“It’s Monday! What are you reading?” is a weekly event hosted by Sheila at Bookjourney to share with others what we’ve read the past week and planning to read next.

 

 

One of the best things I had to do last week was explain to my 4-year-old that no, he couldn’t go to school on Saturday and Sunday because there’s no school on the weekend. I love how he really likes going to his new school! I’m not sure if it’s just because it’s still a new thing (this is his second month) but he’s always excited about going to school. I was a little worried at first as it’s a bilingual Mandarin-English school (each class has one English-speaking teacher and one Mandarin-speaking teacher, and they do work both in English and Mandarin-Chinese and have circle times for both languages) and while I do speak Mandarin, it’s not my first language so we never speak it at home. But hooray! He’s happy to go to school! I’m so glad!

 

 

My Mother’s Day sunflowers and peonies

We had our first backyard barbecue on Mother’s Day. And the boys had a good time playing with sand before lunch.

Saturday dinner of In-N-Out. We are now officially a four-burger family. The kids almost finished a cheeseburger each, leaving just a few bites of the bun. So how is it that my 2-year-old is in just the third percentile for weight? I really don’t know!

My Mother’s Day present! Sort of! The husband used credit card points to get Best Buy vouchers, which is where we got this Breville juicer.

Also it’s Bout of Books 13! I took part in Bout of Books 10 but somehow never did manage to sign up for the others. So I decided on Sunday that ah heck, despite the craziness in my house with two littles, I’m just going to go for it!  You’ve still got until Tuesday to sign up, so what are you waiting for?

 

 

Currently…

 

Reading:

 Foreign Affairs – Alison Lurie

“Virginia Miner, a fifty-something, unmarried tenured professor, is in London to work on her new book about children’s folk rhymes. Despite carrying a U.S. passport, Vinnie feels essentially English and rather looks down on her fellow Americans. But in spite of that, she is drawn into a mortifying and oddly satisfying affair with an Oklahoman tourist who dresses more Bronco Billy than Beau Brummel.

Also in London is Vinnie’s colleague Fred Turner, a handsome, flat broke, newly separated, and thoroughly miserable young man trying to focus on his own research. Instead, he is distracted by a beautiful and unpredictable English actress and the world she belongs to.

Both American, both abroad, and both achingly lonely, Vinnie and Fred play out their confused alienation and dizzying romantic liaisons in Alison Lurie’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Smartly written, poignant, and witty, Foreign Affairs remains an enduring comic masterpiece.”

 

Watching:

After a weird first episode, which seemed more like a McDonald’s ad than anything else, The Crazy Ones seems to have found its stride and I’m really enjoying it. It’s got a fun group of characters and somehow, despite this being a workplace comedy, seems like a family. Plus it’s always fun to see Robin Williams.

Listening:

Florence and the Machines

 

Eating:

Too sweet purple frosting on a chocolate cupcake

Drinking:

Black tea.

Cooking:

Pork chops with Brussels sprouts and basmati rice

Stirfried rice noodles with prawns and spinach

Maybe if I’m up for it, sushi made with egg or imitation crab stick and avocado
Browsing:

If you’re a Lego fan, you need to check out this guy’s basement Lego building room!!

I hadn’t heard of food writer Josh Ozersky until this week, having come across one of his articles published in Best Food Writing 2014 and reading of his death. Food52 lists some of his work.

Love Mad Men? This Atlantic article on the brands featured – especially those negatively portrayed – is for you

Memory lists all the great comics on Marvel Unlimited

The Millions on Eileen Chang: ” I don’t know anyone with a palette quite like Chang’s. She had the lunatic sensibilities of Marc Chagall, married to a Henri Matisse-like elegance.”

Last week:

I read:

 

I’ve been bingeing on Adventure Time! It’s such fun! I think my favourite might just be Marceline and the Scream Queens!

I posted:

Bout of Books 13 here I come!

Weekend Cooking: food magazines on Zinio and Mother’s Day cupcakes!

H is for Hawk

What I Read in March and April

Ten Books I Will Probably Never Read

 

What are you reading this week?