Hibernator (Rachel) the second

Hi! I'm Rachel! 45 year old caregiver, mom of 3, furnom of 5, reader, D&D player, cross-sticher, and pen pal (of 30). My kids are IL6 (son), M12 (stepson), D15 (stepdaughter). I also live with and care for my dad, who is mostly independent, but needs some help due to health issues and dementia. I read just about every type of fiction, though about half of it is fantasy. I read nonfiction - generally with an academic leaning, though some other types, too.

Reading goal - 150 (that will be hard to reach)

In 2024 I read 109 books

January Books
1. Carpe Jugulum, by Terry Pratchett
2. Diary of a Roblox Pro: Monster Escape, by Ari Avatar
3. Never a Doll Moment, by Andres Miedoso
4. The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher, by E. M. Anderson
5. Hold on to Your Heads, by Andres Miedoso
6. The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth, by Thomas Morris
7. Penelope Rex and the Problem with Pets, by Rex T Higgins
8. Golem's Game, by Nick Eliopulos
9. Wee Free Men, by Terry Pratchett
10. Day of the Night Crawlers, by Troy Cummings
11. Frantastic Voyage, by Jim Benton
12. Dog vs. Strawberry, by Nelly Buchet
13. Wrath of the Dragon King, by Brandon Mull

February Books

14. Eggasaurus, by Jennifer Wagh
15. Children of Virtue and Vengeance, by Tomi Adeyemi
16. Hidden Gem, by Linda Liu
17. Mahabharata
18. Here Comes Teacher Cat, by Deborah Underwood
19. We Are Growing, by Laurie Keller
20. Beach Bummer, by Ryan T Higgins
21. The Leaf Thief, by Alice Hemming
22. The Kiss Box, by Bonnie Verburg
23. Jo Bright and the Seven Bots, by Deborah Underwood
24. The Fran With Four Brains, by Jim Benton
25. Attack of the Shadow Smashers, by Troy Cummings
26.Human Acts, by Han Kang
27. March Book One, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell
28. The Frandidate, by Jim Benton
29. Time to Clown Around, by Andres Miedoso
30. Pigs Make Me Sneeze, by Mo Willems
31. The Ravenswood Witch, by Jenni Keer
32. The Yellow Bus, by Loren Long
33. The Pirate's Eye, by Guy Bass
34. March Book 2, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell
35. Bad Hair Day, by Jim Benton

March books
36. Chomp of the Meat-Eating Vegetables, by Troy Cummings
37. The Ghost of Grotteskew, by Guy Bass
38. A Hat Full of Sky, by Terry Pratchett
39. The Life of Elizabeth I, by Allison Weir
40. St Augustine's Confessions, by William R Cook and Ronald R Herzman
41. The Sign of Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle
42. Neverseen, by Shannon Messenger
43. Franny K Stein: Recipe For Disaster, by Jim Benton
44. Whack of the P Rex, by Troy Cummings
45. Say Something, by Peter H Reynolds
46. Diary of a young Girl, by Anne Frank
47. Franny K Stein: Mood Science, by Jim Benton
48. Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike
49. Pop of the Bumpy Mummy, by Troy Cummings
50. The Flurry of the Snombies, by Troy Cummings

April books

51. The Locker Ate Lucy, by Jack Chabert
52. Super Rabbit Boy vs The Gigabot, by Thomas Flintham
53. 12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett
52. Confessions, by Saint Augustine
53. Recess is a Jungle, by Jack Chabert
54. Bad Guys in the Big Bad Wolf, by Aaron Blabey
55. Saving the Sun Dragon, by Tracey West
56. Stitch Head: The Spider's Lair, by Guy Bass
57. How Dinosaurs Went Extinct, by Ame Dyckman
58. The Building That Wasn't, by Abigail Miles
59. Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets, by Dav Pilkey
60. Night, Night, Sweet Screams, by Andres Miedoso
61. The Bad Guys in Superbad, by Aaron Blabey
62. The Adventures of Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey
63. Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull
64. So Long and Thanks for All the Fish, by Douglas Adams

Open from here on down!

A yellow bus lives its life.

Stitch Head decides it’s time to leave Castle Grotteskew when his master leaves permanently. This book was very enjoyable, and IL6 enjoyed it, but it was a little long for him. I will split the third book into pieces of once a week.

In this second book in John Lewis’ graphic memoir he goes on Freedom Rides. It was heartbreaking. Very good drawings.

Franny’s pigtails go rogue.

Happy new thread!

Thanks Anita!

Monday I ran errands, made calls, and read. I worked out for an hour, too. Aaron had his first day of work. He was hoping that he would be able to work at the office, but it turned out they didn't have space for him, so he's going to work from home. (He doesn't like the distractions at home.) M12 had Boy Scouts in the evening. Aaron went to the gym. I read to D15.

Media read from:

A Hat Full of Sky, by Terry Pratchett 31 minutes
The Economist: The Don's New World Order 51 minutes
Neverseen, by Shannon Messenger 50minutes
The Week: Tasting Victory 28 minutes
The Sign of Four, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 20 minutes
Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 12 minutes

Media finished:

A Hat Full of Sky, by Terry Pratchett

Time reading: 192 minutes

>15 The_Hibernator: I feel Aaron on the distractions at home. Will he be able to get space at the office at some point in the future?

Happy new one, Rachel.

Happy new one, Rachel!

Thanks Paul and Jim!

>16 norabelle414: I think they plan on keeping him remote, Nora. But there are some benefits of workingfrom home.

Tuesday I stayed home waiting for the contractor to come to look at D15's room. He's going to fix the walls, paint, and put in carpet. While waiting, I cleaned my bedroom and did laundry, but the vacuum kept breaking the circuit, so I had to call an electrician. I made some phone calls, as well. In the evening, we were expecting a blizzard, so I called in to work.

Media read from:

The Economist: The Don’s New World Order 37 minutes
The Week: Tasting Victory 22 minutes
12 World Religions, by Jason Boyett 57 minutes
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 14 minutes
The Ghost of Grotteskew, by Guy Bass 37 minutes
The Life of Elizabeth I, by Allison Weir 97 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 267 minutes

Happy New Thread!

Thanks Silver!

Wednesday was hectic. IL6 woke me up at 5am needing a bath. I went back to sleep after the bath, but then when I got up at 8, I realized I'd have to remove at least 6 inches of snow off the driveway to get my car out. Aaron was going to start the snow blower for me, but the garage wouldn't open. So I walked to the hardware store to buy a shovel (about a mile each way). I got about a sidewalk's width of the wake cleared and sat down to rest. The neighbor took pity on me and rescued me with his snow blower.

