WEEKLY UPDATES: CELEBRATIONS

On By Laurel-Rain SnowIn weekly updates

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Good morning! Today’s post will link up to The Sunday Salon, The Sunday Post and Stacking the Shelves, for weekly updates.

**Mailbox Monday is hosted at the home site: Mailbox Monday.

And…Sheila’s back, so let’s join her in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, check out Book Journey.

Wow, what a week! I only read and reviewed TWO books, but I’m halfway through another. I did a bit of blogging, but my focus has been on my house guests, who are now on their way back to Europe after a quick stop in LA.  Sigh.  While they were here this past week, we stayed up late watching videos, and finished off the final seven episodes of  Mad Men.

We also had lunches out and a dinner last night with my daughter and her BF, at Olive Garden.

 

 

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The past few days, I have also been working away on Bloggiesta, which continues until Sunday night.  Check out all my crossed-out items on the list!

This morning I am here (below), drinking coffee and trying to stay awake.

 

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LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Sunday Potpourri:  Guilty Pleasures…and Purging

Curl up with Intros/Teasers – “Pretty Girls”

From the Interior:  Waiting on “The Secret Life of Anna Blanc”

The Trial Begins:  Excerpted from “Interior Designs”

Bookish Friday:  “House of Glass”

Review: All the Summer Girls (e-book), by Meg Donohue

Review: My Salinger Year (e-book), by Joanna Rakoff

 

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Empty mailbox!

I did download an e-book, after watching the movie based on this book.  The movie starred Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon, Shia LeBeouf, Julie Christie, Nick Nolte, Anna Kendrick, Stanley Tucci, etc.

The Company You Keep (e-book), by Neil Gordon

 

 

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WHAT’S UP NEXT? (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Currently Reading:  Scared Scriptless (e-book), by Alison Sweeney

 

 

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Pretty Girls,  by Karin Slaughter (Amazon Vine)

 

 

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Pretending to Dance (e-book), by Diane Chamberlain (NetGalley Review – Release Date – 10/6/15)

 

 

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House of Glass (e-book), by Sophie Littlefield

 

 

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And that’s my week, folks!  What lies ahead?  Cooler weather (slightly); I also hope to enjoy reading my books and connecting to bloggers.

And here’s a shot taken from my “memory book” of the wonderful summer with the Berliner/Praguelodytes:

 

Craig & Gabi -Old Town Hotel

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90 thoughts on “WEEKLY UPDATES: CELEBRATIONS”

  2. MM, Olive Garden. Sounds like you guys had a good time- glad you got to see them again. Good times w/ family… liked the Mex reataurant pics too. Enjoy the cool weather… we’re due to cool down too.

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    1. I am really looking forward to Pretending to Dance, and have enjoyed many Chamberlain books by now. Hope you love it, Katherine, and thanks for stopping by. I do love to drink coffee in colorful surroundings…LOL.

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  4. What a great visit you had with your family 🙂 So nice for you to have those new memories. I’m sure they’re also filled with many new & good ones!
    Oh those books, yay! I now want to read or watch The Company You Keep, so I’m glad you pointed it out. And any Diane Chamberlain is worth a read, so onto the list it goes. I pre-ordered the Karin Slaughter book, one of my go-to authors, the one that pushes the envelope for me with its sometimes graphic scenes, but I feel connected to her series, so I also read her stand-alones.
    Have a great weekend, Laurel!

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    1. I couldn’t believe I hadn’t read a Karin Slaughter book, but I did check out the author’s list…and no, I haven’t. I am pretty sure she will be a new favorite author. Thanks for visiting, Rita, and I am feeling a little lost without the ever-present house guests. We had so much fun…but even more, it was great to see them every morning as we drank our coffee.

      Sigh…I had to put my house back to the way it usually is, with some dolls here and there (my son makes jokes about them, LOL, so I hide them in a closet when they’re here).

      Now that I’m back in my “office,” I can savor the memories and resume my routines.

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  6. I don’t blame you for focusing on your visitors, dining out and TV series-binge watching. It sounds lovely and exactly what’s needed from time to time.

    You still seem to have kept up with your blogging though despite all of that, so well done!

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    1. Thanks, Deborah…I did manage to squeeze in some time for reading and blogging…now I feel at loose ends, with the guests gone. This time permanently (back to Europe); at least until the next visit, which hopefully will not take as long as last time (eight years).

