Weekly update - 9/24/15 - A desk that goes up and up, a little more time, and pigs...

Here's what's going on in my world this week:

Life in General...

I'm pleased to say that I visited the endocrinologist last Friday and it was a very productive meeting.  I did not see a doctor, but rather a physician's assistant/educator.  We talked for a quite a while about several of my issues and I explained what I had been doing and what my goals were.  The PA gave me an overview of many things, did a short exam, and told me that it was a really good thing that I had come in.  He congratulated me on being proactive and gave me 3 more months to work on lifestyle changes.  We'll do another blood test in December.  I'm to meet with a nutritionist at their office in the next little while and she will help me understand more about carbs and integrating my new eating goals with my Weight Watchers plan.  He also told me that consistent, regular exercise - at least 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week - will be key.  So, that is my new major focus.  And so far, so good.

Also, I wanted to show you guys my new desk accessory.  It's a standing desk.  I told my husband that this was what I wanted for my birthday.  He has one at work that he uses.  It fits on top of my current desk and basically makes my monitor and keyboard/mouse go up and up.  I can stand for however long that I like and then I can adjust it back to chair level and sit.  I love it.  What do you think?  I decided that every little bit helps and I do have tendency to shuffle around or sway back and forth when I am standing.

Life in Reading...

I finished After The Storm by Linda Castillo.  It's the 7th book in the Kate Burkholder series.  Kate is the police chief in Painters Mill, Ohio, which is in the middle of Amish country.  I really enjoyed this latest book.  Lots of character growth for Kate and her significant other, John Tomasetti.  And there were pigs.  A large pig farm or actually, several large pig farms play a part.  Old bones are discovered by some Boy Scouts, there's a huge tornado, and Kate has several personal decisions to make.

I then picked up the latest Ruth Galloway book, The Ghost Fields, by Elly Griffiths.  This is the 7th book in this series as well.  It concerns a WWII pilot and his plane that are discovered when some land is being prepared for new homes.  And guess what?  There is a pig farm and whole discussions of whether pigs will or will not consume other animals or meat.  Ummm....yes, they will.  Can't believe that Kate, Ruth's and Nelson's little daughter, turns 5.  Where did the time go?  Ruth has the chance to be on TV again, plus there is an ancient set of remains discovered that has DNA that connects with the pilot and his family.  And even to one of our regular characters.

I finished listening to The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larsson.  So much fun!  I then tried to listen to The Yard by Alex Grecian, in order to fulfill my book group's October theme of mysteries set in the 1800's.  However, I didn't care for the narrator.  His voice and modulation were fine, but he breathed audibly between sentences.  It drove me batty!  I may or may not get that one read before our meeting.  I've moved on to The Girl In The Spider's Web by David Lagercrantz, the new Salander book.  It's narrated by Simon Vance, who did the original books, and so that's good.  Jury is still out about the book.  We'll see what I think in the end.

Life in Reading - What's Next... 

Honestly, I'm not sure.  We'll see how my mood takes me.  I have planned to read 'Salem's Lot in October, but I might slip something else in between or go off on another tangent.  And that's what's fun about 'no planning' reading.

I'll have a post about Banned Book Week on Monday and my October Bookish Nostalgia post on Thursday.  I may or may not have a weekly post.  We'll see how much reading I get done or if I have anything fun to share.