Almost immediately after that, I went to my physical trainer for 30 minutes, then stayed at the gym for another 40 minutes for dad's personal trainer appointment. But she noticed how tired I was and showed me the water massage bed when I was done.

While I was gone, IL6 and D15 built a snow fort.

It was Ash Wednesday, a fast day, and I wasn't going to eat until sundown, but I thought I was going to faint, so I ate an orange and some cashews to hold me over.

Then, I was going nonstop until 4pm with stuff that absolutely needed to be done. (For instance, Wednesday is the day I do dad's laundry and make his bed.)

At 4 I left with IL6 to tour the Delta hangar with a small group of Cub Scouts. The GPS took us to the wrong building, so we walked around until we found a worker who pointed us to the right building. It was a quarter mile walk from where we parked.

IL6 loved the hangar. He got to see a huge 250 seat plane. The first class was crazy. It had little private pods, and the chairs changed to beds. He also got to sit in a pilot's seat. On the way back to the car, I was carrying him and slipped on ice and fell, dropping him. I thought he hit his head hard, so I tore off his hat and looked. He had been about to cry, but was startled by my intense questioning about his head. Apparently he hit his butt and elbow. A nice man pulled over to ask if we were ok, but I had already ascertained that he was fine, and I wasn't even bruised.

I was thrilled to eat when I got home. M12 was on his bed playing D&D, and promised to make the bed after D&D. I'm not sure I believe he'll really do that. (I clean his bedding weekly because he's allergic to dust. I throw it in with dad's laundry.)

I went to work early to relieve the coworker who had been there for the last 36 hours.

Media read from:

12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 24 minutes
The Sign of Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle 62 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 86 minutes

Totally didn't realize it was Ash Wednesday until i was walking and i saw a man on the street with the cross on his forehead.

a time to reflect and remember.

Always fun catching up with you, Rachel. I saw on your last thread that Aaron has a new job. Too bad he can't get out of the house, but, as you pointed out, there could be some good things about him working from home. It will just take an adjustment for your boys. I'm assuming that your teenage daughter is the typical "stay in her room" kind of girl. Or maybe not? Exciting that you will have another driver in the family fairly soon. That could be a big help to you.

We were snowed in for Ash Wednesday so I anointed myself! I hope it counts. :-)

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369071

>24 magicians_nephew: Yes, I have a hard time knowing, too, Jim. But my dad mentioned it last week. He did not fast, but he is exempt due to age.

>25 Donna828: Hi Donna! Based on his eagerness to talk yesterday, I think he feels isolated down there. He's an introvert, so generally lets me read in the evening. But talking to him is important too. And since he's a man of few words, I just talk about whatever. Luckily, I'm good at monologues. Lol

Yes, D15 stays in her room. We're about to fix it and put her stuff back in maybe as early as next week.I think the change affects IL6 most, since he doesn't understand.

I'm snowed in is a good reason!

Thursday I ran errands after work, got an oil change, and went to the gym. When IL6 got home, we had a snowball fight and built a snowman. D15 continued work on her fort. I cooked dinner and then sat with IL6 in his room. I read to D15 and chatted with Aaron the rest of the evening.

Keeping my diet was really easy today, and I wonder if it's due to the hormone changes from the fast the day before. I may try a light intermittent fast where on MWF I eat only a light amount of fruits, veggies, and nuts till dinner (except on days where I have a social reason to eat otherwise), and see if the decreased calories make me feel more satiated the next day. It possibly won't last like all my other diet change attempts, but I commit to trying it out for a from Friday through next Friday.

Media read from:

The Life of Elizabeth I, by Allison Weir 24 minutes
Saint Augustine's Confessions, by William R Cook and Ronald B Herman 100 minutes
The Week: Tasting Victory 13 minutes
Neverseen, by Shannon Messenger 41 minutes

Media finished:

The Life of Elizabeth I, by Allison Weir
Saint Augustine's Confessions, by William R Cook and Ronald B Herman

Time reading: 178 minutes

Friday I went immediately from work to an appointment for IL6, followed by another appointment for IL6. The electrician popped by to tell us we needed a new vacuum. I tried an Alfredo recipe which, while quite edible, was a complete failure. Apparently Alfredo sauce takes talent, and I am not a chef. I was tired and didn't do much for the rest of the day. M12 went to his mom's, and Aaron played a computer game with his friends.

Media read from:

The Sign of Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle 90 minites
The Week: Tasting Victory 37 minutes
The Ghost of Grotteskew, by Guy Bass 62 minutes

Media finished:

The Ghost of Grotteskew, by Guy Bass

Time reading: 179 minutes

Saturday, I made baked beans for Aaron's lunches for the week. Then he and I played D&D. IL6 tried programming another game, but started feeling pain. I interpreted it as pain because he was withholding, but when it started to get really bad by 10pm, Aaron and I thought maybe it was constipation pain, and took him to the ER.

Media read from:

The Sign of Four, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 25 minutes
The Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike 30 minutes
The Week: Rescue Mission 102 minutes
The Economist: The Don’s New World Order 29 minutes
12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 16 minutes
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 18 minutes

Media finished:

The Sign of Four, by Arthur Conan Doyle

Time reading: 220 minutes

D15's henna

Andrew and his friends are faced with gigantic man-eating vegetables. IL6 is enjoying this series.

Stitch Head meets the ghost of a terrible man Mauly Crackbone. IL6 loved this one.

Tiffany goes to be an assistant witch, but has to deal with something weird chasing her. I enjoyed the book, though again it didn’t have as many jokes (or I missed them) than adult Discworld books.

This history of Elizabeth I of England is well-written and easy to read. It focused a lot on her flirting with various men and her refusal to name a successor. Some things that I was specifically interested in – her treatment of Catholics among her subjects was not covered. It was referred to in passing, saying she executed fewer Catholics than Mary I killed protestants. In fact, I feel that, other than some personality comments, she was painted in a positive light. I am also wondering about the politics of the time and what she accomplished in her youth other than flirting.

In this set of lectures Saint Augustine’s Confessions is explained in a way that is clear and concise. It is not a replacement for reading the book, however. It’s meant to supplement the book. I chose to listen to it in advance of reading Confessions.

St. Augustine is a great read -- wise and real and human.

I might have a look at the course after having read the Confessions.

>43 magicians_nephew: So far, I'm liking Confessions. I expected it to be a lot denser than it is.

