TSS: COUNT-DOWN TO CHRISTMAS — NOV. 24

Welcome to our last Sunday Salon in November.

As we start our count-down to Christmas, we are also very much aware of the end of the year.  For bookish types, that means a number of things:  final books read count; challenges completed; thinking ahead to new challenges and new goals.

What are some of your Year End Activities and thoughts?

I’ve been noticing some bloggers who are hosting challenges for 2013, and while every year I promise not to sign up for too many, I couldn’t seem to curb the impulse to sign up for a couple already that sound good to me.

First, Cruisin’ Through the Cozies, hosted by Socrates Book Review Blogs.

Then I seemed compelled to add the Women’s Murder Club Challenge.  Hosted by Darlene’s Book Nook.

I have read a couple of those books already, but I’d like to read more.

On the Blogs:

TUESDAY POTPOURRI:  RAINY DAY READING & TEA

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ELIZABETH NELSON

PLEASURES GALORE:  BEADS & HO, HO, HO!

SWEET SATURDAY SAMPLE:  SECRETS

WEEKEND POTPOURRI:  BLACK FRIDAY, READING CHALLENGES, ETC.

And here’s a snapshot from my SATURDAY SNAPSHOT POST.

Reading:  (Click Titles/Covers for Reviews)

1.  Firefly Summer, by Maeve Binchy (A 645 pager from my TBR Mountain)

2.  Amazing Grace, by Danielle Steel (Also from Mt. TBR)

3.  Slightly Cracked (e-book), by Susan Whitfield

And I’m currently reading For Keeps (e-book), by Aaron Paul Lazar.  There is a murder, a magical green marble, and secrets….

What are your Sunday plans?  Later I’m having a reunion lunch with colleagues I haven’t seen in awhile, in town for the holidays.  What a foodie week this has been!

TSS: A WEEK OF GRATITUDE — NOV. 18

Welcome to the Pre-Thanksgiving Sunday Salon.

Today has been rainy all day long….I’m actually enjoying it so far.  As long as there are no power outages, I’m good.

Of course, we don’t get to choose how that all plays out.  Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the day watching old movies and reading.

I hope everyone is going to enjoy the upcoming holiday, if you celebrate it.  And most will have some kind of holiday.

This past week was pretty interesting.  I spent some time blogging and reviewed some books.

On the Blogs:

Today’s Saturday Snapshot was a celebration of the past, as well as some moments in the present.  Here’s a glimpse of what I’m sharing.

My foothill house — the past

On Monday, I did a Potpourri post on Feathering the Nest; on Tuesday, I shared some Scanning Moments; Wednesday, I announced the winner of the Bookshelf Clearing Giveaway; my Weekend Potpourri:  Jingle Bells, was about looking ahead; my Sweet Saturday Sample takes a look at the Interior World of A Private Eye; and today I posted about Celebrating the Moments.

Books:  Read – Click Titles/Covers for Reviews:

1.  The Empty Glass, by J. I. Baker

2.  She Can Tell, by Melinda Leigh

3.  Killer Takes All, by Erica Spindler

And, on Wednesday, I posted a review for Blog Tour of Curiosity Killed the Kat, by Elizabeth Nelson.

***

What did your week look like?  What are you looking forward to?  Today I’m savoring a Maeve Binchy novel that will take awhile (645 pages), plus I keep watching movies!  It’s Firefly Summer.

Enjoy your week!

TSS: MERRY CHRISTMAS! — DEC. 25

Grab some coffee!

Good morning!  Merry Christmas! Welcome to another Sunday Salon.

Wherever you are, whether your day is snowy or sunny, may you have the best Christmas ever!

Yesterday, I spent some time with my daughter at her workplace.  Before you start feeling sad about that….she works in a neighborhood “watering hole” as a bartender.  So it was a day full of conviviality.

During the past week, I went a little crazy with my blog posts:

SAVORING SOME GUILTY PLEASURES

MONDAY POTPOURRI:  ENJOYING EACH DAY

HUMP DAY POTPOURRI:  FAMILY STORIES

SHARING STORIES

END ROUND FOUR: ROW 80

WEEKEND POTPOURRI: MERRY CHRISTMAS

The reading week wasn’t nearly as good as usual.  One of the books felt like a slog through bubble gum…haven’t I used that one before?

Here’s what I read and reviewed-Click titles for reviews:

1.  She Can Run, by Melinda Leigh

2.  The Marriage Plot, by Jeffrey Eugenides

3.  An Uncertain Refuge (e-book), by Carolyn J. Rose

***

I hope to just relax today, enjoying the holiday feelings, and pigging out a bit.

