Unplugging One Day a Week: Can You Do It?

Over the past six months or so (really since the pandemic started), social media has been too much for me. 

It's overstimulating. 

It's exhausting.

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What I'm really tired of is the vitriol on social media. Not matter how many people I unfriend or unfollow, it's there. And again, it's exhausting. (I fully believe it's being perpetuated by those at the top [and by top, I mean political leaders of this country.])

That being said, what can I do about this and what have I already done? I've taken small steps with the goal of being completely social media free for at least one day per week. (Eventually completely unplugged one day per week.)

I deleted the Twitter app from my phone. I can barely watch the news on TV or look at it online, so why would I want "in my face" commentary on said news? (Most of it laden with vitriol. BTW- vitriol is a word I don't use often, but it completely fits the bill here so I might used it repeatedly.) I haven't reinstalled it or looked at in a few weeks. I plan to keep this up.

While I consider Instagram at the back of the pack in terms of "in your face hatred," I've taken to deleting the app from my phone and reinstalling once or at the most twice per day when I want to look at it.

Facebook is the real problem child. I've "snoozed" several people, but here's a little secret. I am SUPER nosy. So, I frequently check the profiles of the people I've snoozed. Yeah, that's a big problem. I've done the same thing with the Facebook app on my phone that I've done with Instagram (deleting it and only reinstalling it a few times during the day.) This has helped, as I was looking at it first thing in the morning and starting my day off on the wrong foot. During the workday, I've taken to only looking at it at lunch and after dinner (with a few "slips"/exceptions.) Weekends are a bit tougher for me.

All that to say, I am your textbook case of being addicted to social media, but, as they say, "Admitting you have a problem is the first step!"

I'd been thinking about how to scale back for a while and I stumbled upon this book:

I thought for sure this would give me tips on how I could cut back on social media. While it did, it was much more hardcore and about going one day per week completely UNPLUGGED. Not using a cell phone at all. Not answering email at all. Printing out maps ahead of your unplugged day for any adventures you might be going on, because Google Maps is considered persona non grata on that day. Getting an old school watch because you can't use your cell phone to tell what time it is. You get the point.

There were some snippets I really liked throughout the book. There's a section in which the author suggests making bread on your unplugged day (wait-what?) The point is to do something old school and special on that day. Shlain says, "The idea is to have something extra and unique, be it food you only eat on that day, flowers on the table, or wine you drink only for special occasions--something that enhances and marks the day." I really like this. Maybe there's a bunch of recipes you've been dying to try- you could do one on each unplugged day.

As mentioned, the book is much broader than scaling back on social media (but rather harkening to the time of Little House on the Prairie for a day.) However, there is some writing about social media specifically that stuck with me. Here's a segment:

    In his book Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now, computer scientist and author Jaron Lanier presents social media's many cons, including "Social media is destroying your capacity for empathy." 

I firmly believe in that bulleted statement. The hatred and vitriol are just further proof that this is happening. People cannot think beyond themselves and their world and social media is enabling this.

The book has several appendices with activities that could be done on your unplugged day and tips on how to prepare for your "tech shabbat," as Shlain refers to her day of unplugging. There's even a section that lists the physical and mental benefits of extending some of the rules from your "off day" to the other six days of the week, such as limiting screen time.

I'll leave you with this statement from the book which stuck with me and the subsequent list of things we should practice more of: 

On social media, we're all plants, leaning toward the sunlight we can't get enough of, seeking the warmth of likes, hearts, and retweets. But staying rooted and grounded is important. Being intentional about how you use social media and having your own strategy gives you time to process how it's affecting your life and find what you may want to change.

Book #45- 24/6: The Power of Unplugging One Day Per Week by Tiffany Shlain

Summary: Shlain takes us on a thought-provoking and entertaining journey through time and technology, introducing a strategy for flourishing in our 24/7 world. Drawn from the ancient ritual of Shabbat, living 24/6 can work for anyone from any background. 

Rating: B-. For the most part, this had practical suggestions for unplugging one day per week. (However, the nonchalance with which Shlain indicated you should have a landline/phone for that landline was a bit odd.)

Who Knew Doors Could Be So Difficult?

I can't believe it's already October! 