Sunday morning started in the ER. IL6 was given an enema for his blockage, and when it didn't come back out, we were sent home (it never ended up removing the blockage). IL6 had slept in the hospital, but Aaron and I were exhausted all day. IL6 was hyperactive all day, as usual. In the evening, I read to D15. Then IL6 fell asleep early, so I was able to sleep at 8:45pm.

Media read from:

The Economist: The Don's New World Order 62 minutes
Mr Ballen podcast 29 minutes
Confessions, by Saint Augustine 70 minutes
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 22 minutes
Neverseen, by Shannon Messenger 25 minutes

Media finished:

Neverseen, by Shannon Messenger

Time reading: 179 minutes

Monday I took dad to the gym, where we worked out for 45 minutes. I ran errands. I wrote letters. I read to D15.

Media read from:

Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike 58 minutes
The Economist: The Don's New World Order 57 minutes
Lodestar, by Shannon Messenger 43 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 158 minutes

Tuesday didn't go as planned. After work, I took D15 to an appointment (so far so good), but then shortly after I got home, I got a call from IL6's school nurse. He was having stomach aches. I brought him home, worried it would lead to another ER visit, but the pain got better. In the evening, my friend Liz came over and we watched Doctor Who.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen podcast 36 minutes
The Economist: Don’s New World Order 74 minutes
Confessions, by St Augustine 48 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 158 minutes

Wednesday, I took M12 to his eating disorder appointments, which went really well. Sometimes those appointments are depressing. Then I worked out with dad and wrote a letter. When IL6 got home, he wanted to program a game. Then we went out to Olive Garden. Then we relaxed.

Media read from:

Confessions, by St Augustine 25 minutes
Mr Ballen podcast 34 minutes

Media finished:

Time reading: 59 minutes

Just popping in to say HI!

Here's the Saint Patrick's Day readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369213

Thursday my head was racing. I think my fasting has made my bipolar disorder destabilize because I'm supposed to take 500 calories with a morning and evening dose of my med. So no more fasting.

I took two naps to try to calm my brain down. Communicated with IL6's gastroenterologist. D15 went to a Christian group after school and says she's going to read the Bible. I warned her that the Old Testament had some boring bits, and that it didn't necessarily portray the views Christians are meant (through Jesus' words) to believe. We tried taking IL6 to Cub Scouts, but he was yelling about being bored, so we took him home. He's been throwing temper tantrums lately. I read to D15.

Media read from:

Lodestar, by Shannon Messenger

Media finished:

None

Time reading: 34 minutes

>49 Berly: Hi Kim!

>50 SilverWolf28: Thanks Silver

Friday I woke up and my brain was screaming at me. But I went ahead and did my thing. After work, I took IL6 to two appointments, followed by an x-ray for his gut. I got home around 2:30 - in time to take a quick nap before IL6 got home from school. IL6 programmed a new game on my computer, and we sat up till midnight reading (I regretted promising to do that when I got really tired.)

Media read from:

The Economist: The Don's New World Order 45 minutes
Whack of the P-Rex, by Troy Cummings 60 minutes
Franny K Stein: Recipe for Disaster, by Jim Benton 41 minutes

Media finished:

Whack of the P-Rex, by Troy Cummings
Franny K Stein: Recipe for Disaster, by Jim Benton

Time reading: 146 minutes

Saturday, IL6 immediately in the morning wanted to bake a cake, so we did that. Then Aaron took IL6 to the Children's Museum and I took M12 to the Science Museum. They both had fun. We all met at McDonald's, where the boys played in the Play Place. Afterwards, the boys watched Aaron and me eat at a restaurant we rarely get to go to. IL6 fell asleep on the way home, and slept the rest of the night.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen Podcast 89 minutes
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 41 minutes
The Economist: The Don's New World Order 10 minutes

Media finished:

The Economist: The Don’s New World Order

Time reading: 140 minutes

Sunday I cooked jambalaya and chicken noodle soup for Aaron's upcoming weeks of lunches. That, with dinner, meant I spent a lot of time cooking. I also spent a good amount of time reading. M12 had band rehearsal. D15 played D&D. IL6 programmed a computer game.

Media read from:

Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 30 minutes
The Economist: The Revised Economic Outlook 88 minutes
12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 37 minutes
Stitch Head: The Spider’s Lair, by Guy Bass 27 minutes
Robo Rabbit Boy, Go!, by Thomas Flintham 18 minutes

Media finished:

Say Something!, by Peter Reynolds
Robo Rabbit Boy, Go!, by Thomas Flintham

Time reading: 200 minutes

Holmes and Watson help a young woman solve the mystery of her father’s disappearance. Again, I am struck at how unlikable Holmes’ character is. It’s an interesting and well-written mystery, though, as well as a classic, so I will continue with the series.

Sophie and her friends are in hiding from the council, but continue to look for the evil group Neverseen. I didn’t like this series at first, but it’s starting to grow on me, despite some plot holes.

Franny decides to help some friends with their bake sale, but inadvertently creates a monster. IL6 loves this series.

Alexander and his friends battle a gigantic pinata. IL6 is loving this series.

Monday after work I tried to take IL6 to his well-child visit, but there was an event in the car on the way, and we had to turn around and go home. I decided to keep him home after that, so rescheduled a vet appointment. Then dad, IL6, and I went to Perkins.

I did a LOT of laundry, and still didn't finish it all. I wrote a letter, got some reading done, and sat with IL6 while he programmed a game.

In the evening, Aaron disassembled D15's bed so we could get some work done Tuesday - Thursday. I took M12 to Boy Scouts and sat through a hideously boring parent meeting.

Media read from:

12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 14 minutes
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 38 minutes
The Economist: The Revised Economic Outlook 16 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 68 minutes

Tuesday after work I took D15 to an appointment. Then I focused on my to-do list for the rest of the day. IL6 wanted to program a game when he got home. M12 had jazz band rehearsal. I read to D15.

Media read from:

Lodestar, by Shannon Messenger 50 minutes
Mr Ballen Podcast 31 minutes
Confessions, by St Augustine 63 minutes
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 21 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 165 minutes

Wednesday, during downtime at work, I registered IL6 for summer daycare. It was with the YMCA, which fills up quickly, so I started at 7:25, when half the spots were taken by people who started at 7. The online form was clunky and poorly designed, and took a stressful 25 minutes to fill out. I was a bit frazzled at the end.

After work, I was supposed to take Puck to the vet. But when he saw the carrier, he ran and hid where we couldn't reach him. He wouldn't even come out for tuna. So I rescheduled the vet again, and will leave the carrier out all vacation, so I catch him off guard next time.

