Tag: SundaySalon

Sunday Salon

Hello, everyone!

It’s my first post in weeks. I’ve had a very busy time lately. I’ve been spending it mostly working, cooking, socializing and doing chores for a house sit. I have not even finished a book in two weeks. I’ve been without a knitting project for even longer.

I have been reading this weekend and hope to finish tomorrow: Anne Bronte’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. This was my Classics Spin book from September, but I never got around to reading it. I started it weeks ago, but I haven’t been able to pick it up until this weekend. I am enjoying it even for its gritty realism.

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day in Canada and gratefully, I get tomorrow off from work so I can take time to read. Blogging won’t resume on a regular schedule for a couple of weeks.

When I can blog again, I hope to write about some of my cooking and baking adventures. I have had many the past couple of weeks. I realized that I am a worse food blogger than I was a few years ago. I just don’t have the energy or time to make food, photograph it and blog about it on a daily basis. I’ve lost count of the recipes I have tried, but there will be at least one cookbook review out of it and a couple of posts on sourdough bread.

If anyone else is still reading the blog, how is everyone doing?

Sunday Salon

Happy Sunday! It’s been a few weeks since my last Salon. Actually, I’ve become quite busy lately. I am too tired and fatigued to read on the weekdays, and I must run errands or have social engagements on the weekends. I have managed to read at least one book per week, but just barely.

Today, I am reading Marsha Altman’s P&P sequel The Darcys & the Bingleys. I really should be reading my Classics Spin book Anne Bronte’s The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. I will start that, but I must consider the over two dozen books from the library. I bought a couple of cookbooks and a calligraphy book the other week too. I still have at least 30 books unsorted in the house that I got this summer.

Books are my addiction!

In fitness news, I ran a 4KM colour run two weeks ago and no running since. Once again, no time, but it was good. I hope to run more as the weather gets chillier. I am biking about 4 days of the week now. I don’t know if my endurance or legs muscles are better, I am definitely faster and more confident on the road. I’m surprisingly enjoying myself. I even bought some lights for my wheels so I can bike in the dusk.

In knitting news, there is no knitting news. Sigh.

Food news, I started my sourdough starter yesterday! I hope to make sourdough in a couple weeks time. Exciting.

What have you been doing this weekend?

Sunday Salon

This weekend, I finished reading Georgette Heyer’s The Toll-Gate and am now going through Gretchen Rubin’s Happier at Home.

Sadly, I have a cold. I’ve been fighting to get one for the last couple of weeks now, and it finally landed with a strong cough, sore throat and sneezing. It’s only gotten worse with the weekend so I’ve been cooped up at home with the books.

I also watched Star Trek: Into the Darkness. It was alright, but I think I liked the first movie more. I am watching less and less movies and full wrong TV shows these days as work, real life, books and blogging take precedent.

Reading during the week is now more difficult because I am working again. I was only able to read more this weekend because I’ve been ill. I have been missing it lately, and it’s doubtful I’ll find more time to read since I like to take advantage of the autumn weekends.

The weather is cooler and this week, I rearranged my wardrobe and took some of my handknits out. Autumn is my favourite season in Canada so I am excited that is here finally, but of course, a bit sad to see summer go.

How is your September coming along?

Sunday Salon

This week, I posted my selection for Classics Club Spin 3, a WIP socks post, and my review of Sedaris’s Holidays on Ice.

This weekend, I read Robin Sloan’s Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore (awesome – review to be up tomorrow) and Georgette Heyer’s The Corinthian.

The weather is slowly warming up again. The last hurrah of summer here. As a result, I was out too long in the sun yesterday. I got a headache from that and probably the cough I woke up with this morning. As I try avoid taking painkillers unless necessary, the headache grew worse so I was not able to do much last night except I did read.

It’s marvelous when you’re not feeling well, but you can still read!

I start a new contract this week which is good in that I will get paid again. I will miss my holidays though. It’s like going back to school all over again.

What are you doing this week?

Sunday Salon

Hello everyone!

This week, I finished Through the Children’s Gate and that’s about it. I’ve still not recovered my reading momentum. I have too much on my mind.

I’ve been trying to figure out which book to read next. I realized that most of the books I have from the library are nonfiction books. One of my goals this year was to read more nonfiction, and I’ve succeeded! However, now I’m less sure of which fiction books to read next.

Sometimes, you’re just in a mood to be taken away into a fictional world. Actually, that’s most often my mood, but I really need these days I think. I didn’t read much in July due to the trip, and what I did read was nonfiction.

Still not sure what to read next. I’ll consider it more thoroughly after I cleaned a bit today.

In other news, I got some more books a couple weeks ago. I said I wouldn’t anymore this year, but they were free! Someone in the neighborhood put them out. I took about most of the books (10ish) because we seem to have similar tastes. I got a couple works by W. Somerset Maugham which they obviously liked and I adored Of Human Bondage.

For space reasons, I had to sequester them away until I can find space for them. I really should start giving books away, but I haven’t read most of the books I own so can’t do that just yet. I also have just random piles of books. How do you make space for books?

Off to try and be productive for the the millionth time.

Have a good first week of August!

Sunday Salon

Hello, world! It’s good to be back and blogging.

It’s a rainy Sunday which is great for a day at home reading, writing and relaxing. I’ve been very busy since I got back from my holiday in NY. I still haven’t gone through all my 1000 photos. I forgot how daunting it is to go through so many photos.

I am still reading Adam Gopnik’s Through the Children’s Gate. It’s going much more slowly than I thought. I hope to finish it today and move onto something else tomorrow.