Next week’s reading will be fairly relaxed as well.  Two of my reads will be from my slowly dwindling TBR stacks….

What are you planning for the day and week?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

TSS: CAN YOU HEAR THE SLEIGH BELLS? — DEC. 18

Good morning and welcome to the last Sunday Salon before Christmas!

Are you hearing the sleigh bells yet?  Or are you just exhausted from all the preparations?  Getting any reading done?

Just grab your cup of coffee, maybe a bowl for cereal, and let’s chat.

Here are some of my blog posts from this week.

TUESDAY POTPOURRI:  BREAKFAST IN BED

12-14 CHECK-IN: ROW 80

HUMP DAY POTPOURRI – A DIZZY DAY

WEEKEND READING

SATURDAY MUSINGS: HOLIDAY MOMENTS

 

Now let’s curl up and look at the reading list.

Click the Titles for Reviews:

1.   Mrs. Nixon (e-book), by Ann Beattie

2.  Best Kept Secret, by Amy Hatvany

3.  The Train of Small Mercies, by David Rowell

4.  Pug Hill, by Alison Pace

5.  Star Struck (Celebrity Interviews) e-book, by Betty Dravis

***

I couldn’t believe that I actually finished ALL the books on my reading list this week.  Even though I started the week with one book leftover from the previous week!

I suspect that I knew how busy this upcoming week would be…and that I’ll have a much lower expectation and shorter list.

What are you reading?  What holiday moments are you looking forward to this week?  Come on by and share!

Today I plan to watch some movies on my very FULL DVR.

TSS: GETTING IN THE HOLIDAY MOOD — DEC. 4

Welcome, Blog World!  It’s going to be Christmas before we know it!

Join in today’s Sunday Salon to share your thoughts about reading, blogging, and life…including the holidays.

I’ve been doing some blog decorating this week, including posts about “decking the halls.”

Here are some of my posts:

WINTERIZING THE BLOGS

NOVEMBER READING WRAP-UP

GUEST POST – ALON SHALEV

DECKING THE HALLS

WEEKEND THOUGHTS FROM THE INTERIOR

***

Yesterday I took a break from reading and blogging to see this movie…

Michelle Williams totally inhabited that role!  I haven’t seen such a great MM performance…ever!

I loved how they captured a moment in time and took us there so completely.

***

This week, I’ve done some reading, too. 

Books Read and Reviewed-Click Titles for Reviews:

1.  The Accidental Activist, by Alon Shalev (Read Nov. 10, but reviewed 11/28 for blog tour)

2.  Second Nature (e-book), by Jacquelyn Mitchard

3.  Shockaholic, by Carrie Fisher

4.  The Kingdom of Childhood, by Rebecca Coleman

5.  V is for Vengeance, by Sue Grafton

 

***

So that was my week!  I’m already primed up for the new one.

But today I’ll probably start watching some movies I’ve recorded on my DVR.  What about you?  Come on by and share some thoughts….

TSS: HOLIDAYS AHEAD! — NOV. 20

GRAB YOUR COFFEE & LET'S CHAT!

Welcome to the pre-holidays Sunday Salon, where we can gather around and share our thoughts about bookish things, blogging, and life.  Are you all looking forward to Thanksgiving this week?  I know that I am.

What is your favorite part?  The food, the friends and family, the football?

I am not even a football fan, but I love the “background noise” of the games playing on TV.

This past week, I’ve immersed myself in a couple of mystery books and a saga about family.  I’ve done some blogging, too. 

Here are some of my non-meme blog posts:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FIRSTBORN!

WEEKEND THOUGHTS FROM THE INTERIOR

ENTER THE WHIRLWIND – EXCERPT

BOOKISH THOUGHTS & GRATITUDE

VINTAGE MEMORABILIA

And now for the reading!

I read and reviewed these books-click titles for reviews:

1.  The Strangers on Montague Street, by Karen White (with author bio)

2.  The Sisters, by Nancy Jensen

3.  Armed:  An Alex Harris Mystery, by Elaine Macko

***

I scarcely got up from my reading, except to write blog posts, reread my WIP Interior Designs, and visit other blogs.

Last night, I finally started reading You Are My Only, by Beth Kephart…and I didn’t get far before falling asleep (and not because I wasn’t into it…I was tired!).  I’ll be reading it today!

I don’t even think I’ll go to the movies today…even though I do want to see J. Edgar.  What are you all up to today and this coming week?  Stop on by and chat…..