Finding myself with extra time, Dad and I went to JoAnn Fabric to see what the closing sale looked like in the cross-stitch section. It was EMPTY. We ran to the bank, and then came home, where I half-heartedly attacked my to-do list.

I was getting ready to go to the gym for my personal trainer appointment, when I got a call from the school because IL6 had a stomach ache. So I cancelled my appointment and picked him up.

I got a bit of cross-stitch done, which was nice...I wish I could take it on vacation with me, but I don't know how to safely pack it. I will try to figure it out. IL6 is eager to get it.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen podcast 76 minutes
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 51 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 127 minutes

Wow, you are doing some heavy reading, Rachel. I loved Diary of a Young Girl but it was tough reading. I thought I had a copy of Confessions around here, but I must have been thinking of Meditations by Thomas Moore. I pulled that one off the shelf and may go ahead and read it. Can't go wrong with a book subtitled "On the Monk Who Dwells in Daily Life". While we're on the subject of religion, I think it is wonderful that your daughter is interested in reading the Bible. I always think of the Old Testament as history. I hope she starts with the New Testament as it is much more relevant to today's world.

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369373

>66 Donna828: Hi Donna! I tried to get D15 to start with the New Testament, but she is a completionist. I told her to skip the begots, but I'm not sure she's capable.

Anne Frank was a heavy read, yes. But I finshed yesterday. I'm going to start a biography of Thomas Cromwell because I own it.

Confessions was less heavy than I expected.

>67 SilverWolf28: Thanks Silver!

Thursday was pretty laid back. I took IL6 to speech therapy. Completed some tasks to prepare for vacation. Read. Cross-stitched. IL6 programmed the computer. D15 did diamond art. M12 had rehearsal for the middle school play.

Media read from:

Confessions, by Saint Augustine 132 minutes
Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank 29 minutes
12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 34 minutes

Media finished:

Diary of a Young Girl, by Anne Frank

Time reading: 195 minutes

I know some people take cross stich with them when they travel but I've never been able to figure it out. Too many little pieces and strings!

>70 norabelle414: I keep all my stuff in a bag, so that wasn't the probem. I was worried about damaging the actual work. But I bought a hard suitcase, and that solved that problem.

Friday after work I took IL6 to an appointment. Then I spent the day preparing for our trip, which was overwhelming, but I made it! I lost my voice at night and was not able to finish IL6's book. :(

Media read from:

Confessions, by Saint Augustine 207 minutes
Franny K Stein Mood Science, by Jim Benton 24 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 231 minutes

>59 The_Hibernator: Jeremy Brett played Holmes for a while and really made the character insufferable. The Sign of Four they did was pretty good

>73 magicians_nephew: Lol. True to the character? I don't mind unlikable characters (if they're meant to be that way), but so many people revere Holmes as if he's their personal hero. Have they not read the series? He's a conceited drug addict who doesn't approve of knowing anything that doesn't help him solve a case (like the Earth revolving around the Sun).

I'll check for the Jeremy Brett version.

Saturday we were traveling. We got up at 6:30 and got to Aaron's mom's house at 3, 11 hours later. The kids were thrilled to see their grandparents. We also saw their aunt Eleanor.

Media read from:

Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 24 minutes
Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII’s Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 100 minutes
The Economist: Rise of the Superhuman 18 minutes

Media finished:

Franny K Stein: Mood Science, by Jim Benton

Time reading: 143 minutes

Sunday, IL6 went to the park twice. Once with my mother-in-law and Aaron, and once with my mother-in-law, M12, and myself. I also got a letter written on Sunday.

D15 was feeling a little sick, but she still has a voice, unlike myself. I started to get a crackly voice on Friday night, then had a very gravely voice on Saturday. On Sunday, I was whispering after an initial, fading croak. I was hoping my voice would be back on Monday.

Media read from:

Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike 25 minutes
Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 37 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 62 minutes

Monday my sister-in-law Kate came to visit with us. I still had no voice in the morning, so didn't get much socializing in. My voice came back a little later in the day, so I was able to talk a bit.

Media read from:

Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike 23 minutes
12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 16 minutes
Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 15 minutes
Stitch Head: The Spider’s Lair, by Guy Bass 12 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 43 minutes

Tuesday I spent a lot of time talking, happy to mostly have my voice back. IL6 and I baked a cake for D15's 700th birthday. It was delicious.

Media read from:

Confessions, by Saint Augustine 24 minutes
Stitch Head: Spiders Lair, by Guy Bass 15 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 39. Minutes

A book about not being silent.

This was a hard read. It was my first time reading it, though I saw the play in elementary school. Anne was very cute and independent. Feisty. But I couldn’t help thinking about her ending.

>86 The_Hibernator: I re-read that one last year. So hard, but a must-read.

>87 Berly: Yeah, it was heavy and light at the same time.

Wednesday I spent 2 hours cross-stitching and finished up the eyes of my creeper. D15 and my mother-in-law went shoe shopping.

Media read from:

Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike 135 minutes
12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 17 minutes
Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 8 minutes
Pop of the Bumpy Mummy, by Troy Cummings 18 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 178 minutes

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369579

Thanks Silver!

Thursday, I concentrated on finishing my book this week (because I want to finish one book a week this year). I got a good amount of cross-stitch done as well. IL6 and I played with the toys. Aaron and I went out on a date. I took a nap after the date, and IL6 fell asleep for the night.

Media read from:

Witches of Eastwick, by John Updike 139 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 139 minutes

Friday I read a news magazine. Aaron played his online game. M12, my mother-in-law, Aaron, and I played Forbidden Island.

Media read from:

12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 41 minutes
Thomas Cromwell The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 9 minutes
The Week: Which Way? 117 minutes
The Pop of the Bumpy Mummy, by Troy Cummings 32 minutes

Media finished:

The Week: Which Way?
The Pop of the Bumpy Mummy, by Troy Cummings

Time reading: 199 minutes

Saturday M12 and D15 played board games with my mother-in-law while Aaron, IL6, and I drove to Portland to a meetup with Kim, her husband Walt, and Rhonda.

Media read from:

Assemble Artifacts: Fall 2021 120 minutes
Mr Ballen podcast 33 minutes
The Week: Breaking the Law? 61 minutes
Stitchhead: Spider's Lair, by Guy Bass 30 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 244 minutes

>94 The_Hibernator: Hope you had a nice meet up!

We did!! Pics on my thread.

