Elizabeth Strout

Note - this link contains “if you liked Elizabeth Strout, consider these” suggestions.

https://lititzlibrary.org/elizabeth-strout-read-alikes/

When my niece read Harry Potter, she had a big chart in her room where she made notes of all the characters. 

As I read the Elizabeth Strout books, I kept thinking I should have done the same. The characters are intertwined, reoccurring, and related. 

Reading the books one right after the other is probably enough for the average person. The books definitely need to be read in order. 

In the fall of 2020, I listened to the Olive books.

Olive Kitteridge (2008)
Olive, Again (2019)

I enjoyed them very much. 

Then over the summer of 2023, I listened to the four Lucy books, one right after the other, and really loved them. I was very sad to finish this series.

There are three additional books also - 

I listened to The Burgess Boys before I started on the Lucy series this summer. This was smart. Some of the Burgess characters are mentioned in the Lucy books, one character overlaps predominately. 

After I finished the Lucy series, I read Amy and Isabelle and then Abide by Me. And discovered these had mentions of overlapping stories/characters too. 

In my opinion: 

Read the stand alone books first, in publication order. 

Olive series should be second, in publication order.

And then read the Lucy series last, also in publication order.

Rabbit fencing

I have a terrible problem with rabbits eating my plants. If I were to use rabbit fence to keep them out of everything, I would have to build a fortress. 

So my rabbit fencing actually serves another purpose. I use it to hold up plants where the blooms are too large and stems/stalks fall.

I buy mine from Mennards -

My first effort was mid August to support my Joe Pye Weed. 

This is what the Joe Pye Weed looked like on its own. Stems were breaking, it was hard to get to the water spigot, it was a sad mess. 

Here is another example, small pieces of rabbit fencing support the aster in my fall plantings.

Hijack

This was mentioned in the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast. I still listen to that podcast regularly, I get good ideas from it. 

I loved Hijack. Perfectly cast. I liked the pace. 

I just went with it, realistic or not, I did not care. This was a point made in podcast. 

I enjoyed the whole thing, in one go. Seven hours, start early if you like to watch things all together. 

Looking up Idris Elba for this post, I realized there is a new Luther on Netflix. 

I loved the very gritty Luther series. I will rewatch the original series before I watch the new one. 

Cross body solution

I use a very small crossbody as my purse/phone holder. I use it all day, every day. I have worn out a couple of these. Oldest found the original one, they are perfect for me.

I ordered a new one (Etsy) this summer, but when it came, it was quite snug trying to get my phone in and out. My old ones were probably stretched out from constant use. My hands have gotten worse. The new one (below) was unusable to me. This was both sad and a real problem.

The top zipper had broken on the old cross body I had been using for several years. This was on the upper section where I store my phone.  I realized that the broken zipper was probably part of the reason my phone fit in and out so easily. 

I took the old cross body apart, removed what was left of the zipper, and put it back together, no problems. That was my trial run. 

I then had confidence to do the same operation on my brand new cross body, removing the zipper, which enlarged the top opening for my phone (pictures taken with my current phone, old phone in the holder, if you are wondering).

It is now very easy for me to use! 

I do lots of projects. I normally am pleased with them. This one I was absolutely thrilled at my cleverness. 

Project Runway

I realized a brand new season of Project Runway was running after an episode on Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast.

I really liked Season 19 of this show. Love Christian in his role. 

Project Runway aired on Bravo and Peacock. I bought a one month subscription to Peacock to watch it. 

I waited until it was well underway to begin. Loved this season too! 

I watched several other shows while I had access to Peacock. If you are out of things to watch on your normal streaming services, this is a good month’s worth. 

A pair for each door

I needed something to have by the door to slip on very quickly to turn off a sprinkler or take the dogs to our yard for a pee or grab the mail. 

Actually I needed two pair, one for each door. 

I talked to youngest, about what words to use in my online search, and she suggested “recovery slides”. This was to pull up options with lots of support below for my arches and on top for my metatarsals.

In searching, I immediately recognized a name, OOFOS.

This is the company that makes my indoor house shoes, found/gifted by oldest/DIL. I love those house shoes and they work extremely well for me. 

I ordered two identical pair of slides (size 8) and they arrived quickly. 

These are perfect for me. They fit very snuggly, have great arch support below, and really support my metatarsals on top. 

Important note - these are not water shoes. In fact they get quite slippery when wet. 

