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Friday, May 24, 2019

kay's week - 5.24.19



Happenings this last week...

I've been busy this last few days with the usual pursuits and a few family things.  May is a big month for family birthdays and we've been together with relatives more than once.  Add to that Mother's Day and seems like there's a meal at someone's house or out each week.  One more on Sunday and then a break.  I enjoyed a late Mother's Day Lunch with my daughter last Friday.  She's often working on Mother's Day and so it was nice to get to chat and try a new salad place with just the two of us.

Yoga continues and my WW friends are showing up at the class more and more.  We joked with the teacher that we weren't exactly staging a coup, but...ha!  Not sure that yoga will suit all my friends, but I'm glad to encourage them to try something new (and the free class allowed helps with that).  As for myself, I do feel stronger already in my arms and shoulders - able to hold positions longer.  And more flexible in my hips.

My library volunteering life has also been busy.  Summer is coming and that's always a challenge for libraries everywhere.  Summer reading programs and just more people walking in the door.  I volunteer at two local libraries and my main job at one of them is assisting with processing new materials.  That has meant a lot of kid stuff especially in the last few weeks.  My tasks at the other library (my former workplace) are all over the map.  When I walk in the door I never know exactly what their staffing levels will be for the day and what they will need me to assist with.  I do shelving and process holds mostly, but I can step up in other ways as well.

I went to a book club discussion of Lawrence Wright's God Save Texas Tuesday.  As I had suspected, it was an interesting time talking about various aspects of the book.  I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I had done a read/listen of it - the author narrates and does a decent job - and that I had agreed mostly and enjoyed parts and disagreed with a few conclusions.  The book group as a whole was OK with it, though there were several that became so angry with some of the government and political aspects that they were unaware of,  it colored their experience.  A couple of people wished that there had a been more discussion of Texas history (I would have liked that too) and some thought that it was too scattered and had little focus.  It was indeed filled with a lot of vignettes and took the reader from one side of the state to the other and from north to south.  I was glad that I read it and might check out other books by the author.


In upcoming days...

The book group I mentioned above will be discussing Naomi Alderman's book, The Power, in June.  We also received the schedule for the rest of 2019 at the meeting.  Some good books to come.  I volunteered to lead the discussion in July when the group will be reading The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane by Lisa See.  I've read other books by the author and have had this one on my list for a while.  Have you read it or other books by Lisa See?  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I'm hoping to have 3 posts talking about our Colorado trip.  I've been a bit slow getting my thoughts together about them.  Maybe next week or maybe later in the summer.  I'll be out again for a bit, but when I return, I'll try to share a little more about my reading. 

Hope everyone has a very nice Memorial Day weekend! 

14 comments:

  1. It's so nice to hear from you, Kay! Your May full of birthdays is like my family's April! I would love to volunteer at my local library, especially to see all the new books come in!

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  2. Exercising is always more fun with friends.

    I know the library is thankful for volunteers like you. Having a busy summer season is a good thing.

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  3. You sound busy; and it's a good thing to stay healthy and connect with friends. :) And volunteering at a library sounds fun; imagine you get to see new arrivals first before other readers aside from all the other works. ;)

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  4. We do the month of birthdays in December--four birthdays + Christmas! Thank you for being a library volunteer, Kay. We can all appreciate that role. :)

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  5. May is a busy month for us too but it sounds like it's all good stuff all around. I know our library usage dramatically increases in the summer so I can imagine that the challenge is enormous for the staff. Volunteering there sounds interesting and busy. Even if you're doing the same thing every day I imagine that every day is completely different! Have a great week!

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  6. Sounds like you've been busy, especially at the library! Our county library system just made a big announcements -- no more library fines. All current fines are being erased and no new ones will be incurred. Yay! That'll save me lots of money :) I do donate lots of books to the library, so I don't feel too bad about not giving an extra "donation".

    I've read a few books by Lisa See and enjoyed them all. I finished her newest—ISLAND OF SEA WOMEN—a month or so ago and it's excellent. I haven't read HUMMINGBIRD, although it's on my TBR list.

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  7. We have a lot of celebrations in May, too! What's the name of the new salad place? We used to go to two when we lived in San Diego, but never found anything like them when we lived in Nebraska and none here on the coast.

    I'm doing yoga twice a week now and am feeling much more limber. It especially helps the day after I play pickleball (which has become my new obsession!).

    I've only read one book by Lisa See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan) and quite frankly, I wasn't impressed, so I haven't tried any of her others.

    Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

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  8. We don't have many birthdays in May but it seems like we've been traveling or getting ready to travel. Yay for library volunteers! I've read a few of Lisa See's books, and really liked them.

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  9. I am leading a book club discussion in July too for I'll Be Gone in the Dark, about the Golden State killer.

    Yoga can be a lot of fun and more so when friends do it with you. I haven't done it in years.

    I have read a couple of See's books but she doesn't really do it for me. At least not her older stuff. She's so popular though and I heard her speak at a festival once and really enjoyed what she had to say.

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  10. Sounds like you have been busy! I have The Power on my TBR but I honestly don’t know when I will get around to reading it. I think I will wait and see how you end up liking it :)

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  11. I've been to our library 3 days a week to keep the ongoing book sale going. It takes me back to my book store days and I love it. Great that you are seeing results with your yoga class! I'm seeing results with my walking and toning videos as well as tai chi. Here's to our good health :)

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  12. I enjoy reading about your activities--sounds like your summer is off to a good start!

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  13. Kay sounds like you've been super busy but having a lot of fun. I had to stop my yoga classes because I have had quite a few things going on but I'm looking forward to taking them back up later in the summer. I have read several of Lisa See's book and have throughly enjoyed them. I actually have a newer one on my Kindle. Take good care and have fun on your travels!

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  14. A friend insisted I join a yoga class about eight years ago, and I'm so happy I did. It has been a wonderful addition to my life.

    I was a big fan of God Save Texas, but I'm a lifelong Texan and I know my people (I don't always love my people, but I know them.)

    I hope you will link up (if you want to, if you feel like it) at Sunday Salon sometimes.

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!