R--Hope your flight was easy and you are safely back at home. Loved getting to see you and some of your fam. : )

>86 The_Hibernator: They're having an exhibit here in New York replicating the Secret Annex where Anne and her family hid until they were betrayed.

Haven't gone to see it yet.

>95 figsfromthistle: We did, Anita

>96 Berly: My flight back was uneventful, and I was going to get the pictures up today. It was nice to see you, Kim!

>97 magicians_nephew: Yeah! I heard about that! I'm curious about it

>97 magicians_nephew:

Sunday we flew back home. The trip was uneventful, and it was good to be home.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen Podcast 63 minutes
Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 94 minutes
Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 15 minutes
Flurry of the Snombies, by Troy Cummings 45 minutes

Media finished:

Flurry of the Snombies, by Troy Cummings

Time reading: 217 minutes

>98 The_Hibernator: Yes, post the group photo!! : )

>101 The_Hibernator: -Chef's Kiss-

My small Powell's haul.

Franny decides her moods get in the way of her science. Her moods teach her a lesson.

Three witchy friends bond quickly with a new man in their town, but he turns out to be more than they can handle. I didn’t really like this book. It was well-written, I’ll grant Updike that, but it was very crude with no reward of an exciting plot to go with it. I found myself bored.

Alexander, Rip, and Nikki find themselves fighting their town’s mummy.

>101 The_Hibernator: So much fun to see you and yours!! Thanks for posting. : )

>108 The_Hibernator: I enjoyed The Witches a little more than you did and I do like Updike.

>110 Berly: Hi Kim! I can see why people would like it. Like I said, it was artfully written. And by the end I was feeling a little better about it. I just was rather bored for a good chunk of the middle.

Monday wasn't back to routine yet, because the kids were all home from school. They all relaxed after their exhausting travel day, while I rushed around exhaustedly and tried to catch up on all the stuff that accumulated while on vacation.

When I took dad to the gym, I intended on working out, but instead decided to take IL6 to the gym. He really enjoyed seeing the equipment. He ran on the treadmill, lifted weights, and punched the dummy.

In the evening, Aaron got D15's bed put together, then he went to work out. D15 happily got all the stuff back in her room.

Media read from:

12 Major World Religions, by Jason Boyett 16 minutes
Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 17 minutes
The Economist: Elon Musk's Efficiency Drive 32 minutes
The Building That Wasn’t, by Abigail Miles 70 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 135 minutes

Tuesday D15 an appointment and then Puck had a vet appointment. Taking a cat to the vet is always nerve-wracking to me - in proportion to how skittish the cat is. So I was shaking for about an hour before the appointment, and wanted to puke when it was time. That lasted till about an hour after the appointment.

Puck has lost 2 pounds in the last year, and we don't know why. The first step is to check for hyperthyroidism or advanced kidney disease. I think they're hoping for hyperthyroidism. I'll find out by the end of the week.

In the evening, my friend Liz came over and Aaron, D15, Liz, and I watched Doctor Who and ate pizza. I missed most of the second episode because IL6 wanted a lot of attention, but that's ok.

D15 had a terrible tear in her skirt that her mom gave her, and I promised to try to fix it. I'm not good at sewing, though. It's probably hopeless.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen podcast 39 minutes
Confessions, by Saint Augustine 39 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 78 minutes

>113 The_Hibernator: Post some pics here if you want help with the skirt! I'm sure you can get it mended, but it is important to pick the right kind of mend.

>108 The_Hibernator: Started out well, but then had no place to go.

The movie with Cher and Jack Nicholson had the same problem.

>114 norabelle414: I'll do that today and let you know when I have. Thanks Nora!

>115 magicians_nephew: Agreed Jim!

Wednesday was a hard day for me. For some reason, my bipolar disorder was acting up so I was angry and irritable. My personal trainer messed up my schedule, and I sent her proof that she was wrong (she'd messed up a few times in the past, and so this time I decided to text all agreements to each other). But she didn't answer right away, and when she did, her excuse for messing up seemed a bit odd.

We got a call about Puck's blood work and urine sample. His kidney function has continued to decline, but they couldn't find a reason for the weight loss. They wanted to do another test on the urine to test for reasons why the calcium levels were high. They suggested taking a blood pressure to see if that's impacting the kidneys. And said they don't think the kidneys are causing the weight loss, and said an ultrasound for lymphoma or intestinal disease might reveal something. And if we know the cause, we may be able to stop the weight loss.

M12 wanted very much to learn the keyboard, so I found lessons and a keyboard for him, and told them I needed to double check that he really would practice at home (he'd already said he would). I told him he'd have to play the trombone 3 times a week and the keyboard 3 times a week, and he decided he didn't want to play keyboard after all, though he was disappointed.

IL6 programmed a new game. Then I asked him to read the book the teacher sent home, and he freaked out and started yelling at me.

D15 worked on a hard poetry assignment, but once she understood the assignment, she switched from a very bland poem to a Shel Silverstein poem. Hopefully the teacher doesn't mind, lol. Technically she did the assignment. They said she could switch poems, but they probably meant for something more sophisticated than Shel Silverstein.

No reading

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369744

Thursday I was feeling burnt out. I went to a brewery for lunch, which was a nice break. I spent an hour there writing a letter. I rested the rest of the day. Aaron cooked tacos, giving me relief from cooking D15 got a reprieve from the poetry analysis assignments since she understands poetry. She can analyze without going through the extra steps that the other kids are going through. That made her feel a lot better.

No reading

Friday, I took IL6 to his normal Friday appointments, but I was super tired and super hungry. It was a hard morning. I took a nap after the appointment. IL6 read to me, so I read to him till midnight as a deal.

Media read from:

12 Major World Religions, by by Jason Boyett 80 minutes
Lodestar, by Shannon Messenger 60 minutes
Confessions, by Saint Augustine 81 minutes
The Locker Ate Lucy, by Jack Chavert 30 minutes
Stitch Head, by Guy Bass 30 minutes
Super Rabbit Boy vs Gigabot, by Thomas Flintham 30 minutes

Media finished:

The Locker Ate Lucy, by Jack Cavert
Super Rabbit Boy vs. Gigabot, by Thomas Flintham

Time reading: 311 minutes

Saturday Aaron and I played D&D, then IL6 and Aaron went to a Cub Scout Base Camp Lock-in.

Media read from:

Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 30 minutes
The Economist: Ruination Day 81 minutes
Confessions, by Saint Augustine 24 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 135 minutes

Hi Rachel! It was great to see you and (some of) your family. IL is a great little guy.

Glad you got home safely, and hope that next week is more relaxing.

