I think my last update post was before Memorial Day. I spent that weekend and several days afterward sick with a weird viral thing that my husband brought home. It was beyond tiresome - like flu with no respiratory or digestive issues. However, the fever was present and the body aches and lack of appetite and a huge amount of fluid retention. Horrible. I hurt all over and it reminded me vividly of what my body used to feel like most of the time when I weighed about 100 pounds more. Note to self - not going back there...ever!
We had a vacation planned to New Mexico for the first week in June and so we went anyway, even though I wasn't quite 100%. I got better as time went on and though I wasn't as active as I would have liked, it was a good trip. We got back last Sunday and my husband managed to get our yard done before our area had some huge storms. That's what very hot, humid air does when it collides with a cold front blowing in. There were a couple of small tornadoes around, but we just got lots of lightning, thunder, and rain. Happily.
My reading has been slow-ish. I went through a period of not feeling like reading when I was sick, but I finally managed to finish a book or two on our trip.
We listened to Michael Connelly's latest Renee' Ballard/Harry Bosch book, Dark Sacred Night, as we drove across Texas. We both liked it and it was interesting that it was co-narrated by Christine Lakin and Titus Welliver (the actor who plays Bosch in the TV adaptation). That worked well for us. We enjoyed the book and look forward to listening to the next, The Night Fire, which will be published in late October.
I also listened to a recent non-fiction book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, by Lori Gottlieb. It was narrated by Brittany Pressley and she did a good job with it. This is a memoir by a therapist about her work and also about her own therapist. I liked it a lot - funny parts, poignant parts, all the parts. It just suited me right now, though I don't read a lot of non-fiction.
The last book I'll talk about is one I've read before a number of years ago. I did read it in print and it's the first book in Betty Webb's Lena Jones mystery series - Desert Noir. Betty recently had the 10th book in the series published and it will be the last one. She felt that the whole story of Lena was complete. I'm sad that there will be no more Lena books, but I've decided to read my way through the whole series in upcoming months. This is an excellent series, set in Arizona, and written by a talented former reporter. I've met Betty at mystery conferences and our mystery group spoke with her a number of years ago when we read the 2nd book in the series, Desert Wives. I recommend these books for sure.
That's about it for my reading lately. I shared what I'm reading right now on Tuesday. And I'll likely be around sharing more about my books read in upcoming days. And maybe even get those Colorado trip posts written. Ha!
Sorry to hear you've been sick, but glad you're better now. I'm on the hold list for the print version of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone... maybe I'll get on the audio list, too!
ReplyDeleteThe audio is well done, JoAnn. You might try a read/listen.
DeleteI'm glad you're feeling better, Kay. Looking forward to reading your books read and Colorado trip posts.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'll get around to Colorado posts before long. Ha!
DeleteOh, Bosch... I think I saw that series available on Prime. Is it good?
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear you've been ill. Not great when illness affects a holiday but am glad you're feeling better.
We like the Bosch series, Cath. You might try it out. Different from the books (though I haven't read any of the Bosch books, just the Ballard one and this one).
DeleteYour flu bug sounds awful. I'm sorry you weren't feeling 100% for your vacation, but am glad you still managed to have a good time. I'll bet you enjoyed the cooler weather. I read about the storms you had (as well as the awful ones in Dallas!) and am thankful you didn't suffer any damage. Texas weather is so scary! Looking forward to seeing some travel pictures. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, spring/summer in Texas usually means storms. And we're still having some crazy cool overnight temps - in the mid-60's last night. Crazy for June.
DeleteGlad to hear you're feeling better! Being sick is never fun. And, of course, congratulations on keeping those 100 pounds off. That is amazing. I'm headed to my WW meeting in about an hour so I can try to follow suit :)
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Betty Webb. I'll have to check her Arizona mystery series out. Sounds fun.
Good for you, Susan! Hope your journey is going well or however it's supposed to. And, yes, you should check out Betty Webb's books. They are published by the Poisoned Pen.
DeleteI'm glad you're feeling better. For some reason, being sick during the summer is worse than being sick in the winter. I've heard good things about Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.
ReplyDeleteI agree about being sick in the summer. You might try Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and see what you think. I liked it.
DeleteI'm glad you were recovered enough to make your trip, Kay. The Desert Noir series sounds interesting--and a new to me author.
ReplyDeleteI think you might like Desert Noir, Jenclair, and the books that come after it.
DeleteSo sorry to hear you were feeling bad but glad you recovered in time for your trip. There's nothing worse than being super sick and having to travel. My reading has been really slow too though I've been enjoying audio books. Have a lovely summer!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Katherine. Yes, travelling while sick is not fun at all. Happily, I improved and we didn't have to worry about my husband getting it.
DeleteSorry you were sick Kay but that you still went to NM. I can't read either when I'm sick. Hope the rest of your summer is better.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diane! I think it will be better.
DeleteGlad to hear you're feeling better, Kay, and that you're beginning to get back into the reading groove.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I hate it when my reading routine is messed up.
DeleteGlad you're feeling better and getting some good reading in!
ReplyDeleteYes, that's always a good thing for me.
DeleteI'm glad you're feeling better too, Kay! I have a hard time concentrating on reading when I don't feel well. We had a bad tornado hit near us a couple of weeks ago, just outside Lawrence, KS. It was scary! I'm ready for the weather to settle down.
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely tornado season. I know that your area gets a lot of them. Most of the Texas tornadoes are north of our area, but sometimes we get them.
DeleteOh goodness I'm so not ready for summer in Texas! I can't believe all the crazy storms we've had. While I don't mind the rain I always get worried it's going to turn into something like tornado weather! Really would love to check out the read of the therapist. Sounds so interesting!
ReplyDeleteBet the library has that therapist book, Iliana. And, yes, summer definitely seems to be here. It was a nice cool spring though.
DeleteJust hearing that you are 100 pounds lighter makes me want to hug you in congratulations. I'm sorry you were sick for so long, but at least you were able to make the trip!
ReplyDeleteYes, I was glad that the trip happened. And thanks for the hug. I've still got some work to do on my health journey, but I'm getting there.
DeleteI had that same illness. It was horrible. Weird, too. I didn't look sick or sound sick but was most definitely sick.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I felt. Glad we're both over it!
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