Friday, March 17, 2023

Weekly Update

Weekly update - Glad to have had the pressure washers gone and the house looks good.  Well, except for some of the peeling paint in some places.  We have two companies come out for estimates to paint the house and have new gutters installed.  Waiting on the estimates so we know which to choose.  The house should look shiny and appealing after  some much needed TLC.

Reading / I was starting to wonder if I'd find just the right book to spark my interest in reading again.  I tried several books which were on my Goodreads list and couldn't connect.  Maggie O'Farrell came through for me with This Must Be The Place . It's nice to get lost in a book again. (Click on book title link for review)


Also read the Ann Cleeves book The Woman of the Island about Vera Stanhope.  It's billed as Vera 9.5 as it's a short story. 


In the kitchen for this week I posted about the couscous and scallops, wines and more HERE.

Watching / London Kills has been a hit with us and we finally have season three.  Just picked up these DVDs from the library.  As there is a wait list for the Man Who Fell to Earth we will start it first, see if we like it.



Linking up with

36 comments:

  1. Both books sound good. I have friends who live in Donegal Ireland. Ireland has been on my vacation list for a while.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Vicki, we loved visiting Ireland but never got to Donegal. I enjoyed the book.

      Delete
  2. I find Maggie O'Farrell too upsetting, a good writer but dwelling on heartbreak and suffering. I know people who love her, though. But she's too much in my PTSD areas! But, that said, yes, great to find a writer you can get right into.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Boud, I've enjoyed all of her books so far. It's the quality of writing.

      Delete
  3. Good to hear you found some readable books AND got some work done on your house. I finished one or two this week that were pretty good, and I'm about to start one that a friend recommended. I didn't know there was a new "Man who fell to earth," only knew about the 1970s movie.

    best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mae, I am also glad to get my reading streak back again. I'm currently reading American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld.

      Delete
    2. I loved American Wife on audio, but I've liked every Curtis Sittenfeld book I've read, whether in print or on audio.

      Delete
  4. I have three of Maggie O'Farrell's books in my stacks and am looking forward to read them soon! Have a great weekend, Tina.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Les, I'd love to know what you think and which titles you have.

      Delete
    2. I hae Instructions for a Heatwave, The Hand That First Held Mine, and This Must be the Place. I've already read Hamnet and The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox. I'd like to get a copy of The Marriage Plot, as well as I Am I Am I Am.

      Delete
    3. Ooo, you have quite a few. I have not read Hamnet or The Marriage Plot but have read the others.

      Delete
  5. I'm glad that you found your path back to reading. I'm struggling with that, partially because I'm doing more than the usual amount of reading for a purpose and that manages to get in the way of reading for pleasure. I liked Hamnet, so I should definitely try another Maggie O'Farrell book.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joy, thank you, I was happy to get involved with a new book and it's jump started me!

      Delete
  6. London Kills looks good! I've been in a mild reading slump lately. For the most part I've liked what I've read but I haven't picked up anything I was really excited to get back into since I read Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murder last month. I'm starting a Mrs. Pollifax tonight so I'm hoping that will reverse the slump.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Katherine, we are enjoying the show and like crime dramas so I have a few more series in the lineup....eventually. I know what you mean about picking up a book and not getting excited. I was thinking my book love was waning and that would be so sad!

      Delete
  7. Best of luck with the painting. As much as my condo complex frustrates me, that is one things I appreciate about it - I don't have to worry about painting. Just the water that comes into my closet from the power washing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mark. We had water inside too. A condo would be great for the no maintence part of our home issues!

      Delete
  8. I've only read Hamnet by her and absolutely loved it, now her backlist is on my TBR and I'm eager to get reading..... Glad she was your door back into books.
    Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Terrie, I have not read that book by O'Farrell but will add to my list.

      Delete
  9. I am glad that you found a book that you can settle into! It's tough to get through those reading lulls. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Erin, this one got me reading and then I moved on to two ore books!

      Delete
  10. Good luck with the house project! I hope you have a great week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, AJ. Hoping this all comes together soon!

      Delete
  11. We both are having trouble getting into a reading groove. I think it is because we are both doing house stuff. I love Maggie's books but our library doesn't have this one nor American Wife!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jackie, Just finished American Wife. Longish book of 555 pages. It was almost tedious with the amount of detail yet I didn't stop reading.

      Delete
  12. I have yet to read any Maggie O'F! I think she would totally be my cup of tea, too.

    That must feel really good to have your house looking all pretty and gutters draining properly, etc. Have you decided on a paint color?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jinjer, I'm just glad an author got me out of my reading slump!
      Yes, we are planning on alabaster from Sherwin Williams and black door and gutters. Currently it's a pale blue like a beach house and it's so in need of a facelift.

      Delete
  13. Yay for pressure washing being done!! I'm glad you found an author to get you out of your reading slump, that's always a great thing!! Have a wonderful week!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cindy, thanks so much. I'm glad the pressure washing is out of the way too!

      Delete
  14. I'm glad the whole pressure washing experience is behind you now... what an ordeal! Happy to hear This Must Be the Place is another Maggie O'Farrell hit for you. It's waiting on my kindle and will be the next of her titles I read. Looking forward to it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JoAnn, I like her style of writing. Next project here is the house painting. It's always something.

      Delete
  15. I have The Marriage Plot ready for me to borrow through the library on audio but have been postponing the delivery due to my recent 30-hour audiobook (well worth it!) The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois. I listened to Hamnet on audio (fantastic!) and I Am I Am I Am (incredibly good!) and read Instructions for a Heat Wave as an e-book (loved it!) but looking up all her books, I see I am not keeping up with Maggie O'Farrell's writing. I haven't read This Must Be the Place yet. Going on my TBR now!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laurie, if you haven't read The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox I'd recommend that one by O'Farrell. It's very good.

      Delete
  16. There should be a name for an author and/or a book that gets us out of a reading slump. Slump Relief? Reading Reviver? Glad Maggie O'Farrell was helpful.

    We've been through a bathroom remodel, a kitchen remodel, new windows, and new floors in recent years---and none of these at the same time. It was hard to focus on books while they were going on.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Deb, I agree, there out to be a name for those type books to get us out of a slump. We had an extensive remodel 2 years ago and now here we go with the exterior!

      Delete
  17. It IS nice to get lost in a book!! Glad you found one that spoke to you in this moment in time! I am actually very book excited today since my requested copies of the newest books by David Serdaris (Happy Go Lucky) AND Margaret Atwood (Old Babes in the Wood) both arrived in my hand from the library!

    ReplyDelete

Welcome and thank you so much for visiting. If I don't answer you here I will get back to you on your blog. Also have had to switch to approving comments due to some SPAM lately. Alas...

It's been a good run...........