“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.

 

 

The Husband took last week off. And it was nice to have him at home, spending time with the kids, and with me!

We even managed to catch a movie in a cinema, on Discount Day (just $6.50!). And that was a real rare treat. The last time we went to a cinema was 1 1/2 years ago, in Singapore. It’s not easy between the two of us, taking time off to spend together. And we really ought to do it more often.

Anyway, we watched Jurassic World and it was a hoot! I had a great time, a far better time than I was expecting. It was fun and funny. And I loved how they kind of pay tribute to the original movie.

(It’s a stout float!)

Then on Thursday we set off north past San Francisco to Petaluma in wine country for lunch, before heading to the coastal town of Sea Ranch where a rental home named Pelican was ours until Sunday.

 

 

 

(harbor seals in the bottom photo)

 

It was a nice relaxing vacation. Our first ever stay at a rental home and at Sea Ranch. It’s an interesting community where the homes are all designed in a certain way, simple, very straight-edged, clad in wooden siding or shingles. Perimeter fences aren’t allowed and non-native plants are to be planted only in a screened-in area.

Apparently the herd of sheep we saw on the side of the road is what’s used to mow the grass! We’ve also seen plenty of deer, wild turkeys (at least that’s what they look like) and condors. Oh and harbor seals.

The kids had fun playing by the beach, swimming in the community pool, watching the fog roll in, playing on the patio overlooking the golf course.

The town of Gualala is a few minutes’ drive north and has some eateries and two little supermarkets. And there was even a little bookstore!

(I didn’t buy anything for myself but it’s always fun to browse and check out local recommendations!)

And I got to do some reading! I only brought one physical book but I had loaded several books on Scribd and Overdrive.

It was a pretty good end to the week.

 

Currently…

Reading:

Lolly Willowes – Sylvia Townsend Warner

 

The House on Fortune Street – Margot Livesey
Watching:

Iron Chef America

Eating:

Butter cookie.

Drinking:

Green tea

Cooking:

Ok I really don’t know what to cook this week. We had a quick pop-into Trader Joe’s not long after we got back, mostly to get milk for the kids and some fruits and vegetables. So far I have broccoli and Brussels sprouts in the fridge. I’m guessing pork chops with sprouts? There’s always some kind of noodle and rice dish each week so that will be among the things to cook. I’m really just winging it this week! I’ll have to go to the Asian supermarket tomorrow anyway, so we will see how it goes…maybe some fish.

Browsing:

A fun (non-scientific) test that tells you how defined your colour perception is. I got 26! How did you do?

David Leibovitz visits the Le Creuset factory and it is a fascinating process

River City Reading on finding the right imprint for you

The second round of the ‘women’s world cup of literature’ begins (Three Percent)

Books added to my TBR list:

Stir by Jessica Fechtor (via Kirkus Review)

(ok plenty more books were added to my list this week, I just can’t remember where they were from)!

Last week:

I read:

Good Eggs – Phoebe Potts
The Light between Oceans – M.L. Stedman
Museum Vaults: Excerpts from the journal of an expert – Marc-Antoine Mathieu
Up the down stairs – Bel Kaufman
Love like hate – Linh Dinh
Red Sonja, Vol. 1: Queen of Plagues – Gail Simone, Walter Geovanni (Artist), Jenny Frison (Cover Artists)

I posted:

Home Cooking: A Writer in the Kitchen by Laurie Colwin

The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie

 

What are you reading this week?