I got in a walk around the park and a walk with the dogs at home, during which I picked some black raspberries! There were a ton on this one bush, but I didn’t feel like getting all scratched up, so I just picked what I could reach easily. (About a cup and a half, I’m guessing.)

I also did two loads of laundry (both washed, dried AND folded), hand-washed some dishes, made egg salad, and scooped kitty litter before I left for mom’s a little before 11am. I picked up some books at the library on the way there. I left at 3pm as has become the norm and did another load of laundry (mom’s, washed, dried and folded since I have to return it today) and hand-washed more dishes. I didn’t have to make Pip’s supper because it was too hot for him to have anything hot, so he snacked on an egg salad sandwich (open-faced) and hard salami.

I read fanfic, the new Murderbot novella and another Holiday Bay cozy, and watched two eps of Smoke.

If you haven’t had a chance to read the new Murderbot novelette Rapport (which is one of those ‘takes place in the Murderbot Diaries ‘verse’ stories) you can find it for free at Reactor Magazine or purchase it from Amazon (on Kindle for $1.99). Or both.

Temps started out at 71.8(F) and reached 92. We had two rounds of thunderstorms during which it rained very heavily and ended up with an inch of rain.


Mom Update:

Mom is finding it easier to get going in the morning, but then she gets tuckered out. ( more back here )

Good season finale! ( spoilers )

As it says on the tin: Good news, stupid humans: Murderbot has been renewed (avclub.com) [The big question is, who is going to play ART?!!]

Mom suggested I not get to her house super early so I can get some stuff done, and we agreed that I’d stop in after my visit to my aunt. I returned home after I dropped Grant off at the garage and did two loads of laundry (even got one dried and folded!), hand-washed dishes, baked chicken for the dogs’ meals, vacuumed the bedroom rug, and changed kitty litter. Whew! That’s a full days worth of work for me!

I visited my aunt (she was awake! I showed her some pics of Midnight and Baby A – who is not a baby anymore! She starts pre-K this fall!) and hit the Price Chopper down there because the one I went to yesterday had zero bananas and none of the red grapes I like. I have them now. I got to mom’s about 10:15am and left at 3pm.

I stopped at the library on the way home to return a book (and talked to the librarian about it and the other series she recommended) and hit the bank drive-thru. I baked salmon for Pip’s supper, dried and folded the second load of laundry, hand-washed more dishes, and showered.

I finished the Duncan Kincaid book and read the next Inn at Holiday Bay cozy. (They’re very easy reads and kind of short.)

Temps started out at 62.6(F) and reached 86.4. It was warm out, but not as horrible as when the temps hit the 90s. We were originally supposed to have scattered thunderstorms but they never materialized.


Mom Update:

Mom was sitting on the porch for the second time when I got there. ( more back here )

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning, so I didn’t get to mom’s until 9:20am. I took advantage of the fact that I needed to go downtown for that appointment to do some shopping; I got in Walmart and Price Chopper before my appointment, and the Pharmacy after. I also got in a walk around the park before my appointment.

I then had to go home and unload the car and put away groceries. I was home in time to make supper (Pip requested grilled cheese). I also hand-wash dishes, scooped kitty litter, and placed an online order.

I started the next Duncan Kincaid book and watched the current ep of Resident Alien and an HGTV program.

Temps started out at 65.5(F) and reached 84.2.


Mom Update:

Mom was sitting on her porch when I got there this morning. ( more back here )

What I Just Finished Reading: Since last Wednesday I have read/finished reading: Silence in the Library (A Lily Adler Mystery) by Katharine Schellman, The Falcon at the Portal (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) by Elizabeth Peters, I Shall Not Want (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) by Julia Spencer-Fleming, and Portent in the Pages & Poison in the Pudding (The Inn at Holiday Bay) by Kathi Daley.


What I am Currently Reading: I just finished reading the last book last evening, but today I’m going to start Necessary as Blood (A Duncan Kincaid and Gemma James Mystery) by Deborah Crombie.


What I Plan to Read Next: Heir, Apparently by Kara McDowell, unless something else comes in at the library that eclipses it.

---

Book 53 of 2025: Silence in the Library (A Lily Adler Mystery) (Katharine Schellman)

I enjoyed this book! ( spoilers )

This was a good book and I've already requested the next in the series. I'm giving this one five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

---

Book 54 of 2025: The Falcon at the Portal (An Amelia Peabody Mystery) (Elizabeth Peters)

Good book! ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book and have requested the next in the series. I'm giving this book five hearts, despite my one disappointment.

