Summer is in full swing around here! The days have been pleasantly warm with not too much heat and humidity so often experienced here on the East Coast. We’ve been enjoying swimming lessons, playdates, and outdoor movies. Staying up late and lazy mornings are our summer vibe.
Listening:
I listened to Clare Mackintosh’s I Let You Go since my last post. Wow, what a ride–and the end! Totally implausible, but hey, the book was completely suspenseful and entertaining if you like a suspenseful crime thriller.
Otherwise, I’m just keeping up with my podcasts and totally excited for Constitutional to start up. I absolutely loved Presidential. In such a stressful election year it gave me such perspective and hope for the future. Also, it reminded me how far we’ve come as a nation and that there’s certainly been more historically contentious campaigns than we just experienced, like this one. Basically, the podcast is a mini history of America through the lens of the American presidency. Super fascinating to this history buff! So I can’t wait until Constitutional begins.
Reading:
I’m reading too many books right now! I finished up The Brontë Plot because I was looking for something fun and breezy, but it was a bit of a let down. I’ve moved onto the historical fiction tale of the Hidenburg in Flight of Dreams and the biography of Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings. I’m also reading Eighty Days, which is the story of Nellie Bly’s race around the world but I’m seriously annoyed by the small font in this book, what was the designer/publisher thinking? Hopefully I can get used to it because I love Nellie Bly!
Watching:
A new season of Grantchester is back on Masterpiece, so you know where I am on Sunday nights! Anyone ever try the books this series is based on?
Eating:
We went to a friend’s for dinner and she made these. My kids couldn’t get enough of them. And these are kids who usually won’t eat potatoes at all! I made this for dessert. Ohmygoodness, creamy summer minty chocolate! And my new summer pasta salad is definitely this tortellini yumminess.
What are you into right now?
I never did finish Presidential! I was enjoying it, but then my exercise routine changed and life got crazy. And then the election of 45 depressed me and made me not want to think about the presidency…
I got Eighty Days for Kindle from the library recently but the download expired before I got to it. Most everything I want to read has a waitlist and it’s so irritating to try to manage hold requests. They’ll all come up at once, or one will come up and I won’t get through it before the lending period, so I can’t turn wifi back on to download the next one, and then I have to go back to the end of the wait list line! Sadly I haven’t been reading as much this summer, but I’m loving the Mysterious Benedict Society. Elijah blew through all three and now I’m catching up 🙂
Eating wise, we just discovered that Talenti has sorbetto almost as good as what we had in Italy. The raspberry is amazing–so smooth you’d never believe it’s dairy-free, and really tart (which is important to Steve with fruity desserts–he doesn’t want them overly sweet).
I actually didn’t finish Presidential officially yet–two more episodes to go! Trying to get it done before Constitutional comes out.
I’ve heard good things about the Mysterious Benedict Society. I’ll have to add that to our list.
I will have to check out Talenti!
Talenti is dangerous 😜 The cost keeps me from getting it very often though. Their Coconut Almond Chocolate Chip gelato is my fave. Our Kroger doesn’t carry the sorbetto I don’t think; I happened upon that at a Walmart I usually try to avoid!
Speaking of ice cream, do you guys get Blue Bell brand in MD? Their cookies and cream is hands down the best I’ve ever had. It has spoiled me for ever eating any other Oreo ice cream. I’ve been on a big kick with that too.
No we don’t have the Blue Bell brand here, as far as I know. I will have to try it if I ever do. Cookies and cream is a favorite flavor of mine!
I saw the book, The Dry, at the library so I picked it up. As you mention in the last blog so far so good. I am way behind the bandwagon on this next one, but I just finished watching the first season of Downton Abbey.
For eating it has to be my
grandmother-in- laws macaroni salad that I recently made for the first time. Its on the sweet side, chilled over night with generous portions of jumbo shrimp.
I hope you enjoy Downton Abbey. I always did, especially the first few seasons. By the last two it felt like the time had come for it to wrap up. The first several seasons it felt very fresh. And that macaroni salad sounds fabulous! I might have to get it from you because Josh loves macaroni salad. And shrimp! That makes it a meal!