward to it.

The Puma Years by Laura Coleman - I’m enjoying this book about a woman volunteering at an animal rescue in Bolivia. (This is free if you have Kindle Unlimited.)

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Walking Wednesday Feb 8, 2023

We finally got some snow! I wasn’t even enough to cover the grass, but it was something.

I’ve been listening to Faithful by Stewart O’Nan and Stephen King. I am ready for baseball to start!

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On My Nightstand February 5, 2023

Happy February! Spring is on the horizon! I can’t wait to start planting my garden and taking long walks in the sun. Porch reading is the best reading, and I’m looking forward to it.

Until then there’s a weekend of polar vortex misery to live through. I plan to catch up on some baking for my #FoodAndLit challenge and of course reading under blankets.

My son has his winter formal this weekend and I feel for the girls who have to wear dresses! Luckily my daughter has all indoor activities. I’m really glad we didn’t decide to go skiing this weekend.

Have a great week everyone.

What’s on my nightstand this week:

Murder in the High Himalayas by Jonathan Green - This is for my work book club. It’s really good so far.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo - I’ve had this on my list for a long time, so I was happy to find the audio version from my library.

Ivona Iverson's Rules for Commuting by Clare Pooley - This is an impulse read, and it looks really fun!

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What's Saving My Life Right Now

I love this tradition from Modern Mrs. Darcy. Every year she posts a list of things saving her life at the half point of winter. (I was today years old when I learned Groundhogs Day was the half point of winter.)

What’s saving my life right now? Books of course. There’s been a lot in my life I need a break from (grief, learning how to parent teens, wondering if I should be doing more for my parents even though they tell me not to, work issues.) I have read so many good books lately. That’s the big picture.

The details? In 2022 my reading had slowed way down. I chalked it up to typical 2022 inability to concentrate. It took me a while to realize that I wasn’t concentrating because I was having trouble seeing the book. Once I started wearing my reading glasses regularly and bumping up the print just a bit on my kindle I suddenly could concentrate on books again. It’s embarrassing to admit a reluctance to give in a little bit to aging almost took my favorite comfort and hobby away. But there you have it.

Walking Wednesday Feb 1, 2023

The weather this week finally improved. We had a string of days with amazing sunrises, and late winter flowers are starting to bloom. I still really want a snow day, but the flowers are nice to see.

I finally Gone With The Wind and am re-listening to Louise Penny’s Glass Houses as a palate cleanser.

On My Nightstand January 29 2023

I’ve been reading a chapter a day of Middlemarch with a group on Litsy, and this chapter title last Monday cracked me up. Yup, a cold rainy pre-dawn Monday in January can feel that way!

Oh well, bad weather makes for good reading!

What I’m Reading This Week:

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell - I’m still listening to this. 10 hours left. I can do it.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallard - This is a fun YA that I’ve been reading on the train. I’m enjoying it.

Braver Than You Think by Maggie Downs - It’s been a while since I read a good travel memoir. I’m hoping to sink into this one over the weekend.

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

Walking Wednesday January 24, 2023

I decided to start my Walking Wednesday posts back up again. I had been running mostly at the gym for a while, and then I hurt my foot. In December I decided I missed walking outside too much and I had to make time to at least take some short walks and record what I see. My favorite walks are when I can space out and listen to audio books, but sometimes I drag my kids along as well.

I’ve been listening to Gone With The Wind all month and I still have 20+ hours to go!

On My Nightstand January 22, 2023

I took last week off from blogging. My new year hadn’t gotten off to a good start, and I decided I needed a reboot. Now I’m back, rested and refreshed, and just a little bit organized. I’m looking forward to catching back up with you all and talking books!

What I’m Reading This Week:

Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng - This has a long wait at the library, so I have to return it next week. From what I’ve read so far that won’t be a problem!

Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell - I’ve been listening to this on audio off and on, but it is also due back at the library soon. I need to get back at it!

End of the Lane by Sonia Parin - I needed something short and light for kindle reading on my commute. I hope this is it!

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

Show Us Your Books January 2023

This isn’t my cat. This is my neighbor’s cat. He sits by my back door and gives me dirty looks most days. It’s kind of the way I feel about January in this area. Too warm to snow, too cold to garden. Oh well, at least it’s good for reading.

Here’s the best of the best from December.

Five Star Reads:

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny - I read this slowly trying to make the time to the next one as short as possible until I couldn’t take it any more and rushed through to the end. What a ride. This installment was more dark and twisted than usual and I‘m here for it.

Four Star Reads:

Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley - I loved this book- the characters and the setting. One of those books that they call YA because of the age of the main character, but it’s not really. (I got this from the library, but I see it’s free on Kindle Unlimited right now.)

Flying Solo by Linda Holmes - I used to love reading Linda’s reviews on Television Without Pity, and I’m happy to say I enjoy her books just as much. I really liked the story line here. There was a whole decoy duck subplot I just got a kick out of.

Search by Michelle Huneveno - After spending the last year hiring in various capacities and on assorted committees this book was so relatable.

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa - On an unnamed island things just disappear, and the Memory Police make sure it stays that way. This book was haunting. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I really liked this book and will read more by this author.

Maggie-Now by Betty Smith - This was the last of Betty Smith‘s books that I had left to read, so finishing it was bittersweet. Like Smith’s other books this one took place in Brooklyn and explored the push and pull between what women want and what society expects.

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On My Nightstand January 8, 2023

Last week was a blur. Getting the kids back to school and getting myself back to the office took all my strength. I did a bit of reading last week, but for the most part I’m still where I was at my last update.

Here’s what I’m reading this week:

The Treeline by Ben Rawlence - This is the January pick for my work book club. I’m about halfway done now. It’s interesting so far.

Travels in Siberia by Ian Frazier - I’m trying to get some of the chunkier unread books off my shelf.

The Last King of Scotland by Giles Foden - We’re visiting Uganda for #FoodAndLit this month, so I got this book. It’s a novel about the private physician of Idi Amin.

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

2022 By The Numbers

I always like to look back at the books I’ve read over the year and see where my stats end up. It doesn’t really matter- I read a lot and I’m not going to push myself to read any more or any less. I do find it interesting to see where my time goes though.

In 2022 I read 209 books.

That’s 26 less than last year, and one more than the year before that.

I read more audiobooks than usual

(I blame my denial of needing reading glasses through most of the year. This stat took a deep dive once I gave in.)

In 2022 50% of my reads were via audio. That’s up from 45% in 2021.

Beverly Cleary and Louise Penny are authors I read a lot of

Usually Stephen King would appear on that list too, but this year I only read one of his books. (Under The Dome- it was okay.) We’ll see if he makes a comeback in 2023.

I’ve already read 3 books in 2023, so we’ll see where my stats are this time next year! My goals are to finish up the Reading Africa and Reading Asia challenges I’ve been working on as well as to read some of the chunky books taking up space on my shelves.

Happy New Year!

On My Nightstand January 1, 2023

Happy New Year! I’m not a fan of New Years Eve, but I do love entering a new year- new beginnings, new books, spring is coming, and so on.

Am I the only one completely done with winter now that the holidays are over?

Here’s what I’m reading this week:

The Treeline by Ben Rawlence - This is the January pick for my work book club. I’m looking forward to it.

Arsenic and Adobo by Mia P. Manansala - I’m looking forward to starting this series.

Travels in Siberia by Ian Frazier - I’m trying to get some of the chunkier unread books off my shelf.

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