WEEKLY UPDATES: HOT DAYS & MORE READING…

On By Laurel-Rain SnowIn weekly updates

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 let’s join Kathryn, our leader in It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, at Book Date.

Another hot week!  I did read four books again this week, bringing my challenge total to 63 books.

There were some outside activities, too, which I tried to restrict to mornings:  coffee at Barnes & Noble on Wednesday, with a friend; and hair styling on Thursday.

Sadly the rash came back…despite the organic dye.  Luckily I had some of the ointment left over from last time, the kind that worked after several trials.  I also refilled the prescription for more…just in case.  After one day of using it, I’m almost in control of it. 

I may have to shave my head!  LOL.  No, I’ll probably just find a solution that involves going natural.  Whatever that may look like these days.

This morning I had breakfast at Marie Callender’s, after getting my prescription…I didn’t photograph it, as the platter was huge.  I didn’t eat it all…but still.  Piggy time?

Now I’m having more coffee in my “reading” cup.  Check out the dwindling book stacks on the shelf nearby…and I like the morning light coming through the blinds.  Now let’s look at last week’s blogging and reading…the blog posts were minimal, but the reading was good.

 

LAST WEEK ON THE BLOGS:

Tuesday Potpourri:  “The Secrets She Keeps”

Hump Day Potpourri:  A Week of Reading….

Chatting with Coffee….

Bookish Friday:  “Mrs. Saint & the Defectives”

Looking Back…and Moving Forward….

Review:  My Life to Live, by Agnes NixonReview:  The Marriage Pact (e-book), by Michelle Richmond (NG – 9/25)Review:  The Best of Us (e-book), by Joyce Maynard (NG-9/5)Review:  Every Wild Heart (e-book), by Meg Donohue

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INCOMING BOOKS: (Titles/Covers Linked to Amazon)

Empty physical mailbox!  My inbox, however, brought ONE NetGalley Review ARC…as if I need more.

The Blackbird Season (e-book), by Kate Moretti (NG – 9/26)

 

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WHAT’S UP NEXT?

Currently Reading:  Mrs. Fletcher (e-book), by Tom Perrotta (NG – 8/1)

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I also need to read some more e-ARCs in the next couple of weeks, like…

Girl in Snow (e-book), by Danya Kukafka (NG – 8/1)

Emma in the Night (e-book), by Wendy Walker (NG – 8/8)

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I would also love to grab one or two books from my TBR (Purchased)…but we shall see.

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That’s my week…what did yours look like?  A couple of nights ago, I read while eating this salad, topped off with my Pomegranate Martini.

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84 thoughts on “WEEKLY UPDATES: HOT DAYS & MORE READING…”

  1. Greg Hill

    Yay 4 books! A pretty good reading week! The Blackbird Season looks really good, and I added emma in the Night to my list too. I just saw a good review for that one yesterday I think.

    Marie Callenders… mm sounds yummy.

    Looks like a delicious salad, I always like a salad to cool off with in the summer!

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Greg, and I love eating salads in restaurants. They always seem more delicious…LOL.

      I especially liked that each of the 4 books I read were engaging…and kept me from thinking about the heat outside.

      Enjoy your weekend.

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    1. Thanks, Yvonne, so far the ointment I used the last time I had the rash is working…but I told my daughter I can’t go through this again…and we need to come up with a better solution.

      I had The Blackbird Season bookmarked on Amazon, so I was pleased to get the e-mail with the opportunity to “read now,” which doesn’t usually happen for me. Enjoy your week.

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    1. Oh, so do I, Megan…and since I’m almost finished with Mrs. Fletcher, I should be picking it up today or tomorrow….have family plans today, so who knows how much reading I’ll get done?

      Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting.

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  6. Four books is a good total when coping with such heat:). So very sorry the rash has returned – skin problems are the very devil to control, I find:(. Hope that you find a solution to the problem – because, let’s face it – once you get to a certain age, who wants to wear their NATURAL hair colour?? Unless you go that wonderful silver/white, that is… Have a great week, Laurel. My Sunday Post – https://sjhigbee.wordpress.com/2017/07/23/sunday-post-23rd-july-2017/

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    1. Thanks, Sarah, and I am thinking of doing highlights with no base color while whatever is my natural color grows out….yikes! The highlights, of course, will move slowly toward some kind of white. This is a fantasy, but doable, since the foiled pieces do not create the rash…it’s the hair dye that lays against my skin. It makes me cringe to think of it.

      Luckily I have the ointment that worked last time. TMI?

      I enjoyed all four of my books, and I’m loving Mrs. Fletcher now. Thanks for visiting, and enjoy your week.