Here in New England, the leaves are turning and there's a chill in the air- happy fall y'all! (I'm not really Southern, I just wanted to imitate my door sign.) Isn't it cute?

And yes, that's our newly painted front door. The general consensus is that it might be too bright. We wanted a pop of color (the house is gray with black shutters), but not sure this red is working.

It's Behr's Daredevil and I happened upon it after searching Pinterest several times for "gray house black shutters what color door." A result surfaced with this picture from The Little Pink House blog. 

I thought- "GREAT! This is exactly our color scheme." (And oddly enough, the house in the blog used to be pink. If you've been following along with our story, you may remember that the previous owners of our house LOVED pink- pink shutters, pink rugs, pink walls, Pepto Bismol overload.) I thought great- another thing in common.

We got a sample of that and HGTV/Sherwin Williams Tanager Red and to be honest, they looked exactly the same side by side on the door.

Neither John nor I are 100% sold on the Daredevil.

I am now looking at other colors altogether. Currently interested in the following:

Yellow: HGTV/Sherwin Williams Dutch Tulip 

Yellow: Sherwin Williams Sunflower

Teal: Sherwin Williams Still Water (this was actually our original choice, but the more I looked at the house and saw that the gray was somewhat dark, the more I was concerned it wouldn't pop and be washed out.) This was another Pinterest find on the Kylie M. Interiors blog.

Orange: Sherwin Williams Yam (don't think I can get John onboard with that one)

Here's the front of the house freshly painted (two angles)-

(I will also say that the door doesn't look quite so bright in these pictures, as the screen door is in front of it.)

What's your vote? We are open to any & all suggestions (except maybe neons...)

 Book #43- The Polygamist's Daughter by Anna LeBaron

Summary: This is the haunting memoir of Anna LeBaron, daughter of the notorious polygamist and murderer Ervil LeBaron. Ervil’s criminal activity kept Anna and her siblings constantly on the run from the FBI. Often starving, the children lived in a perpetual state of fear―and despite their numbers, Anna always felt alone.

Rating: B-. I found The Sound of Gravel by Ruth Wariner, another polygamist memoir, to be more interesting (maybe because it was the first one I read?) However, this is story is pretty amazing- from being shipped off to Mexico at a young age (without her mother), having only met her father a few times, to dumpster diving for food and raiding donation bins for clothes. LeBaron had an amazing life and has risen above it all.

Book #44- American Pie by Michael Lee West

Summary: The lives of the three McBroom sisters of Tallulah, Tennessee, were tangled before the eldest, Eleanor, discovered their mother hanging from the Venetian blinds—and the years have done little to comb out the knots. Now a drunken encounter with the midnight train has left brash, much-married Jo-Nell near death, compelling agoraphobic Eleanor to summon marine biologist Freddie home from California—where she fled after being expelled from med school following a daring gall bladder heist. At last the McBroom sisters are together again, to face old fears and new catastrophes as they cheerfully deflect every flaming arrow that outrageous fortune fires their way.

Rating: C-. I've read a handful of West's books and I'm pretty sure each time I review one, I mention how the book is going along just fine, making me laugh, etc..., and then WHAM! Out of nowhere this really weird randomness happens. This time, one of the McBroom sisters looks back on her tough childhood and how a family member (stepmother?) insisted on giving her enemas as a matter of course. Um, what? Yeah, I think I'm done with West's books. 

Movie Review: Enola Holmes

 

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Let me start by saying that I was initially drawn to this movie due to the fact that Millie Bobby Brown is in it (she plays Enola Holmes.). Millie Bobby stars in the Netflix drama Stranger Things, which I've written posts about previously. I love the show so I figured anything with her in it MUST be good. (Same concept as when you like the cover of a book- it MUST be good/well written!)

Enola Holmes is a Netflix original movie that was released last week. The basic premise is this- while searching for her missing mother, intrepid teen Enola Holmes uses her sleuthing skills to outsmart big brother Sherlock and help a runaway lord.

Oh, but it's so much more!