Funny note - one review said it was too much arch support, like walking on a tennis ball. Another review said it was too tight, they should have gotten the kind with Velcro. Both those reviews were actually positive for me. I thought these would be perfect and they were. 

Another important note - Middle is not allowed to wear them, her foot is thicker than mine and we are afraid she might stretch them. 

Dexter

 We have the Paramount/CBS app because of all things Star Trek. I also watch primarily CBS TV shows. 

Middle wanted to watch Yellowjackets, so she upgraded our subscription.

Quite accidentally I realized this gave me access to Dexter/New Blood. 

I very much liked the original Dexter series. 

I mostly enjoyed this new addition too. 

My husband watched parts of it with me and commented they set it up to continue. I read articles (after I watched it all) and yes, it was set up to be season one of a short mini series, but was cancelled. No season two at this point in time. 

The Dexter TV series is based on books. I have not read them. I am not planning to read them at this point in time, but adding them to my possible book list for the future. (I can’t decide if I would like them.)

Here are a few facts to consider - 

Sewing this summer, the first quilt, a 9-patch variation

I made two quilts last year as gifts. They were very simple. 

https://baby-steps-v.blogspot.com/2022/10/we-had-wedding-today.html

I made another quilt, this time a belated/delayed birthday present, in July 2023.

It was a unique technique -

https://my.modafabrics.com/2017/07/woodruff-quilt.html

I made the block in different sizes, to try out the pattern. I used the small size (left) included in the instructions. 

I gathered fabric -

My goal/plan was to make (at least) two blocks per day. This would keep things progressing, not stress my hands, more easily fit into my over busy days, keep things fun.  

Eventually, I was here -

And then I was here -

After a good pressing, and the border added, here -

I dropped it off for my long arm quilter. Here (below) is the motif for the plain/alternate square. The other squares were meandered. The border got parallel lines. 

Back from the machine quilter - 

Extra backing/batting removed when the binding was added. The quilting really shows with the ceiling light off and the natural light shining at an angle.

Black eyed Susans

 It is a gardening rite of passage each summer. When the black eyed Susan’s bloom, in the bed down by the street, it means fall is approaching. 

I keep a lookout each year. This little guy bloomed in July, a couple weeks before the rest of his bed. I have no idea why.

Then a few of his friends joined in the fun.

And then by early August, everyone was in full bloom.

I posted photos of the day lilies to the left of the black eyed Susan’s earlier, here they are again.

I have black eyed Susan’s in one other bed too, on the other side of the driveway, closer to the house. 

Ridley

Masterpiece on PBS, we have Passport, really enjoyed this series. 

If you are short on things to watch these days, Masterpiece/Mystery productions from PBS is a very good collection. 

These are available through Amazon Prime, fee. And also by joining Passport through your local PBS station, fee. 

https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/specialfeatures/9-british-mystery-series-to-watch-right-now/

New yoga mat

  

My old yoga (above) mat was actually loosing structural integrity. 

Clearly I needed a new mat, but it is super hard (psychologically) to buy a new mat because -

It is an investment

The right mat is important

Mats are pretty much on line

I asked and the two suggestions from classmates and instructors were Jade and Manduka. (Both companies have an online quiz, that can help.)

A classmate had just researched/shopped/bought a mat by Jade. I was able to see/touch it in class. 

I hesitated for a few weeks. I would not call it analysis paralysis. It was just paralysis. 

Finally, I took the quizzes and called oldest and his wife, they had been waiting for me to think of something I needed. This was a delayed Mother’s Day present. We wait until I really need something. 

My DIL took the mat ordering in hand. She bought from Dick’s so I could return it. It was a relief to have her just do it.

It arrived by fed ex and I left it on the porch for my husband because I knew it was going to smell. This is a thing with some yoga mats. 

He put it in the garage, on a bed sheet, with a fan blowing on it 24/7.

It stayed there for nine days. The pups made a beeline for it every time they were in the garage. We had to wipe a lot of puppy prints off it. 

It is now in full use and perfect. 

Catching up on Renovation series

We love a good renovation series. And we get quite attached to some of the people. 

I subscribe to Discovery Plus, one month at a time, a couple times a year, and catch up on the series we love.

Two of our favorites -

 

Ben and Erin started a second series -

In season two of Hometown Takeover, Jenny and Dave joined Ben and Erin. These two couples worked together. 

Season two started airing in April 2023, I watched it and really enjoyed the projects. (Although the greenery on the ceiling of the restaurant seemed questionable).