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      1. Yes – I did wonder whether highlights might be possible, because, as you say, the foil-wrapped locks of hair don’t touch the scalp. Glad you’re loving Mrs Fletcher so much and hope you continue to have a great week, Lauren:)

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    1. Thanks, Deb, I think a growing-out process sounds like a plan…I’ll do highlights while it’s happening. Foiled hair doesn’t create the problem.

      Enjoy your week, and I do love the “reading as a solution for the heat” idea.

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  11. I wasn’t accepted for Emma in the Night, so I’ll definitely look for your review soonish, Laurel-Rain. It looks so good! I hope you’ll enjoy that and your other new books.
    Sorry about the rash, but good that your ointment is working faster this time around. My hair is all natural now… mostly silvery-gray, but with a lot of blonde, too. The only thing I do now, is to get purple highlights every now and then 😀
    Have a wonderful week ahead and happy reading.

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Lexxie, and I like the idea of just highlights for a while…and varying them in a fun way. Purple? I’m there!

      I don’t understand why we’re not accepted for some books, and then invited to read others…it seems so random! But I’m always happy when I get some of the ones I want.

      Enjoy your week!

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    1. Thanks, Di, after having to get up early to get my ointment at the pharmacy, I needed a treat. I so seldom have breakfast out!

      Of course, salad and martinis are fun, too, and I enjoy them now and then. Have a great week.

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  15. katarguelles

    We are both still having hot weather. I also try to do any errands early to beat the heat. You had another great reading week. Emma in the Night sounds really good and added it to my TBR. Goodreads is having a giveaway for the audiobook, fingers crossed I get picked lol. I hope you have a great week!

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  17. fuonlyknew

    I wanted to request Emma in the Night but was able to resist. I have so many to read and review already. I’ll wait and grab it later when I don’t have a time schedule to read it. I let my hair go natural a few years ago. Being short, I like the splashes of silver and white. And darn it, I earned them! LOL

    My Sunday Post

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  18. Since The Man has come to Texas, he has always ordered Marie Callendar’s box for Thanksgiving. It is delicious! I can only imagine how good breakfast there would be. I hope you find a better solution for your hair and scalp. I’ve had skin problems my entire life, and I’ve had something else pop up recently that I need to get looked at when I am back in the area of my doctor. I am semi-convinced it is psoriasis. :/ Four books is awesome reading! I wish I was finishing that many books in a week. Really I should be, but last summer and this summer I’ve just kind of rebelled. I have some to-dos to take care of this week, but I should finish my book I started the other day. Happy reading!

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Charlie, I am enjoying my reading for this week, too; that is key to how many books I finish.

      As for the rash, I’m frustrated…and deciding that I will stop coloring my hair…just get highlights, since the foiled pieces do not touch my neck, which is where I get the rash….or maybe I should just go cold turkey and see what happens! LOL.

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  19. I sure wish I could have seen that breakfast from Marie Callender’s. 3 five stars and 1 four star makes another good week. 🙂 Ah- another from NetGalley – yes as if we need them. LOL
    Hope your rash gets under control quickly. Happy Reading!

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    1. Thanks, Martha, the rash seems to be under control already, as I had some of the ointment that worked before (after several trials of other things).

      That breakfast was embarrassingly huge…two platters, with waffles, eggs, and bacon. I couldn’t finish it all, of course, but it was fun trying.

      I do love having 4 and 5 star reads. Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks, Melinda, and luckily, after going through several ointments before, I had found one that worked…and I still had some left (and a prescription for more). So far, so good…but I have to figure out how to avoid the condition in the future. No more hair dye?

      Enjoy your week and your reading.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Sarah, and I hope that the sale of your house goes smoothly. Meanwhile, you can settle in for a while where you are.

      The rash responded well to the ointment I used last time (after I had gone through several other creams and lotions!).

      Have a great week.

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    1. Thanks, Kay, I am looking forward to Emma in the Night…and the other NetGalley books that are ahead for me. Enjoy your week, and thanks for visiting.

      Hopefully I can avoid the rash in the future…by not using hair dye!

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    1. Thanks for stopping by, Kathy, and yes, Patty had some suggestions that worked for her…and my daughter decided not to follow the advice…so I think I’m done with hair color. The ointment is working, but I don’t want to live with treating a condition instead of avoiding it.

      I am enjoying my reading, though; hope you have a great week.

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    1. Thanks, Elizabeth, and after much trial and error the last couple of times I had the rash, I finally found something that worked quickly…and had some of that left to use this time. But…I am at the point where I want to avoid future rashes…so bye-bye hair dye!

      I like the look of Emma in the Night…and The Blackbird Season is one I’ve been eagerly awaiting.

      Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks, Mary, I love seeing the numbers going up on my “read” lists, and my physical stack is noticeably dwindling.

