The Sunday Post is hosted by the wonderful Kimberly, the Caffeinated Reviewer. It’s a chance to share news, recap the past week, take a look ahead, and showcase our new treasures—I mean books!
This week I’m also participating in The Sunday Salon hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz, and Stacking the Shelves hosted by Marlene at Reading Reality.
The Past Week
In real life: After the election, I veered between grief, anxiety, and despair, which is slowly giving way to resignation and determination. But dwelling on the results and worrying about the future doesn’t put me in a good place to help others. So I’m trying to stay off social media and mostly away from the news for a while, and focus on doing things that bring light into my heart or bring comfort to others. I have been reading, listening to beautiful music, knitting, playing games, and reaching out to family and friends to offer love and support.
I had a cardiac ablation procedure on Friday, to prevent occurrences of an arrhythmia (SVT) that I get occasionally. The doctor says the procedure was successful, but I have to take it easy for a week or so while things heal.
5 Good Things: It would be so easy to succumb to the fear and despair. So I’m trying something I’ve seen on several other blogs in the past months, and listing some good things from this week.
- My procedure went well! It will be such a relief not to have to worry about having an SVT episode while I’m out and about, or on a walk or hike.
- Mr. Bookwyrm has taken wonderful care of me before, during, and after the procedure.
- I reached out to Robin, my parents, and my nieces and nephews to give them love and support after the election, and received the same from them. I am so glad I have such good relationships with my family.
- We got a tiny bit of rain on Friday night, the first in a month. It’s not enough to get us out of near-drought conditions, but even a little bit helps.
- I was able to get most of my clothes and shoes out of the basement storage and put away early in the week, so I’m not limited to a portion of my summer wardrobe anymore. I’m enjoying having my handknits and long-sleeve shirts available. (This is part of the ongoing project of putting the house back together after having the floors redone and half the rooms painted over the summer.)
Recent Posts
- Sunday Post – 11/03/2024
- Sunday Post – 11/10/2024 – this post
Looking Ahead
- Dusk, Night, Dawn, by Anne Lamott – review
- 12 Books with Destinations in the Title – Top 10 Tuesday
- Sunday Post – 11/17/2024
What I’ve Been Reading/Watching (since 7/14/2024)
Reading: It’s been hard to stick to any of my books this week, except rereads. (I can’t imagine why!) I finished rereading Someone to Love, the first book in Mary Balogh’s Westcott series, and started the second book, Someone to Hold, before abandoning it temporarily to read more stories from Feuds (ARC), the latest collection of Valdemar tales edited by Mercedes Lackey. Then I started The Teller of Small Fortunes (ARC) by Julie Leong. I also started a library copy of ADHD Is Awesome!: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD (Penn and Kim Holderness). But on Tuesday, unable to focus on anything new, I went back to Someone to Hold, and followed it up over the next several days with Someone to Wed before starting Someone to Care. I also read Dusk, Night, Dawn: On Revival and Courage by Anne Lamott (review scheduled.)
Listening to: I finished Ivory Vikings: The Mystery of the Most Famous Chessmen in the World and the Woman Who Made Them, by Nancy Marie Brown, read by Tony Ward. I started listening to Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey, read by Christa Lewis. This is a comfort read for me, and I found it very soothing on Friday in my post-anesthesia muzzy-brained state.
Watching: We watched a few episodes of Late Night with Stephen Colbert early in the week. On election night, to keep the tension low, we watched an old childhood Disney favorite, Winnie the Pooh. Now I’m watching some of the BBC Lord Peter Wimsey adaptations from the early 1970s, starring Ian Carmichael. I’ll probably stick to rewatching comfort movies/shows for a while.
Playing: The usual games: Pokemon Go and several NYT word games (Wordle, Connections, Strands, and the Spelling Bee); I have also started playing their Sudoku games. And I played several games of Wingspan on Steam.
Added to the Hoard
(Click title for Goodreads page or my review.)