Enola is raised by a feminist in England (when feminism wasn't popular) and has no connection with her brothers for the majority of her childhood. (The movie picks up when she is 16 with flashbacks to her childhood.) Enola's mother has taught her "life skills" and "book smarts" which serve her well when she needs to find her mother who has left and rescue the lord. Her brothers Sherlock (yes, that one) and Mycroft are strangers to her but she quickly follows in Sherlock's footsteps and develops a kinship with him. 

A quirk about this movie (which I imagine viewers either love or hate) is that Enola frequently talks directly to the viewers (or doesn't need words and shares body language.) I found this "breaking the fourth wall" to be endearing and appropriate for character/age. 

I was rooting for Enola to find her mother, save the lord (and break away from finishing school, which the mean brother Mycroft sent her to). 

I loved it- two thumbs up!

You might be wondering if this is a tween/teen/young adult movie. It could be but there are a few small parts with fairly graphic violence. It is based on a young adult mystery book series by Nancy Springer, which of course I will be checking out.

Watch it! I laughed a lot and was drawn in by the period scenery/costumes and the intrigue.

Quarantine Cooking

As I think I mentioned in some previous posts, we've been trying new (to us) recipes during COVID quarantine. From March to maybe June(ish), we weren't getting takeout, so no outside food and we HAD to mix it up.

I wasn't great about taking pictures, but here are a few I found on my phone and the recipes that went with them.

Let's start with the most glamorous/sophisticated of the recipes, shall we? 😆

Frito Corn Salad from Butter With a Side of Bread

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by how good this was! It's a perfect side for a cookout or a summer dinner. 

Some tips- this makes a HUGE amount, so 1/2 it if you are not serving a crowd. Do NOT put the Fritos into the whole salad if you don't think you'll eat it in one sitting. They get extremely soggy after being in the fridge (trust me). So, break it up into portions and only put the Fritos on each right before eating. Bacon bits- let's talk about those. We are not a huge fan, so we used considerably less than it called for and we decided that next time we make it, we'll use real bacon. But, this is just a preference.

Another basic recipe- Tuna Macaroni Salad from Spicy Southern Kitchen

I made this while it was really hot in July/August and had it for lunch several days in a row. (It's nice to have something cold for lunch during the brutally humid days of New England summer.)

The different thing about this recipe is using relish. Admittedly, I was skeptical about putting relish in, but it gave it the perfect little something extra!

Continuing with the summer theme, we made refreshing Copycat Sonic Cherry Limeade Slushies from The Farmgirl Gabs (with maybe a touch of vodka 😂)

The one thing I love at Sonic is their cherry limeade slush. Add some vodka and voila- a summertime adult beverage.

In terms of tips, I found when following the recipe exactly it was very cherry-ish. (I myself prefer more lime-ish) So, adjust, as necessary.

This next recipe is DELICIOUS! We've made it a few times and I'm always pleasantly surprised at how good it is. (In fact, I may have previously posted it, it's so good!) Pulled Pork Nachos by Katie's Cucina.

This one speaks for itself! We generally don't put bleu cheese on them, but for no particular reason. If you try any of these recipes, try this one!

This one does not look very appetizing, but it's definitely a sweet treat. Candied Walnuts from Sugar Spun Run.

We had an almost full bag of walnuts and so I consulted Pinterest on how I might use them. This jumped out at me. I had no expectations and again, I was pleasantly surprised. They went fast, so double up if you want them to last...LOL.

Book #39- Lavender Blue Murder by Laura Childs

Summary: Tea maven Theodosia Browning and her tea sommelier Drayton Conneley are guests at a bird hunt styled in the precise manner of an English shooting party. But as gunshots explode like a riff of Black Cat firecrackers, another shot sounds too close for comfort to Theodosia and Drayton. Intrigued but worried, Theodosia wanders into the neighbor's lavender field where she discovers their host, Reginald Doyle, bleeding to death. As Theodosia investigates, fingers are pointed, secrets are uncovered, Reginald's daughter-in-law goes missing presumed drowned, and Meredith is determined to find answers via a séance. 

Rating: B. While I love this series, this was not one of my favorites. (And I really wish that they'd give Theodosia's on-again/off-again boyfriend more attention!)

