What I'm Reading Wednesday #5

Prompt 37: Started on the 26th of a month

If I hadn't known this was the first published book of this Queen of Crimes author and read it as part of my Personal Curriculum for The Golden Age of Detective Fiction, I wouldn't have finished it. A rambling story that shows the promise fulfilled in her later books. 2.5 stars.

For fun - The second book in a series - hope there are more. 4 stars.

Prompt 10: Spans a decade or more.

I picked this up from a Little Free Library and it was a "beach read". Predictable plot; well written. 2.5 stars.

Welcome to February - Vision board + task goals

I am trying out doing a monthly vision board plus specific tasks/goals each month. The vision board is

reflective of what I want the month to feel like. Tasks/goals are what I hope to accomplish.

February important tasks/goals:

- Manet & Morisot Exhibition at the SF Legion of Honor with my neighbor

- Date Night babysit for 9 year old grandgirl

- New recipe and/or restaurant

- Outing with dog

- Brewery tour (Christmas gift) with Hubby

- Try Feldenkrais 4 week program at rec center

- Research water heater replacement options and schedule work

- One small house fix it/upgrade project

FEBRUARY INSPIRATION BOARD

CALM SPACES

KEEP DINING ROOM TABLE & OTHER FLAT SURFACES CLEAR

ADD MORE FLOWERS OR PLANTS

ADD COLORS I LIKE IN SMALL DOSES

RELAXING DAYS

READ A LOT

DRAW WITH COLOR

PLAY WITH DOG & GRANDGIRLS

NEW EXPERIENCES

FELDENKRAISE AT REC CENTER

NEW RECIPES & RESTAURANTS

ART EXHIBIT

BREWERY TOUR

Five Things #5

After "dog spa day" yesterday - looking handsome

I hope everyone stayed warm and safe this week! 

For us this was a week of one off spending and making future spending decisions, but all useful and needed.

1. I'm starting to prepare for doing our taxes. I bought TurboTax on sale to download when I'm ready and made my list of all the tax documents/info we will need. As I recall some were not available until mid-February last year but we have already received one in the mail and notices to print others.

2. We have decided to "kick the can down the road" and replace our water heater with a gas tank one. Have to do it soon to meet the deadline for them being unavailable here. Our son decided to do the same thing and replace his aged on demand gas water heater this year.

3. We seem to run low on dinner plates and drinking glasses. I found a reasonable deal on eBay for 6 plates for our set and bought them. The set is one I took from my parent's house after they had died and we do like the basic whiteness of them with an embossed tulip pattern.

4. One of our space heaters died so we bought a replacement. 

5. And other spending outside of the routine - 

• Younger grandgirl is visiting us for "special time with Nana & Papa" tomorrow morning and has announced she is not wearing diapers anymore. I bought a foldable toddler toilet seat that fits on top of the existing one. Wish her (and us) good luck.
• We got takeout pizza and salad. Needed a cooking break.

What I'm Reading Wednesday #4

I got sucked into this series - fantasy, romance, adventure, evil vs good, redemption, a dragon & more - oh my! I do have to say the 3rd book was not as enjoyable as the story took some very dark turns.

Prompt 23: Grumpy sunshine trope - "Assistant to the Villain"

Prompt 8: A 3 syllable word in the title - "Apprentice to the Villain"

Prompt 5: Featuring a conspiracy - "Accomplice to the Villain"

Five things #4

1. The electrician fixed the dishwasher outlet situation and added 2 outlets in the garage since there was only the one by the dryer. In the process they discovered the breaker sub-panel had issues and fixed those. The fact that we have 2 fuse sub-panels is less than optimal, but we're not ready to address that yet.

2. The dishwasher is installed! It's nice and shiny and quiet.

3. Interestingly, in the 2 big metro areas of California, on Jan 1, 2027 it will no longer be possible to buy and install a gas water heater. Next project is researching replacing the existing gas tank water heater with the same or installing an integrated heat pump electric water heater. Regardless, replacement will happen this year as the current water heater is 14 years old.

4. Oh, almost 3 year olds! We babysat briefly on Monday as son had an appointment and schools were closed. "Read me the poop book Nana!" Uncle & Aunt gave her a book titled "Who Poops in the North Woods" for Christmas. It actually was about animal tracking, but her focus was on the poop!

5. No rain continues but it is getting colder and grayer. The lovely warm sunny days were great though.

What I am reading Wednesday #3

Winter is when I read the most so I am zipping through the 52 prompts.

Prompt 28 - From a series at least eight books long

There are 14 primary books in this series with many, many short stories in addition. This was a good read although the plot started to get redundant. 4 stars.

Prompt 12 - A genre-defining read

I don't recall actually reading this before and, after reading about the author being a founder of the white feather movement in England during WWI (shaming men who were presumed to have avoided military service) and her belief that the aristocracy were much superior to everyone else, I almost skipped it. 

However, she was one of the Queens of Crime along with Agatha Christie, so reading it meets one of my personal curriculum goals. It is considered to have created and defined the masked avenger genre.  The writing is rather overwrought. 3 stars.

Prompt 10 - Spans a decade or more

I have such mixed feelings about this book. It ran the gamut of deep human emotions, jumped around in time and character perspectives and spanned at least 30 years. But I kept reading! It was translated from French and apparently was a big hit in France. It gets either 2 or 4.5 stars - can't make up my mind.

Prompt 24 - Uneven number of chapters

A rather silly premise but an enjoyable read. Part of a series. 3 stars.

Mid-month update

First off, I made some good choices in what I asked for for Christmas gifts.

- I used the Dustbuster to vacuum the car. OMG, so much easier and faster.

- The foot roller really helps alleviate pain and cramping.

- Love the AirPods especially when Hubby is practicing drumming.

- Looking forward to booking our brewery tour in Sonoma County which is N/NE of us a bit. This was really a gift to Hubby but the tour is for 2.

And now a focus on the progress I have made with my goals related to changing habits. 

It is so easy to add a pleasurable habit or one of necessity but others not so much. Of course, whole books have been written about how to get new habits to stick.

I have made progress so far this month - 

- It is turning into a "dryish" January not dry January but that is progress and I am ok with that.

- I have found an approach to brushing the dog's teeth that he doesn't hate so much. Now to link it to another habit to make it a routine that I always do.

- Journaling every day using prompts. Just brief entries but helpful.

- I have been exercising although not as much as I want or need to. A plus is that I haven't had any sciatica flare ups or other issues that stop me from exercising.

Better results in non-habit development goals for the month.

- The dishwasher replacement "project" will be finished this week. Hopefully we will also have one or two additional outlets in the garage at a not-astronomical cost.

- Managed to adjust my sewing machine so it is working properly again.

- Lots of reading which I really enjoy.

- Went to the vision board workshop and had fun.

- Thrifted a scarf in just the color I was wanting plus 2 long sleeve tops. I've worn the scarf and one top which turns out I really like. If the other top isn't a good addition I'll add it to my Go Bag as I need to upgrade the clothes in it.

I am feeling positive about the rest of the month with things to look forward to and continued focus on forming habits that stick.

- Saw family and helped them out.