Quaran-READING

While we are in this quarantine lockdown and schools are closed for the year due to the coronavirus, we definitely have more time to read.  I've bought a variety of books and have been reading a lot lately.  I'm going to share a few here: my favorites, currently in progress, and one book I had to quit.

1. Evvie Drake Starts Over

First, Evvie Drake Starts Over. This was the most delightful of the books I have read so far.  Evvie's husband died in a car crash not long before the book starts.  Her friend's famous baseball player pal needs a place to stay and Evvie has an extra room.  This book was the perfect lighthearted escape from heavy news in our current world. 

Bonus: I just discovered the author did an interview on NPR.  

  

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2. Becoming

Second on the list: Becoming. I've had this book sitting on my shelf but was so busy that I never got past the second chapter.  Now in quarantine with a little more time to read, I'm making my way through the rest of the book.  It's worth the hype.  Michelle Obama, whether you voted for her husband or not, is a solid writer and weaves a great look into her life thus far. 


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3. The Stand

Oh, Steven King. An airborne virus that kills people and is highly contagious?  Yes, that's the type of book we should all be reading right now.  I bought this gargantuan book with high hopes.  King is a household name for a reason, he's a master storyteller.  But.  You knew there was a 'but' coming, right?  

This would be a chonk of a book for me to get through under normal circumstances.  Given the Coronavirus pandemic right now, I find my mind a little to tired to read something this dense.  I never know what day of the week it is, my dreams are weird, and I went into a panic when it took a month to be able to buy a can of black beans. Oh and our toilet paper supply is low. I ordered towels to cut up just in case because SWEET MOTHER OF HECK.  So a 1,400 pg book is too much to take on right now.  I'm putting "The Stand" on a shelf to come back to at a less-stressful time


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*Links are affiliate links. If you click and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Full disclosure here. 

4. Lending a Paw

Am I the only one who just discovered that "cozy mystery" is a genre?  Well "Lending a Paw" is definitely cozy.  I'm halfway through this one right now and it's a lovely, feel-good distraction from the pandemic world.  Laurie Cass creates a murder mystery that relies on the librarian/bookmobile driver to solve.  Minnie, the librarian has a cat named Eddie that goes along for the adventure. As a dog person, I'd have rather had a bookmobile with a dog but I can settle for a cat. :)  

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5. Ghosts

Technically this is a juvenile fiction graphic novel by popular kids' author Raina Telgemeier.  Students are always reading her books and I bought and read Guts a couple months ago. It was fantastic!  When the Libby app (free app that lets you check out digital materials from your library) had Ghosts up for grab, I quickly checked it out and read it in one afternoon.  

The story does deal with heavier topics such as death (obviously. The title gives that away) and the cystic fibrosis (the main character is a child with CF).  Even so, it was a quick read with a cute story that affirms family connections.

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6. Other People's Houses

Last but not least: Abbi Waxman's Other People's Houses.  I am actually waiting on this one to arrive in the mail!  I've seen this book talked about several different places (I think magazines and probably Modern Mrs. Darcy because she's the ultimate book blogger).

I previously read Waxman's The Bookish Life of Nina Hill and loved it.  Generally if I like one book from an author, I will like others. It centers on a carpool mom, a neighborhood, and an affair.  Reader reviews describe it as "funny" which is always my cup of tea!

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Have you been reading more during the quarantine?  If you have any great suggestions (we've established that it has to be under a THOUSAND pages for me to handle), please leave a comment!  


P.S. You may enjoy my bookish Pinterest board: 

Coronavirus. Anxiety.

Turns out that a world-wide deadly virus that can make you die alone in isolation is not exactly great for people with anxiety. 

On the plus side, every store I have ever even LOOKED AT has emailed me that they are deep cleaning and care about me.  Thanks, Sbarro, for letting me know you're encouraging employees to use hand sanitizer.  Do you usually not?  *suspiciously eyes mall food court*

Our state is shut down, although an awful lot of non-essential people still think they are essential and are out gallivanting around the town.

In these anxious times, (wait, didn't Staples send me an email that began the same way?), there are a few things that I say/do to keep myself calm.  Fine. Calm-ISH.

I'm not a therapist, counselor, or doctor. So if you need to check in with those people, please do!  I'm just a Fellow-Anxious-Person here, sharing what helps me in case it might also help you!