This past week, I have been recovering and shopping too much. July has been a shopping month for me. I tend to be a binge shopper so hopefully August will have a bit of a reprieve. I am drafting up blog posts for the future, but not so much about books, more so about stationary.

I was reading a lot before my trip and now I’ve lost some momentum in the last two weeks. I hope I can balance my responsibilities, social life, and the hobbies again. Does coming back from a trip do that to you too?

July has been a good month, and I’m optimistic for the end of the summer. I hope to run again soon and read even more.

Have a great week!

Sunday Salon

Hello, everyone!

This week, I posted my review for Son by Lois Lowry and read Cooked by Michael Pollan (review up tomorrow). I started Paul Theroux’s The Last Train to Zona Verde yesterday and will finish it up today so I can start Adam Gopnik’s Through the Children’s Gate.

It’s been hot and humid these last couple of days. I’m not working these days which is not ideal, but I have free time. I am also going to on holiday to New York City later this week. The blog will be a bit slow in for the next two weeks. I doubt I will be reading much on holiday.

I’ll be taking a lot of photos. I also bought the NY City Pass which means hitting up to 4 museums on my fiveish days in the city. I’ll be catching up with an old friend in the hot NY summer. I don’t think I’ll be eating or sleeping very much. I also have to be careful because of the urges to shop.

This holiday is necessary. I have not traveled on my own in three years.

Will you be going anywhere this summer?

Sunday Salon

Happy weekend, everyone! Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians for tomorrow!

This week, I have not been reading much. I’m still working on On the Road. It has taken me awhile; I like the style, but the lack of cohesive plot or direction has made me unlikely to pick it up. I’ve been stuck at the halfway point for a few days now. I hope to finish it today maybe?

In other news, I went strawberry picking this week, but I don’t think I will be able to make much jam this summer. 🙁

Lots of reading ahead though!

The topic of abandoning books has come up on GoodReads a bit the last week.
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Sunday Salon

Hello, everyone!

It’s been a tiring week for me, but I managed to read a couple of books: Stoner by John Williams, Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops by Jen Campbell, and William – An Englishman by Cicely Hamilton (review up tomorrow).

Yesterday, I also started Jack Kerouac’s On the Road. If I manage to finish that, I want to start J. K. Rowling’s Casual Vacancy.

The weather has been fairly nice this week up until rain yesterday, but I was tired and sluggish most of the week so I haven’t run since Wednesday. Hopefully, I can do my usual 7km today and then have a nice long sleep before my last week of this job. I’m excited as I bought my ticket to New York this week as well.

In other bookish news, all the books I bought last week are in a giant pile by my library books. I have these piles on the floor by my desk because I lack space. I’ve had to put some of my read novels in my clothing closet since I have no book shelf space for them anymore.

What happens when you run out of space for books? Do they pile out around you?

Sunday Salon

Hello, everyone!

It’s been a bookish week for me. I read finished four books this week: Unnatural Creatures stories selected by Neil Gaiman, Soulless vol. 2 by Gail Carriger and REM, Raven Girl by Audrey Niffenegger, and Wedding Night by Sophie Kinsella (review up tomorrow). I also bought some books.

It’s used book sale season! Even though I made a resolution to not buy any more books with one exception, I still had to hit my favourite used book sale yesterday and one last thursday. I went looking for the exception: food and cookbooks. In addition to seemingly collect yarn, pens, and paper, I’ve been building a big cookbook collection the last two years. As well as cookbooks, I was looking for any travel books.

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Sunday Salon

Hello, all!

It’s been a very wet couple of weeks. A couple of sunny days early in the week, but mostly wet and humid the rest of the way. I was even caught in the rain yesterday. I had an umbrella, but that didn’t stop my backpack, shoes and most of my clothing from being soaked. I threw out the umbrella when I got home.

Reading wise, I’ve queued up books for June, but didn’t start a book until yesterday. Clash of Kings is the read for this weekend.

I will also need to read two books for the Classics Club this month. This weekend was my first anniversary of the challenge. I’ve read 13 books out of the minimum 50 books. I know if I dedicate more time to completing that challenge over others, I can complete it quickly. I am taking it slowly though, but it is always at the back of my reading mind.

Fitness: Not that great with the rain. I ran three times this past week, but not very much each time. The last time, I became very red and overheated because it was so hot and humid even at 8pm at night.

Today, more reading, maybe a walk but not a run and then a dinner out. I’ve eaten out a lot now that it’s warmer. That means I should exercise more. But first some reading and knitting!

Have a good week, everyone!

Sunday Salon

Hello, everyone! It’s the first long weekend of the summer, and I haven’t done much. Poo.

I went to a tulip photo spree on Tuesday. Usually, I do not take a lot of flower photos, but tulips are one of my favourite flowers and are omnipresent this time of year. May is one of my favourite months.

Tulips 2013

This week, I read and watched War Horse (review up tomorrow). Today, I am going to read Gail Carriger’s Etiquette and Espionage. It won’t take me long so I may also start Stoner by John Edward Williams or Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin or one of the other many (MANY) books I have from the library.

Sometimes, knowing how many books I have in the house unread makes me overwhelmed, but in a good way mostly.

Tulips 2013

Fitness: I wanted to run yesterday or today, but I think I’ll hold it off until tomorrow since it’s about to rain soon. I did at least go rock climbing on Friday. I average about 8km a week for running which is just OK, but not great. I really need to get up to 10-12km a week at least.

In other news, I’m planning on a trip to New York City in July which for me will mean seeing an old friend, exploring a new city, taking lots of photos and modest shopping. I’m looking forward to it.

How is your weekend so far?