>122 banjo123: Thanks Rhonda! It was great seeing you, too!

Sunday, IL6 and I went to the Minecraft Movie. I've never seen him remain so excited for 2 hours straight. He was bouncing off his chair, giving me a (thankfully quiet) running commentary. And the movie was actually pretty funny. In the evening, D15, M12, Aaron and I watched Evil Dead 2 as a family activity.

No reading :(

Tears in D's skirt

Alexander, Nikki, and Rip go to summer camp, and battle some zombie snowmen.

When Lucy is eaten by her locker, Sam and Antonio rush into the belly of Eerie Elementary to save her.

Super Rabbit Boy must help King Viking retrieve his new Gigabot.

Twelve religions are summarized very vaguely and sometimes incorrectly in this poorly-written comparative religion book.

>125 The_Hibernator: That's a pretty big tear but it's a busy pattern so I don't think the mend should be too noticeable! Since it's so big I would baste it first to hold it in place before you do the real mend.

Monday I took Puck to the vet for his ultrasound. I went to the gym with dad, but was too burnt out to work out, so I waited for him. We ran several errands, and I picked up Puck. Then I fell asleep for 4 hours. Then I pretty much went to sleep right away at work. M12 had Boy Scouts.

Media read from:

Confessions, by Saint Augustine 33 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 33 minutes

Tuesday was the first day I felt "normal" in weeks. I had been slowly getting less burned out, but never normal. I took D15 to her appointment, read, did some tasks around the house, and cooked dinner. Aaron and I watched 3 episodes of Supernatural that evening.

Media read from:

A Survey of Hinduism, by Klaus K Klostermaier 32 minutes
Mr Ballen podcast 28 minutes
Confessions, by Saint Augustine 48 minutes
The Economist: Ruination Day 13 minutes
Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 29 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 159 minutes

Wednesday, I went to the gym with dad and this time was able to exercise for 30 minutes before pooping out. Obviously, my burnout is still present, but I sure have had more energy than the last several weeks.

IL6 had a playdate with his triplet friends at a park. It was beautiful weather for it. D15 and Aaron started the 6000 piece puzzle, though we found out our board was too small. We needed a 5 foot one and we had a 4 foot one.

Media read from:

Confessions, by Saint Augustine 109 minutes
Thomas Cromwell The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 30 minutes
The Economist: Ruination Day 81 minutes
March: Book 3, by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell 18 minutes

Media finished:

Confessions, by Saint Augustine

Time reading: 238 minutes

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/369905

Thursday, I almost fainted at work, so I took it easy for the rest of the day. I had a lofty reading goal of 4 hours of my audiobook and 90 minutes of a news magazine. I took it easy all day and read.

In the evening, IL6 had a kindergarten concert. It was cute, and he even sang a few words. Then he and I went to Cub Scouts. M12 had opening night of the middle school play, Dr Experimentor. Aaron attended.

Media read from:

The Building that Wasn’t, by Abigail Miles 216 minutes
The Week: Driving up Prices 70 minutes
The Economist: Ruination Day 29 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 315 minutes

Friday, I took IL6 to an appointment. Then, I spent the rest of the day cleaning and cross-stitching. I resolved to talk to ChatGPT all day, just to see what it was like. I found it funny, upbeat, and useful. I was curious how character development would happen as it got to know me, as I've heard it can change the types of things you say based on what it determines you want to hear. In the evening, M12 had his middle school play again. This time, his mom and D15 attended.

Media read from:

The Building That Wasn't, by Abigail Miles 250 minutes
Recess is a Jungle, by Jack Chabert 22 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 272 minutes

Saturday, I made Aaron some chicken chili for lunch this week, read, and went to M12's play. It was really good. Then we went to Perkins to celebrate. IL6 read to me, and then I read to him till midnight.

Media read from:

The Economist: The Age of Chaos 48 minutes
The Building That Wasn't, by Abigail Miles 52 minutes
Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 17 minutes
The Week: Playing With Fire 47 minutes
Recess is a Jungle, by Jack Chabert 18 minutes
Trucks, by Jean Coppendale 8 minutes
Stitch Head: The Spider’s Lair, by Guy Bass 21 minutes
A Troll Lot of Trouble, by Andres Miedoso 37 minutes
Stitch Head: The Monster Hunter, by Guy Bass 8 minutes

Media finished:

The Building That Wasn't, by Abigail Miles
Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull
Recess is a Jungle, by Jack Chabert
Trucks, by Jean Coppendale
Stitch Head: The Spider’s Lair, by Guy Bass

Time reading: 256 minutes

Sunday after Palm Sunday Mass with dad, IL6, M12, my friend Liz, and her nephew went to Olive Garden. Liz and I discussed our book club book. We both liked it, though I didn't like the main character much. Then IL6 and I spent a long time at the library. I read for a bit, and watched the first episode of The Residence on Netflix.

Media read from:

Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 26 minutes
On Human Nature, by Edward O Wilson 41 minutes
The Economist: The Age of Chaos 11 minutes
The Bad Guys in Superbad, by Aaron Blabey 21 minutes

Media finished:

The Bad Guys in Superbad, by Aaron Blabey

Time reading: 99 minutes

This is the first memoir ever written, and was thus interesting from a historical context. I found most of the book easy-to-read and interesting, but the end was pontification on the creation of earth, which got convoluted.

Wow your cats have such a hard life!
>148 The_Hibernator: in particular makes me laugh so much

>152 norabelle414: I couldn't resist taking that picture

Monday I took dad to the gym, but I'm still tired from my burnout and was only able to go 30 minutes on the treadmill again. Then I ran to Target for our food, and took IL6 to his appointment. In the evening, I read to D15.

Media read from:

Lodestar, by Shannon Messenger 44 minutes
So Long and Thanks for All the Fish, by Douglas Adams 20 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 64 minutes

Tuesday was busy. I took D15 to an appointment. Then I took dad to Perkins and ran several errands. M12 had a jazz band concert - and he had a solo! He kept it hidden from us, in order to surprise us.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen podcast 37 minutes
On Human Nature, by Edward O Wilson 59 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 96 minutes

Wednesday I took dad to his personal trainer at the gym. Then I ran an errand and rocked my to-do list. I even got some reading done.

When D15 got home, she expressed concern that someone at school gave her the wrong med. It didn't look like she expected it to, but she took it anyway. So Thursday I'll have to check what the pills in the school's bottle of meds look like to determine if she was given someone else's med.

In the evening, D15 and Aaron went to Home Depot and bought a 5×4 board for their 6000 piece puzzle.