Book #40- The Falcon Always Wings Twice by Donna Andrews

Summary: When Meg's grandmother Cordelia hosts a Renaissance Faire at her craft center, the whole family is put to work: Meg handles the blacksmithing, Michael and the boys will be performing, and no one misses the opportunity to dress up in full regalia. When one of the actors performing at the fair is found dead—an actor suspected of mistreating one of the falcons, among other sins—Grandfather is a prime suspect.

Rating: B-. Similar to the above, while I love this series, this was not one of my favorites. It seemed to drag somewhat (and Renaissance Faires are not my thing.)

Book #41- Unlikely Companions by Laura Hess

Summary: Whether it's an umbrella cockatoo who's not eating, a depressed chinchilla, a pregnant potbellied pig, or a ferret possibly needing surgery, exotic animal vet Laurie Hess is at the front lines with some remarkable pets-and their equally eccentric, dedicated, and sometimes demanding owners. Follow a week in Dr. Hess's life as she tries to uncover the source of an unknown ailment killing some of her most vulnerable patients.

Rating: A-. I found this book to be fascinating! As someone who's only owned gerbils and dogs, I have been curious about the allure of exotic animal ownership, and this demonstrates that the bond between an owner and his/her dog is no different than an owner and his/her ferret. (Oh, and I was seriously hoping there would be no detailed snake stories. Thankfully there were not.)

Book #42- Bound for Murder by Laura Childs

Summary: New Orleans scrapbooking shop owner Carmela Bertrand's pre-wedding party is overshadowed when a friend's intended groom is murdered. Asked by the heartbroken bride to look into the case, Carmela must help her friend pick up the pieces while wrapping up a murder that has more than one lethal loose end.

Rating: C+. This is a separate mystery series from the one I reference above and I don't think I like it as much as the other. (I'd rather drink tea than scrapbook!)

If a Stitch In Time Saves Nine, Does that Mean 20 Stitches Saves 180?

"A Stitch In Time Saves Nine" has always seemed like an odd saying to me. (I actually had to Google it before I started writing this post to make sure I knew what I was talking about.)

Its actually a proverb (who knew?) that means if you sort out a problem immediately it will save extra work later on. 

So...if I did 20 stitches, I'm thinking I'm going to save a TON of time later on for things that could've been problems. (Meh...it doesn't really translate. Not all of my blog ideas can be gems.)

The whole point of this post was to share that I did 20 stitches in a cross-stitch kit that I bought for a quarantine hobby and let's just say it's highly likely that there will be no more stitches.

Yup- those are 20 stitches.

At the beginning of COVID/quarantine, I was doing jigsaw puzzles like a maniac- that was my go-to "hobby." Then, I got burnt out on puzzles so I took a break.

Instead of picking up calligraphy/lettering, which I have the supplies for (and I've done before and enjoyed), I decided to forge a new path. 

Cross-stitch.

I did cross-stitch maybe once before. Maybe 35ish years ago. 

I thought, "Oh, yeah- I can pick it up again, no problem."

Pfft.

I perused eBay for cheap "beginner" kits and thought that this looked pretty "straightforward" and ordered it.

Notice the "Learn a Craft" written in a child-like font. Maybe that was what drew me to it? (False advertising!)

Once I got brave enough to open the package and start reading the instructions, I knew I was in trouble. "Find the center and count 6 fabric squares down and 7 squares to the right." 

DO YOU KNOW HOW SMALL THE FREAKING SQUARES ARE IN THIS THING? 

I have pretty good vision- exceptional for things up close. I took one look at the fabric and knew it wasn't going to happen. So, what did I do? I sunk more money into this fledgling hobby.

I bought a standing magnifying glass with light. (As if the cross-stitch hobby doesn't make me seem 98 already, add a magnifying glass to the mix.)

I break out the magnifying glass, turn on the light, put the fabric under it and VOILA- I am nauseous and dizzy as all get out. It was ridiculous. 

So, essentially I quickly put it under the magnifying glass and counted the squares as fast as I could, stuck a needle in, and pulled it out from under the glass.

And then I did 20 stitches. 

And then? I said, "Yeah, I don't think so." 😂

I'll be picking up the calligraphy, which is much more of a "sure thing."