For Review or Consideration
Many thanks to Avon for The Battle of the Bookshops and HarperCollins for A Language of Dragons!
Purchased or Free (Kindle, print, or audio)
Print: Jane Austen’s England (for research)
Kindle: The Stars Too Fondly; Disturbing the Dead; Always Remember (reviewed Jan. 2024); Dusk, Night, Dawn (review scheduled); Short Stories in Welsh for Beginners
Anne - Books of My Heart
I’ve been mourning this week. I have responsibilities and have to continue though I can’t just isolate and conserve. But pulling back from social media isn’t a bad idea. To some degree I already just look to see if my blog posts went automatically. I then read on Feedly and through Substack most of the things I chose. In Facebook, I have to search for what I want because even notifications I have set don’t work consistently.
You have many good things. I’m glad to hear the procedure went well. It will be lovely to get things back in place in your home.
Anne – Books of My Heart This is my Sunday Post
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Lark_Bookwyrm
Mourning is a good way to put it. I’m not totally off socials; there are some folks I follow that I check in on, and of course I’m not giving up the COYER Facebook group, though I’m not on FB as often these days (even before the election.) But I’m minimizing my time online… which is probably better for me in general.
And thank you, I’m glad the ablation went well, too!
Katherine
Battle of the Bookshops looks good. I’ve really enjoyed everything I’ve read by that author. The Mary Balogh series is on my TBR. My library used to have them all on Hoopla but they recently switched programs and none of the Balogh books are in the new catalog so I’ll have to read them another way. Yay for getting things put away and having more access to your wardrobe. We are about to start the process to replace all the flooring in the house and I am dreading it. I hope you have a wonderful week and find lots of peace and joy.
Lark_Bookwyrm
Oh, I hope your flooring renovation goes well. It’s a big job! I hope you are able to find the Balogh books somewhere. I’ve really enjoyed the Ravenwood series, and most of the Westcott series… although my favorites remain the Bedwyn Saga and its two prequels (One Night for Love and A Summer to Remember.) May you have a peaceful week as well.
Nicole @ BookWyrmKnits
I’ve been trying to do social media in short infrequent bursts as well. We can’t forget self-care.
Hooray for SVT prevention! Also for handknits and long sleeve shirts to wear! I’ve been wearing my handknit socks this past week — it’s still too warm here for sweaters, but I can do socks — and really looking forward to rain. (Maybe we’ll get a little this coming week?)
Nicole @ BookWyrmKnits recently posted…Series Mini Reviews: Wayward Children books 1-4
Lark_Bookwyrm
Yes. We have to take care of ourselves so we can pour out love and support to others.
I’m enjoying my handknit socks and will be adding scarves, shawls, and mitts as the days get colder. Alas, I have never completed a sweater… but maybe 2025 will be the year. I hope you get some rain. It rained again here today—nothing heavy, just gentle, intermittent showers, but it’s something.
Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer
Same Lark. Avoiding the news, grieved and then moved towards doing all that I can to make the world a better place. Hugs. Glad your surgery was successful and you have plenty of support.
Kimberly @ Caffeinated Reviewer recently posted…Sunday Post #653
Lark_Bookwyrm
Thank you, Kimberly. I’m truly blessed to have such a supportive life partner. And like you, I’m gathering my strength to try to make the world a little brighter, kinder, and more loving.
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz
I’m trying to keep calm and stay away from stress, too, so I’m doing many of the same things you are.
I’m so glad that your cardiac ablation procedure went so well!
Deb Nance at Readerbuzz recently posted…The Sunday Salon: I Choose Love
Lark_Bookwyrm
Me too! Yes, we all need to take care of ourselves and each other, now and going forward.
Olivia
I am so glad your procedure went well! As for the election, I am struggling with anger and despair. I’ve been able to get very little reading done this week. Hopefully that will change.
Olivia recently posted…Weekly Reading Update 11-10-2024