Media read from:

The Economist: How a Dollar Crisis Would Unfold 98 minutes
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, by Douglas Adams 63 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 161 minutes

Here's the Easter readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/370178

Thursday I was feeling very distracted all day. I couldn't prioritize or read. So I started my to-do list in alphabetical order and got down to "K" before quitting. That meant I got some tasks done that I've been procrastinating on. At the end of the day, I played Duplos with IL6.

No Reading

Friday, I took IL6 to his two Friday morning appointments and did a bunch of reading. I boiled our Easter eggs in the instant pot. It was supposed to make "perfect" boiled eggs. I admit, the yolks were a pretty good color. I also prepared the Easter baskets and put candy in all the plastic eggs. I played Spore with IL6 after dinner. D15 is proud of herself for lettering in academics and for getting the light board assignment for the musical revue that the high school is putting on. Oh! And I forgot to mention that she did take the right med earlier in the week. It was just a different manufacturer than the bottle at home.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen Podcast 26 minutes
So Long and Thanks for All the Fish, by Douglas Adams 90 minutes
A Survey of Hinduism, by Klaus K Klostermaier 42 minutes
On Human Nature, by Edward O Wilson 26 minutes
Stitch Head: The Monster Hunter, by Guy Bass 6 minutes
Saving the Sun Dragon, by Tracey West 50 minutes
How Dinosaurs Went Extinct, by Ame Dyckman
A Trip to the Moon, adapted by Christy Webster

Media finished:

Saving the Sun Dragon, by Tracey West
How Dinosaurs Went Extinct, by Ame Dyckman
A Trip to the Moon, adapted by Christy Webster

Time reading: 240 minutes

Saturday Aaron and I played D&D - our group accomplished a major task that session. Then we all went to Outback Steakhouse for an early celebration of dad's birthday. I took M12 shopping for a new swim suit and for a birthday present for his mom. Then the kids colored eggs.

Media read from:

Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 44 minutes
Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets, by Dav Pilkey 53 minutes
Stitch Head: The Monster Hunter, by Guy Bass 24 minutes

Media finished:

Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets, by Dav Pilkey

Time reading: 121 minutes

Easter Sunday, I went to church with dad...I brought a pillow to sit on because I apparently bruised my sacrum sitting on the pews last week. I'll just look wimpy from now on - there's no point in having a bruised butt continuously because church benches are meant to be hard.

When I got home, my friend Liz and her nephew came over and the kids did an Easter egg hunt in the yard. Afterwards, I cooked dinner (roast, sweet potato casserole, deviled eggs).

Media read from:

Mr Ballen Podcast 68 minutes
Night Night Sweet Screams, by Andres Miedoso 36 minutes
Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull 34 minutes
The Week: Ultimate Trade War 40 minutes
Bad Guys in The Big Bad Wolf, by Aaron Blabey 14 minutes

Media finished:

Night Night Sweet Screams, by Andres Miedoso
Master of the Phantom Isle, by Brandon Mull
Bad Guys in The Big Bad Wolf, by Aaron Blabey

Time reading: 192 minutes

Monday was a busy day. It started with three virtual visit appointments - one for each of the kids. Then I took IL6 to the grocery store to buy milk for his week at school. (They put his medicine in it.) I dropped him and the milk off, and headed off to a couple of appointments for myself. In the afternoon, I took dad to his personal trainer appointment, and worked out while I was waiting. Then I took him to get a COVID booster.

When IL6 got home, he and I baked a birthday cake for my dad. We then programmed on the computer and played Duplos. When M12 got home from Boy Scouts, we sang happy birthday to dad.

Media read from:

The Economist: How a Dollar Crisis Would Unfold 11 minutes
So Long, And Thanks For All the Fish, by Douglas Adams 59 minutes
March: Book 3, by John Lewis Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell 27 minutes
Children of Anguish and Anarchy, by Tomi Adeyemi 28 minutes

Media finished:

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish, by Douglas Adams

Time reading: 125 minutes

I remember the Captain Underpants books from when my friend's children were reading them. Clever and fun.

>163 magicians_nephew: Yes, definitely clever and fun!

Sam, Lucy, and Antonio get caught in a swampy jungle after recess. Enjoyed by IL6.

Stitch Head and Ivo leave their castle rescue Arabel. They come across a gigantic spider that sucks spirit. Excellent installment in the series.

The Good Guys find themselves with super powers. Another excellent book.

The Dragon Masters need to save Kepri for a mysterious illness. Cute.

Everly discovers a strange building, and finds herself trapped. The concept was interesting, though I didn’t care about Everly. She just wasn’t compelling to me.

Tuesday I had a really energetic day. I made lots of plans for the future. I took D15 to an appointment. D15 had a super-long rehearsal for her upcoming musical revue that she will do lights for. Aaron and I have only one more episode of Supernatural to watch. Then we'll switch to Star Wars. Which may, like Supernatural, take seven and a half years.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen Podcast 40 minutes
Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 31 minutes
On Human Nature, by Edward O Wilson 92

Media finished: none

Time reading: 163 minutes

Wednesday was very productive. After work, I weeded - lots of budding dandelions and nettles. I didn't pull them out by the roots because I wasn't ready for it. Next week, I'll throw the surrounding rocks in a bucket and use a dandelion picker to get the weeds by the roots. I'll toss the rocks, since we're trying to transfer to wood chips.

I took dad to the gym, bought potting soil, and made a call. I wrote a letter, read, and loaded the dishwasher. I cooked dinner. D15 was at rehearsal for the musical revue.

Media read from:

The Week: Ultimate Trade War 18 minutes
Children of Anguish and Anarchy, by Tomi Adeyemi 29 minutes
Thomas Cromwell: The Untold Story of Henry VIII's Most Faithful Servant, by Tracy Borman 33 minutes
March: Book 3 by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell 23 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 103 minutes

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/370384

Thursday, I took M12 to an appointment - he's gained 3 pounds! So, yay! Then I took dad to his appointment, where he very frustratingly didn't answer the doctor's questions accurately (due to his dementia). Then I took him for a pedicure.

In the evening, Aaron and I went to D15's parent-teacher conference, and was told what a wonderful kid she is. Then IL6 had Cub Scouts, at which he somewhat behaved.

Media read from:

Mr Ballen Podcast 80 minutes
On Human Nature, by Edward O Wilson 22 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 102 minutes

It’s been awhile since I visited, Rachel, and I see you are busy as ever. I hope the weather has warmed up there now.