Book #36- Haben by Haben Girma

Summary: The incredible life story of Haben Girma, the first deaf-blind graduate of Harvard Law School, and her amazing journey from isolation to the world stage.

Rating: A-. This was an amazing story and one that I read at just the right time. Girma is an amazing human being. Her perseverance is a lesson to everyone, especially with all that is going on in the world right now. Thinking you can't do something doesn't seem like a valid excuse after reading her story. I was uplifted by it.

Book #37- The Family Next Door by John Glatt

Summary: This is the story of the imprisonment and abuse of the thirteen Turpin siblings and their dramatic rescue.

Rating: B-. When this story broke in 2018, I was drawn in. I couldn't believe that for years, this family flew under the radar and the parents were able to inflict the unimaginable abuse upon their children without being caught. The book didn't share that much new information that I hadn't already seen in the news, so I felt like it was somewhat of  a repeat. Also, it was a serious downer after the uplifting book I had just finished.

Book #38- American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

Summary: Lydia Quixano Pérez lives a comfortable life in Acapulco, Mexico, with her journalist husband, Sebastián, and her eight-year-old son, Luca. Lydia runs a bookstore and one day befriends a charming customer, Javier, who appears to have similar interests in books. However, Javier is revealed to be the kingpin of a drug cartel. Sebastián publishes a profile exposing Javier's crimes, who then orders the slaughter of Sebastián and his family. Lydia and Luca escape the massacre, but are forced to flee Mexico, becoming two of the countless undocumented immigrants from Latin America who undertake the dangerous journey to the United States, taking a treacherous trip on La Bestia north of Mexico City.

Rating: A+. This was an AMAZING book. Fascinating. Honestly, I've read little about undocumented immigrants and their journey to "freedom"/the US. La Bestia, which is part of a train network that immigrants use to make their way north is dangerous and difficult to navigate socially. The lengths that Lydia went to for her son on this journey to keep him safe and alive were heroic. I was rooting for them to make it.

All Books All Day

Here are eight book reviews- all of them pretty decent!

Book #28- In the Country of Women by Susan Straight

Summary: A memoir about race--women who are African-descended, French and Swiss, indigenous and immigrant, whose fathers are a mystery, and how mixed-race people continue to shape this nation, as they always have.

Rating: A-. I enjoyed this book. Straight does a great job of telling the story of her and her ex-husband's female ancestors- from completely different walks of life but experiencing similar struggles. She ties it all together in her daughters' lives and how the stories will empower them to go forward.

Book #29- Killing Monica by Candace Bushnell

Summary: PJ “Pandy” Wallis created her fictional alter ego, Monica—think Carrie Bradshaw on steroids—in four bestselling novels and the movies that followed. The problem is that her newest book is not about Monica. It’s about Pandy’s ancestor Lady Wallis Wallis, who arrived in America in 1775—and, according to Pandy’s agent and suspiciously intimate confidant, Henry, historical fiction is a hard sell, so her editor has turned it down. As Pandy ponders whether to give in and write another Monica book, she relives her career.

Rating: B-. This was exactly what I expected it to be- fluff. It was pretty good fluff, though. A fast summer brainless read.

Book #30- Afterlife by Julia Alvarez

Summary: Antonia Vega, the immigrant writer at the center of Afterlife, has had the rug pulled out from under her. She has just retired from the college where she taught English when her beloved husband, Sam, suddenly dies. And then more jolts: her bighearted but unstable sister disappears, and Antonia returns home one evening to find a pregnant, undocumented teenager on her doorstep. Antonia has always sought direction in the literature she loves—lines from her favorite authors play in her head like a soundtrack—but now she finds that the world demands more of her than words.

Rating: A. Unlike the previous book, this was anything but fluff. At the beginning, when I read that the main character was recently widowed, I thought to myself that this was going to be a depressing read. While it did have hints of sadness, it was a well told story with random humorous moments. It was several years since Alvarez's last book and this was worth the wait!