      Enjoy your week! I love the look of The Blackbird Season…and enjoyed The Vanishing Year from this author.

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  29. Kathy Martin

    I decided that keeping my hair colored was too labor intensive and went natural years ago. I don’t know what I’d look like with anything except white hair. Come see my week here. Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks, Sarah, and I hope that I can curtail any new rashes by stopping with the hair dye.

      Enjoy your week, and I’m glad you could stop by. I know from a friend who has lupus that it is a regular challenge. Hang in there!

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  33. Your poor head Laurel – I hope it is fully recovered now – and aren’t you just steaming ahead with your challenge? I saw that Wendy Walker book the other day and was quite taken by it, but I need to read more of my own books before I can allow myself anything new!

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    1. Thanks, Cleo, I am sick and tired of these break outs….I’ve pretty much decided to stop all hair dye…except maybe some highlights.

      I should have restricted my NetGalley books and read more of my own purchases…but I seem to be moving along, and how can I resist such good books as Wendy Walker’s newest?

      Thanks for visiting.

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  34. Oh, sorry the dye didn’t work for you with that organic option. Is this the first time you’ve been trying to dye your hair? How great to have a Marie Callender’s in your area. There used to be one in Daly City outside of San Francisco, but it’s gone. Used to like her pot pies. We went for crepes again, taking our SSF guests there whom went to preschool with my girls. They were miserable in the hot sun at the park; that was an awkward flop but we went to eat and then came back to the house to hang out for a while. The girls were happier. I’m glad I treated them to lunch as I had felt bad they had driven all the way down and suffered in the sun.

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    1. No, I’ve dyed my hair for many years….and only had a problem the last three times, (since April) and I am pretty sure it’s because of the dark color my daughter decided to use (she doesn’t want me to be a redhead any more! LOL).

      I’ve done some research, and the dark dyes have some ingredients that cause problems in some people. The organic may not have been a sufficient fix. So…just highlights, maybe. Or I might go natural.

      I love Marie Callender’s pot pies, too. I have heard others mention that their neighborhood restaurants have closed. Sigh.

      Have a great week, Stefanie, and thanks for visiting.

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  35. The Cue Card

    Sorry to hear the rash returned. Hope you can find a dye solution? Glad to see that Tom Perrotta has a new novel. I still remember his novels The Wishbones and Election. I’ll be interested to hear if his new one is any good. Have a great week and stay by a cooler.

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    1. Thanks for visiting, Susan, and yes, I’m just about to give up on hair dye.

      I love Tom Perrotta’s books, but have not read The Wishbones and Election. Just Little Children, The Leftovers, and The Abstinence Teacher. And now Mrs. Fletcher.

      I enjoyed Mrs. Fletcher…my review is on Curl up and Read.

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  36. Oh my Lord, I love pomegranate martinis! It has been super hot and humid here, too, but today wasn’t bad. There has been some flooding. It always makes me nervous because the last two times we were only a few blocks from the evacuation zone.
    I love, love, love the cover of Girl In Snow and am sad that it isn’t the type of book I read. I hope you are having a wonderful week. 🙂

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    1. Yes, pomegranate martinis are my favorite…and perfect for a hot day.

      Thanks for stopping by, La La, and I love the cover on Girl in Snow, too. The book is okay, but so far it is moving kind of slowly, back and forth between possible suspects….I’ll hang in there, though.

      Hopefully you will not have to evacuate! I once had to during a flood…and in the end, my property had no damage. But the fear…and displacement.

      Enjoy your week!

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  39. Great job on 4 books! My reading has slowed to a crawl lately which is driving me crazy. That’s too bad about the dye. Maybe you could do something fun with just the tips and go natural the rest of the way? The Kate Moretti book looks good and the pomegranate martini sounds amazing! Have a great week!

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    1. Thanks, Katherine, I am definitely leaning toward going natural, with maybe some highlights…or something like purple on the tips. Enjoy your reading, and you will get your reading mojo back when you aren’t so busy.

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  40. Emma in the Night sounds good. I have a copy in my Kindle app, just wished I could read faster!

    And don’t shave your head! LOL Could it be something besides the dye? I have been fighting an annoying rash on my legs for the past year. It comes and goes and the dermatologist can’t find a cause. I’m beginning to believe it’s a histamine reaction, because it goes away whenever I’m taking antihistamines.

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    1. Thanks, Leslie, I doubt that I will shave my head…and I am convinced of the hair dye’s role in this, and my doctor agrees. The reaction happens right after I have my hair dyed, and it started after my daughter changed to a dark dye. Those dyes have potentially harmful ingredients, according to some research I’ve done…although my daughter is in denial about it.

      She will do as I ask, though, and stop using the dye.

      I am eager to start reading Emma in the Night. Have a great week!

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