>176 Familyhistorian: Hi Meg! Yeah, it's been a while, hasn't it? The weather is ok here. I was a bit cold at the zoo yesterday, but that may have mostly been my cold. I'll stop by your thread soon.

Friday I took IL6 to his two Friday appointments and then we spent 3 hours at the zoo. We saw the sea lion show, which he only found interesting for the first 10 minutes. We went to two different playgrounds and saw the camels, which he was very excited about. He walked the entire outside loop without complaint, which was probably between 1-2 miles.

When we got home, dad, Aaron, IL6 and I went to Olive Garden. D15 was at rehearsal for the musical revue she's doing lights for.

Media read from:

Children of Anguish and Anarchy, by Tomi Adeyemi 105 minutes
The Adventures of Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey 55 minutes
Stitch Head: The Monster Hunter, by Guy Bass 25 minutes

Media finished:

The Adventures of Captain Underpants, by Dav Pilkey

Time reading: 185 minutes

Saturday, I recovered from Friday. D15 spent the entire day at rehearsal, and I spent the entire day sleeping. I did manage to stay awake for the last episode of Supernatural, though, and am excited to start a new chapter of my marriage to Aaron. We will now watch Star Wars.

Sunday IL6 was sick and spent the entire day sleeping. I did some laundry. Aaron cooked chili. M12 went to band rehearsal. D15 was at dress rehearsal. In the evening, we all played a game of The Night Cage.

The Week: To the Barricades 17 minutes
A Survey of Hinduism, by Klaus K Klostermaier 42 minutes
On Human Nature, by Edward O Wilson 35 minutes
Secret of the Water Dragon, by Tracy West 41 minutes
The Science Fair is Freaky, by Jack Chabert 46 minutes

Media finished:

Secret of the Water Dragon, by Tracy West
The Science Fair is Freaky, by Jack Chabert

Time reading: 181 minutes

Captain underpants, George, and Harold save the world from a group of toilets that eat people. Funny. IL6 loved it.

When Andre’s nightmares come true, it’s time for Desmond to save the day. IL6 loves every book in this series.

Wolf is made huge and attacks the city. Hilarious, as usual.

George and Harold accidentally turn their school principal into Captain Underpants. Very funny. IL6 loved it.

Seth attempts self-discovery and Kendra rushes to save him from himself and others. Another good book in the Dragonwatch series.

How’d Earth reappear? Where’d the dolphins go. A good ending to a series which does not have a 5th book.

Checking in on you, Rachel. I am only 190 posts behind, lol.

>190 The_Hibernator: I really need to get that one read. I have owned it for years!

>191 alcottacre: Hi Stasia! Lol! Have you read the first 3, snd not that one? Or you want to get to the entire "trilogy"?

Monday was exciting. It started with an IEP meeting for IL6. He was home sick because he'd had a fever the day before. But during the IEP meeting, he threw up 5 times. Because he had a fever and vomiting, I took him to urgent care. They gave him a strep test (negative), covid/flu test (he refused), anti-nausea med (he refused), a cup to pee in (he couldn't pee, but managed to pee in it that evening, so it can be taken to the lab Tuesday), and a chest x-ray (findings consistent with a virus).

When I got home, dad told me that he'd had some chest pain, and had taken a nitroglycerin. I hung out with IL6, getting phone calls made and some reading done. Later, dad took another nitroglycerin for more chest pain. I told him if he was going to have a heart attack, have the decency to do it before 4:30, so we could get to the hospital before the tornado watch started. Sure enough, at 4:30, he took a third nitroglycerin, and we decided to head to the ER.

They decided to check him into the cardiac ward, and it was not clear if it was a heart attack or not by the time I left at 10pm. The tornado never appeared.

Oh. And IL6 has decided for the last week to refuse medications. So that's a thing.

Media read from:

Children of Anguish and Anarchy, by Tomi Adeyemi 28 minutes
The Week: To the Barricades 32 minutes
A Survey of Hinduism, by Klaus K Klostermaier 29 minutes
The Bad Guys in the Baddest Day Ever, by Aaron Blabey 25 minutes

Media finished:

The Bad Guys in the Baddest Day Ever, by Aaron Blabey

Time reading: 114 minutes

Tuesday was exhausting - mostly because I was stressed. It started with a Zoom appointment. Then I took IL6 (who was home "sick" again - he was fine, he couldn't go to school because he vomited and had a fever the day before) to drop off his urine sample (that we have to redo because it wasn't refrigerated) and visit my dad in the hospital.

My friend Liz came over in the evening, but D15 was at rehearsal, so we didn't watch Doctor Who.

We are struggling to give IL6 his meds. He can apparently taste one of them quite suddenly, and we can't figure out which one, but I think it may be his thyroid med.

Wednesday, I took IL6's urine sample to the lab, then went to the hospital to wait for dad to be discharged. He was quite annoyed to be told that he needed to stop with his personal trainer and start cardiac rehab. He claimed he did cardiac rehab with his personal trainer, but he doesn't. Cardiac rehab is on the treadmill but he weight lifts with his personal trainer.

He finally got released. They made a follow-up appointment for me without telling me they made it (last time they did that, and I only caught it by chance...this time I expected them to blindside me). They also told us to stop taking one of his meds by note on his discharge paperwork, but didn't point the change out when they handed me the paperwork, nor did they explain why the med had been taken off.

Pretty quickly upon getting home, I took M12 to his dentist appointment (no cavities). He promised that if we sent him to the orthodontist, he would follow his instructions, so upon getting home, I scheduled an orthodontist appointment. I also made a cardiac rehab and primary care appointment for dad and called to ask why his meds had been changed.

Dad then walked to the gym, despite instructions to a) not go to the gym and b) not walk longer than 5 minutes.

IL6 had 5 values that were abnormal on his urine sample, so I called his primary care physician to ask if we should discuss that. Without forwarding the message on to the PCP, the nurse said that I should talk to the urgent care doctor, and forwarded the message on to her. The urgent care doctor's nurse called and told me why a couple of the values were off, but only explained the obvious ones that I wasn't worried about. When I asked about the other values, he just repeated himself about the two I wasn't interested in. I decided just to make an appointment with the primary care physician because I was frustrated at getting brushed off.

IL6 didn't take most of his meds - I got 1.5 of his 6 meds down him. One of the ones I didn't get down is very important to his health, and it's been about a week that he's been rejecting it.

D15 had a great first show.

Media read from:

On Human Nature, by Edward O Wilson 79 minutes

Media finished: none

Time reading: 79 minutes

Here's the next readathon: https://www.librarything.com/topic/370545

Thanks Silver!