Book #31- Hello, Summer by Mary Kay Andrews

Summary: Conley Hawkins left her family’s small town newspaper, The Silver Bay Beacon, in the rearview mirror years ago. Now a star reporter for a big-city paper, Conley is exactly where she wants to be and is about to take a fancy new position in Washington, D.C. Or so she thinks. When the new job goes up in smoke, Conley finds herself right back where she started, working for her sister, who is trying to keep The Silver Bay Beacon afloat—and she doesn’t exactly have warm feelings for Conley. Soon she is given the unenviable task of overseeing the local gossip column, “Hello, Summer.” Then Conley witnesses an accident that ends in the death of a local congressman—a beloved war hero with a shady past. The more she digs into the story, the more dangerous it gets. As an old heartbreaker causes trouble and a new flame ignites, it soon looks like their sleepy beach town is the most scandalous hotspot of the summer.

Rating: A-. And...we're back to fluff. I consider MKA to be "good" fluff...if that makes sense. This was a fun summer novel, as hers generally are. Love the backdrops she uses of Georgia and Florida. Good beach read.

Book #32- Deadly Appraisal by Jane Cleland

Summary: Josie Prescott is settling into her new life in New Hampshire. Her antiques business is thriving, she’s beginning to make some close friends, and her relationship with the local police chief is becoming more interesting. With so much suddenly to lose, Josie can’t help but worry when murder invades her seemingly quiet community. Josie is sponsoring the Portsmouth Women’s Guild Annual Black and Gold Gala and is looking forward to receiving a kindly worded thank-you for her efforts. Instead, the Guild representative, Maisy Gaylor, dies a horrible death in the midst of the banquet. Who could have wanted to kill earnest, drab little Maisy? 

Rating: B. This is the second in this cozy mystery series. While the storytelling is just OK, I like reading the series because it's set a stone's throw from where I live (at least I think it is...it's a made up town on the seacoast of NH) and I recognize some of the real landmarks/towns that Cleland mentions.

Book #33- The Beginner's Guide to Essential Oils by Christina Anthis

Summary: Explore the many modern applications of essential oils, from herbal medicine to aromatherapy to natural beauty. Discover profiles detailing the aromas and therapeutic actions of 30 favorite essential oils. 

Rating: B-. I'm intrigued by essential oils so thought I'd do some reading. The book was certainly helpful in explaining what types of oils you should use to dilute certain essential oils and how to apply it/diffuse it and which are appropriate for which malady. Not sure I'm ready to make the investment just yet but reading about it was a good start.

Book #34- Forever Girl by Alexander McCall Smith

Summary: Clover has loved James for as long as she can remember, since before she knew what what love was. But fate seems determined to keep them apart. As children, Clover and James played beside a turquoise sea under cloudless skies, their Caribbean island home a place of pleasure and privilege, of lush lawns and tennis parties. In such a paradise nothing should obstruct the kind of happiness Clover dreams of, except that, as she discovers, true love is often harder than paradise allows for. 

Rating: A. I loved the setting of the Cayman Islands (having been there a few times on cruises, I know how beautiful it is.) I also love Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, so I was a little skeptical that I might like this standalone as much...but I did! (Oh, and I doubt I'll be able to replicate this formatting again, so enjoy it while it lasts...)

Book #35- Here Today, Gone Tamale by Rebecca Adler

Summary: In this all-new culinary cozy mystery series, reporter turned Tex-Mex waitress Josie Callahan is about to go from serving queso to solving cases… After losing her newspaper job in Austin and having her former fiancé unfriend her on Facebook, Josie Callahan scoops up her Chihuahua, Lenny, and slinks back to Broken Boot, Texas. When a local jewelry designer is found strangled outside her aunt & uncle's Mexican restaurant after a tamale-making party, Josie’s reporter instincts kick in. As suspects pile up and alibis crack faster than taco shells, Josie needs to wrap up this case tighter than her tía’s tortillas—before another victim calls for the check…

Rating: B+. I've been looking for a new mystery series and this was is pretty decent (of course, the Tex-Mex recipes in the back help...)

What a Difference a Month Makes

My last post was just about a month ago and I was lamenting about going into triple digits on the quarantine/work from home situation.

At that time, we were working from home until August 31st, which would've brought us to 171 days.

Now?

296 days

Yes, you read that correctly. We are home until January 4, 2021.

2021- that's next year.

We are staying home into a new year.