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  7. I’m glad you got to spend some more time with your son and his wife before they left for Europe again. And the lunches and dinners out sound good – it means you all got to take advantage of being together, and enjoying good food, without having to work too much 😉
    Your new books all look great, but especially Scared Scriptless caught my eye.
    Have a fantastic week ahead, and happy reading.

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    1. Thanks, Lexxie, and I’m all about relishing family time without having to cook…LOL.

      I am enjoying Scared Scriptless, and while the pace was a bit slow at first, things have picked up and there is some conflict now, which makes it more fun. Have a great week!

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    1. Yes, I have seen it a few times: in the theater and then on DVD. Love Redford, but especially enjoyed the storyline from my time (the 60s) when many of us did a bit of protesting.

      Thanks for stopping by, Steph…enjoy your week.

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  11. Pingback: RECLAIMING MY INTERIORS: A BITTERSWEET DAY | AN INTERIOR JOURNEY

  14. Pretending to Dance looks good. We have house guests coming in November and with my daughter, her husband and Sophia living here my poor house has suffered. I imagine I will be doing some serious work prepping for their arrival.

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  19. Red Iza

    The cast of the movie is impressive, I like Julie Christie very much 🙂 I haven’t read Karin Slaughter yet but I’m very tempted… Enjoy your new books and have a great week !

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    1. I LOVED it! I thought I wouldn’t be able to see the final seven episodes for a while, as they’re not on Netflix yet…but my son had them downloaded on his computer, so we watched them one night.

      I want to see more Don Draper, though…LOL. Thanks for stopping by, Lucy.

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  26. I’m not familiar with that book or movie. I do like Robert Redford so I’ll have to check NetFlix and Hulu. Sounds like you enjoyed your company:) Books are always there waiting for us, but company is temporary.

    Enjoy the rest of the week!

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  29. Glad you had a wonderful visit with your family. It is always sad to see them go home. Congrats on all you accomplished during Bloggiesta. I finally updated my review links, whew! I’ve got Mad Men downloaded, now need some cool weather to binge watch. Have a great week.

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    1. Thanks, Nise, and have fun binge watching Mad Men. I was seriously hooked on that show…LOL.

      And yes, the departure of my son and DIL was sad…but they promised not to wait so long for the next visit.

      Enjoy your week! Sounds like a big accomplishment with your review links.

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  31. It’s great that you got to enjoy such good times with your close ones! We’re expecting visit too in the next few weeks, I’m really looking forward to it!

    House of Glass sounds good. I read one of Sophie Littlefield’s books long ago and really enjoyed it. I’ll add this one to my wishlist!

    Happy reading!

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  33. Teddyree

    Can’t beat time with family but looks like you’re being very productive with Bloggiesta. Hope you enjoy Pretending to Dance as much as I did, I’m a big DC fan. Have a great week and happy reading 🙂

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    1. Thanks, Cheryl, and I agree with you about Olive Garden’s soup, salad, and breadsticks! I love going there for lunch and having just those items.

      I loved Alison Sweeney’s book…and all her other books, too. Glad you could stop by.

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  37. Sounds like you had a good week! I love Olive Garden. I go there at least once a month with my best friend. I was there this weekend. 🙂 glad you had fun with your house guests. I know how exhausting that can be! Have a nuce week!

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  38. i am glad you had a nice week with your family, even if it did cut into your reading and blogging time. I have had the same problem lately. Here is to a quiet and wonderful week.

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  41. Sometimes an empty mailbox can be a good thing. It gives me a feeling that I really might catch up on reading one of these weeks. It sounds like your company has been keeping you busy. Come see my reading week here. Happy reading!

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  44. What a busy week! And you still read two books. I’m impressed as two is a good week when I’m not busy.

    I just finished watching the last Mad Men episodes myself. I can see why you liked the ending. 🙂

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  45. Pingback: Books That Caught Our Eye | Mailbox Monday

  46. The Cue Card

    Congrats on finishing your tasks on Bloggiesta. I need some of that will power. I hope the Berliners enjoyed their stay in Calif. Enjoy your week!

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    1. Thanks, Susan, I had fun with Bloggiesta. And the Berliners got to see a wide range of California, from LA to the Northern regions, along the coast, and also up over the Oregon border. My DIL now has a new perspective about our lives here.

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