Things I Say:

• "This will not last forever."
• "I am saving lives by staying home."
• "The sun still shines."
• When my brain says "BuT wHaT iF yOu GeT iT aNd DiE!!!1!1!" I tell it "Yeah, but what if I DON'T.  If I'm going to think the extreme scary then I also have to think the opposite."

Things I Do:

• Take a deep breath. Hold for a count of 4. Let it out while counting to 4.  Repeat.
• Watch a 5 min mindfulness video on Youtube
• Do some daily squats.
• Limit news headline checks to morning/lunch/night.  Limit more if you need to!
• Listen to the birds outside and enjoy that nature and life are still happening!
• Use paper plates and frozen dinners and don't even feel bad about it for a second.
• Pet my dog and tell him he is the goodest of all good boys.
• Take a drive by myself.
• Text Tiger King memes to friends.

If you have found healthy ways of coping with anxiety during this Covid-19 crisis, please let me know!  If simple strategies and deep breathing aren't enough (many times they aren't), please reach out to your local physician or counselor.  If you need immediate help, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

 

((hugs from 6 feet away))

*Shared at CreativeKKids ThoughtfulThursday

It's Okay To Be Scared

In case you live under a rock and haven't heard, we are in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.  The Coronavirus has a higher death rate than the regular flu, no known treatment/cure, no vaccine, and is highly contagious.

Fun times.

My family was so excited for 2020 to start! 2019 was...not great.  In the last 6 months of 2019, we'd had:

• 2 surgeries, 
• 1 ambulance ride, 
• 3 EKG's, 
• 6 X-rays, 
• 2 ultrasounds, 
• 1 cat scan,
• 4 (?) blood draws

We were READY to ring in 2020. 

2020 started with the threat of going to war with Iran (remember that?  That was THIS YEAR, you guys!), impeachment of the President, and now a worldwide pandemic.

I'm fine. Why do you ask?

Occasionally I see fellow Christians post things on social media or blogs about just "Trusting God."  Or some verse about anxiety.  Or they talk about God being in control. Or this being his plan.  

Hold up. First of all, people have varying beliefs about God but I don't buy that he plans tragedies to kill millions of people. So, no.  Second, we can trust that God will be with us but that doesn't mean there won't be pain or suffering for some. Third, there are verses that you may find comforting in this time, however, for me, they don't eliminate all of the fear about getting COVID-19 or passing it on to someone.

And you know what? 

Are you scared of the COVID 19 pandemic too?  It's okay.  We're allowed to be scared of scary things.  It's not a good idea to wallow around in that fear. That's why I'm keeping to a pretty good schedule, avoiding 24 news, taking deep breaths, and journaling.

But if you're scared?  Know that you're not alone. I'm scared too.  Scared that I'll get it. Scared that I'll give it.  Scared that I'll be trapped in this house with stir-crazy kids for the rest of the year!  Fear. Anxiety. Scared.  Those are human emotions.  Are you human?  Yes? Then you're allowed to feel those.  Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

**sends social-distance-appropriate cyber hug*

~shared at Thoughtful Thursdays

Stuff I Bought While Self-Quarantined

2019 was rough on our family---we had something like 8 emergency room visits and 2 surgeries.  

When 2020 rung in on New Year's Eve we celebrated. YAY new year!  No more crud!

And then 2020 was like "Not so fast."

Worldwide, we've had threat of war, wildfires, and now a literal pandemic of a deadly virus.

Enter online shopping.

I decided to try to write a note each day and mail it to my grandparents in another state. But I had run out of cute notecards and envelopes.  So I bought this cute set of bright cards from Amazon.

And of course needed wanted some new pens.  My boss has these Retractable Paper Mate InkJoy Gel pens and they are fabulous so I pulled a "Treat yo self" and got a set. 

My youngest has worn out most of his pants.  2 pairs of Russell brand sweats from Walmart found their way to our house.  Then he used some of his money for a new Angry Birds Lego Set.

We paid $3.99 to rent Contagion on Amazon Prime Video.  A movie about a surprise virus that attacks your respiratory system? How did we miss this back in 2011?  It is relevant now and not too horribly scary (unless you are presently sick and then DO. NOT. WATCH.)

Before we decided to self-quarantine in an effort to help stop the spread of illness, I hit the Dollar General (yep, we are in a small midwest town, why do you ask?) and loaded up on cough / cold medicines, Lysol spray, some snacks and cherry coke. The essentials. 

Has anyone else done some online shopping while stuck at home?  Any must-see deals out there?  Good things to keep yourself busy and away from crowds? 

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