We found out on a Friday and my immediate thought was, "No- I hate this and this is going to ruin my weekend." (It was at this point that I decided my quarantine theme song was "It's My Party" by Lesley Gore.- I'll cry if it want to!)

Shortly after we found out, a co-worker posted in Teams and said something simple that changed my perspective. She has young children and daycare is up in the air and for her, this decision made work for the next five months stable. She knows we're working from home. Period. There's no maybe we'll go back. We are working from home. So, I put on my big girl panties and decided that was the angle I would take.

I ordered a white board and markers and started to make my space a little more office-like. That coupled with my new chair has really helped.

Am I still bored with the whole quarantine thing? Yes! Do I know it's the right thing to do to stay home as much as possible for safety reasons? Yes! (And I will continue to do so.)

One of the things I've complained about the most is missing professional sports. I'm a big hockey and baseball fan and usually have a game on every night in the background, even if it doesn't get my full attention. I've missed that.

My team, the Boston Red Sox, played its first game on Friday night.

I was pretty excited for it.

But remember- this is baseball in a pandemic.

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It's a bit difficult to see, but at Fenway Park, where the Red Sox play, they filled the seats above left field (known as the "Green Monster") with cardboard cutout fans.

For some reason, this really weirds me out. In some ballparks, they have them fairly close to home plate, which is even worse, in my opinion (they show up on camera more often.)

So, this coupled with the fact that there are empty seats in the rest of the ballpark as far as the eye can see, the fact that the commentators are not in the park, and the fact that fake crowd noise is piped in all make me totally underwhelmed with the comeback.

Oh and not to mention that four days in, games are already being cancelled because large numbers of players on one team (specifically the Miami Marlins) are testing positive for COVID. They just played the Phillies, so now the Phillies need to get tested and quarantined.

It's a slippery slope and people's lives are more important than America's pastime. It will survive without this weird/shortened season. ::steps down from soapbox::

I have been reading up a storm and am behind on reviews, so here are a few to help me work toward catching up:

Book #25- The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley

Summary: Set in the English countryside in 1950, it features Flavia de Luce, an 11-year-old amateur sleuth who pulls herself away from her beloved chemistry lab in order to clear her father in a murder investigation.

Rating: A+. HALLELUJAH! This book was a breath of fresh air. It had that "Harriet the Spy" air to it (if you didn't read that book as a child, you should read it now.) Flavia de Luce is adorable, endearing, smart, charming, you name it. I can't wait to read the next one in the series!


Book #26- How to Set a Fire and Why by Jesse Ball

Summary: Lucia’s father is dead, her mother is in a mental hospital, and she’s living in a garage-turned-bedroom with her aunt. Making her way through the world with only a book, a zippo lighter, a pocketful of stolen licorice, a biting wit, and the striking intel­ligence that she tries to hide, Lucia spends her days riding the bus to visit her mother and following the only rule that makes any sense to her: Don’t do things you aren’t proud of. But when she discovers that her new school has a secret Arson Club, she’s willing to do anything to be a part of it, and her life is sud­denly lit up. As Lucia’s fascination with the Arson Club grows, her story becomes one of misguided friendship and, ultimately, destruction.

Rating: B. This is an odd book. It's not a young adult book, but could be. It was a little too "dark side" for me. If you're interested in getting into the mind of a teenager who's lost her way and is willing to set fires to find it, this is your kind of book.


Book #27- Us Against You by Fredrik Backman

Summary: This is the sequel to Backman's Beartown (which I suggest you read prior to reading this.) A small community tucked deep in the forest, Beartown is home to tough, hardworking people who don’t expect life to be easy or fair. No matter how difficult times get, they’ve always been able to take pride in their local ice hockey team. So it’s a cruel blow when they hear that their town’s ice hockey club might soon be disbanded. What makes it worse is the obvious satisfaction that all the former Beartown players, who now play for a rival team in the neighboring town of Hed, take in that fact. But the arrival of a newcomer gives Beartown hockey a chance at a comeback.

Rating: A.  I absolutely LOVED Beartown and I think I liked this one a bit more. As someone who grew up in a community where hockey is a big deal, I was able to relate to some of this. I was rooting for certain characters and hoping others would fall. It didn't disappoint.