♥♥♥♥♥

---

Book 55 of 2025: I Shall Not Want (Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne Mysteries) (Julia Spencer-Fleming)

Good book! ( spoilers )

I enjoyed this book and have already requested the next. I'm giving this book five hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

---

Book 56 of 2025: Portent in the Pages (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

It’s been a while since I’ve read anything in this series, but I was looking for something easy to read after I finished the last book, so I looked through my Kindle library and chose this one. (Technically, I chose a different one that I DNF’d before I got more than a dozen pages into it, so this was my second choice.) This is the sixteenth in the series, to my surprise!

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick comfort read. I was happy to be reintroduced to the characters again. ( spoilers )

There wasn't a whole lot of suspense or concern for the characters, but it did what I wanted it to, which was help me kill a couple hours in an enjoyable fashion. I’m giving it four hearts, and I might even go on and read the next in the series.

♥♥♥♥

---

Book 57 of 2025: Poison in the Pudding (The Inn at Holiday Bay) (Kathi Daley)

After reading the other book, I decided to keep on with the series. This one was an enjoyable story, but a predictable mystery. Thankfully I read this series more for the characters and location than I do the mysteries. ( spoilers )

I'm giving this book four hearts.

♥♥♥♥♥

I decided to watch this show because of Taron Egerton. I’ve seen the first two eps and enjoyed them. ( spoilers )

I decided to give this show a try mainly because of Jensen Ackles. It's pretty good, though I don't think I'll get fannish about it. And so far I don't have any deep comments about it, but watching the first four eps was a good way to spend some time. ( spoilers )

Happy belated The Original No Kings Day.

I had mom duty from 8am to 3pm. Before I left I hand-washed some dishes and changed kitty litter. I returned a book to the library on my way there. While I was at mom’s I went for a walk. (I had eyed up this walk previously, thinking it would be close to my half-mile walks, but this was the first time I tried it. It turned out to be .65 mi, but it was a nice walk. Aside from the horrid sidewalks. The village really needs to fix the sidewalks, which have been in poor condition since I was a child, and probably before that.)

When I got home I did more hand-washing of dishes, grilled steak for Pip’s supper, shaved, and tossed a load of bath towel in the washer (AND dryer!).

I started the next Amelia Peabody book.

Temps started out at 57.4(F) and reached 77. It was a lovely day, sunny with a strong breeze.


Mom Update:

Mom was doing okay today. ( more back here )

I had the morning off of ‘mom-duty’ because of appointments. I told my sister S I’d be there by noon definitely, but would try to get there earlier, just so I didn’t have to rush. I got there around 11:30am.

I had a chiropractic appointment this morning (to go over results of last week’s tests and an adjustment) followed by a pedicure (I cancelled the last appointment because mom was still in the hospital so I really need it as I have an ingrown toe nail issue that needs addressing almost every visit). I chose a pretty lilac purple for my toes. I also got in a walk around the park.

I was also relieved early because my one sister has ‘summer hours’ and gets out early, and since she wasn’t staying the night, she bridged me and our other sister. I was home early enough to grill baby back ribs for Pip’s supper (saving the frozen GF pizza for another night). I also did a load of laundry, emptied the dishwasher, hand-washed dishes, and scooped kitty litter.

I started the second Lily Adler book, watched an HGTV program, and showered.

Temps started out at 66.7(F) and reached 84.4 that I saw. It was beautiful today, hot but not humid and there was a lovely breeze. A perfect day, really.


Mom Update:

Mom was up and sitting at the table with my sister, who was putting together a puzzle, when I got there. Mom didn’t seem that interested in the puzzle, but she was eating a yogurt. She later got on her tablet and then ate some rice krispies. I turned on Matlock while I was eating lunch, but it was a bust because it was two eps that my mom didn't like to watch (with Matlock being locked inside a prison to solve a crime).

I asked my sister S about scheduling for Friday and she was like, I can barely think about Thursday. *rolls eyes* I told my sister A (can't recall if I mentioned it to S) that I want to have a meal free to cook something for the holiday, either lunch or supper. I'm happy to spend the day there as long as I can get off early enough to grill (and it better not rain). We'll see what happens.

I was at mom’s by 6:45am so I didn't have much time to get things done before I left. I did manage to fold a load of laundry, hand-wash some dishes, cut up chicken for the dogs’ meals, scoop kitty litter, pack my own lunch, and dropped Grant at the garage. Whew!

My sister called to tell me she got out of work at 2:30pm and could relieve me early, so I was able to get home in time to actually cook supper! I planned to grill something, but it started to pour the moment I got inside the house, so instead I got sauce out of the freezer to defrost and we had spaghetti. I also baked chicken for the dogs, did the usual amount of hand-washing dishes, and did a load in the dishwasher.

I started and finished reading the next Clare Fergusson book and watched the rest of the Hannah Swensen movie.

Temps started out at 72.1(F) and it was only 73 when I got home ~3pm since the storm was moving in, but it had to have broken 80.


Mom Update:

In mom’s own words, today she was ‘whooped’! ( more back here )